THE NEWS BLOG
FINAL: ALITO FILIBUSTER WEEKEND GAMEPLAN
“The Woodstock of Politics”
– a caller to The Young Turks radio filibuster for filibuster,
about the grassroots Alito activism.
Sorry it took so long, but here’s the comprehensive game plan for WEEKEND activism. Please take time tonight and Sunday to fill up Senatorial inboxes.
There is a wonderful thing about calling your Senator on a weekend: HIS OFFICE IS CLOSED AND CANNOT ASK YOU YOUR ADDRESS. Leave a voicemail saying you’re a constituent (it’s true – you’re an American), and want a filibuster. They’ll believe you. Take advantage of it. Emails have the same benefit.
There will be a Monday Morning Game Plan waiting for you when you wake up Monday morning, and everyone should be awake and caffeine-fueled by 8:00 a.m. Eastern time to hammer these guys ALL DAY MONDAY before the 4:30 pm (Eastern) cloture vote.
WHAT MAKES THIS RESOURCE SPECIAL? Easy: it has the LOCAL DISTRICT OFFICE CONTACT INFO FOR EVERY KEY SENATOR. And their emails. And all their fax numbers. So fill up their Washington voicemail inboxes. Then fill up every district office inbox. Then fill up every fax machine. Then send emails to every one. Then sign the petitions and auto-faxes at the bottom of this post. YOU CAN GET YOUR MESSAGE TO ONE SENATOR TEN TIMES INSTEAD OF JUST ONCE. And they won’t know whether you’re one stupidly dogged person, or ten different people. Leverage, folks, leverage.
WHAT TO SAY: When you call, fax, and email, don’t waste time explaining why you don’t like Alito. Just make your points and get off the line so someone else can get through.
What do we say?
1. We are the hardworking Democratic base, and we are sick to our souls of supporting incumbent Democrats who don’t have the courage to stand up and do the right thing even when it’s hard.
2. We want a filibuster EVEN IF THERE AREN’T 41 GUARANTEED VOTES supporting it, and EVEN IF IT MEANS FACING THE NUCLEAR OPTION.
3. If they aren’t willing to vote against cloture, then ASK THEM TO SIMPLY ABSTAIN – preferably, go visit veterans at Walter Reed Hospital at 4:30 Monday when the cloture vote takes place. ABSTAINING IS AS GOOD AS A “NO” VOTE ON CLOTURE.
If they ask for your zip code or address, give it. Some people advise giving false, local info (basically, just riffing on the area code and zip code info for that Senator’s local office); I’ll leave that up to you and your personal decision as to whether it’s immoral or whether it’s a necessary act of civil disobedience. Personally, I’m being honest, emphatic and sincere.