The pResident has dared the American people: Now we need ONE BAD ASS

[IndyOp]

From Al Gore: "We have a duty as Americans to defend our citizens' right not only to life but also to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is therefore vital in our current circumstances that immediate steps be taken to safeguard our Constitution against the present danger posed by the intrusive overreaching on the part of the Executive Branch and the President's apparent belief that he need not live under the rule of law.

I endorse the words of Bob Barr, when he said, "The President has dared the American people to do something about it. For the sake of the Constitution, I hope they will."

Gore dedicated a lot of time to talking about the "Theory of Unitary Executive" and how, if * continues his 'perpetual war' this means that there are *no* checks on the pResident...

This means to me:

FILIBUSTER ALITO!

BORN TO FILIBUSTER! ONE BAD ASS:

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. YES. FILIBUSTER ALITO!

kick

[Kalisiin]

2. While I Agree Filibustering Alito Is Important

at most, if we deny him a seat, it will be a pyhrric victory, I'm afraid. He will just continue to nominate right wing nutjobs, until one of them gets through.

Until we can get a paper trail on voting, and thus ensure honest elections, we are basically fucked.

Welcome to Amurikkka!

[IndyOp]

3. It will be a meaningful victory! What happens? History has an answer...

In addition, history has shown that when a president doesn’t get his way with his first or second choice for the Supreme Court, he may select someone with broader support and a more moderate record the next time around. For example, President Nixon twice failed to get a nominee confirmed to the Supreme Court spot vacated by Justice Abe Fortas: the nominations of Clement F. Haynsworth, Jr. in 1969 and G. Harrold Carswell in 1970 both failed due to Senators’ ideological and other objections to the nominees. President Nixon’s third try, Harry Blackmun, was a consensus nominee who was easily confirmed. And of course, he turned out to be a moderate Justice, most well known for having authored Roe v. Wade.

< http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2370951 >

[EstimatedProphet]

19. Ordinarily I'd agree. Unfortunately this is Bush we're talking about.

If Alito is filibustered, he'll find a way to appoint an Alito clone anyway-maybe even come up with a legal rationale to recess-appoint someone.

Yes, filibuster is necessary though. We have to use all of our tools.

[IndyOp]

4. Blocking Alito is *critical* to getting voting rights back -

In fascist societies 'elections' are fake; judges often make the 'decision' about who wins...

Anyone in the nation who steals an election can get away with it when the Supreme Court is ready to rule in favor of the theiving party.

:kick:

[Lerkfish]

6. here: tie yourself to this rail. A train will come eventually, might as

through yourself under the engine now and get it over with.

[Canuckistanian]

7. It will send a message, though

To both Democrats and Republicans.

Alito is very dangerous, because he's partisan, anti-civil rights AND he's capable and technically qualified.

There's not too many of his type around waiting to be nominated.

Yes, he will continue to nominate nutjobs, but will they be credible? Will he nominate a Roy Moore next time?

The public will see right through that attempt and he will be forever pegged as a president who is only partisan.

[Kalisiin]

8. I Disagree

The portion of the public that hasn't already seen that Bush is a pResident that is only partisan....never will, either. They are too blinded by their own partisanship.

The problem lies in...how do we insure that the voices of those who HAVE seen through this...are heard...and more importantly...are counted!

I hate to sound pessimistic, but I am just very afraid. Very afraid. I'm seeing irreparable damage being done to the country I once loved...and I see nothing stopping this runaway juggernaut. If we can't stop it at the ballot box, then what comes next?

And if we cannot rely on the integrity of the ballot box...what option are we left with? I am very scared for our future!

[Canuckistanian]

9. Very true, unfortunately.

I'm speechless.

Here I am, in a foreign country, attempting to advise Americans on how to remedy their problems.

And I realize the truth in what you say.

If it were my country, I'd be taking to the streets, but it's probably a futile exercise in yours.

Fascist leaders, weak-kneed opposition.....

Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston (or whatever else shiny and distracting) continues to be the top story on the news. I don't know exactly how I'd handle it.

I'm with you though.

peace.

[Kalisiin]

15. Exactly

It's a futile exercise in our country. The media won't cover it...so it may as well not have even happened, since so few will learn of it. Most of America doesn't WANT to know, anyway. They want to just keep their heads buried in their feed sacks and munch comfortably until they die. As long as it doesn't pull THEM from their feed bag, they don't care. And they won't speak out for fear that someone will notice them, and thus rip THEIR feed bag away from them.

We are a very self-centered society, generally. Boat-rocking is frowned upon, scorned, and many people are too scared to do it, anyway. Most Americans are self-centered, self-satisfied, and easily distracted.

This is a nation where illegal wiretaps don't get reported about, but runaway brides do.
This is a nation that doesn't care that elections are now fraudulent...as long as that election is not for the next American Idol!

This is a nation who can tell you the lastest between Brad and Jen...but can't tell you what their Constitutional rights are...or what's left of them.

This is a country that 95% of this country can name every single person voted American Idol, and probably 50% can't even name all 50 states.

It's not just that we are uninformed. It is that we don't WANT to be informed. And we have a media more than willing to go along with NOT informing us.

We don't WANT to be informed, because, being informed means maybe having to take action...having to remove ourselves from the comfort of our own feedbag. It means we might actually have to give a shit about someone other than our own selves. It means we may have to risk our own comfort and our own station, in order to do what is right.

We'd rather just do what is expedient...and what serves our own interests best...and who cares what happens out there, and long as it doesn't affect me?

THEN...when it finally DOES affect them, they whine and cry. And then, it is too late.

That is what this American sees. And, as one who long ago had her feedbag ripped from her...I am very scared. Very scared indeed. And very angry.

[IndyOp]

10. Defeating Alito also further weakens the pRes and GOP -

which makes it more likely that Dems can prevent/combat election fraud.

Fight on all battle fronts!

[klook]

20. "Pyhrric victory"? wrong - see this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=149398&mesg_id=149398

Harry Blackmun and David Souter are both #3 nominees, moderates who got on the court after their predecessor nominees either got rejected or withdrew.

[Nikki Stone 1]

5. kick

:kick:

[IndyOp]

11. kick (nt)

:kick:

[txindy]

12. Absolutely.

No argument from me. Filibuster the fascist.

[IndyOp]

13. Thanks txindy! (nt)

:kick:

[Nikki Stone 1]

14. Win or lose, Alito MUST be filibustered because

" Both of the offensive theories at work here - that a president's intent in signing a bill trumps the intent of Congress in writing it, and that a president can claim power without restriction or supervision by the courts or Congress - are pet theories of Judge Samuel Alito, the man Mr. Bush chose to tilt the Supreme Court to the right.

The administration's behavior shows how high and immediate the stakes are in the Alito nomination, and how urgent it is for Congress to curtail Mr. Bush's expansion of power. Nothing in the national consensus to combat terrorism after 9/11 envisioned the unilateral rewriting of more than 200 years of tradition and law by one president embarked on an ideological crusade. "

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011506Y.shtml

[Coexist]

16. But if we lose, the Republicans will call us names...

If we lose, we won't be able to accomplish anything. If we lose, we will become ineffective and impotent.

So why even try - things are going so well for us right now.

:evilgrin:

[Nikki Stone 1]

21. Let'm call names. They're gonna do it anyway

But we should hire the best PR we can find

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. I'm channeling the spirit of Jimmy Stewart OR Jimmy Dean.

Either one will do.

[IndyOp]

18. Jimmy Dean - One Bad Ass! Stewart would be fine, too (nt)

...even though he is a Repub - though he is the kind of paleocon who would put country above party.

:kick:

[Time for change]

22. Three cheers for Al Gore and Bob Barr!

:applause: