WP: Fight Is On at the Grass Roots ("The war room is ready for battle")

[Pirate Smile]

Fight Is On at the Grass Roots
An Age-Old Procedural Maneuver Inspires Modern Activism

By Dana Milbank and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, May 17, 2005; Page A04

-snip-
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have called off talks, preferring to prepare for a showdown on the Senate floor sometime in the next eight days. While a dozen moderates hunt for a solution, they are being overwhelmed by petitions, leaflets, phone calls, e-mails, faxes, visits and dueling news conferences by their colleagues on both sides.

Reid's Shermanesque "negotiations are over" remark yesterday, and Democrats' growing confidence that they can turn back the effort to ban judicial filibusters, came after the Pew Research Center released a poll showing that among those paying attention, Americans leaned against a rule change to ban filibusters of judicial nominees.

-snip-
Norman J. Ornstein, a longtime Congress watcher at the American Enterprise Institute, predicted a "guerrilla war" by Democrats in response to the nuclear option. "You can stretch something done in 30 seconds to eight hours, easily," he said. "It's very easy to do."

To rebut the expected Republican charge that they are "obstructing," the Democrats have introduced nine pieces of legislation that they will seek to bring to the Senate floor, including increased benefits for veterans, releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and raising the minimum wage.

"The war room is ready for battle," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/16/AR2005051601420.html

[ninkasi]

1. This is a battle we must fight

and a battle we must win, if we are to remain a democracy. One party rule is something that will create a dictatorship. If we know anything at all about Bush, it's that he wants to be the dictator.

[drduffy]

16. cheney

wants to be dictator. Bush doesn't have the cognitive capacity of my Lab. Mr. Figurehead.

[loudsue]

2. Excellent! n/t

:kick:

[Cha]

3. "Raising the minimum wage"..

I love it! Go Dems!

We got your back!

[DBoon]

4. A good, solid populist platform

something I have been waiting years for the Democrats to discover.

Finally.

[Rainscents]

5. OK... Lets grow that spine!!!

:applause:

[Vincardog]

21. Support Stem Cell research so we can grow the Democrats a Spine

[Trajan]

6. CMON CMON CMON ! .....

Let this be real .....

Let them get a 'whiff of the grape' ....

[keopeli]

7. It's about f$#%ing time!

Thank God for Harry Reid and Howard Dean. I'll give credit where credit is due. They are lending credibility to their cause...finally! And the WAPOST puts the whole thing in the context of the Democrats instead of the Republicans.

But, who listens to polls...

[stevedeshazer]

8. Time for a hopeful kick

:kick:

[K8-EEE]

9. IF EVER WE NEEDED OBSTRUCTION...

For the love of God...obstruct away Dems!! A thuggish, horrific war mongering cult is trying to kill everything good in our coutnry, obstruct already!!! I'M NOT VOTING FOR ANY NON-OBSTRUCTIONISTS!

[KingOfLostSouls]

10. They need to do more than just "play politics" also

democrats in congress need to start STANDING for our ideals, not just offering lip service to keep their jobs.

if harry reid is serious about this they won't just use these as a tool but actually start LIVING these values.

I get sick and tired of seeing wimpy mouthed democrat strategists talking about more "traditional" values, they need to start talking about DEMOCRATIC values and say, this is who we are, this is what we stand for, our actions speak for themselves, if republicans think they can challenge the fact we support veterans, all americans, working families, and working to make sure all americans have a seat at the table then let them

the first thing is not backing down one inch on the filibuster. harry reid better not go DLC or I say bring me his head along with joe lieberman's.

[ngGale]

11. It's about time they all grow a spine...

it took Dean and Reid to lift them up. Reid is so soft spoken, he's a class act - I love to watch him on C-Span!

[truthisfreedom]

12. good. it's about time. this will be fun, whatever the outcome. woohoo!

8^)

[pearl]

13. They're setting up a conference call with Harry Reid

With all the ones whose email addy they have. I just
got one and signed up. It's set for 11:45 est on Wed.

[magellan]

14. Shouldn't that be "the Democrats have RE-introduced"?

To rebut the expected Republican charge that they are "obstructing," the Democrats have introduced nine pieces of legislation that they will seek to bring to the Senate floor, including increased benefits for veterans, releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and raising the minimum wage.

Aren't these pieces of legislation the Dems have tried to get passed before but the Republicans have vetoed?

[xchrom]

15. i couldn't see any way out of it.

talks of compromise were so weak.

and after witnessing the exchange with byrd -- it became a pparent that frist wants this showdown -- for himself.

frist has become a ''true believer'' -- you can't negotiate with a creature like that.

p.s. he's not -- but he has to keep up his street rep.

[Pirate Smile]

17. kick

[wildeyed]

18. "The war room is ready for battle"

Great quote, Harry. :applause: Tear 'em up!

[mmonk]

19. Great plan

[ohtransplant]

20. Let's not forget

to call, write, e-mail, and fax Senators' offices. The local offices too!

It's also a good idea to contact those on the fence in addition to our own. Just for kicks, I also called Frist's office.

LTTEs are also part of the game plan.


BTW, I surely disagreed with Reid on the bankruptcy bill but I do love the backbone he brings to the table. No disrespect to Daschle but it was sorely needed.

[Toots]

22. The "war room is ready for battle" sure has taken them long enough

It should have been ready for battle Jan 2001 but we all know there was no war room at all back then. It was whatever Bush* wants we will fall over backwards to see he gets even more. I will wait and see how quickly they fold.

[jazzjunkysue]

23. Bring 'em on!

It's good that Reid went and talked, so they can't say we didn't play nice in the sandbox. This way, the party holding the power takes the blame.

I say, if we're going to have a theocracy, let's get on with it. I'm sick of waiting.

Hand maid's tale, here we come. Start burning pagans like me at the stake. Let's do it. I think what this country needs is a nice old-fashioned inquisition.

If I sink, I'm innocent. Let's go.