Values at Stake

Sen. Obama (D-IL) said this morning that Democrats need to focus on convincing voters that "their values are at stake" in cases like the Alito hearings rather than relying on procedural gambits like the filibuster. josh marshall asks why it has to be either/or.

I would take it further and ask if the fillibuster isn't a useful method for raising the consciousness of the populace? If the goal is "convincing the voters their values are at stake," shouldn't the Democratic Senatrs act as if this were genuinely true? Go to the nomination with the Senate rules you have not those you fear. Fear dominates our leaders on both sides of the aisle as never before in our history. Stand for our values Senator Obama. Now is the time you have been called to act. The fillibuster is no procedural gimmick, if it forestalls some horrific injustice by the high court for even one day. If this "gimmick" could have changed the outcome of Bush v. Gore, would it have been worth it? If one young woman lives instead of bleeding to death because of the prohibition against abortion, will it have been worth it?