So you're back from the Women's March Protest and looking for something you can do for an encore?
Here's one idea. Anyone who marched can do this, easily. It’s not the only thing we have to do, but it is one important thing.
What if everyone who marched made two phone calls, one to each of their Senators, and demanded that they declare, RIGHT NOW, before Trump even makes a nomination, that they'll vote to filibuster any right-winger that Trump may propose for the Supreme Court?
We all know that the Supreme Court has been the vehicle by which right-wing rule has been perpetuated in this country long past the day when past enthusiasms for this sort of politics have expired. All four current right-wing justices were appointed by one Bush or another. Clarence Thomas has been on the court for 25 years! And yet since he was installed, only one Republican presidential nominee has won a majority of the popular vote. But the dead hand of these past Republicans lives on.
Every progressive bemoans the fact that when Republicans gain power they grab everything that isn’t nailed down, while when Dems gain power, it’s Marquis de Queensbury rules, as the window gets shoved to the right no matter who gains power.
That has to go. And we can help it go.
The #indivisible movement - “A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda” has gained some notoriety and some success with their manual for emulating the tactics of the Tea Party to keep the wild GOP at bay. Already there have been many protest rallies at events sponsored by GOP congressmen to demand no repeal of the ACA. Great thing for Red State progressives to be doing.
The problem with this strategy though, is that it doesn't leave much for progressives, who live mostly in the “Blue Bubble”, to do. #Indivisible very strongly urges that you NOT leave your district to pressure Republican congresspeople. It's a great thing to do if you have one of these fools representing you but many of us don't. Our reps may tend to be on our side on many issues. Some really don’t need to be called.
Well, here's a way to take the offensive, and it can be done by anyone who marched yesterday or supported the marches.
CALL YOUR SENATORS NOW AND DEMAND THAT THEY DECLARE, IN ADVANCE, THEIR COMMITMENT TO FILIBUSTER ANY TRUMP SUPREME COURT NOMINEE WHO ISN’T MERRICK GARLAND!
This is probably NOT something that your run-of-the-mill Democratic Senator is already on board with, even if they may vote eventually to filibuster the nominee. It's out of their comfort zone. But the time for for “playing by the rules” officially ended last year with the GOP treatment of Garland, nominated by Barack Obama. We are defending a seat that is rightfully ours! We can’t let another Clarence Thomas or Antonin Scalia on the court to bedevil the next two generations.
- Why Garland, I hear you say? He’s not that progressive.
- No he’s not, but we are playing defense now, and that fact that he should have been seated last year, makes this ask of our Senators not quite so out-of-left-field. I mean, we might prefer Bernie Sanders or Angela Davis but that’s not the landscape we occupy now. And sticking with Garland provides pressure not to accept a typical cave for a so-called “moderate Republican”. Moderate, like John Kasich or someone of that ilk? NO THANKS!
- My Senator won’t agree with that. Why waste my time?
- It’s NOT a waste of time. If they get enough pressure on this, even if they won’t make this commitment they might still be more willing to filibuster the nominee when the nomination is made.
- Why not wait until the nomination is made?
- Let’s get out in front of this instead of playing catch-up. There is momentum, let’s use it. This is a way we can play offense.
- Why this and not something else?
- With GOP control of the White House and both houses, and the inability to filibuster Trump’s other fox-in-the-henhouse nominees, this is one power the existing Senate minority still has. They need to use itl And since this is such a small ask of progressives, please go ahead and do whatever else moves you IN ADDITION TO THIS.
Don't know your Senators? You can find them here: www.senate.gov/... or call (202) 224-3121.
Go Get Em.
