Activists to Dr. No: We’re Not Leaving

This just cheered me up. Some youthful activists are sitting in at Tom Coburn’s office until he allows the Uganda Recovery Act to pass the Senate. (Boy, the Senate really is the place where good ideas go to die – or get obstructed.) Go sign the petition, donate money for coffee, and cheer these guys on!

The momentum is building and more people just keep coming to join dozens of activists refusing to leave Senator Tom Coburn’s office in Oklahoma City until he allows the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act to pass the Senate. Click here to help from wherever you are.

Here’s the low-down: After impassioned lobbying from tens of thousands of activists, historic legislation aimed at ending Africa’s longest-running war is on the verge of passing the Senate unanimously. In fact, the bill has more bipartisan support in Congress than any bill focused on sub-Saharan Africa in American history. But Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, nicknamed “Dr. No”, is single-handedly blocking this landmark legislation because the bill authorizes new funds to assist victims of the violence (you can read more about why in the Campaign FAQ).

As Senator Coburn prevents this bill from passing, the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is terrorizing communities across three countries in central Africa. In the past two months alone, Joseph Kony’s rebel army has massacred hundreds of people and abducted hundreds more, including children who are forced to become soldiers.
That’s why we are holding the Oklahoma Hold Out, and we’re not going home until Senator Coburn agrees to a compromise.

The most committed activists – who know that Senator Coburn’s obstructionism is preventing the action needed to end this senseless violence – are “holding out” outside Senator Coburn’s office in downtown Oklahoma City until the Senator allows the bill to pass.

People are driving and flying from all corners of the country to join in person.
We invite you to join as well, or if you can’t join them in person, we need your support from right where you are.

Meet The New Boss

Very good, lengthy piece from TNR on SCOTUS judicial activism under John Roberts (who I warned about from the moment his nomination was announced):

It’s impossible, at the moment, to tell whether the reaction to Citizens United will be the beginning of a torrential backlash or will fade into the ether. But John Roberts is now entering politically hazardous territory. Without being confident either way, I still hope that he has enough political savvy and historical perspective to recognize and avoid the shoals ahead. There’s little doubt, however, that the success or failure of his tenure will turn on his ability to align his promises of restraint with the reality of his performance. Roberts may feel just as confident that he knows the “right” answer in cases like Peek-a-Boo as he did in Citizens United. But political backlashes are hard to predict, contested constitutional visions can’t be successfully imposed by 5-4 majorities, and challenging the president and Congress on matters they care intensely about is a dangerous game. We’ve seen wellintentioned but unrestrained chief justices overplay their hands in the past–and it always ends badly for the Court.

Somehow, I don’t think he has anything to worry about with this Congress. Call it a hunch!

Filibuster Ends

I don’t think this mean old snake is used to being under the gun like this. I’m glad it’s over:

Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky.) one-man filibuster ended on Tuesday.

Bunning agreed to stop blocking legislation to extend benefits and COBRA health plan subsidies to the unemployed after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) agreed to allow him a vote on an amendment to pay for the $10 billion bill.

It’s the same deal Bunning was offered last week, but Bunning at the time decided to continue his fight. He’d been holding up an extension of the benefits since Thursday.

The Senate was scheduled to vote on the 30-day extension after The Hill’s press time.

Bunning will also get to offer two amendments to a one-year extension of the legislation the Senate is considering.