Thank you for voting no on cloture. Unfortunately, the Party is not sufficiently organized (or they don't believe in their own rhetoric) to create the blowback needed to stop the Republican strong-arm tactics. The Republicans have turned their backs on the public in countless ways, putting to shame the concept of minority rights. Will the Democrats stand up and turn their backs during the State of the Union when this arrogant president thumbs his nose at you (yes you, who continue to let him get away with it) as he announces his victory in getting his "highly qualified, non-partisan" candidate confirmed? Alito will surely be sitting there to glow in the spotlight of the Democratic ineptitude and the Republican hubris. But the coup de grace will be when Alito is called on in a few months to decide in Bush's favor to uphold his position of unitary executive. Then will the Democrats start to act? How far does this unitary executive who occupies the White House have to go before we have no Democrats, only democratic hopefuls who have lost all semblance of democracy as we know it?
It should also be remembered that whatever health plan Bush marches out in his speech, the actual legislation will surely duplicate the mess they have already made out of the Medicare prescription drug nightmare. The very same hypocrites who rejected any kind of government health plan (except the one for yourselves) as 'socialized medicine' are now touting it as their own creative invention. Will the Democrats politely applaud? Why? At the least, you should remain silent. A unitary presidency doesn't deserve applause.
Even more effective, however, would be to show the public that you are willing to stand up for what is right. Stand up and turn your back when the first lie is told (this could be coordinated on Blackberries). That would take the wind out of their sails - and get media attention refocused to the real issues. It's time to stand up to the truth.
