As your staff has probably already alerted you, your office has been barraged by e-mails, faxes and phone messages imploring you to either vote no or abstain on the upcoming cloture vote in the Alito confirmation.
I realize that you have heard in the media, and perhaps from your own advisors, that this massive outpouring of sentiment should be taken with a modicum of salt, due to the fact it has come from the Internet activists and bloggers. After all, conventional wisdom dictates that this group exemplifies the far extreme in political thought, and is not representative of the greater constituency you represent.
But … Before you make your final decision on this momentous vote, please take a moment to reflect upon the future. Not just from a moral or ethical position (in which the vote against cloture would be the imperative), but from a pragmatic, political one.
The Republican Party, which at the present time holds such a stranglehold upon all three branches of government, did not gain that position of power overnight. It was a long, calculated battle waged over many years, utilizing a grassroots network of motivated activists, which put them in this position.
You too now have the power to harness such a force… but you must first recognize it in order to utilize it.
Contrary to popular opinion, those of us in the Internet community are not a bunch of wild-eyed radicals trying to force ideas upon the American people that are “out there ” and far from the mainstream. That stereotype is one that has been perpetuated by the Republican Party and the media in order to minimize the potential power of this new medium … But you know better.
Many of you have come to realize the power of the Internet, even if not fully grasping exactly who “we” are. You have seen the ability of the Internet activists to raise funds, support candidacies, and deliver a message… but we represent so much more.
We represent the mainstream.
We are “the people.”
We come from every region, economic class, race and social stratum. Our only common bond is our intense love of this country and our willingness to do whatever we can to make it better. We are not the fringe … we are millions of concerned Americans.
Our community grows ever larger by the day.
Certainly logic would dictate that if in fact the prevailing wisdom about Internet activism were true, and we are so far from the mainstream, our numbers would not be growing exponentially … but they are. Many groups have numbers in the hundreds of thousands, and sites have readerships in the millions … far greater readerships than those of the some of the largest newspapers.
There is a reason for this
The American people want their voices heard
Senator you now have a choice. You have heard the voice of an ever-growing movement of American citizens. A population with the potential to change the dynamic of the political landscape. You can either look to the future and see that the American people, in all their diversity, have given you a strong message on the Alito confirmation and the future of political discourse … or you can ignore our pleas, and continue with the old paradigm.
Just remember the mere fact that you might be reading this at the present time is a testament to the ever-increasing importance of this medium … but more importantly its ability to empower of the average American to have their voice heard.
Right now there are millions of voices speaking to you Senator … you simply must open your ears to listen to them.
