Return-Path: <[log in to unmask]> Received: from www.peaceteam.net (h-66-166-2-146.lsan.ca.megapath.net [66.166.2.146]) by mtain-db02.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with SMTP id 8E73A380000F2 for <[log in to unmask]>; Fri, 21 Jun 2013 15:47:08 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:42:49 -0800 From: The Pen <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Action Page: Filibuster Equals 9 Stolen Elections To: [log in to unmask] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit x-aol-global-disposition: S X-AOL-REROUTE: YES x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d405651c4adbc6eaf X-AOL-IP: 66.166.2.146 X-AOL-SPF: domain : peaceteam.net SPF : none Ordinarily, if we were to talk about stolen elections in the US, some might call us conspiracy theorists. But by their totalitarian abuse of the anachronism of the filibuster, the Republican party has in constructive fact stolen 9 senate seats, by unilaterally requiring a majority of 60, not 51, to do anything in the Senate. Stop The Filibuster Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1121.php While multiple federal agencies become dysfunctional from loss of a quorum, or strain from understaffing as of judges in our court systems, Republicans refuse to confirm ANY nominee that they would not have nominated themselves, presuming they had won the last two presidential elections. Worse yet, they refuse to consider any nominee whatsoever for agencies they wish they could abolish outright. This week Senator McConnell threatened that if anything is done to rein in this outrageous dictatorship of the minority, they will go nuclear on everything if they ever regain a simple Senate majority. Simply stated, the Republicans have ALREADY gone nuclear on everything by their wall to wall filibusters. If the Democrats do not stand up for themselves, and for the people that voted for them, why should anyone even bother to come out to vote for them again? That of course is the strategy behind this non-stop Republican temper tantrum, to dictate there can be no government at all unless they are in power. When you do not stand up to a bully you just get bullied more. End the filibuster now. Stop The Filibuster Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1121.php And after you submit the action page, you might consider getting one of our "Stop The Filibuster" caps, a dandy thing to wear when visiting with your member of Congress or one of their staffers. Stop The Filibuster caps: http://www.peaceteam.net/stop_filibuster_cap.php Nothing tires us more than the cowards who cower in fear that we need to retain the filibuster as an anti-Democratic institution, just in case Democrats even need to impose one in the future. First, that's never going to happen. The closest the Democrats have come to sticking to a real filibuster was over the Bolton nomination, and even there, their position was that they WOULD allow an up or down vote on him if only he would produce the writings they were requesting from him. There must have been some really bad stuff in there because he withdrew his nomination rather than produce the documents. Second, Republicans have missed no opportunity to play the bully when in the majority themselves, except even more so. The same threat to "go nuclear" being made by McConnell now is identical to the threat that got a number of extreme right wings judges confirmed around the same time, again without adequate production of their writings. So we'll say it again. The filibuster must go. It must go now. And in its entirety. Otherwise Congress will accomplish nothing that constituents of Democrats want in the next four years, and lose seats for that reason alone. In short, acting like timid, little scaredy mice will only ensure a permanent mouse minority. You may forward this message to any friends who would find it important. Contributions to The People's Email Network are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, go to http://www.peaceteam.net/in.htm Or if don't want to receive our messages, just go to http://www.peaceteam.net/out.htm usalone503b:200655 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp