Protect the Filibuster-Use Gun Owner Of America site

[Gothmog]

The Gun Owners of America are doing an e-mail campaign to protect the filibuster against the nuclear option. The Gun Owners of America are correct in that if the filibuster is eliminated for one issue then the filibuster is effectively dead for all issues. As noted in their e-mail, this lobby has been effective in using the filibuster and the threat of a filibuster to prevent a host of gun control legislation.

Here is the link http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm

I am in a deeply red state (Texas) and so the only way that my senators will listen to me is if they are worried about pissing off the gun voters. I have used their set up to send e-mails to my state senators.

We can let any opportunity to prevent Frist from using the nuclear option to go unused.

[jedr]

1. strange bedfellows!

[Gothmog]

2. Agreed but it is worth a shot

[jedr]

3. sometimes it's "what ever it takes"....n/t

[calimary]

12. Good pun! And YES. Whatever. It. Takes.

Strange bedfellows sometimes find still their way to orgasm together.

[Vektor]

13. HAHAHA

Yes they do!

[Gothmog]

16. Sorry about the pun

I could not help myself

[John Q. Citizen]

5. Well, sort of. It shows that minority rights are important for

minorities.

I live in Montana and so many people here of every and any political stripe own guns it's amazing.

We have such a small population though that we actually have many less problems per capita than many denser population areas where gun ownership is considerably lower per capita.

Suicide is most the common gun death here far and away.

Thanks for the tip, this well work well on my representitives too.

[w4rma]

20. Not strange at all. Except for some of the more whacky gun-rights

people, like those who want teachers to carry guns into their middle school classes, Democrats can get along with gun rights folks, and in many cases *are* gun rights folks (like myself).

[Catt03]

4. I need to say that I cannot ethically do that.

but thanks anyway

[Gothmog]

7. I understand

I struggled long and hard before I took the plunge. If I was not so worried about Frist pulling the trigger on the nuclear option, I would never visit this site.

[BlueIris]

6. Interesting. Thanks for the info.

It has long been my spectacularly unpopular opinion that the gun lobby and the Democrats need to try, just TRY, to hook up a little more frequently on issues within which they share MAJOR mutual interest. Though you wouldn't necessarily know it from the way the Republicans worked those wedge issues during the last election, I really think the dividing line between Dems and Republicans remains gun rights. The last four or five hold-outs from among my circle of acquaintances who in the end refused to vote for Kerry even though they knew they had less than nothing to gain through a Bush second term were men (and one woman) who wanted to keep their "second amendment rights."

[paineinthearse]

8. Nice shootin', Tex.

Suggest you post this in the "activist" forum as well.

[Gothmog]

18. done

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=15608&mesg_id=15608 Anything that might help needs to be tried

[Cats Against Frist]

9. I'm on it n/t

[adwon]

10. Ugh

I like to think of myself as a student of practical politics, but this is a little disgusting. Larry Pratt, head of this organization in the mid 90s, had an amiable history with the Christian Identity nuts. I don't think legitimizing an organization that is far to the right of the NRA is a good idea.

Edit: Uh, check out the links they have on the links page. These guys are fucking nuts.

[starroute]

15. I've been very ambivalent about this myself

I'm sure most of us were happy to see an anti-Iraq War statement by libertarian Congressman Ron Paul featured on the front page of DU today. But Paul has also been quoted as calling Gun Owners of America "The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington."

On balance, I think we're better off working with these people wherever we can rather than ostracizing them. My best hope is that a certain number, even on the extreme right, can be shown that their real values go deeper than their current knee-jerk issues. That having a well-stocked gun rack in the pickup won't protect them against the Patriot Act. That if they worry their jobs are threatened by lower-paid immigrants, the best solution is to demand that the US stop meddling in the internal politics of Mexico and Venezuela and accept that those countries desperately need a more equitable distribution of their own national wealth.

In sort, the approach of the left should be to acknowledge that they have legitimate concerns, but also to show them that at every point the answers to those concerns lie in social justice and not in raging xenophobia.

[cry baby]

11. held nose - but it's done

[Pool Hall Ace]

14. *sigh* not easy, but I did it.

:kick:

[crispini]

17. I'm in.

I already called my senators and sent emails through a different site but maybe this'll make my Rethuglican senators pay attention.

edited to add: jeez, now I really do feel kind of icky. :P

[jen4clark]

19. would someone read this please

I read this yesterday and it started me thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad to end fillibusters. I mean there is something very strange when these groups are opposed to ending it: anti-union National Right to Work Committee, the Gun Owners of America and the anti-abortion National Pro-Life Alliance. Please read it and let me know if this is wrong or crazy. Thanks!

Hoping for a Mushroom Cloud
Eliminating the filibuster of Democrats against judicial nominations has been deemed the "nuclear option" by GOP leaders. Hear's hoping for an atomic meltdown.


http://www.nathannewman.org/laborblog/archive/002456.shtml

[Laurab]

22. They have some valid points

but, either way - ending the filibuster is the end of a two party system, i.e. the end of democracy. That's the way I see it, anyway. It should be an available option to whoever the minority party is.

[Gothmog]

23. valid points but filibuster of judicial nominees is worth it

There are a number of bills that the GOA claimed were killed due to the filibuster that I would support. However, they are aligned with our interests now and there is a chance that the GOA will have more influences on a GOP senator than we will. I known that the only way Cornyn or Hutchinson will hesitate to support Frist is if they think that they will alienate a key and vocal group of GOP voters.

I held my nose when I sent my e-mail and I am going to hate the propaganda that I will receive due to using their site. However, I think that protecting the filibuster of judicial nominees is worth it.

[Laurab]

26. I admit I held my nose too

And also made sure all boxes were unchecked, and I didn't want ANY info from them. I just want to save the filibuster, and I agree with you that it's worth it. I'm actually happy to see some RW groups are against it, as well.

[wildeyed]

21. done.

I am in a red state, too. I doubt anything would influence Dole or Burr, but couldn't hurt, might help.....

[autorank]

24. Thanks for that. Slick sight. GOA is the gun assoc. for DEMS!

Least that's what my leftist, gun nut buddy tells me; and believe me, he's very left.

Great site. I've been calling these guys, I'm in VA, and this letter is cool. They will know immediately it's a GOA form, which is good. GOA is strong in VA.

[derby378]

25. Count me in

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=82502&item=3969238247&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW