Still Hope… Updated…
Update: Sunday, 1/29
From The PEN:
Once again we achieved our overnight objective from the local district phone action. There are widespread reports of senators’ phones ringing off the hook and fax machines running out of paper coast to coast. And YOU did it. We are witnessing the greatest outpouring of public opinion ever, being described as “astonishing,” in support of the people’s Alito filibuster. The hunger for policy change grows daily, and people want to know what more we can do. There is TONS more we can do, and these are our next moves:
It is critical that we open up multiple collateral fronts, while at the same time repeating the cultural phenomenon witnessed in the last 24 hours on an even LARGER scale. There are two NEW action pages below which will send your personal messages in real time to your senators’ internet gateways. We will still keep the phone and fax pressure on, but with these gateways we can deliver an UNLIMITED number of messages! This will multiply your chances to voice your opposition and layer those messages. Please submit both these new action pages and forward this alert to everyone else you know.
FIRST COLLATERAL ACTION: Anticipate and beat back any nuclear option move
http://www.millionphonemarch.com/nuke_option.php
In the back of the minds of our senators, the essential cowardice we must confront is their fear of exercising power generally, and in particular of the Republican so-called nuclear option. They are not afraid of losing a filibuster vote as much as they are afraid of WINNING, for only then would the threat of a nuclear option come into play. With the exercise of power comes responsibility, and above all that is what they must now do, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
In fact the nuclear option is a win-win situation for us. If the Republicans abuse the Senate rules and have enough sanity to fall short, we win outright. If they are misfortunate enough to break the rules, they will be punished by their constituents for not playing fair AND will have no way to stop US from undoing all their damage when we take back the Congress in 2006. Either way we demonstrate that Democrats WILL fight ferociously for what they believe in, ensuring prospects for success in 2006.
The action page above is a voting page which poses the question if it would be fair for the Republicans to pull some nuclear stunt. We need to tell BOTH Democrats AND Republicans how angry we would be at such a move. This will embolden our own and give enormous pause to the other side. It must be done for us to win.
SECOND COLLATERAL ACTION: Pressure Harry Reid to Either Lead or Step Aside
http://www.millionphonemarch.com/reid.php
There have been multiple calls in the progressive internet for Harry Reid to step down, notably from Buzzflash.com. The issue is not whether he should remain a senator from Nevada. Indeed his declared INDIVIDUAL support for the filibuster earns him that. But the role of a leader is not to take his hand off the rudder and walk away. And it is not acceptable for a coach to declare to the media and his team that they are going to lose in the middle of the third quarter.
Even if there were a couple senators who HAD to oppose the filibuster, and that is increasingly doubtful in the face of the public outpouring now taking place, what a LEADER would do is designate a couple byes and still lock in at least 41 certain votes. He would twist arms or promise favors to arrive at that result. If Reid can’t or won’t do the job he MUST be replaced with someone who can. But there may be reasonable differences of opinion, so again, we have made the above action page a voting page where you can vote either way, and add whatever personal comments you like.
The important thing is for Reid to feel the heat and the pressure to perform, and the question we pose simply asks if he is providing enough leadership. The side effect of pressuring him is that OTHER senators will better internalize that their own jobs are on the line if they fail the people this time, in particular from primary challenges. The bottom line is we need to have someone, hopefully Reid himself, to step up and take charge, whoever has the leadership to do so.
KEEP UP WITH THE LOCAL PHONES AND FAXES
http://www.nocrony.com/master_senate_phones.txt
If you are calling senators in other states, be candid that you are not a direct constituent. But the message is the same, if you stand with the party on this one we will go out of our way to help you. Otherwise we will flood your state with money and labor to support ANY candidate who runs against you until the end of time.
It is wonderful if you want to make massive numbers of phone calls yourself. But you can IMMENSELY amplify your effectiveness by FIRST forwarding this message to absolutely every other person you know so that they can be similarly mobilized. It is not just the sheer volume of messages, even more critical is the number of DIFFERENT people speaking out at once.
Let us be able to look back and say we did everything we could have done to win this victory in spite of the corrupt media pundits who are working overtime to tell us what we cannot do. We are proving them wrong day by day.
###
More updates at http://democrats.com/alito-48
Onward…
M#
(Please scroll down for earlier updates.)
Filibuster?…
From: NoCrony.Com
Now that an Alito filibuster is looking increasingly likely, the other side is again threatening to nuke the proceeding in a further power grab. If they try to steal a Supreme Court seat by changing the rules they will face the most awesome wrath of the American people in the next election. So while you are calling for a filibuster of Alito, please also tell them they better not try to pull some nuclear option stunt.
IT’S FILIBUSTER FRIDAY ALL WEEK! PHONE AND FAX ALL YOUR SENATORS AT THEIR LOCAL DISTRICT OFFICES. GET ALL THEIR NUMBERS WITH THE ONE CLICK LOOKUP BELOW.…
Tell your Senators:
Filibuster Alito!
No nuclear option for Alito filibuster!
UPDATE:
ANOTHER UPDATE:
Again…Tell your Senators:
Filibuster Alito!
No nuclear option for Alito filibuster!
ALSO, SEND A MESSAGE BELOW:
LATEST URGENT UPDATE:
MORE ACTION NEEDED NOW!…
From: PDA
Kerry is filibustering Alito! Call Senators Immediately!
Call the Senators listed below, as well as your own, and tell them:* a “No” vote is meaningless without a filibuster
* it is cowardly to only fight a fight when assured victory
* the American people need to see the Senate standing up for separation of powers and against the “Unitary Executive”
Use these toll free numbers to call the Capitol: 888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641. If you can’t get through, look up the Senator’s District Office number in your phone book or here: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials/?lvl=C
First: Call the three Democrats (Mary Landrieu, Ken Salazar, and Dianne Feinstein) who oppose Alito but also said they oppose a filibuster. We must persuade them that a vote against Alito is meaningless if they don’t support a filibuster. Senator Salazar (D-CO) 202-224-5852 Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) 202-224-5824 Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 202-224-3841
Second: Call your own Democratic Senator: 888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641. If you can’t get through, look up the Senator’s District Office number in your phone book or here: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials/?lvl=C
Third: Unbelievably, three Democrats (Ben Nelson, Tim Johnson and Robert Byrd) support Alito! Tell them to either support filibuster or at least “don’t get in the way.” Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) 202-224-6551 Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) 202-224-3954 Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) 202-224-5842
888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641. If you can’t get through, look up the Senator’s District Office number in your phone book or here: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials/?lvl=CFourth: Call the “Red State” Democrats: (Message same as above — “No” is meaningless) Tom Carper (DE)
Kent Conrad (ND)
Byron Dorgan (ND)
Blanche Lincoln (AR) Mark Pryor (AR)Fifth: Call these “Blue State” and pro-choice Republicans: (Message: A “Unitary Executive” is dangerous to balance of powers–please do not get in the way of a filibuster.) Lincoln Chafee (RI)
Susan Collins (ME)
Lisa Murkowsky (AK)
Bob Smith (OR)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Ted Stevens (AK)For extra credit, call all of the 2008 Presidential candidates who are sitting Senators–Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, and John Kerry–and tell them to either LEAD THE FILIBUSTER or KISS YOUR SUPPORT GOODBYE. 888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641. If you can’t get through, look up the Senator’s District Office number in your phone book or here: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials/?lvl=C
You can also send that message to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (202-224-2447) and the Democratic National Committee (202-863-8000).
SATURDAY UPDATE 1/28:
Keep Calling! Flood The Capitol Switchboard Monday!
888-355-3588 or 888-818-6641.
Filibuster Alito!
No nuclear option for Alito filibuster!
ALSO, SEND A MESSAGE BELOW:
Onward…
M#
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