Three words to Reid and the Democratic Senators

[Walt Starr]

SHUT IT DOWN!!!!

Lose the filibuster, shut it all down. Require every damned bill be read word for word. NO UNANIMOUS CONSENT ON ANYTHING!

Require an up or down recorded vote on each and every thing that used to get unanimous consent. NOBODY EXTENDS THEIR REMARKS BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT!!!

Make them follow each and every rule no matter how obscure or how weird.

If the Repukes want to fight about not having to read bills, LET THE MORANS (sic) DO IT!

Believe you me, the American public will not like the Republicans fighting for votes on bills that have not been read.

[leftofthedial]

1. we know what happens in war, when only one side "goes nuclear"

and this is WAR

[Avalux]

2. I agree 100%

follow all the rules, read every single piece of legislation....NOTHING will get done. I'm ready for a fight and for once, want our leaders to STAND UP and not back down.

[Protagoras]

3. This isn't a fight we can run away from

if we don't fight now, we'll simply be shot in the back.

[Me.]

4. I Totally Agree

Partially because I think this filibuster business will come back to haunt the pugs and, because I think it's time the dems held the cat killers' gang feet to the fire. I want to see the dems p'od and come out fighting. The polls are going against the pugs and I think their egregious behavior should be pulled to the front and center. They've been hiding behind the curtain, time to pull it down.

[paineinthearse]

5. I'm with you 100%

Of course, if this parlmentary course is taken, Dems will be protrayed as "obstructionist" by the RW spin machine, but let it be.

[Walt Starr]

7. We can get in front of that EASILY

"The Republicans are angry because we are requiring every Senator to do what they should be doing anyway, reading the damned legislation before they cast a vote on it. All the Democrats are doing is following the rules; rules which the Republicans have demonstrated time and again they want to skirt around."

[lonestarnot]

8. Who gives a fuck obstuctionist of what? Tyranny of the majority?

NOT A BAD THING!

[lonestarnot]

6. SHUT ER DOWN!

[wtmusic]

9. How they will attempt to leapfrog this

"If the Democrats don't want to participate in democracy, they don't have to..."

and then rewrite Senate rules to officially eliminate supermajorites and even a quorum, using Herr Cheney's newfound title of Dictator of the US Senate

:scared:

[Walt Starr]

12. That would be IDEAL!

Yeah, use those "dictator of the Senate" powers to stop Senators from reading legislation they are voting on. That'll go over REAL NICE to the American Public.

[wtmusic]

19. Walt, methinks you put too much faith in the "American Public"

"These obstructionist tactics are stopping important laws that the nation needs...look at this education bill! Little Suzie's education is being put on hold by the DEMOCRATS! And here we have a bill honoring our soldiers overseas...and the DEMOCRATS can't even stop their obstructionism to vote on THAT?"

I'm playing devil's advocate here, but THAT IS WHY we must stop this from ever becoming an issue. Stop the rules change. It's the last stop.

[Walt Starr]

27. "Yes, Senator Republican, look at that bill

and please read the thing before we vote on it!"

This is the easiest thing in the world to spin. The Republicans want Senators to vote on a bill without reading the damned thing first!

[wtmusic]

30. Fact is that's status quo

and has been for a long, long time. If we're arguing for the filibuster being status quo, it's too easy to paint as an about-face.

[Walt Starr]

32. That will get lost

Hey, the Republicans found something that was not status quo to go nuclear over. We just simply go nuclear over actually reading the damned legslationwe are voting on. The beauty is, it'll all be there in it's pork barrel garbage amendment glory for the entire world to watch live on CSPAN!

[wtmusic]

39. I hope you're right

The real winner is coming up with a majority to defeat it. It would be a major blow to the "mandate".

[lonestarnot]

45. hehehehehehehehehehe brilliant! Read the bills!

[Walt Starr]

49. The Repukes CANNOT BEAT the spin of READ THE DAMNED BILL BEFORE YOU VOTE!

It's win-win for us.

[Coexist]

10. non-violent protest - I like it!

Can't you just picture the police carting off those hippie Senators.

[lonestarnot]

13. LOL... buying a ticket to Washington...Round trip of course... I do have a

life! But I want to help pitch tents on the lawn.

[Coexist]

14. wish I could go - I'll be on the phone all day though

Shut 'er down!!

[lonestarnot]

18. All day? You could buy a tic wit dat phone bill.

[Coexist]

23. No - I mean calling Senators re: the filibuster

I can't go because my life holds me hostage - new job, kids, etc.

[Just Me]

11. "The people" want FIGHTERS.

Especially when the bullies are running the block!!!

Democrats,...these assholes are tyrants!!! FIGHT BACK!!!

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. They'd need to take three more words to heart, first.

Those three words being "grow a spine".

[AzDar]

44. I've been saying it all along...Let Dumbass Frist go nuke...So we can

SHUT THAT MOTHER DOWN!!!! NO Surrender,No Compromise!!!

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Walt, I want even more. I want an action by our side that is biblical

I want them to walk out and not come back .... for a looooong time. I posted my idea here. The slowdown plan, while a good idea, is too .... safe. We need to have a full-out rebellion.

Here's the link. And while this may seem like a self-promoting thread kick, it isn't intended as such. I am damned serious about this.

Nuclear option ...... meet Biblical Response.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3697382

[KitSileya]

17. Either shut it down completely, or leave town.

That should be the only two options for any Democrats with a spine.

Simple as that. Anything else is Chamberlainish. Better to die fighting than live on your knees. Unfortunately, I doubt most of the Democrats in Congress has a spine - they seem more interested in compromise. After 4 years (and more) they still haven't learned their lesson - there is no negotiating with these fascists.

[Andy_Stephenson]

20. SHUT ER DOWN!

do not give ground on this!

[Hamlette]

21. You all sound like Newt. Don't you remember what happened to him?

Americans don't understand filibuster, they don't understand how much damage judges can do. (Most of what judges do can be undone by Congress, remember.)

What Americans do understand is that the great life we all enjoyed in the 50s, when only one parent worked and had good health insurance and a guaranteed pension, is gone. The Dems should scream about each of the unacceptable judges then push OUR agenda. Make the GOP vote down an increase in minimum wage, guarantees for pensions, shoring up SS while they close bases and cut jobs.

Remember what happened to Newt.

[Walt Starr]

24. Newt shut down the budget process, which shut down all of the government

The budget has been passed already. No problems there.

What we propose is shut down the legislative process by following the rules. If the Republicans start screaming about how the Democrats are making them read the bills they are voting on, they'll feel the heat, not the Dems.

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. They would look very foolish. (The repukes)

The people would just ask, "WHY? don't the repukes want to read the bills OUR money is being spent on?" The repukes will suffer through this one. It ain't gonna be pretty.

[Avalux]

You're right - two completely different things

FOLLOW THE RULES - READ ALL LEGISLATION IN FULL. Can you even imagine it??

[Sgent]

42. Yea I remember

Newt won.

He got a bad reputation for it, but he slashed the size of government, passed welfare reform, and passed tax cuts.

[insane_cratic_gal]

22. Is it wise to do this?

You know they are already using this spin against Dems. "They are refusing to move forward and get any work done." "They have not submitted one single piece of legislation or ideas on current SS."

While we here my understand why it needs to be shut down. How do we handle the PR campaign the one we always loose? How do we get that message out there to millions of Americans in a biased media?

Please spare me the "who gives a shit." because I do. We have a good shot at 2006, I don’t want them defining us as the Party that shut down congress (shit even if we needed to they will spin it in a bad light).

I say they won't use the nuclear option, they are bluffing in hopes that we will do exactly that, Shut it down.

So why I do partly agree with you, how do we win the PR campaign? If we are threatening to shut it down, don't you think we are a tad bit late in winning the PR battle?

We have to be prepared for that, otherwise we loose the advantage we've fought for tooth and nail the last month.

[Walt Starr]

25. Piece of cake to counter

"The Republicans object to actually reading the legislation we are to vote on."

[Andy_Stephenson]

26. Unfortunately WE DO NOT have a shot in 2006

The BBV machines are still in place and there will be even more in 2006. So tell me again how we have a shot? 2006 will be rigged again and we will be even further in the minority. It is a fact we need to face and face soon or we will lose everything.

[Vincardog]

33. The answer to BBV is in post #31

[insane_cratic_gal]

38. I know

but here is what I am hoping for.

by 2006 the anger and distrust they are brewing by their actions will change this. They can't fix an election with the lowest approval rating. We know they can fix it in a close race, too hard to dispute 51/49. But if the voices keep rising, the minority is quickly becoming the majority. You can't dispute all polls. 47/40 percent want a dem majority in congress.

We can't even get the republicans to sign or read legislation on voting machines or election reform. They have ignored us. I feel like we need to press harder on that, even if it's on a state level demanding we have the option for paper ballots like CA does.

It's something we need to be doing, but we've sort of lost the way due to half of us acknowledging there is fraud, and the rational that is notrious in the educated (Dems) who believe conspricacy theories on the election is just that; a conspricacy.

We have to unite as a party, show them what strength and patritoism is.

[Andy_Stephenson]

50. Unfortunately they can do this

"They can't fix an election with the lowest approval rating. We know they can fix it in a close race, too hard to dispute 51/49. But if the voices keep rising, the minority is quickly becoming the majority. You can't dispute all polls. 47/40 percent want a dem majority in congress."

They already did it. In 2004. We cannot win on the machines. We must have paper ballots and we must have them RIGHT Fing NOW.

[sellitman]

51. Andy...you are right as usual

Nothing else matters.

I hope you are doing well my friend!

:hi:

[Andy_Stephenson]

53. I am just waiting for all this

to be over.

[in_cog_ni_to]

29. YUP! I agree!

The Dems MUST take a strong stand on this!

[Vincardog]

31. All of that and add The open Fair voting amendment to every piece

of legislation passing Thur your house. Anything that gets passed must say paper ballots and hand counts now. We can take the congress back in 06 and have the whole Mis-Administration in Leavenworth in 07.

FIGHT NOW

[Walt Starr]

34. BINGO, add it, add it, add it, add it, add it, add it, add it, add it!

until it finally sticks!

[Andy_Stephenson]

36. YES

add it on every single piece of legislation. All of em. Spending bills...pork bills...Police state bills. Make em sweat every piece of legislation that comes down the pipe.

[Coexist]

40. I would cry tears of joy!

[lonestarnot]

46. ewww me too and I don't cry!

[CWebster]

35. Do your job. nt

[SalmonChantedEvening]

37. SHUT IT DOWN NOW!!!!

Feet to the fire!!

[Andy_Stephenson]

41. SHUT ER DOWN!

NOW

[lonestarnot]

48. Shut 'er Down Biatches!

[jbond56]

43. remember the Alamo

not sure what that has to do with this but seemed to fit.

I'm starting to think the best scenario could be 50-50 tie. This would require emperor dick to arm the nuclear weapon. This makes winning the pr battle much easier. With the filibuster gone we only need 6 to clean up the recent disgraces.

The misguided Americans i talk to would understand bush wasn't happy with having 95% of his judges approved. So after his temper tantrum he had emperor dick change the rules. They are finally starting to second guess him. It could help wake them up.

Give em hell Harry.

Shut it down!

[Andy_Stephenson]

47. SHUT IT DOWN

NOW

[rigel99]

52. FORGET SHUT IT DOWN...TIME TO WALK OUT

I want every friggin Democratic senator to WALK OUT OF THE SENATE and not come back..


we need to show the public what's really happening...

that our legislative branch with the help of the now concentrated presidential branch has hijacked our government.

Let's show them we know it by having Senators walk out of the senate completely and not come back for weeks, months, years.... whatever it takes for the citizens to rise up in the streets and start protesting....

this is friggin ridiculous....

fighting for the filibuster is like fighting for bread and water for a jailed man.. we need to take the fight up a notch.....

we need the Democrats to demand impeachment and then stage a walk out and not come back...

let the repukes vote anything they want into law.. it will be a joke to the whole word without a single democrat even listening to them....

[wtmusic]

55. Prolly not a good idea

Guess what? With a Republican majority and a quorum, all Republican bills would go sailing through lickety-split.

"If they don't want to participate in democracy...blah blah blah..."

[rigel99]

56. PARTICIPATING in any part of this charade

is tantamount to accepting all of it...

it's like they say,

You can't negotiate with terrorists...

this government has long since experienced a coup D'etat..

what are WE going to do about it, DU folks? what can 70K folks make happen pretty quickly?

[hvn_nbr_2]

54. What follows nuclear war? NUCLEAR WINTER!

Nuclear winter--shut it down.

[bububjones]

57. we should avoid that if at all posible.

though most Rep.s are going to vote yes on the filibuster bill, there are at least 10 that will vote against it. Contact them at http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/bububjones/ and encourage them to vote no.

[deadparrot]

58. Well, Reid said he would.

If the nuclear option passes, that is.

Hopefully he sticks to his word.

[spanone]

59. Fucking A

[Sapphire Blue]

60. If the Republican majority nukes the filibuster, what is the point

... of having a Congress when it will be nothing more than an extension of the executive branch of government? The Republican led Congress might just as well dissolve Congress and go home, declaring 'Sieg Heil!' to Herr Fuhrer.

SHUT IT DOWN!!!!

HALT THE FASCISM!!!!

http://www.cafepress.com/shop/bumper-stickers/browse/Ntt-YOU+ARE+HERE+FASCISM_pp-_N-1258_pv-left.21657209_No-1_Ntk-All_D-YOU+ARE+HERE+FASCISM_Nao-1

[graywarrior]

61. Shut it down. We will not be ruled by a King.

[Horse with no Name]

62. Battle Cry of the day: "No up and down--Just shut it down"!

I hope they don't let us down.

[il_lilac]

63. How I wish

they had listened to you. :cry:

[Robert Oak]

64. I like the idea of reading the bill

first time they even probably read it!

If they forced reading the bill in session maybe some of these turkeys
might pay attention more on what they are voting on and less on
those stupid lobbyists tell them how to vote!

[More Than A Feeling]

65. Damn it, Damn it damn it!

I would like to add my name to the (I wish they had) Shut It Down Caucus.

I strongly dislike this deal.