Stand Up for Democracy and Against the Abuse of Power

Senator Frist will "impose the nuclear option ... when that happens, you guys are dead in the water..."
Rev. Jerry Falwell, Crossfire, February 16, 2005

Conservative Senate Republican leaders are trying to erase 200 years of our democratic system of checks and balances and silence the voice of the minority party by eliminating the filibuster. This would be an abuse of power so unprecedented that it is referred to as the "nuclear option."

Your help is urgently needed. Contact Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and your senators now: Tell them to stand up for democracy and reject the nuclear option.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Protect Democracy.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to stand up for our great democracy and stand down the "nuclear option." Our founding fathers created the filibuster rule to ensure a system of checks and balances in the Senate. Eliminating it to force through a few radical judges would hurt all Americans (whatever one's party) by weakening our great democracy. Please reject the "nuclear option" and preserve full debate in the Senate.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 19, 2005

Background Information

Why Should AFSCME Members Care About Senate Rules and Procedures?

The filibusters is a 200-year old Senate rule put in place by our founding fathers to prevent the abuse of power by any one political party. The filibuster allows for extended debate on controversial votes if there is support by at least 41 Senators. Changing the rule on filibusters would be an unprecedented abuse of power that would have consequences well beyond cout nominees. It would ultimately undermine a Senators ability to protect the minority positions of his or her constituents.

Senate GOP leaders are saying that Democrats are using the filibuster to hold up President Bush's judicial nominees and are being "obstructionists." The truth is, however, that the Senate has confirmed 214 of the President's judicial nominees -- 95 percent! The Democrats through the use of the filibuster are blocking only 10 of the President's judicial nominees. These 10 nominees hold extreme views that would prove harmful to working families.

A large number of the President's nominees are advocates of the "states rights" movement, a movement that is responsible for taking important civil and worker protection rights away from employees who work for state governments specifically. One nominee in fact was the attorney who argued the case in the Supreme Court that took these rights away from state employees.

Among these nominees are people who have consistently ruled against and shown hostility towards the rights of workers.

Another of the nominees said that Social Security was merely seniors cannibalizing their children's future.

Other nominees have questionable credentials including one who was practicing law without a license.

Moreover, once members of the minority party no longer have the right to hold up a vote on judicial nominations, it is just a matter of time before they can no longer do so on issues such as privatization, Social Security, labor rights and other important legislative issues that come before the Senate. Whatever party is in the majority could do whatever it chooses with no input from the minority party.