GOOD NEWS - The Filibuster Fight is Go (Firedoglake)

[kpete]

The Filibuster Fight is Go

.............

And from Sean-Paul Kelly:

Just got off the phone with someone highly placed in the filibuster fight: this is doable. It is an uphill battle, no doubt, but that person's words were: the momentum is shifting and has shifted perceptibly since Thursday. Senators are responding to the fact that this is the right thing to do, for the good of the country. This stuff is real. But they are also responding to Atrios' storyline:

The Democrats shocked Washington today by holding together, dropping a mighty turd in the punchbowl of the Bush administration, dealing a deadly blow to his nomination of Alito. The president won't be too happy tonight as he gives the 2006 state of the union speech.

The pressure, the phone calls, the emails and the blogposts are working....

We can, my contact said, pull this miracle off.

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_01_22_firedoglake_archive.html#113847675409572464

[FogerRox]

1. SHUT IT DOWN

SHUT THE SENATE DOWN

[babylonsister]

2. Imagine! nt

[0007]

3. If you haven't called yet....Do it NOW!!

[boobooday]

4. mighty turd in the punchbowl

Whew, once I can shake that image . . . :woohoo:

[BigBearJohn]

13. I know... I'm still wretching... but it is a sublimely appropro image

[boobooday]

18. The turd that saved democracy

That reminds me of the old Steve Martin routine about the Turd Museum.

"They've got a lot of great sh*t in there!"

[Johnny Noshoes]

19. nt.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[doublethink]

5. Thanks for that update kpete ...

No Retreat, No Surrender! Fight On People! Stay Busy! :patriot: Peace. :)

[Slit Skirt]

6. kicked and nominated

[Angry Girl]

7. damn right it's doable! DON'T GIVE UP! That's what they want you to do!

We can do this! And even if we fail in the end, at least you can look at yourself in the mirror the next day with pride and say that you fought against the fascists!

[Johnny Noshoes]

22. You do what is right

with no expectation of reward because it is the right thing to do.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Go Turd!

[louis-t]

14. DOOD-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!

[postulater]

45. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Yuck!

:puke:

[stray cat]

9. Make sure we are hitting the republicans

They need softened up.

[mom cat]

17. Great idea!

[bleever]

10. Not giving up.

:thumbup:

[mom cat]

11. Damn I love this!

:grouphug:

[Gregorian]

12. It shouldn't be this hard to reject a right wing ideologue.

I'm not as happy as I could be.

About as happy as the day this administration's party is over, and we begin the cleanup after them.

Woo hoo. Yippee. And hopefully we will bounce this clown as far away from the Extreme Court as possible.

[blm]

15. Friday's Senate speeches really hit home and the followup emails and calls

are carrying the momentum.

So proud of all the efforts on every level.

STAND UP PATRIOTS - PRESERVE DEMOCRACY.

[eppur_se_muova]

44. On first read, I thought this said DESERVE democracy...

I guess it reads well either way.

[kpete]

16. Link to Kos for more updates

georgia10 has an online war room up with a running whip count and contact information. Apparently emailboxes are full, so fax is the way to go.
Jay | 01.28.06 - 12:13 pm | #

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/28/1420/46748

[helderheid]

21. excellent!

[MelissaB]

20. From Democrats.com

The Alito 48

By Bob Fertik
Created 2006-01-27 00:13
Saturday Updates:

*Senators are freaking out! They've all turned off their DC phones and their voicemails are full. Let's try their state offices (details coming) and get ready to start calling DC again at 9:00 a.m. on Monday

*Bush is freaking out! He used his Saturday radio address to demand an "upperdown" vote, exactly 91 days after denying Harriet Miers her "upperdown" vote! Maybe he's reading his hopeless polls?
The corporate media whores are freaking out!

*Pro-filibuster additions: Paul Sarbanes (#13)

*Three Democratic men told us to go fuck ourselves: Mark Pryor, Ken Salazar, and Kent Conrad. I'm tracking their statements at AlitoTraitorWatch

*20-odd Senators can't figure out what to do. With a hat-tip to Josh Marshall, I'm calling them the "Clueless Caucus" and tracking their statements at AlitoWaffleWatch
*Read these great blogs from BuzzFlash, John Nichols, Huffington Post and BradBlog. And for off-topic fun, don't miss Bob Geiger's Saturday Cartoons.

*Through Vatican spokesman Cardinal Armando, Pope Markos I blessed the Kossack peasant uprising, and there is much joy in KosVille!

*Watch the Young Turks filibuster.

We need to stop George Bush from getting 60 Senators to end the filibuster on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

That means we must convince 41 Senators to either support a filibuster or stay away from the Senate on Monday, preferably by visiting maimed soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital.

Below is a list of 44 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 3 Republicans whose support is possible - the "Alito 48."

We will keep a tally below, relying on you to report back on your calls.

Crossed out names support the filibuster - don't call them
Underlined names will be absent - which is good but keep calling them
Bold names will probably vote against Alito, but oppose the filibuster - call them first! (Our info sources are numbered and linked)
Regular names will probably vote against Alito, but have not declared their position on a filibuster - call them second!
Italic names will vote for Alito and against the filibuster - call them third and try to convince them to change!
This is the latest tally:

Current
Total Goal We Lose
Filibuster supporter: 13 Plan to be Absent: 0 13 48 -
Filibuster opponent: 6+3 Alito supporter: 4 13 0 8


Here are the "Filibuster 48" with their direct phone numbers. You can also use these toll-free numbers (and ask for the Senators by name): 888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641.

Ask the question clearly: will Senator X support John Kerry's filibuster of Judge Alito, or will (s)he oppose Kerry's filibuster?

We need a firm yes or no - be polite but persistent.

Post the results of your calls in the comments below.

Filibuster Supporters

Barbara Boxer (D- CA) , 202-224-3553
Dianne Feinstein (D- CA) , 202-224-3841 (1,)
Christopher J. Dodd (D- CT), 202-224-2823 (1,)
Richard J. Durbin (D- IL) , 202-224-2152
John F. Kerry (D- MA) , 202-224-2742
Edward M. Kennedy (D- MA) , 202-224-4543
Paul S. Sarbanes (D- MD), 202-224-4524
Debbie A. Stabenow (D- MI) , 202-224-4822
Harry Reid (D- NV) , 202-224-3542
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D- NY) , 202-224-4451
Charles Schumer (D- NY) , 202-224-6542
Ron Wyden (D- OR) , 202-224-5244
Russell D. Feingold (D- WI) , 202-224-5323

The Clueless Caucus: For Details visit AlitoWaffleWatch

Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D- AR), 202-224-4843
Joseph I. Lieberman (D- CT), 202-224-4041
Thomas R. Carper (D- DE), 202-224-2441
Daniel K. Inouye (D- HI), 202-224-3934
Tom Harkin (D- IA), 202-224-3254
Barack Obama (D- IL), 202-224-2854
Evan Bayh (D- IN), 202-224-5623
Barbara A. Mikulski (D- MD), 202-224-4654
Carl Levin (D- MI), 202-224-6221
Mark Dayton (D- MN), 202-224-3244
Max Baucus (D- MT), 202-224-2651
Frank Lautenberg (D- NJ), 202-224-3224
Robert Menendez (D- NJ), 202-224-4744
Jeff Bingaman (D- NM), 202-224-5521
Jack Reed (D- RI), 202-224-4642
Lincoln D. Chafee (R- RI), 202-224-2921
Patrick J. Leahy (D- VT), 202-224-4242
Maria Cantwell (D- WA), 202-224-3441
Patty Murray (D- WA), 202-224-2621
Herb Kohl (D- WI), 202-224-5653
John D. Rockefeller, IV (D- WV), 202-224-6472
James M. Jeffords (I- VT), 202-224-5141


Filibuster Opponents - silent & scared

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D- DE) , 202-224-5042
Bill Nelson (D- FL), 202-224-5274
Daniel K. Akaka (D- HI) (1,), 202-224-6361
Mary Landrieu (D- LA) (1,), 202-224-5824
Byron L. Dorgan (D- ND) (1,), 202-224-2551
Olympia Snowe (R- ME) (1,), 202-224-5344

Filibuster Opponents - loud & proud

Mark Pryor (D- AR), 202-224-2353
Ken Salazar (D- CO) , 202-224-5852
Kent Conrad (D- ND) (1,), 202-224-2043

Alito Supporters
Ben Nelson (D-NE) 202-224-6551
Tim Johnson (D- SD) , 202-224-5842
Robert C. Byrd (D- WV) , 202-224-3954
Ted Stevens (R- AK) , 202-224-3004



Link for clickable links: http://www.democrats.com/alito-48

[kpete]

23. I have been using this list to e-mail & fax

emails (3.40 / 5)

The Three Turncoats:
Ben Nelson
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://www.senate.gov/... /email.cfm

Tim Johnson
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://www.senate.gov/... .cfm

Robert Byrd
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://byrd.senate.gov/...

Our "Party Leader":
Harry Reid
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://reid.senate.gov/...

Democrats Not Confirmed Filibuster-ers:
Barack Obama
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://obama.senate.gov/.... cfm?cat=legal

Mary Landrieu
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://landrieu.senate.gov/... .cfm

Ken Salazar
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://salazar.senate.gov/.... cfm

Joe Biden
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://biden.senate.gov/... .cfm

Byron Dorgan
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Diane Feinstein
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://feinstein.senate.gov/...

Evan Bayh
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://bayh.senate.gov/...

Maria Cantwell
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://cantwell.senate.gov/...

Kent Conrad
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://conrad.senate.gov/...

Blanche Lincoln
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://lincoln.senate.gov/...

Mark Pryor
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://pryor.senate.gov/...

Frank Lautenberg
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] / Fax: [phone]
Email: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/... l?Email=Email+Senator+Lautenberg+Your+Co mments+on+an+Issue

Bob Menendez
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://www.congress.org/... /?id=395&type=CO&state=NJ

Jay Rockefeller
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

And Sympathetic Republicans:
Lincoln Chafee
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://chafee.senate.gov/... l.htm

Susan Collins
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://collins.senate.gov/... e.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.E mail&CFID=48722893&CFTOKEN=55709 294

Olympia Snowe
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: http://snowe.senate.gov/...


by baltimoremom on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 12:18:01 PM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/28/1420/46748

[rndmprsn]

41. deleted

[CHestonsucks]

24. Call your Senators today or tomorrow!

It's a fact that if enough calls are received, the Senators will respond accordingly knowing that, if they don't, it could come back to bite them right on the ass come November.

An opposition party OPPOSES, dammit!!

[pat_k]

25. We're giving them a taste of what "Democratic backlash" looks like.

They may fear some fabled "backlash" the beltway boneheads yatter about.

Fear of a fable has no power in the face of a REAL, happening right now, angry, pissed off, won't take no for an answer, mob!

Keep it up!!

[drm604]

26. Call and FAX your Senators of both parties.

Call and FAX your Democratic Senators and demand that they filibuster.

If you have a Republican Senator or Senators, call and ask them not to vote for a rules change to eliminate judicial filibusters. For some ideas on what to say, see my thread about this here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2383579

Contact ALL of their DC and local offices. Do this even if you're convinced that your Senator is hopeless. The squeaky wheel does get the grease. See converted_democrat's thread about that here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2376136
You can use his suggestions both to ask Democrats to filibuster and to ask Republicans not to nuke the filibuster. Do It!

[kpete]

27. As Abraham Lincoln said:

Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government nor of dungeons to ourselves. LET US HAVE FAITH THAT RIGHT MAKES MIGHT, AND IN THAT FAITH, LET US, TO THE END, DARE TO DO OUR DUTY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT.

[kiteinthewind]

28. Phone # and Fax # to use!!

Sorry for the length of this post, but this is the letter I sent out to all my lists!!

Friends and Activists,

I know you are probably overwhelmed, as I am, with what is happening, but one
more time, PLEASE call the Democratic senators Monday toll-free at
1-877-851-6437. Tell them you SUPPORT the filibuster!! Word has it that due to
overwhelming response to the Alito situation, many Senators have full voicemails
or have turned them off due to all the calls!!! So below, I have listed
alternate local offices for the Senators we need to focus on this WEEKEND!!
Remember, a lot of people's cell phones have free weekends and most have free
long distance, so this weekend would be a great time to call and leave a
message, but still call on MONDAY, too!!! Kerry is leading the filibuster, but
there are several DEMS who need a kick in the hiney to SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER!!
We need to call them, especially--They are:

Evan Bayh (IN)
Indianapolis
[phone]
Evansville
[phone]
Fort Wayne
[phone]
Hammond
[phone]
Jeffersonville
[phone]
South Bend
[phone]

Tim Johnson (SD)
Aberdeen
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Rapid City
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Sioux Falls
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Salisbury
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Greenbelt
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone] (fax)
Annapolis
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Hagerstown
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Baltimore
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Joseph Lieberman (CT)
Hartford
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Mary Landrieu (LA)
New Orleans
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Baton Rouge
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Shreveport
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Lake Charles
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Robert Byrd (WV) This is REALLY DISAPPOINTING!!
Charleston
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Ken Salazar (CO)
Denver
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Colorado Springs
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Fort Collins
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Fort Morgan
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Pueblo
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Durango
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Grand Junction
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Alamosa
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

Ben Nelson (NE)
Omaha
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Lincoln
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Chadron
Phone [phone]
Scottsbluff
Phone [phone]

In addition, there are two Pro-Choice Republicans who might possibly vote
against Alito, tho it is a longshot. STILL TRY!

Lincoln Chafee (RI) Talk about Alito's narrow view of a woman’s right to choose
and view of the Commerce Clause and his dissent ruling that Congress did not
have the authority to restrict the sale of machine guns.
Providence
Phone [phone]
Newport
Phone [phone]

Olympia Snowe (ME) Talk about preserving a woman's privacy and right to choose,
without 'permission' from her husband, whether or not to continue a pregnancy.
Auburn
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Augusta
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Bangor
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Biddeford
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Portland
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Presque Isle
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

And for good measure, Contact Arlen Specter (PA), Chair of the Judiciary,
Pro-Choice, and the Republican who immediately called for the congressional
hearing into the legality of the President's wiretapping without FISA warrant.
If Alito is confirmed, given his view of Unitary Executive Power, these hearings
will be moot, because Alito will back President Bush. Refer to this and to a
woman's right to choose to carry a pregnancy to term when you call or fax!!
Allentown
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Erie
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Harrisburg
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Philadelphia
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Pittsburgh
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Scranton
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]
Wilkes-Barre
Phone [phone]
FAX [phone]

As always, thanks for all you do, and remember that if there was EVER a time to
filibuster, ALITO is it!! This man is a danger to our country, our constitution,
our rights and his placement on the SCOTUS will ensure that Bush will continue
to trample over our liberties!! Remind the Democrats that their BASE, the grassroots
Dems, demand that they listen to us!!!

Peace!
Pamela : )

Evil can only prevail when good people do nothing.

"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the State becomes lawless and
corrupt." Mahatma Gandhi

Nvwato hiyadv idehesdi (Let us live together in Peace)! (Cherokee)

"That which you do unto the least of these, you do unto me." Jesus
(Matthew 25:40)

:dem:

[Hawkeye-X]

29. Ken Salazar's mailbox is full in Denver ([phone])

Will try another number.

[kiteinthewind]

30. Thanks!! n/t

[Hawkeye-X]

31. Followup: Mailbox is also full in his Colorado Springs office.

Trying leave message on other offices too.

[Hawkeye-X]

33. Followups: Ken Salazar's boxes in the following cities are full:

Denver, Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Durango, and Grand Junction and Alamosa.

Message successfully left in: Fort Morgan, and Pueblo

[Dinger]

36. Just Called Every One On The List, Results:

The following mailboxes were full:

Snowe
Bayh
Landrieu
Nelson
Chafee
Specter
Salazar

Left Messages at:

Johnson
Lieberman
Mikulski
Byrd

[kiteinthewind]

37. Damn, you and HawkeyeX are Excellent!!

:yourock:

[democrank]

32. That`s us....

"Mighty turds" in Junior`s puncbowl. I love it.

[TacticalPeek]

34. Alito is too far out of the mainstream.

If President AWOL can stop his own Harriet Miers' nomination without a floor vote, the Dems should be able to stop Alito's nomination without a floor vote; see Goose v. Gander.

:evilgrin:

[Amaryllis]

35. K and R

[kiteinthewind]

38. Keep voting this up!!! n/t

[LiberalAndProud]

39. Every single Dem got an fax from me today.

in longhand
on lined paper

Every single one.

What can I do to get Sen. Hagel to refuse to "go nuclear"?

[Coexist]

40. "this is doable."

manna from heaven.

[Garbo 2004]

42. Update from FDL w. links to Kos & info from conference call w. Ted Kennedy

Just got off a conference call with Ted Kennedy and others, and we got a better idea where the Dems are on all of this.

Some notes:

Maria Cantwell is reportedly quite wobbly, and might be succeptible to pressure. If Cantwell falls, Murray will potentially fall too.

Levin, Harkin, Bayh, Lautenberg, Lincoln, Pryor and Lieberman (who has not in fact committed) all need pressure. As do Baucus and Menendez.

Kennedy says the press have been able to convince people that the Dems are obstructionist; they have been successful in spreading the perception that Daschle was an obstructionist, and look what happened to him. This is something the Democrats have seemed to internalize. They believe that voting their conscience on this matter is "obstructionist," and they think they will pay a fearsome price back home if they are perceived thusly, so PLEASE let them know that just the opposite is true.

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_01_22_firedoglake_archive.html#113848438495105209

And directly from Kos:

Senator Kennedy just had a conference call with a number of bloggers to update us on his and Senator Kerry's filibuster effort, and to encourage the netroots and the grassroots to keep up our efforts. He's very excited by what he's seeing here and throughout the blogosphere, and gave a great pep talk.

He is encouraging you to contact your Democratic Senators, regardless of what they might have said so far, but specifically mentioned Senators Pryor, Lincoln, Cantwell, Murray, Baucus, Harkin, Levin, Bayh, Lautenberg, Menendez, and Lieberman. In addition, he said to keep the pressure on Republican Senators Snowe, Collins, Chaffee, and Stevens.

Senator Kennedy talked in particular about one thing that I think is critical to keep in mind as we approach our Senators, and for them to keep in mind as they are considering this vote. We need to overcome the media noise machine by letting our Senators know that in voting their conscience, and making it clear that they are voting on principle, on conscience, they will overcome the media noise machine calling them obstructionists. We can help them realize this by letting them know that we've got their backs. That they are voting our conscience as well, and that we will not forget their courage.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/28/165811/315

[Tansy_Gold]

48. Voting their conscience

The DUer known as Tansy Gold has been gone for a while due to major personal events, but now she's back, and she's mad as hell.

"They believe that voting their conscience on this matter is "obstructionist," and they think they will pay a fearsome price back home if they are perceived thusly, so PLEASE let them know that just the opposite is true."

If the Dems don't know this by now, the ones who are in office that is, then they don't deserve to be in office. They are spineless, gutless worms who might just as well be republicans.

There has been a lot of discussion over the past five to eight years (roughly) about whether or not it even is worth the trouble to vote in elections, because there's so little difference between the parties. Well, Dems, you're proving that there IS NO difference, if you don't stand up for what WE believe in.

I want to see John Edwards and Al Gore on the blogs. I want to hear Howard Dean calling in to the talk shows, on tv and radio, screaming -- and we all know Howard can scream! -- about how terrible it would be for the Dems to crumple on this. Terrible for them, terrible for us, terrible for the world.

Everyone's mail box is full, and I doubt they're full of "Support Alito!" messages. If these Dems don't get it now, they never will.

The DUer known as Tansy Gold took a hiatus last summer because her husband of 36 years was dying of cancer. It was less than two months from the diagnosis to his death on 30 July. Since then, I've been putting my life back together bit by bit. It hasn't always been easy.

And the fight against Alito isn't going to be easy, either. But I'm going to be there fighting, first to keep him from being seated and then, if he is, to get him out.

Change the mantra from "No defeat, no surrender" to just "no surrender." The Dems need to learn that there IS NO DEFEAT if you don't surrender. You have to keep fighting, no matter what.

No matter what.

[AuntiBush]

43. Thanks to everyone on the frontlines...

Mean that. Thank you all for keeping us going, showing us courage and how to hang-tough. You're persistence has been so honorable, I've been talking about it all day.

A lot of folks will know about DU, DailyKos and so many others, after this weekend. This is why I'm proud to be a Democrat.

[fooj]

46. NGU! Truth is our most powerful weapon!

Just finished watching Mr. Smith goes to Washington...

Tell the Senators this:

Great principles do not get lost once they are brought to light.

It is time for the Democrats to lead this country out of the darkness and into the light!




Peace.

[Joe Chi Minh]

47. It sounds like nit-picking, I know, but referring to empathetic

Republican senators as "vulnerable" is not helpful to them in terms of their party membership.

[Pachamama]

49. I believe this Filibuster is going to be a success and Alito stopped!

And even if we are short of a filibuster, it will still be a success because it will show the Dems have backbone, something many have been wondering for awhile now!

Ofcourse, either way, the Right wing MSM and the Bush Cabal and GOP will try to spin it as a failure either way, but don't be fooled everyone....this is a victory, just in the fact that its happening!