Ben Nelson may have to be excused from the fillibuster

[bluestateguy]

He's up for reelection next year, Nebraska is one of just a few states where Bush's numbers are holding up well, and it's a very anti-abortion electorate.

Democrats have 45 votes, so one or two votes can be spared to keep a filibuster going. I actually think there is a good chance we could get Lincoln Chaffee to join in, or at least to vote no. He's got a tough battle next year in a state where Bush is in the 20's. Now if Feinstein or Lieberman jump off the reservation, coming from solid blue states, that is just inexcusable.

[acmejack]

1. He either stands for our values or he doesn't!

Just for what it's worth. I am unwilling to give these guys a pass for any reason. This is a critical juncture in our history and there can be no excuse for not standing united.

[mmonk]

6. I agree

This country has been sold out too much for cowards.

[Teaser]

2. I'll give him a pass if

no one else folds.

[long_green]

9. How about...

if he can find one (or more) Repubs willing to support a filibuster in his place then he can bow out. If not, take a stand on your way out the door.
But no, he'll be allowed to do what he wants. Then, after he wins reelection (with his too-conservative-to-be-believed opponent tarring him as "more liberal than Hillary Clinton") someone on here will be talking him up as a good choice for VP in 2008.

[Zodiak]

3. Last year Ben Nelson scores zero

on the prgressive index. He consistently voted for Bush every single time except once when it came to passing bills or confirming appointments. He is singly the worst Democratic Senator we have and, frankly, it is no surprise to me that he is willing to sell the Democrats down the river at a critial time.

There are 6 Republican Senators that are more reliable Democrats than Nelson.

[sandnsea]

4. Can we help Nebraska?

Nebraska is the kind of state we have to turn around. Is there anything about Alito they will object to? What kind of corporate cases has he ruled on? Anything against the little people?

[flyarm]

23. the franklin cover up nebraska...get out papa bushes old stuff!!

do house parties about it...or is it the nebraskans are more pretend conservatives...no abortion so papa bushes buddies can use the kids for pedophelia??

use it nebraskans....go for the juglar...there are many who do not know about it..

a friend of mine just brought Noreen down to fla..do it in every "christian " neighborhood up there...get out all the old newspapers...pass them out...

what hypocrites nebraska being the rightous conservatives for the anti abortion groups..and yet the worst pedophelia ring ever in this nation...was in nebraska!!

what frigging hypocrites!!

come on dems use it!!

fly

[vi5]

5. With all do respect, that's BS...

I'll buy into that when we can guarantee any pro-choice repubs from pro-choice states will vote their constituents wishes and agree to fillibuster. If none of them do then there are no excuses for any democrats having to cave.

[whatever4]

7. I remember

a time when they were protesting abortion, long lines of people along the road. I think it was by Mrs B's carpet store. It wasn't just like 25 people or something, it was, like, hundreds of them at the side of the road. And this was over 5 years ago. I remember taking my cardboard folding window shield and writing on it
Pro-Choice
Don't shoot

just for fun

[Democat]

8. No!

Democrats need to stand together on this or we will continue to fall.

If he gets voted out because of this then we will find someone else who can take a stand and still win. There is no use having a Democrat who won't stand up for the Supreme Court.

[DistressedAmerican]

10. Wrong. He Should Stand For What Is Right. On Principle.

I am so damn sick of Dems and their silly political calculating. Their calculators are way off.

If these strategies worked, why the hell do we usually look like we stand for nothing? Oh thet's right, because we do not stand up for what we believe unless is is precertified as popular.

Play ball or get out of the way.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. That and a token'll getcha on the subway

For rizzah.

[ReverendDeuce]

11. Bush not holding up well here... dropped 8 points in two months...

He's still above fifty... but barely. He's at 52%.

[stray cat]

12. Nelson stands for the values of his constitutents who elected him

DU certainly didn't elect him and Nebraska is pretty darn conservative. Unlike the repubs. Dems don't act like brainwashed clones of a single leader. It may hurt with political clout but I think it is also known as integrity and statesmanship.

[mmonk]

13. I don't care.

Are you saying they would abandon him if he went with filibustering? There are larger questions here than Nebraska residents wanting abortion outlawed. There are basic civil rights questions involved as well as what will end up a defacto republican dictatorship in America. Do Nebraskans that will have their rights diminished deserve any representation from their Senator?

[Don Claybrook]

17. It's integrity to go against what you know to be right...

...in order to help your reelection chances?

Thanks for that; I really do learn something new every day.

[acmavm]

14. The guy votes along party lines everytime. Republican partly lines.

It's time he either put up or shut up.

He used to be a republican, then had to change parties to be able to run for office. He didn't change because he believed in the pricipals and ideals of the democratic party, he changed so he could run for office. He's as phony as they come. In fact, phonier than most. Look at his damn voting record for crying out loud.

[WernhamHogg]

16. I remember seeing this Nelson on the Daily Show a while back...

He seemed phony then and the more I read about him, the more irritated I get that he calls himself a "Democrat". He's a Republican, regardless of what the letter after his name says.

[acmavm]

24. You're absolutely right. Your perception of him and his character (or

lack thereof) was correct.

[bluedog]

15. keep in mind what the GOP did to judge geer

the judge in the Schavio case.......

Judge Greer had to withdraw his membership in Clearwater's Calvary Baptist Church two years ago, after the church paper printed stories attacking him. More recently, Pinellas voters received postcards asking them whether they suffered from “voter's remorse” for re-electing Greer. Other postcards accused him of judicial murder. The judge's home address went up on the Internet, and dead flowers arrived at his door. A friend wanted to go to lunch with Greer, but reported that the bodyguards wouldn't let him go.


http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0513,mondo3,62472,6.html

**************** they tried to get him thrown off the bench and yes, he did have to have armed guards.(spouse had work in the building.so this is the truth).....they were ready to eat him alive....because he was a republican..they thought they "owned" him and that he had to follow "their" rules of law...........

[ToeBot]

18. Filibuster? I'll believe it when I see it. n/t

[bluedog]

20. Not going to fillibuster....watch..they'll cave

don't hold your breath........the gang of "14".........are weak.....and will let this go through!

from yahoo link:

I don't believe that, with all sincerity, I could let that happen," Sen. Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), R-S.C., a member of the so-called Gang of 14, said after meeting with the federal appeals court judge whom
President Bush nominated to replace retiring Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051103/ap_on_go_su_co/alito;_ylt=Aumk2SFpD8O4mvl18TtHCd2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[kansasblue]

21. he is what he is... he could be a centralist Republican.

Those are his beliefs. He's very middle of the road. There's just not a perfect party fit for him. He's not going to be very explainable.

[Jose Diablo]

22. Does he have a note to be excused from his mommy? n/t