[Promoted by susanhu; edited at Duke’s request.]
Over the past few days we’ve heard from Kos, Armando, and others, all with pretty much the same message: The party just doesn’t have the power to stop Alito at the present time, and now we need to focus on the future. That it would be best for us to use our energy to change the dynamic in Washington so that we won’t need to have a “no hitter” in order to win political battles.
These are compelling arguments. It certainly appears that the quest for a filibuster is a quixotic endeavor at best. And although those above added caveats to their posts that WE should continue the fight, I believe it is they who should be leading it. If not for ethical reasons, certainly for practical, political ones.
As someone who’s only been here a little over a year, maybe it’s not my place to criticize, but… I’m going to anyway.
You guys … you’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime
I might be wrong, but I’ve always been under the impression that one of the key reasons this site was started was to re-define the way politics was practiced. It was intended as a way to harness the power of the internet to not only empower the “regular citizens”, but also as a means to channel the energy of the grassroots and give it some direction.
Well, it appears to me that the Alito nomination has presented a unique opportunity to do just that.
Big-time, mainstream Democratic leaders have come to us and asked us to help take the lead in this battle. They have come to realize the power that exists in this medium. They’ve all but admitted that they can’t accomplish this task through traditional channels and are reaching out in desperation for our assistance.
This fight is no longer about if Reid can get the 41 votes or not. This could be the fight for the soul of the party. It could be a fight to see who will control the future of the party. The traditional party structure can’t deliver… but maybe we can.
From a pragmatic point of view the chances of stopping Alito are in fact slim …. But
If enough pressure from the grassroots could be put on those wavering Senators to stand up, who (besides the American people) would be the big winners…. We would.
If Markos, Armando, Jerome or Chris, and all the rest of the leaders of the progressive blogosphere were to put their full weight behind the effort, and by some miracle it was to be successful, it would forever change the face of politics. The mainstream Dems like Kerry and Kennedy have all but told us so in not so many words.
What would be lost in the effort?
In the worst case scenario, Kos and the rest spend the next few days riling up the faithful and in the end nothing changes and Alito gets confirmed without a fight. But in the best case scenario, the effort works and the power of the grassroots and internets is cemented. To me it seems like a no brainer.
This is the Rubicon and it’s time for Markos and the rest to step up and lead the faithful across. Stop being so pragmatic … it’s time to get medieval on their asses. Leading this fight is the best way to focus on the future. You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and an unbelievable amount to gain.
(Authors note: This was originally posted at dKos and directed at the powers that be over there. Since its posting, both Armando and Kos have both made statements in support of the filibuster effort, and the front page at dKos has had numerous action diaries and pro-filibuster posts. But … the sentiments expressed in this diary still remain true … the Alito filibuster is the netroots watershed moment. The leaders at dKos have taken their place on the ramparts … now it is time for all the other blogmeisters and members to join in:)
Well said!
Sending you 4s galore!
Who needs calling (and faxing) and other FILIBUSTR actions: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/29/115823/110
Keeping in mind that when Ceasar crossed the actual Rubicon it was the first step in bringing down the Roman republic and ushering in a dictatorship led by Ceasar’s family.
Ummm . . . so should this be our unRubicon – since destruction of the Republic and ushering a dictatorship is what we’re trying to prevent?
Maybe. But I’d rather spend the time faxing recalcitrant members of the Democratic caucus than trying to figure it out.
My simple understanding of ethical behavior and the value of standing up for the principles you believe in is that we should do so even when it seems it won’t affect the outcome. This is the essence of principled, courageous behavior, doing the right thing whether the desired result is achieved or not. there is no quid pro quo involved in honoring our most cherished principles.
This is something the political leadership in this country clearly seems to miss.
Read and cheered this diary last night, Duke! Right on, brother!
And an excellent companion piece to this one is Keep Our Powder Dry by jasonwhat. (The first paragraph is snark – keep reading. . . )
Thanks Janet
The best part about this diary over at big orange for me was watching the momentum grow as the community came together. When Armando posted his rebuttal, then an hour later changed his mind and joined the fight, I was literally cheering at my desk.
Then those FP diaries started popping one after the next… Damn … that felt good.
The community spoke, and the leadership listened … let’s hope that trend continues tomorrow in the “real world”
Actually that should read: “let’s work to make sure that happens in the real world tomorrow” .. has a nice ring to it, huh
There really is a lot to learn from your experience with this. I was so disheartened and angry when the message from Markos appeared to be – we can’t win this, give it up, move on . . .
Your diary turned the tide, I think, because of the way it was (very well) written. It was uncompromising and forthright about the missed opportunity for leadership, but it did not descend to insults.
It was, on the whole, positive, a rallying cry rather than an attack. Amazing how well that approach works, isn’t it?
I say again – great work, Duke.
It was so strange to watch HBO’s Rome this past season and see “real” Romans talking about the Rubicon as a REAL river … it’s most always a metaphor in modern-day discourse.
btw, I noticed that HBO “Buzz” says that Rome will be back for season two! WHEW!
(And The Sopranos starts in March.)
and conflict in life will always exist. To win the wars of your life you must be able to face your enemy on the many multitudes of their battlefields and the winning general knows that the enemy must be attacked at many positions preferably at the same time. The whole Marcos/Armando thing defines us as a group with limited power and energy in their own minds. That’s very scary. Kos even went so far as to say that attending peace marches was almost useless…..as if sitting on my fat ass typing and faceless and bodiless is really going to change a fucking thing – pass the twinkies! The community of leftwing bloggers has given us a fabulous base for organizing and meeting those who have the same goals for this country and ourselves. I have never in my life witnessed such an array of shared ideas and shared intelligence either…..it is stunning. The Christian Right and Repubs used churches for a long time to establish a base for the their platform. The internet is and will be how we begin to build this base that insists on Democracy. Dean has come up with the money where Democracy Bonds are concerned! We have everything that they have but we have more. We are diversified and because all of our people are free to use all of their energies fully whether they are black or white, male or female or other, small, medium, or large and gay or straight or everything you can’t beat us. To even remotely for one fucking minute suggest that we retreat to this saving our energy bullshit is excepting their (Republicans) idea of who we are and what assets we have. I insist that we think out of the box, attack on all fronts and delegate the different attacks to those who jump because their heart and soul knows something special about that particular issue. We have the plan for the money and ten times more energy and people committed than they ever dreamed of. Make no mistake though that we are going to have to show up some fights like Janet and Super and Tampopo and Cedwyn. Some of us can’t go for many reasons, but when we can go and don’t go then we have just defined ourselves as fat assed twinkie eating big mouths! If my husband can take care of the kids and I have gas money for the economy car and enough trail mix……I am fucking going! I would sleep in a ditch but amazingly it is also stunning how many people can find you a pillow and a soft space if you just show up!
Say what you want about what Markos, Armando, and even Obama say, the fight is indeed on. Led on multiple blogs by judybrowni, people are calling their Senators, emailing their Senators, and faxing their Senators.
And they are encouraging known Kerry voters, people concerned about checks and balances, and pro-choice Republicans to do the same.
And the issue to highlight is the threat to the checks and balances designed into the Constitution.
What is needed is to get numbers of people contacting their own Senators. For Republicans, ask that they vote No on Alito. For Democrats, ask that they vote No and support a filibuster by voting No on cloture anytime it comes up.