We sometimes forget that there are heroes in Washington who focus on the requisite work of Americans, moving the country forward and doing their jobs.
Thursday was a historic day in the Senate.
Not because we reached yet
another historic low in our dysfunction and inability to get anything done. But
because we drew a line in the sand and said enough is enough.
The
Democrats voted to change the Senate's filibuster rules to make sure that the
Senate can function and complete its constitutionally required duty to advise on
– and consent to – Presidential nominations.
Tens of thousands of people
in our online community signed our petition to give the DC Circuit Court of
Appeals nominees an up-or-down vote. By speaking out and helping us spotlight
this problem, we helped make change possible.
And I also want to give a
big thanks to two senators: Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Tom Udall of New Mexico.
They've been the ones leading the fight for filibuster reform from the very
beginning, and they made this big victory possible.
Both Jeff
and Tom are up for re-election in 2014 – and they need your support to be able
to keep working in the United States Senate for years to come. Please join me in
thanking Jeff Merkley and Tom Udall by making a donation to their campaigns
now.
I know some people are concerned about what filibuster
reform means if Democrats lose control of the White House or the Senate. I'm
concerned too. But I believe that the result of yesterday's vote will be a
government and a democracy that functions better for all of us – no matter who
is President. Our courts and government agencies simply can't stop working just
because we don't like the political party in charge.
It may be ok with
the Anarchy Gang in the House if the government doesn't work, but it's not ok
with me. Government matters, and we need it fully staffed.
Last year,
Republicans tried to win the Presidency. They lost by 5 million votes. We have a
Democratic President who, under the US Constitution, is responsible for
nominating people to head executive agencies and to fill judicial vacancies.
Under the Constitution, the Senate is responsible for voting on those
nominations.
What the Republicans cannot do – what they have no right to
do – is to systematically prevent the President's nominees from ever seeing
up-or-down votes in an attempt to run out the clock until 2016, or 2020, or
2024, or whenever they think they can win the Presidency and the Senate
again.
Thursday's filibuster reform vote was an important turning
point for the United States Senate. But in order to keep making progress on the
nominees and issues we care about, it's more important than ever that we keep
control of the Senate in 2014.
Please support the Democratic Senatorial Campaign
Committee to keep fighters like Jeff Merkley and Tom Udall in the Senate next
November.
We elect leaders and expect them to be able to run
our government. Today, we're better able to do our jobs – and get back to work
to level the playing field for working families.
Thank you for being a
part of this historic victory,
Elizabeth Warren
Paid for by Udall for Us
All
PO BOX 25766 Albuquerque, NM 87125
![Exciting News! @[116513005087055:274:Senator Barbara Boxer] and @[194172833926853:274:Senator Sheldon Whitehouse] just kicked off the Senate Climate Action Task Force, a new initiative to "Wake Up Congress" and address climate change.
Show your support for these critical efforts to address the greatest challenge of our generation here: http://wefb.it/XY7Pqw](https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/s403x403/1554428_10151996641899735_1638136184_n.jpg)
Over 165,000 Daily Kos members took action to stop Larry Summers from chairing the federal reserve. On September 15, Summers withdrew from consideration—citing the level of opposition.
