Paul Loeb wrote earlier this month to encourage a filibuster of Alito: Extraordinary Circumstances Indeed.
The Daily Kos posted Kerry's declaration of support. The Washington Monthly is less sure but thinks it is at least worth the effort. CNN (!) recounts the build-up to today's "showdown".
The magic number for the Democrats/those opposed to Alito is 41.
Maybe, just maybe? MoveOn.org is sponsoring a campaign to support the filibuster. This article explains why the real issue is consolidation of power in the presidency rather than abortion rights. CBS downplays support for the filibuster.
I just wrote to my Senators, Jim Jeffords and Patrick Leahy of Vermont:
Dear Senators,
Please reject the further consolidation of political power in the interests of only one of America's many constituencies by participating in and maintaining the filibuster against Samuel Alito's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Effective democracy is founded upon the vigorous interaction of different viewpoints. Judge Alito's record indicates a viewpoint that coincides with that of other Justices already on the court; in other words, his nomination contributes to a consolidation of one ideology rather than fostering the diversity upon which America's proudest values stand.
The United States Supreme Court is the most symbolic enactment of freedom, independence, and the rule of law. It can only maintain its integrity if - within its own membership - it cultivates the freedom of interpretive choice based upon a wide range of independent ideologies. These ideologies must represent the broad range of cultural, social, ethnic and economic strata of the US citizenry, else the Supreme Court becomes merely a tool of a minority in power, rather than a judicial body vested with the interests of the nation as a whole.
Your courage in fighting for all Americans encourages and inspires me to believe that you will continue this good fight on behalf of deeper, more enduring values than the will to power.
Respectfully,
Stephanie Jo Kent
I missed a fundraising dinner on Tuesday night :-( but understand it was compelling and that it's going to be "a hell of a fight to get Bernie elected."
Here's his website which currently features an article from The Huffington Post by David Sirota, "The Most Important U.S. Senate Race of 2006.
Sirota: "Make no mistake about it - the GOP and its Big Business backers are going to do everything they can to try to knock off Sanders. They have already recruited a multi-millionaire corporate executive who has pledged to spend $5 million of his own money to try to buy the election. And Sanders faces special challenges because he refuses to accept corporate PAC money." (italics added)
