I think we've all known for some time that the Alito nomination

[meatloaf]

could not be stopped. At this point all the Dems have left is the filibuster option which will prompt those who shall not be named to finally use their "nuke" option.

At this point I have to ask why not?

The democratic party has already been effectively neutered. And while our representatives do deserve their fair share of the blame, it goes much deeper and farther back in time.

With the deregulation of media and the slow but incremental consolidation of media in conservatives' hands combined with privately funded elections, the masses haven't been represented for years, and have been systematically manipulated into voting against they're own best interests.

Few if any Dems have fought this and many have been willing participants. The American public by and large hasn't fought it and have been willing sheep led to slaughter.

As sad as it is to see, and admit, the great experiment has failed. I have tried to maintain hope that the people would finally wake up and see past the lies, and the internet and sites like this have awakened far more people than I imagined possible, but it is far too little and much too late.

Things are going to have to get much worse before there will be any sufficient movement from the myopic masses, and the pieces are already in place to forcibly put any such movement down.

So yes, at this point, filibuster the s.o.b. And finally start speaking truth to power. The right and the media are already spinning anything and everything we liberals say, so why don't we say it out loud for all the world to hear. Who can we possibly offend? What else can we possibly lose? Our very republic is at stake. There is no more time, there are no more strategies, the time is now.

Please, prove me wrong, and save for us and our posterity the grand experiment that is the United Staes of America and our Constitution.

[Ron Green]

1. Slavery and oppression are the natural state of man.

The corporate masters and their minions in the Congress have sucessfully turned us back to where we "belong."

Democracy, enlightenment, the middle class -- all nobles ideals, but doomed to fail. Life on this earth will always be the Jungle.

[OneBlueSky]

2. if Alito cannot be stopped, then neither can BushCo . . .

and the United States as we know it is a passing memory . . .

[Cleita]

5. Maybe not.

Even though Napoleon crowned himself an Emperor, he met his fate. The French have been through much more than we ever have. They had to have a revolution to rid themselves of a self-absorbed and uncaring aristocracy. Then Napoleon, a revolutionary, turns on them and crowns himself emperor. Both in WWI and WWII they have been subjected to Germany invading them, but they always sprang back resiliently to take back their country.

There is always hope if we don't lose what makes us American and that is a love of being free to make your own destiny.

[bowens43]

7. Nonsense.

We are poised to regain control of Congress in November.

[OneBlueSky]

11. not as long as they own the voting machines we aren't . . .

BushCo will not ALLOW the Dems to take control of anything . . . they CAN'T allow it, for fear of reprisals and prosecutions . . .

[Selatius]

3. I'd love to prove you wrong.

I'd love to show you that Democrats have consistently and constantly held the line against the dark.

I'd love to show you that this nation has been moving forward with a progressive agenda.

I'd love to tell you that we've improved our education system, improved our health care programs/systems, and made life better for the working man.

I'd love to say that we did an excellent job protecting our trees, our rivers, oceans, and the environment as a whole from the degradations of industrial activity.

I'd love to show you that for the last 40 years we've moved forward on civil rights and not only abolished segregation in America but also abolished economic segregation not just by lifting up every Black man, woman, and child but every man, woman, and child who needed help to secure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in this country.

I'd love to show you that we have had a consistent plan for the last 30 years to invest in alternative fuels, better technology, and a way of life more sustainable by this planet as a whole.

I'd love to say that we care enough about college students not to let them become encumbered by a student loan debt load so enormous that far too many of them have been condemned to spend years if not decades trying to pay off the interest on top of the principal.

I'd love to say that the notion that the elderly could possibly be forced to choose between food and medicine is impossible in this country.

I'd love to show you that we have an election system that is free from the poison of special interest money, where people actually have a choice at the ballot, and where people are assured of the veracity of the votes without the fear of fraud and deceit, and...

I'd love to show you a nation that lived up to the words of FDR when he said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."


I'd love to show you all of that, but I can't...because it doesn't exist.

[liveoaktx]

4. I'm a LOTR fan- some of the most inspiring moments are when

the city of Rohan is outnumbered, or in "Return of the King" when Aragorn says "But it will not be THIS day".

That's what I want. I realize the Dems may not win. They may not have the votes. But where is their FIGHT?

IF it is to be that they lose either way, then it would be better, in my opinion, for them to lose after making a stand rather than just spouting some hot air and voting no. It's the idea that maybe ONE man could inspire others to change their vote or call attention to the corrupted Congress....... just ONE person.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechreturnoftheking.html - AUDIO

Hold your ground! Hold your ground!

Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers,

I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.

A day may come when the courage of men fails,

when we forsake our friends

and break all bonds of fellowship,

but it is not this day.

An hour of wolves and shattered shields,

when the age of men comes crashing down,

but it is not this day!

This day we fight!!

By all that you hold dear on this good Earth,

I bid you stand, Men of the West!!!

[bowens43]

6. Why not? Here's why not.

Right now the Democratic party is in an excellent position to regain control of the House and maybe even the Senate. Rove may yet be indicted, there's the Abramoff scandal, the K-Street scandal, DeLay's indictment, Rey may yet be indicted (along with others), there's the lies that led us into this horrible war. The list goes on and on.

This is why we are well positioned to win in November and why the Republicans will NEVER allow the filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee.

A filibuster, especially an unsuccessful one, will cost us the votes of many in the center who are leaning toward voting Dem in November. I've said this before and all the die hards (you know, the same ones who along with the extreme right wing were screaming for a filibuster of Miers and are now stuck with our worst nightmare,Alito) will flame me for it.

Go right ahead. I want to win November. We need every vote. A failed filibuster will be spun as a huge Democratic loss and from now until November we will hear nothing but obstructionist, spoiled sport, sore losers etc from the press and from the republicans. Most Americans are too apathetic or stupid to go beyond the sound bites. They'll believe it and we'll lose votes. There is nothing to be gained from a failed filibuster.

If you ever want justice, we have to take back the House so that REAL investigations into the crimes and the abuses of this administration can begin.

[no_more_rhyming]

8. BS

Let them try the nuke. They will surely lose votes for acting the bully. Fillabuster NOW or give up your seat.

[Selatius]

9. What strategy would you recommend at this point? Don't filibuster?

What's your stance on the issue of voting irregularities with electronic voting equipment?

[meatloaf]

10. The press will flood the airwaves with whatever soundbite

the right feeds them.

Would it not be more prudent to make a stand now? Maybe a lot of those in the middle are just waiting to see if the Dems have a backbone and will actually stand for something.