'Contact your Senators today: support the rights of the minority"

"Friends,

I usually try not to involve DFW in Federal issues, as our focus is on state-level action. But this week’s activity on the Senate floor is too important to ignore, and action is needed immediately.
This week, the U.S. Senate is debating the nomination of Priscilla Owen, a right-wing judge from Texas who has been graded “poor” by her peers on the Texas Bar. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist intends to use this debate to trigger the “Nuclear Option”, in which the Republicans will break the rules of the Senate in order to change the rules regarding the filibuster.

Confusing? They certainly hope so! This change would overturn more than 200 years of tradition, 200 years when the filibuster has been used by the minority party to exert some influence on the agenda of the majority. You see, President Bush’s judicial nominees have been confirmed at an astonishingly high rate – 96% of his nominees are now serving lifetime appointments. It is acknowledged, and the Republicans brag, that the seven remaining nominees will be approved by the Republican majority. The filibuster is the only option remaining for the minority party to block extreme, radical, unqualified judges from lifetime appointments. George Bush and Bill Frist want the United States Senate to become a rubber stamp, approving whatever radical Bush appoints. This threatens the independence of the judiciary, the makeup of the Supreme Court, and indeed the freedoms we all hold dear.

Contact your Senators today and tell them you support the rights of the minority!

Senator Patty Murray:

Phone: (202) 224-2621
Fax: (202) 224-0238
Online here.

Senator Maria Cantwell:

Phone: (202) 224-3441

Fax: (202) 228-0514
Online here. and Senator Cantwell wants to protect the filibuster and our Senate traditions, as well. However, George Bush’s right-wing minions are very organized and are flooding their offices with calls in favor of the “Nuclear Option”, despite polls showing that America is opposed to this nuclear nonsense.

We must stand up and make our voices heard! We must let our Senators know that democracy demands a voice for the minority, and that we will stand with them in opposition to George Bush and Bill Frist and their radical power-grab.
Emails are okay, but phone calls have so much more effect. Please call the Senators and let them know you support the rights of the minority and the filibuster.

Thank you as always,


Ray Minchew,Executive Director, Democracy for Washington."