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Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito

By Jeralyn, Section Sam Alito
Posted on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 11:34:38 AM EST
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From Democrats.com:

I have confirmed reports that Kerry wants to filibuster Alito, and he is talking to his colleagues to round up the 41 votes he needs. Only two Democrats (Ben Nelson and Tim Johnson) support Alito. Only two others (Mary Landrieu and Ken Salazar) say they oppose a filibuster, but are expected to vote against Alito.

So right now, without the support of any Republicans, we still have 41 possible votes for a filibuster. There are roughly 6 moderate Republicans who should also be targeted (Lincoln Chafee, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Bob Smith, Olympia Snowe, George Voinovich). And we should work as hard as we can to persuade Landrieu and Salazar that a vote against Alito is meaningless if they don't support a filibuster.

Keep calling the Alito-8. And I'd add, end the tyranny of the gang of 14.

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    Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito | 22 comments (22 topical)
    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#1)
    by ras on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 12:18:22 PM EST
    TL, You want a minority to stifle the wishes of a majority by suppressing the act of voting, and you call that "end the tyranny?" Just the opposite, in fact.

    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#2)
    by ras on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 12:38:13 PM EST
    BTW, wanna bet Kerry's fb goes nowhere? It's almost as if he's indulging in a meaningless pose. And why not? It's cost-free now. And if pressure from the base somehow does force a fb, he's nicely positioned to take credit for their efforts.

    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 01:04:12 PM EST
    What majority? The anti-Alito senators represent a majority of the U.S. population. So, even if appointing judges that will allow the boundless expansion of executive power is only tyranny if it involves a "minority stifl[ing] the wishes of a majority," it looks like even knee-jerk majoritarianism won't help you out of this one.

    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#4)
    by ras on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 01:18:41 PM EST
    scoutfinch, What majority?... We both know the rationale for the way the Senate is organized. Frankly, I wish we had as good a senate structure in Canada (ours is more like an appointed House Of Lords, sigh). Count your blessings. And do remember, Bush won reelection - the only poll that matters - with the largest number of votes that any president has ever received, in part by campaigning on a promise to appoint constructionist judges. Alito certainly qualifies. Trivia q: who was the last D president to receive a higher share of the popular vote than GWB?

    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#5)
    by squeaky on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 01:31:29 PM EST
    Senator Byrd has just defected and will vote for Alito. Kos has the story

    Re: Report: Kerry Wants to Filibuster Alito (none / 0) (#6)
    by Lww on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 02:08:17 PM EST
    You can thank Teddy K for that defection. How this lethal joke of a person can look someone in the eye and question their integrity(without half the senate rolling in the aisles) is beyond me. I couldn't stand it. If he did it to me I'd have milk coming outta my nose. Onl