Liberal Group Pushes 'Letter to the Editor' Campaign on Judges

JWR ^ | 5-13-05 | Susan Jones

[FlyLow]

A liberal advocacy group wants Democrats to write letters to the editor - using some handy "talking points" -- to stop the "radical Republicans" who may invoke the nuclear option next week.

Democrats strongly oppose the "nuclear option," which describes a scenario in which the Senate would change its rules to prevent the filibusters of judicial nominees.

Democrats are now filibustering seven of President Bush's conservative judicial nominees because there's no other way they can stop their confirmation by the full Senate.

This is the first time in history that judicial nominees have been filibustered, and Republicans call it an unconstitutional, obstructionist maneuver.

'Submit your letter this week'

In a message to members, MoveOn.org said Republicans are "regrouping" and that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist may stage a "final confrontation" on the judicial filibuster next week.

The message says U.S. senators will be reading local newspapers in an effort to gauge the public's reaction - and that's where the grassroots comes in:

[mlc9852]

They're running out of options.

[ClearCase_guy]

to stop the "radical Republicans" who may invoke the nuclear option next week.

Next week, you say? Is that it? Not the week after? Not next fall? It's gonna be next week now?

Sure. I'll wait.

[Wiser now]

Meanwhile smart Republicans have taken the time to contact their Senator's offices directly, some of them several times.
Does Moveon think that "letters to the editor" will carry more weight with the Senators than the letters, e-mails and calls made directly to them?

[joesnuffy]

Yesterday, (Thursday), a federal judge has ruled Nebraska's marriage amendment unconstitutional.

This continues the incredible legal assault we are seeing from the Courts on marriage. No state amendment or law is secure -- even deep in the Heartland of America.

In fact, the state marriage amendment struck down today in federal court was passed with the landslide support of almost three quarters of the citizens of Nebraska!

Clearly -- only AFM’s Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution can defend marriage from the onslaught of the courts.

[whereasandsoforth]

Moveon.org has done so many wonderful things for the democrats I don't see how they can go wrong this time either. Everything Moveon.org touches turns to pure gold. Just ask President Kerry the next time you run into him on the slope.

[CharlesWayneCT]

We have had one of these letters virtually every day for a week in our local newspaper in Virginia, The Potomac News.

We have one of the targeted Senators. It is fun to read them and figure out how they pieced together the talking points (BTW, the RNC has web-based e-mail campaigns which also provide for a "pick-and-chose" talking point e-mail).

But what is really fun is when the writers try to "improvise", and invariably end up getting the facts completely wrong, because all they know is what they heard on CBS.