Reasons why the Dems were afraid to filibuster

[JMDEM]

Reasons why the Dems were afraid to filibuster:

1. Bush is at a 38% approval rating and dropping
2. The Republican party is awash in scandal and Americans' respect for them is at an all time low.
3. Several polls showed that a majority of Americans didn't like Alito
4. Alito is pro life, and 66% of Americans are pro choice
5. A filibuster would have embarrassed this enormously popular President just before his state of the Union speech. Now he can gloat.
6. The Dems don't want to repeat a fiasco like the 2000 Supreme Court decision handing the election to Bush. Now, instead of a 5-4 vote, any similar vote would easily be 6-3.
7. The Dems were afraid to upset their base -- women, labor unions, and all those too poor to stand up to the corporations.
8. The Dems thought that if they didn't play fair, the Republicans too might start resorting to dirty politics, which they have never done before.

[Talismom]

1. LOL! (hear the bitter edge in that laugh?) Well done! n/t

[FormerRepublican]

2. You speak for me!

Excellent!

[saracat]

3. Well said .Absolutely. NO reason for Dems NOT to stand up on this!

[Armstead]

4. Perfect -- And here's another

Reason Number 9 -- There's a big Congressional election coming up, and a filibuster might have actually intensified positive enthusiasm for the campaigns

[joemurphy]

10. And another reason:

They were so moved by Mrs. Alito's tears at the committee hearings that they couldn't bring themselves to have her endure any further suffering.

[Lorien]

54. Ouch! Sadly, that may be the price that's paid

aside from the whoppers that will come from actually having Alito on the SC. :-(

[MakeItSo]

5. 9. They're part of the problem, not part of the solution

The jokers who didn't join in didn't want to upset the applecart because they still need to collect as much pork for their individual states as they ever did, and raise as much campaign money from business interests as they ever have.

There seems to be an impression here among some people that there is a significant difference between Democrat and Republican lawmakers. Generally speaking, no.

They are all generally invested in a system that is, in short, terminally broken.

[JMDEM]

6. If these Dems would have been on the Battleship Missouri in 1945

They would have surrendered to Japan.

"Oh, we nuked you twice, you have no military power left, and your will is broken. We give up!"

[loudsue]

30. SO true!!! They would have surrendered to Japan AFTER the BOMB.

:rofl:

:kick::kick::kick:

[joemurphy]

7. No wonder they were scared! All is forgiven! n/t

[EndElectoral]

8. You know what? This appointment affects the rest of my life,not just 2006

[JMDEM]

9. Yea but...

It doesn't affect the rest of their lives. They got it made. "So what" about you?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. They're still feeding their fingers to the piranhas to be "bi-partisan".

And, of course, to keep the contributions coming in from the corporations.

[mom cat]

44. Actually, they are feeding OUR fingers to the piranhas. Theirs are

deep in the pork barrel!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

48. How right you are.

[Nutmegger]

12. We could have stopped this nomination

We could have, we should have! The Repukes are so united and demand party solidarity when it comes to things like this.

[LibDemAlways]

13. The Dems who voted "yes" on cloture

put what they perceived as their political futures ahead of the good of the country. Ironically, this vote is going to come back and bite at least some of them in the ass when they find themselves in tough primary fights against Dems who represent the will of the base.

We did get the attention of more than a few, though. Feinstein and Biden surely felt the heat. Both would have likely voted "no" before the phones started ringing. Holding their feet to the fire is apparently the only way to get things done.

As for your post, I agree that they all had everything to gain and nothing to lose by showing a unified anti-Alito front.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. Obama felt the heat too. THere were pretty clear signs that he planned

to vote yes on cloture until the momentum really got going and he was dealing with so many calls and faxes pleading for a no vote:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x256402
thread title (1-27-06 GD-Alito): Buzzflash: OBAMA OPPOSES FILIBUSTER according to knowledgable source:

As Jane Hamsher says in her great firedoglake piece on today's vote,

We shook things up. People like Joe Biden and Barak Obama were extremely irked about being put on the spot. Diane Feinstein changed her vote, and it's entirely possible others did likewise and we just didn't hear it. We forced those who voted for cloture into publicly opposing us, and now we know where things stand. And everyone across the political spectrum knows we're here now. They are starting to get a glimmer of the kind of muscle we can put behind something we believe it. It was a great moment, a grand and noble fight and I am so proud of each and every one of you for taking part in it.

Thread on this Hamsher post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x277470
thread title (1-30-06 GD-Alito): Jame Hamsher speaks for me re this historic Dem turning point over Alito:

[leftstreet]

14. This is great! Have you considered emailing it to the Dem Yes voters?

I'd like to email it to one of my senators!

[JMDEM]

15. Please do.

Be my guest. But if they ignored the roar from their base over the last 3 days, why would they pay attention to anything now?

Maybe you could put it on Exxon letterhead or something.

[leftstreet]

17. ROFL!

Exxon letterhead.

:rofl:

Naw they won't pay attention til their next campaigns, but I think it'd just make me feel better to send it.

[Cocoa]

16. John Kerry was an inspiration

and Ted Kennedy today! Wow! :toast:

[Dr Fate]

26. No kidding- thank God for those two. n/t

n/t

[Clarkie1]

62. Being a true-blue state Dem, he could afford to be.

I'm just saying....

[autorank]

19. Two more reasons...

9. With Alito, we'll see a return of back street abortions, an unintended result of the right to life movement (that's the big reason abortion was legalized years ago, for those of us who remember). This, in turn, will reduce unruly demonstrations in front of abortion clinics which these Senators find a public nuisance.
10. With Alito on the court, there is NO chance that the Bankruptcy Bill will be reversed. Here is a list of the Senators who voted for BOTH Alito and the Bankruptcy Bill:


Baucus x x
Bingaman x x
Byrd x x
Carper x x
Conrad x x
Inouye x x
T. Johnson x x
Kohl x x
Landrieu x x
B. Lincoln x x
Nelson (FL) x x
Nelson (NE) x x
Pryor x x

Look, all poor states or states with large poor populations. They make their constituents risk their lives to get an illegal abortion in the future AND then they deny their bankruptcy filing because health related costs (uncovered by insurance) are no longer an excuse, except under restricted circumstances.

FDR is rolling in his grave, hell, Thomas Jefferson is rolling in his grave.

[Lifelong Protester]

55. I believe that Kohl...

voted not to confirm on Alito, but did not go with the filibuster. Feingold, on the other hand, voted no on Alito and yes to the filibuster. Both senators are on the judiciary committee and stood firm on voting NO to recommending Alito from the committe to the full senate. I am not sure on the bankruptcy bill however.
I am from Wisconsin, and proud of my senators.
By the way, several of the folks up on your list voted NO for confirmation but would not support the filibuster. This from the website and email from PFAW. Inouye and Landreiu are definitely listed as NO for confirmation.

[autorank]

65. Yes on cloture insured confirmation. Kohl and the rest should be ashamed.

I like Feingold and think that he has a great deal of integrity.

But the people on this list gave us Alito. They will be reminded of that when Roe is overturned.

Today, five states introduced highly restrictive abortion measures in their legislatures. This is intended as the basis to challenge Roe in the Supreme Court. Isn't it a bit of a coincidence that it happened on one day?

This was the most disgraceful show of party disunity in a long time.

It meant nothing to vote No on Alito when he was sure to be confirmed.

These Senators are all gutless.

(btw, my two are Allen and Warner, so I'm in much worse shape than you;)

[Jaybird]

20. exactly JMDEM

what a fucking embarasment......no balls

[DefenseLawyer]

21. And my favorite

Now they have enough dry powder to last a lifetime!

[RazzleDazzle]

45. Yah. Should they ever need it, which is unlikely.

[upi402]

22. Love it!

:toast:

[hvn_nbr_2]

23. They're waiting for Bush to hit 3.8% approval

Then they'll ask "pretty-pretty please, sir, could we maybe possibly amend a bill. Maybe we could cut one lane from Ted Stevens's bridge to nowhere. Or maybe, oh, I know, we could limit Halliburton to $20B of no-bid contracts per month. Oh, that's too severe? Well, then we could make it $20B per week. Oh, please, sir. We'll wear our tutus every day for a year if you let us."

[upi402]

24. 10. Left my spine in my other purse

:mad:

[Dr Fate]

25. I'm ready to do something positive about it.:

Support the good DEMS and make life difficult for the pro-Bush DEMS.

I'm actually GLAD this whole ordeal provided me with this focal point.

[depakid]

27. My sentiments exactly

and by chance, there's one right across the river facing a primary challenge that I can make some trouble for....

[upi402]

28. I already have!

yay!
:bounce:
And I'll stay in the fight 'til there's toenail marks in the street when they drag me off.

[kirchaleo]

29. really, why not filibuster

What could they be waiting for at this point. If Alito wasn't a reason to fight, what could be?

[The Backlash Cometh]

31. Maybe Bush isn't the only one who should step down?

[OneBlueSky]

32. it wasn't fear . . . it was political expediency, as they perceive it . .

unfortunately the Democratic Party -- a political party -- is very, very bad at politics . . .

[Barad Simith]

33. FUCK yeah!

kicked & recommended

[JNelson6563]

34. Actually

Sen. Levin told me last weekend that it was a handful of Dems who come from red states and are barely in the Senate who could not vote to filibuster.

Want to change things, let's make some red states more blue so we don't have this problem.

Julie

[Disturbed]

35. The Dems that wouldn't vote for Filibuster wanted to

save the option for another occasion that would be really important. Others own stock in clothes hanger Mfgs. Then some of them were warned that their Corp. contributers would stop sending cash.

[JNelson6563]

36. Why are you spouting fiction?

And exposing your cluelessness?

[Dr Fate]

41. The problem is he presents a viable, believable perception.

True or not, its a perception that most will not find hard to believe at this point.

[Justice Is Comin]

37. They could get a job at a

small airport as a wind sock.

[TnDem]

38. Because we couldn't win?

Maybe it's because the people actually ON the Senate floor understand that even with a "successful" fillibuster, we could in NO WAY win with this at vote time because the pugs will simply change the rules.

Like it or not, that's the FACTS and they would run with this issue. Public opinion would be against us.

Why can't everyone understand this?

If we are going to win, we will have to win the Senate and White House.

That's it folks.....bottom line.

[Dr Fate]

40. Same exact excuse that got us into Iraq.

"Public opinion would be against us." Until reality sets in- just in time ot be labeled a "flip-flopper."

The "lets go w/ temporary public opinion" strategy has been a failure.

"...we could in NO WAY win with this at vote time because the pugs will simply change the rules."

We dont know that- Frist may have balked on the Nuclear option. We dont know- now it is just an after-the-fact excuse.

[Strong Atheist]

39. Lol! nt.

[zann725]

42. There are NO excuses... no jesting. Most Dems are an embarrassment to

the constituents they rep, as well as that obviously archaic dream of our forefathers, "Democracy."

Oh, and did anyone else receive a "response" email from Mz. Clinton, saying she appreciated your email, but is far too busy with her own constituents. And that in the future, you should address your comments DIRECTLY to 'your own' Senator/rep.

I responded to Mz. Clinton, advising her that as a U.S. Citizen, she DID represent ALL U.S. citizens (directly/indirectly)...no matter what state they lived in. And that while I (or someone else NOT residing in NY) may not represent her "base" (and therefore NOT justify a nono-second of her time), her rather curt and rude response email reminded me why I would NEVER vote for her as Prez or any other office in the future.

Her response was that of a "compassionate conservative."

[Martin Eden]

43. We lost the Alito battle in November 2004 ...

... when * was re-selected and the rethugs held their grip on congress.

There was simply no way to avoid right-wing Supreme Court justices being appointed -- short of impeachment, and disgrace of the rethug party forcing them to moderation.

But we must ALWAYS fight the good fight.

[MadHound]

46. Aah, but there is where you are wrong

If the Dems had stood and fought, pulled off the successful filibuster, they would have forced Bush to choose another nominee, and time and again we have seen that the second nominee is always better than the first. We could have gotten somebody more along the lines of O'Connor rather than somebody in the mold of Scalia.

But sadly, we got sold down the river instead, by multi millionaire Democrats who have nothing to lose in this battle. Their money will empower and insulate them. If they think that they're being bugged, they've got the money to sweep and de-bug their residence and office. Their wife or daughter needs an abortion, they can afford to fly them overseas for a safe and sterile procedure. Affairs of state getting too fascist for their liking, they can fly overseas to their vacation house in the French Alps.

But you and I are stuck with the consequences of their actions, for most of us don't have such money and power to insulate us.

[Martin Eden]

50. This is Bush and Rove we're talking about

A filibuster wouldn't compel them to withdraw Alito. They'd milk the political spin of Democratic obstructionism for all it's worth, and the corporate media would be eager partners in framing the issue. It would take a rejection with an up-or-down vote. That could only happen if some kind of dirt on Alito was dug up, or if the filibuster could last until and help bring about the Democrats taking back the Senate in November. The Dems would have to grow some balls and political acumen they haven't shown in order to use a silibuster to that advantage.

And after all that was done, I can still see Bush and Rove putting forth another unacceptable nominee, counting on a public grown tired and impatient with filibuster tactics. Their ilk neither concedes nor admits anything.

[Clarkie1]

60. Martin Eden is right, and it would hurt Dems in red states the most. eom

[Vektor]

47. That's about the size of it, huh?

Ridiculous.

[SmokingJacket]

49. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

I may never lift my head off this desk again...

[mzmolly]

51. OMG! Great post!

:rofl:

Welcome to DU!

[AX10]

52. That's about it

:eyes:

Bush is failing, yet he gets a Nazi on the Courts? :wtf:?

[EVDebs]

53. Why show any semblance of 'strength' politically when R's ship sinking?

The gamble that Alito on the bench being scored an "R" win, and a "D" loss means that the R's are ALL POWERFUL. In order to defeat them at the polls, when it really counts, you don't tell the press that Goliath is vulnerable, now, do you ?

This is why even David picked up three stones.

Everyone loves an underdog and the Dems/Progressives are now that dog. No power and no apparent public or media support.

[upi402]

56. Dino's are just playing weak, really?

This guy is on the bench til I die. And they play political games?

[Clarkie1]

57. 9. Not a smart political move for "red-state" Democrats in election year.

[Clarkie1]

58. delete.

[Clarkie1]

59. 10. Filibuster would have been impotent anyway...we are the minority.

[LittleClarkie]

61. 9. None of them like Kerry, and wanted someone else to lead them

Yeah, that's gotta be it.

[Clarkie1]

63. No, I already posted #9.

:-)

[AuntiBush]

64. Sorry. Ya Lost me from the Start at Nu. 1...

... right on down to 8.

From 1 non-happy Dem camper right now :(

[javadu]

66. My Two Senators from Arkansas

voted "yea" on cloture and "nea" on confirmation. This is PATHETIC!!!!!! I am tired of being represented by pussies!!!!! I am finally believing that tweety is on to something when he says the dems are devoid of conviction!!!

[robbedvoter]

67. Battered whife syndrome