"Senate Democrats are going to fight them every step of the way" - Reid

[paineinthearse]

Received by email from Senator Reid.



Today I stood in front of the Supreme Court and collected more than 1 million petitions from people all across America. Standing there, I heard your voices urging the Senate to reject any attempt to do away with the system of checks and balances our founding fathers created to protect the rights and voices of all Americans.

I want to say thank you for standing up and lending your voice to this debate.

Republicans want to go "nuclear" and turn the Senate into a rubber stamp for President Bush. They want to silence Senate Democrats -- the one remaining check on President Bush's power. If they can do away with debate in the Senate, they can get whatever they want -- right-wing Supreme Court Justices, Social Security privatization, and tax breaks for the wealthy that will plunge us deeper in debt.

But Senate Democrats are going to fight them every step of the way. And this fight will be different than any other fight in the history of the Senate -- because it will include you.

The Republicans are arrogant with power. If they don't like the rules, they break them. If they don't like someone standing in their way, they attack them. We have some Republicans in the Senate that are considering throwing out 200 years of Senate history in order to pack the courts with right wing judges. And we have a Republican Leader in the House of Representatives who attacks judges who don't agree with him and corrupts our government by running roughshod over the ethics committee.

It's a complete abuse of power by the Republicans and if they can get away with this on judges, they will get away with this on legislation like Social Security too. There is no distinction.

This is about more than a few unqualified judges, this is about protecting the rights of disabled Americans to work, the rights of minorities to vote, the rights of every American to have clean air, safe drinking water and be heard in Washington.

Thank you,

Harry Reid



Watch Harry Reid speak at the Supreme Court rally.

Windows Media:
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Keep the Momentum Going! Help stop the GOP power grab by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper:

www.democrats.org/action

Learn More! Learn more about this important issue and view photos of the Supreme Court rally on our Stop the Abuse of Power website:

www.democrats.org/nuclear

[pscot]

1. Try to imagine

Tom Daschle producing a statement like that.

[DesEtoiles]

3. Right- the Repubs may end up sorry they stole Daschle's seat

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Nope

[renaissanceguy]

33. YES.

Daschle was spineless.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.20383992

[gordianot]

2. Impressive!

Nominated

[jean]

4. Oh ye creative ones: He mentioned 'rubber stamp' - how could that be used?

[Crunchy Frog]

7. "Rubber stamp" is the term that was always used

to describe the function of the Supreme Soviet during the time of the Soviet regime. The Busheviks are trying to create a Soviet type system in this country.

[Selteri]

5. Well said and well worded

it almost feels like the leadership of the democrats has grown a backbone again. Maybe things can finally start to balance back out in this country.

[bvar22]

8. The comparison to...

One Party Rule like Soviet Russia must be injected into the National Dialog.

[checks-n-balances]

9. You've got that right!

There are so many parallels - I'm surprised that more people haven't noticed it!

[paineinthearse]

10. People?

Do you mean "sheeple"?

[calimary]

26. Absolutely. GREAT buzz phrase. Don't forget "Crybaby Conservatives"

and "the Butt-In-ski Party" or "the Busy-body Party" - or how 'bout "GOP - MYOB!"

[Kber]

34. Or present day Cuba or Iran maybe?

[madfloridian]

11. This deserves a kick.

They are doing the right things when they show our petitions being delivered. Good things tend to drop quickly here.

:kick: :kick:

[kerrygoddess]

29. It's good that Kerry, Reid and others ...

Are sending out emails about their successes to they supporters. That helps to keep people involved. Kerry's petition brought in nearly 1/4 of that million!

[sendero]

12. I like this guy more and more..

... a few Dem senators could listen to what he says and how he says it.

"packing the courts with right wing judges" - why are so few willing to come out and tell it? Do they assume that all Americans understand what is happening? That would be folly.

Do they think they have to gussy up a simple fact like this with convoluted, nuanced language? No, there is no reason. Plain speaking and telling the simple facts works best, and Reid seems to be one of the few Dems who is willing to do it.

[calimary]

27. Clever of him, also, to coin the phrase "Retirement Roulette" for the

bush Social Security Piratization plan. I saw him in a politlcal spot, saying this. Even sweeter - he added "and I'm from Las Vegas." He's not perfect, but he's sure better than we've had. I think the Boxer Rebellion and the ascension of Howard Dean have finally knocked some sense into some of our people. They're beginning to be less afraid to speak up (well, at least some of the time) anymore.

[Mist]

32. "Retirement roulette" ! Great meme!

My modest contribution:

[WLKjr]

13. You see, this is how it works

You get out there, make the bold statement, get pissed about it at the same time, and that is when people start listening. Now all that needs to be done is to follow up the words with action.


It's all about making the bold statement and repeating it over and over and over again, calling every news agency, emailing every blogger, contacting all the radio shows. Keep pounding the message taht the Republicans are suffering from teh arrogance of power and are wanting to turn this country into an ideological nation, with one party rule like Soviet Russia.

[paineinthearse]

14. Santorum: "Frist will go nuclear"

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1376739&mesg_id=1376739&page=

Looks like the battle lines have been drawn.

Bring it on!

[bvar22]

15. The republicans are demanding...

One Party Rule just like Soviet Russia and Communist China!

[Zhade]

16. Unless all Dems are saying this in the media, this is pointless.

Just preaching to the choir. Nice words, but more Americans - including the Republicans who watch FAUX News - need to hear them.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Orangepeel]

19. edited

no sense giving a deleted message free airplay

[bettyellen]

21. wow, a constitutionalist !

pick up any other interesting talikng points lately?

[steelyboo]

22. and might I direct you to

Article I
Section 5
Clause 2: Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings,punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

You see, the Filibuster is a parliamentary RULE, and although it is not writted into the constitution, neither are any of the Senate or House Rules.

HOWEVER, it has been a Sentate rule for quite some time:

"In 1853, the English word "filibuster" first was used on the U.S. Senate floor to describe the delaying tactic used to block legislation from moving forward."
- http://www.statehousereport.com/columns/04.0404.buster.htm

Notice thats the use of the TERM. From reading the sentence you can tell the practice had been going on before that (1803 or thereabouts from a cursory search).

Now, Specifically to your query, whether it can be used on judges, well see, that originated with the Republicans in 1968 (http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Filibuster_Derails_Supreme_Court_Appointment.htm).

But, now that it will be used against them, the Republicans do not want the Democrats to do the same thing. That book they love so much, The Bible, specifically describes that scenario as HYPOCRISY. See? It was easy to type, so say it with me 1 more time: HYPOCRISY.

PS: Here is the section you are mangling, err, I mean using as evidence, in its entirety:

Article II
Section 2
Clause 2: He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

Sorry, but I don't see shit about a simple majority. Also, it only says that they are to "advise and consent" for Supreme Court Judges, not every judge.

In fact, the only thing that refers to courts (other than the Supreme) and Congress power over them is:

Article I
Section 8
Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court

Do you see any shit about advise and consent, or simple majority?

Constititution quotes from http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html)

[kerrygoddess]

18. Kerry said this yesterday... Reid stood with 1 Million supporters

"Early this afternoon, Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic Leader of the United States Senate, held a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Thanks to you, there were a million people standing there with him.

That's how many dedicated individuals signed petitions and newspaper ads supporting Senator Reid's determined efforts to prevent Republican leaders from undermining democracy by making judicial nominations a narrow, one-party exercise."

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=673

It's great that Reid sent this email out and is stepping up this campaign, but he's a day late in thanking folks who have already been working hard on this issue and could have should have acknowledged his fellow Senator who garnered over close to a quarter million of those signers!

"I am proud to report that 236,498 of those signatures were submitted by you and other members of the johnkerry.com community. We added our nearly quarter of a million names to those collected by the Democratic National Committee, MoveOn.org and other citizens' groups."

[paineinthearse]

23. DU post about this.

Cross-link - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1708555

[rockymountaindem]

20. But he's ANTI-CHOICE!!!!

How could we EVER accept this man as our Senate leader? I'm going to join the Greens...

:sarcasm:

[inchhigh]

24. I'm glad he ties it to the big picture.

"This is about more than a few unqualified judges, this is about protecting the rights of disabled Americans to work, the rights of minorities to vote, the rights of every American to have clean air, safe drinking water and be heard in Washington."

[mzmolly]

25. He's doing great!

:toast:

[cyr330]

28. Yeah, when pigs sprout wings and fly

I'll believe it when I see some of the most spineless dems standing up for what's right for once.

[NVMojo]

30. The heat is on!!!

[paineinthearse]

31. On CSPAN now - Nan Aron - Aliance of Justice

[e-mail]

or call

[paineinthearse]

35. See complementary Pelosi statement

:kick: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1713518#