It is quite clear the Democrats remain leaderless and impotent in developing a cohesive strategy--not the case with the Republicans. Therefore, I'm over all the Democratic hand wringing and last minute, poorly thoughtout maneuvers. There are some Senators who are just plain losers and nothing they attempt will be seen in any other light.

Frankly, I don't see how any Democrat can win in '08 against a party as well managed as the Republican party. I can only imagine the success Dem's would have had had they tightly banded together in mutual support of common goals with strong enforcement, ala DeLay, et al.

Now, the public seems to not give a shit about government as they know they have neither the ear of their representives nor the money of lobbyists' to influence decisions. When was the last time a constitutent had a real conversation with an elected Congressional official? Who takes these men and women on golf outings, lunches, and dinner parties? Aren't those attendees the one's with money buying influence? Can anyone doubt it? I've quit writing to my elected officials, as in return, all I get is a letter stating their position--if I wanted their position I'd visit their propaganda sites.

Until Dems are willing to die for their cause, we will not prevail against the Republican hegemony.

I don't know why the Democrats didn't have a big meeting a month ago and decide they would filibuster Scalito. Maybe because they are Democrats and not Republicans and so lack that clarity of mission that comes from communicating directly ( almost ) with Jesus thru his appointed administrator on earth, President Dog Brain. Anyhow I am glad an attempt will be made and while the outcome is obvious to all who communicate with Jesus and of course to God himself who writes what is to come each day on an etheral blog that I can't quite locate...fools like myself will proceed as if there were free will in the universe and humor ourselves with tender mercies.

I read the Times' "Spineless" editorial, and had to agree. While I'm a little confused about who or what the NYT is these days, the editorial board was correct on this one.

I, for one, am sick and tired of the spineless, cat-herd Democratic contingent. Their complete ineffectiveness in gaining any traction against arguably the worst president in American history is shameful. Their inability to present a coherent message or disciplined opposition is pathetic. I called my Senator, and told him to join the filibuster. But he's Ken Salazar, and I'll bet you dollars to donuts he's going to pull a Tim Johnson. If these guys and gals keep flinging the rhetoric then rolling over and playing dead, I'm going to puke. And although I will not support the wingnut sure to challenge Salazar, neither will I support Salazar. He's on his own and he can try and triangulate his tenure without my help.

I don't care whether Democrats have got the votes. I'm sick of excuses, strategy and tactics that all wind up giving the moron Bush a free pass on everything. All I seem to hear out of them is empty rhetoric designed to maintain their constituents' support, with no corresponding action that might pose a risk to their careers. Is Kerry grandstanding? Most likely. But at least he's coming out on the right side of this. Democrats should stand up and fight, like they promised, or go home. And they have the nerve to keep sending me fund-raising letters going on and on about the threats to our republic, and why I need to give them money to keep up the fight. What fight?

Shapiro may very well be right that the battle was lost in the ineptitude of the first day of hearings. I know I was completely underwhelmed. Regardless, there needs to be some arm-twisting, some guts, and a little defiance. The Democrats need a Hammer. And it would help if they could produce a clear, concise, and compelling formulation along the lines of, "We can't in good conscience support a nominee who supports Bush's specious claims to an imperial presidency, and thus threatens the very fabric of the Constitution we are sworn to uphold and protect. If enshrining on the Supreme Court the usurpation of power advocated by those who seek to subordinate the other branches of government to the executive isn't an extraordinary circumstance, we don't know what is. We happen to believe in the Framers' wisdom, and will not panic in the face of terrorism (which is, after all, terrorism's objective) and throw out the separation of powers that has served our nation so well. We will not say to the world that we do not believe in our own brave words. We are saddened that the supposed patriots who call the loyal opposition traitorous do not have the same respect for the Constitution as do we; we are saddened by their fear, their readiness to abandon all principle, all belief in our democracy, in the face of a single attack. Are we not made of sterner stuff? We remind you that George Washington turned down the chance to be king. And now George Bush is asking us to install a justice who would willingly present him the same opportunity. We already know from Bush's willfully criminal disregard of US law in spying on US citizens without the warrants he could've easily obtained what his answer will be. General Washington is no doubt rolling in his grave, and we will not stand idly by and allow this to come to pass without a fight. We owe our forefathers and every dead soldier at least a fight. We may not prevail, but we will not be cowards in the face of terrorists. We will stand up and be counted. We will evince the courage of our convictions in our way of government, and posterity will judge us patriots, and those who would trade freedom for security, traitors and cowards."

"Criminally verbose Senate Judiciary Democrats"! Well put! They acted as if the game was lost and... guess what? they lost it. It is not that the issue of Alito was sprung on them at the last minute: They have had almost three months to prepare, plan, strategize and get ready for what could have been a show-down on an issue that had been feared for years. No! they basically rolled over and played dead, letting the wacko right get what they wanted with the help of supposedly "centrist"or "moderate" Republicans.

What were they afraid of? That the Republicans would take away the possibility of filibustering througn the so-called nuclear option? Don't they realize that it has been effectively taken away from them since they have refused to use it on that most important of moments. They remind me of my grandmother who had living room furniture that nobody could use as it would wear it off: what was the point ofthe armchairs if nobody could sit in them?. But in this case the aversion to use the tools of power is what weakens them.

Sad! Just as in Germany in the 1930s, we may eventually have the jackboots and brownshirts running roughshod over our rights and liberties all very legally...