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. 

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usalone503b:200655 


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