An editorial in today's Times expresses the prevalent feelings of disgust over a political party that behaves more like a doormat than an opposition party.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always lose if you fail to even muster the courage to stand and fight.
If the Dems won't stand up and fight against the appointment of an overt Bush yes man to the Supreme Court, what in hell are they good for?
Senators in Need of a Spine
[P]ortraying the Alito nomination as just another volley in the culture wars vastly underestimates its significance. The judge's record strongly suggests that he is an eager lieutenant in the ranks of the conservative theorists who ignore our system of checks and balances, elevating the presidency over everything else. He has expressed little enthusiasm for restrictions on presidential power and has espoused the peculiar argument that a president's intent in signing a bill is just as important as the intent of Congress in writing it. This would be worrisome at any time, but it takes on far more significance now, when the Bush administration seems determined to use the cover of the "war on terror" and presidential privilege to ignore every restraint, from the Constitution to Congressional demands for information.
Senate Democrats, who presented a united front against the nomination of Judge Alito in the Judiciary Committee, seem unwilling to risk the public criticism that might come with a filibuster — particularly since there is very little chance it would work. Judge Alito's supporters would almost certainly be able to muster the 60 senators necessary to put the nomination to a final vote.
A filibuster is a radical tool. It's easy to see why Democrats are frightened of it. But from our perspective, there are some things far more frightening. One of them is Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court.
UPDATE: Tim Johnson of South Dakota has joined with fellow Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska to form a gang of 2 Democratic Traitors who cast their senate votes for Alito.
Filibuster Alito Alito Scalito Supreme Court Roe Bush Impeach Bush King George Spineless Democrats
