Senator Dick Durbin--

[EST]

I called and called his DC number and it was busy, busy, busy---Yeah! GOOD job, team!

So I called springfield and talked to such a lovely lady. Made the following points:
We must stop this scotus Scalito, no matter what it takes!
On being advised we didn't have the votes, I talked to her about filibuster and the nuclear option crap.

1. We HAVE to challenge it sometime, and the stakes couldn't be much higher. I made a case for the idea that, with the political, ethical and felonious bombs dropping, tyeing this breaking of tradition and shabby, scurrilous behavior on the part of the culture of corruption to their other garbage should get it all over the media=public airing and support
.
2. The only tangible result out of that gang of 14 agreement was the installation of three more un American, worthless judges on the appellate and further erosion of our weak-kneed, pansy-ass reputation.

3. Since we've allowed the radical right to hold this threat over our heads, it has the same effect as if they had already pulled their "nuclear option" trick. So we have already lost the filibuster option if we are too skeered to use it. a weapon that is broken is worse than no weapon at all.

Got general agreement all around and a promise to pass on to Sen. Durbin.
4. Let them know that The slap down of ol' Woofwoof Blister on CNN that the DeLay/ Abramoff was strictly a thug problem and did not involve us was so frickin' right on that I, on my spare, aluminum soda can income, I sent doctor Dean and the DNC fifty bucks and that kind of job is what I'll give my breakfast money for.

%. I asked if they knew of Democratic Underground and she said "no!" Shock and aarrgh! I explained that we are 86,000 strong and a hotbed of passionate progressives, and they'd better tune in, turn on and register. She promised she would, right away. A little further encouragement from me and we parted, pleased.

Do those rascals and their aides live such a cloistered, monastic (read-dumb) existence that they don't scout around on the i-net a little and get the lay af the land, so to speak.
Jeebus H Brown--do these insightful overloaded leaders live in the nineteenth century?

All in all, successful so far.

[radio4progressives]

1. what did the staffer say? NT

[EST]

4. Sorry, I'm a little jumbled-been awake for 'bout a week.

She was cheerful, encouraging and informative...oh, and patient.
She was discouraging about Scalito confirmation -we don't have the votes. The rest is is the OP.

This is the big move, everybody! Kick ass, don't bother with names!

[fooj]

2. Thanks for the report! Sounds like you made an impression...

Peace.

[Trevelyan]

3. Sen. John Edwards' petition against Alito and Booman resouces

to bombard Congress.

http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2006/1/8/134922/4200
http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/sen_alito_ban_progress
http://www.oneamericacommittee.com/
http://ga3.org/campaign/opposealito

"When President Bush nominated Samuel Alito to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court last year, I wrote you to express my strong opposition to his confirmation. His record, both on the bench and as an official in the Reagan and first Bush administrations, showed that he is an ideologue whose
extreme views would put our fundamental rights at risk.

Now that his hearings in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee are underway, it is becoming even clearer that Samuel Alito is the wrong man for the job. It's time for Democrats to stand up for what we believe in. Join me in opposing Samuel Alito's confirmation to the Supreme Court."- John Edwards

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. remember that Durbin committed the heretical act of honesty earlier

he admitted that 70% of his time is spent raising re-election funds.

[kwolf68]

6. and that is why

NOTHING will ever get done. If our good Dems can't stay on top of the game lest they get knocked out by the Repukes and their big bag of money we have no chance.

Real election reform must happen now...