Dems have nothing to lose with a filibuster. So why not Go For It?

[Armstead]

It may be likely that Alito will get through. It may also be likely that a filibuster might not hold up.

But so what? To paraphrase the old song "When ya got nothing, Ya got nothing to lose."

As depressing as that is, it can also be liberating. If we go down on this, we still go down fighting. And by doing that, we may actually come out ahead ultimately, if our side can make it clear what the stkes are in this. It matters and it's not just playing politics.

Anyone who is not a right winger or a member of the elite will get screwed by having Alito push the SC further to the right. So many rights and freedoms at stake. The whole principle ofthe average person having access to the courts as a redress against the powerful.

If our side shows some principled opposition and fights the good fight on this, we will come out ahead, regardless of the immeduate outcome.

Just my opinion, of course.

[mac56]

1. K & N

Not the outcome, but the struggle.

[Triana]

2. EXACTLY! I love what you said...

"If our side shows some principled opposition and fights the good fight on this, we will come out ahead, regardless of the immediate outcome."

MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY.

[bigwillq]

3. I agree.

I posted a thread similar to your topic. :hi:

[TahitiNut]

4. If not now, when? (It's too late when the ovens are going.)

I've suffered through 25 years of this shit and tire of the "wait until the next election" bullshit. Liberals have been silent and 'courteous' for far too long.

[tatertop]

5. this is it

[shance]

6. You either do this to WIN or don't do it all

but don't waste your time with half hearted measures, and "oh well, lets give it a whirl".

Give it EVERYTHING youve got or don't fight at all.

We can win. That win will happen only with our focused and unified effort to reach out to friends and family tomorrow and all weekend.

If you go in thinking it's already lost, then you bet, it already is.

Go in expecting to win, or don't waste anyones time.

Weve gotten this far because we haven't accepted the word "no".

We must continue to expect our leaders to DO THEIR JOB.

Alito is a fascist extremist that is one more nuclear appointment designed to dismantle our Democracy.

There is no wiggle room here.

[unkachuck]

7. yes sir....

....to me this is all quite easy....the Senate Dems have votes, they can use them anyway they want....but if they don't use them in a FIGHT defending my best interests, they won't get mine....

....and alito is NOT in my best interest....easy....

[JamRock]

8. Kerry is going out on a limb w/out rest of Party leadership - Ried, Bird

If the party does not hold the line Kerry is going to loose following and look
weak. And it will be a sad day for Dems

[EFerrari]

10. Why would Kerry look weak for standing tall? n/t

[EFerrari]

9. That's right, Armstread, regardless of the immediate outcome

:)

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

11. Agreed! I don't think anyone goes wrong by drawing a line and taking

a stand, whether you've got the whatever it takes to win the immediate skirmish or not.

I think the mere act of taking the stand and knowing that you mean it and are willing to face whatever may come is a very powerful thing to do.

In my personal life, such times have been among the most powerful and empowering I've ever experienced.

I am fully convinced that this is the appropriate time for the Democrats to take a stand!!

[Armstead]

17. Yep, regardless of the outcome

People need to feel like someone is on our side. The more Democrats act like they are, the more credibility they gain in the big picture.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

18. Yes, and in the process there is a message sent to the other

side that it just isn't always going to be a cakewalk no matter what they try to do.

All part of the same important process.

[leftofthedial]

12. "If our side shows some principled opposition . . ."

what on earth would lead you to expect that that would be even a remote possibility? I don't recall the Democrats taking a principled stand on anything since the Civil Rights Act. I don't think there has been a single example of them offering actual opposition either since they fumbled away control of Congress. They are a pack of opportunistic individuals, each with his or her own agenda. Only extremely rarely does that agenda intersect either "principle" or "opposition," and then only coincidentally.

the corporations want Scalito and the religiously insane anti-women cult have been fully mobilized. The Democrats will do what their corporate masters want (that is, ensure Scalito's confirmation). If their own bullshit runs a little weak, they can use the anti-choice noise for cover, as the fascist supporter Byrd already did today.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

13. I guess filibustering John Bolton doesn't count, or opposing

social security "reform" doesn't count.

[leftofthedial]

14. the American public killed social security reform

it required no risk at all and actually involved very little political effort.

Bolton? I think it was at least as much a game of political jockeying as it was based on principle.

Alito, though. If that isn't a clear test of what are supposed to be Democratic values, I don't know what would be.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

15. If you say so. n/t

[ladjf]

16. To not filibuster shows indecisiveness and cowardliness.