Parties Set Stage for Showdown on Ct. Choice (Reid warned Bush on Alito)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Parties Set Stage for Showdown on Court Choice
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: October 31, 2005


WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 - With the announcement of a new Supreme Court nominee expected as early as today, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, warned President Bush on Sunday not to pick one of the candidates said to be on the president's short list, Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.

"I think it would create a lot of problems," Mr. Reid said on "Late Edition" on CNN.

This morning, CNN and news agencies reported that the president has decided to nominate Judge Alito, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit....

***

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, fired back Sunday, saying that if the Democrats staged a filibuster against Judge Alito or Judge Luttig because of their conservatism, "the filibuster will not stand."

Mr. Graham's warning was significant because he played a crucial role earlier this year in helping block a Republican effort to change the Senate rules - known as the nuclear option - so that Democrats could not filibuster judicial nominees. His comments on Sunday indicated that this time, he would support that rule change; Democrats have threatened to retaliate with a battle that could snarl Senate business for months....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/31/politics/politicsspecial1/31cnd-confirm.html?hp&ex=1130821200&en=08c6b143aff1cb6f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[babylonsister]

1. It's apparent the blivet is thumbing his nose at more than half the

country. I hope they get the fight of their lives, though I'm sorry I have to hope that. You'd think, with all the trouble dimson is in, he's pick someone more moderate. That's why I think, as well as appeasing his base, this nomination was made precisely to cause a major distraction.

[screembloodymurder]

4. Hope doesn't cut it.

We have to be a part of this fight!

[ronatchig]

7. That is why

I think that we all be served by keeping the heat on the CIA/Flame indictment angle and if I can see the potential of Democratic leadership shutting down as much of the Legislature not just the Alito nomination until the truth is out in all it's glory, then surely the leaders of the party can. Only open revolt of the Senate Democrats can finish the job I think. We are being led by the "mayberry mafia". Any nomination or legislation by Bush or his cabel should be not just blocked but boycotted if necessary.

[wordpix]

20. Predictable, I agree---BushCo wants a distraction

from all the negative news about them lately. Now they will have a Battle Royale and they will spin it that the Dems are tying up Congress with a filibuster for no reason.

It's all so predictable

[belle]

26. i'm sure it is. Still kind of strikes me as akin to Hitler's decision to

attack Russia while still fighting the western front; but, hey. We'll see.

so, all right: it's on. Dems, don't you frigging DARE let us down now.

[calimary]

37. I agree. It's part of this monster's pathology: "oh YEAH? Weeeelllll

I'LL show YOU!"

So what are we gonna do about it? Whimper?


:grr:

[Burning Water]

53. it will be a good distraction, but

it is far more than appeasing his base. It is energizing and unifying them. We're in for the fight of our lives. One we might well lose with who know what catastrophic consequences for the America that we know.

In short, I think this nomination was made precisely because of the trouble that he is in. He knows that there is nothing he can do that will appease those of us on the left, or cause us to cooperate with him on the neo-con agenda, so he can safely ignore us and rally the boys 'round the flag.

That's what he's done. And it is a brilliant political strategy. Let's hope we can turn it on him, somehow. At least, let's hope we can defeat this nomination.

[C_U_L8R]

2. replacing a woman of the court

with a man who does not believe in woman's rights

that's what it looks like to me.


(corrected headline thanks to kind MaineDem)

[MaineDem]

5. Don't forget Ruth Bader-Ginsberg

Replacing one of two women on the court...

[DemoTex]

3. Bu$h the uniter ..

Strikes again.

[saigon68]

11. Ah Yes THE AWOL CHIMPANZEE

Has apparently nominated another "CHICKEN HAWK DRAFT DODGER" like himself

[PapaJoe]

45. VVAW, semper fi!

helped my restore my Karma, my sense of justice and my sense of humor. The Post Turtle and the Turd Blossom are
not exactly chickenhawks but hawkish chickens or Turdles Doves.

[Catfight]

6. Rupugs are scared on this one, they think 37% of the 'base' will

save them for re-election? My parents are repugs and WILL NOT vote for any overturn of Roe vs. Wade. They considered it settled law. If the repugs want this fight, even repugs will divide on this one issue. This will RUIN bush. He will divide his GOP and there's nothing worse than a pissed off repug as we can see with Meir's. In some ways, I'm happy about this, Iraq war will take a back burner and all we'll hear about is the death toll, gas prices will rise again, and bush's base will rally behind him on this nomination but the party will fall apart. BRING IT ON, our country is now officially in an ideological WAR!

[Daftly]

69. That is what surprised me as well.

However, if/when Roe is overturned, it will take a constitutional privacy amendment to keep states from banning abortion. I always thought this was the third rail for republicans. I guess they could not resist it any longer and grabbed hold.

Now here is the question. Would the overturn of Roe sink the Repubs or change little. Overall, I think it will kill their chances for the whitehouse. However, I could be wrong. It will probably make red states a deeper shade of red and blue states more blue with swing state moving bluer. Where I could be wrong is that it may improve the repub support among religious blacks and hispanics. If there is ever much movement in those demographics, the Dems are in trouble.

[kurth]

8. FILIBUSTER! Make a stand for conscience and principle.

The asshole is showing the world what a stooge and a wimp he is.

[wordpix]

21. I agree, the Filibuster is ON. Hear that, Senators and Reps?

[Danger Duck]

39. What's a filibuster going to do

other then get us nuked? There's no stopping what won't be stopped. Unless you can stall the process for over one year, which won't happen, this is the guy. Reid gave it the kiss of death by naming him as the one guy he opposes more then all others, the red meat base is going ot love the nuclear option, and seriously, I hate filibusters. Remember the concept of government actually doing something?

Besides, the court makes stupid decisions, liberal or otherwise. The so called liberal justices just gave away private property rights.

Oh well. I look forward to November, 2006. The only thing that's going to get Alito off the court is a heart attack.

[SlipperySlope]

48. The Ducky squeaks true!

That's the way I see it. Unless something repugnunt to his base comes out of the closet on this guy, we are in for a long bloody fight that will end up with him on the court.

Rhetorical Q: How should the good guys divide their energy between fighting a battle they probably can't win, and fighting the battles that they can?

We can't "lie down" on this one, but we can't waste too much effort either.

Tough call! We need some dirty-dirt, and Pronto!

[ElectroPrincess]

9. As a WOMAN, I'm as mad as hell !

The Meyers' fandango was a SET UP! Damn those women hating Neo-Conservatives! :grr:

Further, don't think for one moment that they will be sated with NO ABORTION. Their laws will NEXT serve to limit the availability of contraception.

How else can they keep up the numbers of ultra-poor to get SUCKED-INTO the War Machine as Cannon Fodder?

EVIL Men and Women = Neo-Conservatives running our country. :cry: :grr: :nuke:

[Dudley_DUright]

23. Griswold v. Connecticut (right to contraceptives)

is the predicate for Roe and if they have their way it will also be overturned.

http://www.oyez.org/oyez/resource/case/149/

[KittyWampus]

36. Meirs was NO setup. It was a screw up. Stop giving the losers more credit

then they deserve.

[ElectroPrincess]

38. Perhaps, you make a valid point. "the gang that can't shoot straight"

Definite maybe. :hi:

[0rganism]

64. They may not shoot straight, but they have ammo to waste

That much has become abundantly clear.

With so much carelessness, blunder, and vengeful hostility to be rapid-fired, accuracy is no longer essential. "Set to full-auto and engage frontally," seems to be the operative method.

[ClintonTyree]

75. They let Chimpy make that choice on his own..........

the others, Cheney, Rove, Libby et al were too busy with judicial problems. They left the little emperor alone for a few days and Miers was the result. You can bet that won't happen again. If they ever make the mistake of letting bush think he's REALLY the president of this country again we'll be in deeper shit than we are now, if possible.
Miers was all bush's doing which lends credence to the idea that he could fuck up a one car funeral procession.

[calimary]

40. I hope they won't mind all the news stories about so many more

newborns found dead in dumpsters. And teenagers bleeding to death in back alleys. I hope they're happy with that. Because that's what we're in for. And don't forget those distraught, strung-out mothers who drown their toddlers and infants in the bathtub, or throw them off tall bridges straight into the drink. Hope they don't mind stories like that, either. Because that, too, is what's coming.

Not only that, but 25 and 30 years from now, you'll also be seeing a wave of young adults in great psychological pain, dealing with abandonment and disconnect issues because they were among those whose mothers were mewled at with the "don't kill your baby! Leave it at the fire station! No questions asked! Everything will be just ducky!" Those babies will grow up into adults who don't know who they are, don't know where they've come from or whom they can really call brother and sister, have no heritage, no blood lines connecting them to anybody, and feeling worse than alone. As an adoptee, I know this too painfully well (also, an adoptee born in Missouri, a nice, compassionate-conservative closed state). The sense of abandonment and isolation and aloneness this leads to, deep down in your heart, when you look at other families who can trace their lineage and who know what boxes to check when they go to the doctor thinking they may have a lump in their breast (anyone in your family have breast cancer? Mother? Grandmother? Sister? Aunt? Yeah... um... not applicable), who feel the deepest-seated connection by blood, familial belonging. It's why, just about anytime I take a moment to think, REALLY think, about either of my kids, I start to cry because they are the ONLY two blood relatives I have in this whole world. They're it. The ONLY biological connection I have.

This is not a major calamity or disaster or sudden shock to the system. This is not a one-time scandal or body-blow or anything like that. It's a slow leak. A deep, slow seepage, a long, slow torture, a low-grade ache in the heart that doesn't go away. EVER. Nothing truly fixes it. EVER. Unless you're lucky enough to find your birth mother or some other biological bond - which is NOT a common occurrence. And even of those who do, there is a lifelong lament about years with each other - hopelessly lost. It is with anguish that I now note how many more Americans will feel just like I do in generations to come.

What a grim day. Trick or treat. Trick's on us.

[ClintonTyree]

76. Those people would be horrible sinners anyway........

and rightly doomed to eternal damnation in the fiery pits if hell for fornicating. If they had just listened to the theocrats and performed "abstinence only" they wouldn't be in that position.
These people will be sacrifices to an angry and vengeful god who's every word must be obeyed. :sarcasm:

Why are these people so willfully ignorant? It pains me to see people act this way in the 21st Century.

[yorkiemommie1]

10. defiant move by *

typical.

[Singular73]

12. With the prospect of Dems regaining seats in the house and senate

Do you think the Repubs will actually use the nuclear option?

They would be selling their souls to the devil for this guy.

That said, nice distraction from Traitorgate.

[Stuckinthebush]

14. Absolutely not

I think you are right about this...no way in hell will the GOP use the nuclear option. Their poll numbers are in the toilet and they are hurting as a party right now.

This is a winning situation for the Dems. This candidate will be easily shown as an extremist and unfit to be on the SC. If the nuclear option is used, the Dems can shut down the Senate. Once we get the majority back, we can use that to justify impeaching this guy and putting a moderate or liberal on the bench.

[belle]

29. I wouldn't count on it. They'd rather look radical than weak.

What happens then, though, is anyone's guess. sounds like it'd be a protracted nightmare.

I was expecting him to pick Luttig, who was iirc more qualified, if not less rightwing. nice to know he doesn't disappoint.

[Kber]

19. Well said!

[wordpix]

22. Dems must appear moderate and Repukes radically right on

this nomination. Which is largely the truth of the matter, anyway.

[AlGore-08.com]

30. The GOP base does not hesitate to vote against incumbents

who do not vote the way they want at all times. The GOPers in the Senators have to worry about losing their primaries in a way that Dem Senators do not. So the GOPers are much more likely to vote for the nuclear option than the Dems are likely to filibuster. Sad but true.

[wryter2000]

33. That's what I'm wondering

If they use the nuclear option, they've lost any hope of being able to block us if we take the Senate. For virtually all of the latter half of the last century, Dems controlled the Congress.

Unfortunately, they appear quite capable of being blind of anything beyond the tips of their noses, so I imagine they'll act against their own best interests this time, too.

IOW, I hope you're right they won't use that option, but I'm afraid they will, and we'll end up with this creep on the Court. We can only hope that the rest of them will stick with precedent and not overturn Roe. But, I'm not too sanguine about that, either.

[calimary]

49. Nope. I think they're DYING to use the nuclear option. I think they'll

be spurred on by the newly reinvigorated extremist contingent out there. I think they will bow to the religious fanatic minority that is now, in effect, running this country. I think they'll look upon this as evidence that their boy has "seen the light," and "come back from the woodshed, ready to do the 'right' thing." The Pat Buchanans out there will be on TV EVERYWHERE ranting about how they're owed because they put this pResident into office and he owes them big time and they've been working toward this for 40 years and blah-blah-blah.

Don't expect this asshole to recognize the mandate he DOES NOT HAVE by virtue of his failing polls. Do NOT give him credit. This is the "who cares what you think" pResident. He's gonna show us who's boss, especially since his first pass at this didn't work out, and he's probably feeling more than a little vindictive at the moment (and don't forget, he's probably smarting like hell over libby's indictments, and the way cheney is undoubtedly reacting behind closed doors - hint: NOT well at all). This is not a man in charge. This is a spoiled brat who never grew up because he never had to. If you want to know what he's realistically likely to do, just find any school yard and the most coddled, spoiled, bully brat-child on the playground and watch what he or she does. That will give you a good idea of what george will do.

My only hope at this point (because I'm NOT AT ALL certain our Dems will grow spine and/or do anything really effective to stop this) is that once Roe v Wade is overturned, and those of my women friends who confidently smirked and sneered at me while planning to vote for bush and said "aw, it'll never happen," "it's NOT gonna happen," "they're not gonna do it" "won't happen" "won't happen" "won't happen" will FINALLY wake up to what THEY'VE done by buying into this shit-head - especially those who have daughters.

My only hope at this point is that, with the abortion issue settled, sufficient numbers of the religious fanatics will decide that God's in His heaven and all's now "right" with the world and maybe they'll roll over and go back to sleep, content that they've "fixed" the problem. MANY OF THEM WILL NOT - JUST AS OUR PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE. But for many on that side of reality, it's the abortion issue, and ONLY the abortion issue, that motivates them to vote republi-CON. THAT is IT. Many of them are fairly moderate on other things, actually do care about doing what's possible to level the playing field and help those less fortunate and bring the power and wealth of the government to bear on social ills. For these people, everything else noble goes by the wayside because of the abortion issue. I know people like that, who'd vote with me every time for the people I support if it weren't for the abortion issue. If that's gone, the republi-CON party loses VAST NUMBERS of knee-jerk, one-issue supporters. For MANY of these folks, it's not even the gay issue. It's abortion. And that's the ONLY thing leading them to vote for republi-CONS.

By the way, I don't know a single one among these people who's ever been faced with a crisis/unwanted pregnancy, either for themselves, or for their daughters, or for their sons who may have gotten some girl "in trouble." NOT ONE. And I seriously wonder what their reaction would be if they DID have to face such a personal calamity.

Unfortunately for the republi-CONS, I think some of them recognize that they've been stringing the religious extremist-contingent along for a WEEEEEE bit too long now, and they have to do something to pay up. This may be it. And if so, this will be their LBJ civil rights legislation that handed the South to the republi-CONS. LBJ knew he was lopping off a HUGE slice of support from the Dems because of that. So this may wind up being the republi-CON version. Small comfort, but I'm beginning to think it's the only comfort I'll have.

[kurth]

51. It's not only about abortion

There are other issues that will seriously affect consumers and workers. The radical right wing is a marriage between fundamentalist Christianity and corporate fascism.

[deadparrot]

52. Never underestimate these nutcases.

I have no idea what's going to happen, but I can tell you that the thought of this creep on the bench makes me sick to my stomach.

[Burning Water]

54. Yes, I think they will.

This is their chance. If they think they are going to lose the power to get their whack jobs on the court in the future, then they have to push for them now, while they still have the power.

[zann725]

13. "Lame Ducks" should not ignore their limited political mobility.

Shrub's S.C. choice today tries to pretend all is well, nothing really happened last Friday to weaken his "cowboy" Admin.

Only it did. No denying. No more bullying, please. His 'political capital' is long 'over-drawn.'

[GoreDean2008]

15. Alito = Woman-Hater

A simple truth every ordinary American can easily remember.

Alito "the Catholic Taliban" should be filibustered to protect the liberty of our mothers, sisters, and daughters.

[spooked911]

25. No doubt, the man is repuganant and this is a huge insult

[efhmc]

16. What difference does it make what we want or how hard we

fight? He will be approved and progressives and women are done for.

[Journeyman]

41. Just a little ray of sunshine, aren't ya?

It's a strong fighting ethic like your's that's given hope throughout time to the forces of reactionism. Thanks for "keeping up the good fight" and refusing to look at the bleak side of life.

[calimary]

50. Hey, look, I can understand now efhmc can feel a trifle downhearted

at this moment. Not to smack at you, Journeyman, not at all. I know YOUR feelings, too. But I tell ya, as a woman (who just cycled OUT of child-bearing age, as things now seem to be shaping up for me personally), as the mother of a daughter who now IS of child-bearing age, and of a son who will be dating LOTS of other people's daughters of child-bearing age), it is EXTREMELY hard for me to feel anything but a DEEP sense of dread at the moment.

We DO need YOUR fighting spirit, Journeyman. GOD we do!

We need to meet the "up yours" attitude from this rat-bastard in OUR White House with the same, if not GREATER "up yours" attitude, straight back in his awful, smug, arrogant, smirking face. It's me talking here. calimary. The one who wants to take neutron bombs to gun fights instead of the feather-dusters many of our invertebrates in Congress and the Senate think is the "take the high road" kind of thing to do. But I tell ya, I am feeling a deep desolation over this. This has already started as a hard year, academically at least, at our house, for my son. I've already cried at least once per day and gained about 20 pounds and I don't know HOW MANY MORE gray hairs. It's hard to feel like getting up and strapping on the brass knuckles today. I will try. But PLEASE don't use your fire on someone like efhmc and others who are circling the drain of despair. I hope you'll turn your powerful ire toward those who really deserve it and need to be fought all the way into Hell if need be. We NEED you to do that. What we also need is to figure out some way to offer help to those of us like efhmc AND me who are truly sick at heart about this.

It's a VERY hard time to be a liberal and/or progressive Democrat. We seem to be losing more battles than we win. Especially when this, above all playing fields, is ANYTHING BUT level. The enemy has shrewdly maneuvered to stack the deck against us. We keep fighting, but we have very little but, realistically, OURSELVES with which to wage war. We CANNOT AFFORD TO TURN ON EACH OTHER at a time like this.

Use your forcefulness and your power of conviction and your anger and urgings to lash out - and aim ALL of it at the GOP. Because THEY are the ones who deserve it now. This IS war. They ARE the enemy. They ARE evil. We need gutsy soldiers like YOU, Journeyman, to turn your wrath into weapons against THEM. Not back toward some of us.

Peace, okay? We've GOT to unite. At LEAST those of us here, even if our hapless "representatives" cannot. If we don't hang together, we'll be hung separately.

[Journeyman]

57. Deleted. . .

[calimary]

73. Don't know what it is you said, but I hope you know I mean you no flames.

Friend (and if you are here posting regularly on DU, that automatically makes you my friend - AND one of the Good Guys), please know that you and your ferocity are needed too. VERY BADLY!!! ESPECIALLY NOW. I meant you no harm or disrespect.

I suspect this is the kind of thing the enemy hopes for - fomenting more discord in our ranks, so we'll all start turning on each other. Let's prove them wrong! I also think this latest blow probably comes after a LONG STRING of disasters and disappointments, where we are somehow taught by some Higher Power or Karma or WHATEVER that the bad guys DO win, and that crime DOES pay and that cheaters DO prosper and that evildoers DO get away with the evil they inflict on others. Doesn't seem to be anything otherwise. Sure is a fucked-up lesson for our kids to observe and absorb, isn't it? If yer gonna go at it, go "scorched earth". :grr: I imagine there are many of us, FAR too many of us, who are just simply punch drunk over having suffered so many defeats. We still come back to fight another day. Heaven knows we do, FAR more valiantly and resolutely than do too many of our "representatives" who are supposedly paid to do this professionally and fight on our behalf. That said, it's still hard to get up for a fight when you just keep losing and losing and losing and these bastards always seem to have a fifth ace up their sleeves for which they never get caught or penalized. Many of us are fighting hardest to avoid allowing this to render us completely dis-spirited. Sometimes it seems like just one blow too many.

ICKY.

Anyway, I meant you no disrespect and no scolding and no flames. I hope you know that.

[Burning Water]

59. You are right.

Progressives need to stick together, or they will be rolled up like a rug. I'm new here, but I lurked for a while before registering. I've noticed that some people are eager to pick fights with people who are on the same side as they are. The points of argument?? They point out that certain arguments are ineffective or foolish. That certain "chains of logic" are not logical. That sometimes we give ammunition to the enemy.

For example, there have been numerous "scandals" that were going to take down the evil Bush regime. So far none have really materialized. I'm not disputing the truth of such things as Plamegate, or the DSM, or Diebold, or lack of WMDs. I believe them, or at least believe they are very plausible explanations for the facts we know. What I am concerned, worried? I'm not quite sure what word I'm looking for here, about is this. They haven't been effective. So, every body gets on the bandwagon and cheerleads the investigators onward, and then nothing. It disappears down the Great Black Memory Hole. Why? It could be Republican stonewalling and lies, it could be because the MSM is afraid of the BFEE and refuses to write the truth. It could be both. Plus there's my personal theory, we tend to spring our traps before the prey is securely within their circumference. We do it before we have the hard evidence that would convince the fair-minded moderates and conservatives who weren't fanatics. Anyway, some of them have backfired on us.

And yet, DU has piled on people who have pointed this out. True, some of them may be trolls, BUT, I don't think a difference over tactics and strategy is the same thing as having a different goal. I think we ought to listen, even when it hurts. At least the ideas should be considered calmly before deciding to go some other way. Name-calling, flaming, etc. is unproductive, and is unworthy of us. It is more like the tactics of the Republicans with their constant smears.

I don't guess that any of this would be enough to change some decent person into a Republican. But it might discourage him from doing his best in the fight. It might cause him to drop out.

We need every body, every dime, every voter. We don't need to fight each other.

[rayofreason]

72. Nicely said.

Reality-based means checking in with reality. Facts, not invective, will swing fair-minded people.

[papau]

17. A list of Alito's actions that show him unfit for the Supreme Court

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america

Samuel Alito’s America

ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE: In his dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito concurred with the majority in supporting the restrictive abortion-related measures passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in the late 1980’s. Alito went further, however, saying the majority was wrong to strike down a requirement that women notify their spouses before having an abortion. The Supreme Court later rejected Alito’s view, voting to reaffirm Roe v. Wade.

ALITO WOULD ALLOW RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION: Alito dissented from a decision in favor of a Marriott Hotel manager who said she had been discriminated against on the basis of race. The majority explained that Alito would have protected racist employers by “immuniz an employer from the reach of Title VII if the employer’s belief that it had selected the ‘best’ candidate was the result of conscious racial bias.”

ALITO WOULD ALLOW DISABILITY-BASED DISCRIMINATION: In Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, the majority said the standard for proving disability-based discrimination articulated in Alito’s dissent was so restrictive that “few if any…cases would survive summary judgment.”

ALITO WOULD STRIKE DOWN THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) “guarantees most workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one.” The 2003 Supreme Court ruling upholding FMLA essentially reversed a 2000 decision by Alito which found that Congress exceeded its power in passing the law.

ALITO SUPPORTS UNAUTHORIZED STRIP SEARCHES: In Doe v. Groody, Alito agued that police officers had not violated constitutional rights when they strip searched a mother and her ten-year-old daughter while carrying out a search warrant that authorized only the search of a man and his home.

ALITO HOSTILE TOWARD IMMIGRANTS: In two cases involving the deportation of immigrants, the majority twice noted Alito’s disregard of settled law. In Dia v. Ashcroft, the majority opinion states that Alito’s dissent “guts the statutory standard” and “ignores our precedent.” In Ki Se Lee v. Ashcroft, the majority stated Alito’s opinion contradicted “well-recognized rules of statutory construction.”

[oc2002]

18. Dems need to set the stage to explain to the people why the fillibuster is

needed.

I do not know much about this judge, but it seems that the F word is being used too soon without explaining why, what where and when this nominee should be defeated.

[wordpix]

27. Dems should lay out reasons for filibuster in very simple terms

for the sheeple who do not follow politics, read/follow news or know what a filibuster is, or why Dems must resort to one if it comes to that.

There is no Dem statement yet that there WILL be a filibuster so it's not on the table---yet.

[spooked911]

24. I think Bushco just wants a fight that will be a distraction from Plame

and Iraq war lies.

[wordpix]

28. I'm sure that's occurred to Rover already, agreed

[realFedUp]

31. Go for the nuke.

Might as well expose the soft white underbellied Republicans fully.

[hogwyld]

42. Nuke 'em

Those assholes won't be in power much longer, and then they'll be so screwed when we nominate 9 Ginsberg types for the SCOTUS!

[INdemo]

32. Those rules for Filibusters does not apply to Supreme Court Nominees

[MadisonProgressive]

34. Fuck Lindsey Graham! He's an evil pig.

[progressivebydesign]

35. Media sez Alito will PLEASE ALL GOP!

Really? I doubt it. It'll please the knee-jerk, Middle Ages, women-in-the-kitchen-barefoot-and-pregnant, crowd, but NOT the majority of GOP. Bush can't get it right. What a stupid fucker.

[Walt Starr]

43. force them to nuke

There is no other option, the Democrats MUSt filibuster and force the Republicans to nuke.

Nothing else is acceptable.

[kevinbgoode]

44. Let them nuke. . .

and then let the American people issue the backlash against the Religious Reich-owned Administration and Republican Party that has been brewing steadily all year.

[Dob Bole]

46. Stall them as long as possible!

Sandra Day O'Connor has said she'll wait until a replacement. But suppose she doesn't...

4-4. A liberal court, because anything sent up from the 9th circuit will stand. In case of a tie, the lower court ruling always stands, and we would have a liberal court for the first time...maybe ever, or at least in the last 30 years.

[baal]

47. The Nuclear Option is a forgone

Conclusion. As as former paleocon, trust me, the repugs are actually HOPING for a fillibuster. These guys dont care about polling numbers, they believe they rule by fiat of the Almighty. Anyone who thinks otherwise just doesn't know the GOP. Our strategy should be to damage Alito the way we Thomas. Marginalize him...makie him a joke, a laughingstock.

[hogwyld]

56. The problem with this

is that even if we make him out to be another Clarence, he'll still be on the SC, and that means the troglodyte Scalia will hold all the votes. Sheesh, how scary indeed.

[Burning Water]

60. Still it would

only be law in the area of the 9th Circuit. Not the entire nation.

[truth4achange]

55. ...and this is surprising because?

After all, Reid was an early and strong supporter of Miers, although the reasons are completely obscure to me. In any case, I'm wondering if we are overlooking an obvious option here - talk O'Connor to withdrawing her resignation and sticking around for a few more years. Hell, she's certainly not my favorite, but she's got to be better than Alito. Who wants to talk with her about it?

http://www.hairytruth.blogspot.com

[SammyBlue]

58. DEMs. . .don't filibuster this nominee, he deserves an up or down vote

But we GOP swine will deny an up or down vote if we don't like Bush's nominee. To hell with an up or down vote!

Fucking hypocritical pigs! Filibuster this waste of natural resources! One bald faced liar in Antonin Scalia is enough.

[marmar]

61. Agreed...

This is the one to fight. Predictably, after the Miers ruse, Bush has gone out and found a Neoconazi.

It's about to get ugly.

:yoiks:

[The Blue Knight]

62. Very good point, Sammy Blue

Where were the "Harriet Miers deserves an up or down vote" ads?

The Presidents coat-tails just aren't quite what they used to be a few years ago. '06 is coming up, so it will be interesting to see if we can hold the party line. Hopefully, we can keep a few blue senators from red states from crossing party lines, then hopefully a few red senators from blue states will do the same.

If we could prevent the Alito nomination, AND prevent the Republicans from using the nuclear option--that would be a HUGE victory for the Dems and moderates across the country.

[Orion The Hunter]

63. Send this joker packing!

Yeah the filibuster is going to have to make an appearance since this choice for SCOTUS is just poor...

[chelsea0011]

65. QA machine gun in every home? I can't see any reason the Dems

would filibuster.

[Hardknock]

66. THE DEMS BETTER FIGHT!!!!!!

STAND UP FOR DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPALS!

DON'T VOTE FOR HIM BASED UPON A "BELIEF" LIKE SOME SEANATORS *cough* patty murray *cough* WE KNOW!!!

[zonkra]

67. Isn't it ironic

that this little smarmy bastard, who couldn't shut up about Bill Clinton's blowjob (a House Manager, if you'll remember back that far) just can't wait for America to take it up the chute for his little fascist friend, whose blowjob didn't cost 2000 American soldiers their very lives? If he wasn't a Dixified Fundie dunker hypocrite, he'd be ashamed of himself. But he's incapable of shame, so instead, he should receive retribution, which he knows (as a "christian") he so richly deserves.

[natrat]

68. oh and let me guess the big scripted showdown will benefit thugs

[stepnw1f]

70. Oppressive Right Wing Extremists Legislating from the Bench

or whatever. Their type used to be called Nazis....





...now they are the GOP.

[depakid]

71. Well, whadda ya know, DINOS

The Republicans are going to back out of your "deal" for Owens, Brown & Pryor.

What a sweet victory it was, huh, Mr. Reid?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/23/AR2005052301970_pf.html

Looks like the far right's going to call your bluff again.

[Seabiscuit]

74. Ethically and morally, if you had the opportunity to go back in time

and kill Hitler, you would be obligated to do so.

60 years from now, isn't that what people will be saying about the entire Bush cabal?

This group murdered the Kennedys, Martin Luther King, and undoubtedly JFK Jr. and Paul Wellstone. They shoveled Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, Trickle Down Economics, Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, Iraq, Plamegate and a lot, lot more on us.

Yet most of our Democratic leaders still play footsie with these vile, fascist Repukes as if the Repukes were not waging a very real war on us. We can't count on most of our representatives any more.

When will we ever learn?

Put down that plough, son.

[Nothing Without Hope]

77. An important element of strategy: Alito threatens MUCH MORE THAN ROE:

This extremist is on record for having opposed many basic civil rights and even many people who oppose abortion will be appalled by some of his radical positions. We must gather the documentation, organize it, and blast the public, the media, and ALL members of Congress.

See these two threads for more info as well as (in a reply) links to THREE PETITIONS to defeat Alito:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2204776
thread title (10/31): Why Alito? Booman explains: Roe destroyed, Bush’s crimes buried. Petition:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2206263
thread title (10/31): Not just Roe - Think Progress gives ALITO's awful civil rights positions:

And also the insight and advice in this piece at Steve Gilliard's blog:

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/11/cry-for-help.html
(posted by gaije, Mon Oct 31, 2005 at 03:28:53 PM PDT)

(snip)

With this nomination, Bush is forcing Republican senators to go on record for or against Roe, as they enter the 2006 campaign season. Two thirds of Americans support Roe v. Wade. The Senate knows that. Any senator who votes for Alito will be saying good-bye to all those votes. Moderate republicans, swing voters, countless previously apathetic voters, will be going Democratic. The Democratic party will be galvanized around a single issue like it hasn't been in years, and its coffers overflowing. For a GOP senator, that's no good, it's no good at all.

Vote against him though, and they'll alienate the religious right. All that reliable fundraising, voter turnout & volunteer manpower down the drain. That's no good either. Apparently, someone forgot to tell Bush he's not supposed to put them in this position (Maybe that was Scooter's job.).

(snip)

Democrats are not going to be able to get behind this one, unless they're looking to retire.] Roberts they had to give a little benefit of the doubt, but this one's just impossible. The nuclear option's not going to fly on this one either. Frist's power is somewhat diminished, thanks to that pesky SEC investigation (so many investigations these days, so hard to keep track!). The GOP rank and file are caught between a rock & a hard, hard place here. They may just be thinking a fillibuster's their best out. How many do you really think are going to be willing to fall on their swords for the least popular (and worst) president ever? Their much vaunted "message discipline," has been slipping away for weeks, as they've realized Bush's ship is sinking, and they'd better jump off well before November 2006.

The thing to do here, is to base our opposition to Alito on everything but his anti-Roe potential. It'll take the GOP by surprise, they'll be all prepared with their "litmus test," talking points, and defenseless in the face of other questions. It also offers them some cover for a no vote.

(snip)

This blog piece ends with a suggested list of NON-ROE topics on which Alito has demonstrated extreme views that need to be publicized. It's much the same list, re-worded, as in the Think Progress list given in the opening post of this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2206263
thread title (10/31): Not just Roe - Think Progress gives ALITO's awful civil rights positions:

Let's research, organize and frame talking points around the many outrageous positions Alito has taken. Then blast them to the media, the public, Congress, and take this to the wall. There are reasons to believe that if we give them an out (i.e., reasons besides Roe v Wade opposition), at least some moderate Republicans will join this fight.

And we must INSIST VEHEMENTLY that ALL the Dems stand against this would-be destroyer of civil liberties.