Democrats should force Republicans to go to "nuclear option"...

[kentuck]

Bryant69 broached this subject in another post. On further thought, I think this might be the best strategy for the Democrats on this Republican powerplay on Alito. If the Leadership of our Party can get enough members in our Party to filibuster for a few days, they may force the Repubs into showing their hand and getthem to pull the "nuclear trigger". I think that would be a big mistake for the Repubs - one which would show their radical approach and which they would pay for politically.

I think it is time for "hardball" politics from the Democratic Party. Even if some Democrats want to vote for Alito, the leadership would request that they go along for a few days with this strategy to get the Repubs to show their hand. If Frist goes the "nuclear option", then Alito wins automatically. However, it will force the hand of the Repubs. It will put them on the defensive. Let them pull the trigger. I have a hunch it will come back to haunt them in the future.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Agreed - we have to pad our chances for November...

Any way we can display the extremism of the present congressional repug leadership can do nothing BUT help us come election day:thumbsup:

[kentuck]

2. C'mon Dems ! Put the SOB's on the defensive...

If they want to play hardball, then let's get it on!

[bryant69]

3. Do you trust our Republican Leaders to successfully

communicate it is necessary that we stop Alito? I'm not sure I do, given how we botched the hearings. The people supporting Alito's confirmation went up after the hearings. If we can use the Filibuster debate to strengthen our hand, that would be really good, but to do so we need to explain to the American people what exactly is at stake, and convince them that our concerns are valid.

The trouble is that we all have different concerns so the message gets diffused and ends up looking like "Democrats don't like Alito because he is a conservative. What else is new?"

I don't want to make it sound like I've made up my mind - i am leaning towards filibustering actually, just trying to work out what the most effective strategy would be.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[kentuck]

4. I agree we need to communicate why we are against Alito..

and it's not just because he is a "conservative". It is because he holds radical views that can affect the lives of millions of Americans in a negative way.

[bryant69]

5. That was a good title too

I mean to say our Democratic leaders - As if peopel weren't already thinking I am a secret freeper.

[kentuck]

6. Edit it...

:)

[oneold1-4u]

7. Absolutely!

When they kick the filibuster they destroy their own maneuvering against any Dem. congress getting rid of 8 years of crap!
When the Dems do return to the majority, it is their solemn duty to rip out every page of this regimes agenda as quickly as possible and destroy it to return this country to a nation of truth and freedom. That should already be in the plans of the party and not just a silly platform thrown together next Oct.!

[dogday]

8. I am curious as to how this is going to play

out. With the Dems keeping secret what they are going to do, I am hopeful... Anyone in his right mind could not vote for this guy with a clear conscience.. He has been 85% against cases that involved civil rights.. Need I say more?

[Burning Water]

9. It's our only chance, IMO,

so we should use it.

For the record, I don't think we will because our 'leadership' would have more backbone if they used Gummi Bears for their spine. And it has a high risk that when the Repukes use the nuclear option, the fallout will blow our way and burn us rather than them. But it is our only chance.

[justabob]

10. Yes they should

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."
Elie Wiesel

[rucky]

11. Democrats in power:

right now their main objective is to keep us from revolting. They do this by fighting when it doesn't count, pretending to fight when it really counts, laying down & blaming others for their loss.

You will always be disappointed until you realize that the 2 parties, as they currently stand, are playing good cop/bad cop on the American people. Examining that theory head-on (as opposed to avoiding the inevitable conclusion), is actually more liberating (to the individual) than it sounds. We can cut our dependence upon others to solve our problems & work ways of taking matters into our own hands.

Then the strategy you discuss goes from the "This is what they should do," type of thinking into "This is what I CAN do." I'm not talking about writing your Senators or signing a petition. I'm talking about going into your community with no purpose other than to improve it. If everbody does it, everything else will fall into place.

(see sig line below)

[Mountainman]

12. I agree. We no longer have anything to lose.

Being the loyal opposition is not getting us anywhere. We need to begin to have our own identity and position on everything. There will be the moment when the American people will feel the sting of supporting the right and we must be able to show that we were not a part of it and that we have alternative policies.

[wiggs]

13. Once again, the issue is ours for the taking

Dems could easily show that the fillibuster is necessary in a GOP dominated senate that votes for party over country. Dems could list all the outrageous political stunts the GOP has pulled to limit dissenting opinion.....hearings in basements, bribing GOP senators to vote the right way, holding votes open contrary to rules, not engaging dems in committees, ending committee hearings illegally during dem speeches, etc.

This could be an opportunity, not only to stand up to a less than worthy nominee, but to expose how one party politics is dysfunctional.