This Is NOT Over

You were fired up before this? Time to get burning mad.

Yr Wonkette is having a hard time not feeling exactly the same dread and horror we felt all day on November 9, 2016. The Senate heard Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony yesterday. It was heartbreaking. It was infuriating. It was flawless. A lot of us made the mistake of thinking it would carry such moral force that Brett Kavanaugh would be ashamed to show his face afterward. We're optimists that way, which is why we're liberals in the first place. We thought sure, they'll push through some rightwing asshole after this -- but not THIS rightwing asshole.

Then Brett Kavanaugh arrived in Full Trump Mode (although Donald Trump would never stoop to crocodile tears) and Christine Blasey Ford's testimony was effectively erased. Survivors were dismissed as part of a vast plot to smear Kavanaugh. Two women with additional accusations weren't even listened to, because obviously they weren't worth hearing from. The bullies are certain they've won, and the Majority Leader who promised to plow through and confirm Kavanaugh is revving the tractor engine.

Let's pour sand in that fucker's crankcase. (The tractor. Mitch McConnell IS a crank case, but we must remind you that the comments policy remains in effect.)

It's worth pointing out that while the Judiciary Committee's "process" was carefully skewed to send the claims down the memory hole and preclude any option of further investigation, the final vote hasn't happened yet. There is still time to stop this. We only need two Republicans to say "enough" and put a stop to this nomination. Yes, Jeff Flake was a common Jeff Flake. (As we post this, Flake is calling for a "delay" in the committee's vote, after issuing a statement this morning that he would support Kavanaugh.) Yes, there's little reason to think any of the other "moderate" Republicans can be pried away from the rest, but there's at least a chance that Lisa Murkowski will remember she has a spine -- and she may be able to remind Susan Collins of that, although heaven knows that's a challenge. If they -- and maybe one or two more, like Shelley Moore Capito or Dean Heller -- say "no" together, they can stop this confirmation and provide each other cover.

Keep the pressure on red-state Dems, too:  Jon Tester and Joe Donnelly both said today they'll vote no. If you're from North Dakota, remind Heidi Heitkamp to do the right thing. Same if you're in West Virginia -- call Moore Capito AND Joe Manchin.

Remember that there are good people like Mazie Hirono and Kamala Harris who are going to do everything they can to stop this. And if they can't, they -- and we -- will take the Senate back.

This morning, @SenKamalaHarris and I walked out of the Judiciary Committee markup on Brett Kavanaugh. This Committe… https: //t.co/AQ9HkQB9YJ

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@Senator Mazie Hirono) 1538148033.0 

And if Kavanaugh ends up on the Supreme Court, well then. We all need to get people registered Democratic party and to the polls in November. We have to make people remember this betrayal of women. Bad things will happen, but we can't just sob (we will sob anyway). We have to be in the streets.

Here's a thing to remember, too: Ted Cruz lied about almost everything this morning in his comments. Especially this: the dipshit said our country is "divided right down the middle." That's just not so.

The majority of the population is against Ted Cruz. The OVERWHELMING majority of Americans is against the Kavanaugh nomination, in poll after poll after poll. The numbers of people identifying themselves as Republican is shrinking, and that distorts the simple Republican/Democrat divide (watch the self-defined "independents" over time). Gerrymandering and red states' structural advantage in the Senate and Electoral College further distort the actual division.

But god damn it, America seems pretty sick of rightwing minority rule. Stay angry. Organize. Phone bank. Take a break from the news if you need to, just to recharge. Remember there are babies and puppies and Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot .

Remember that the good guys can win. We're them. We have to make it happen.

Remember Molly Ivins, who would tell you to have a good cry and then GET MAD AND PUT YOUR ANGER TO WORK:

So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.

November 6 is 38 days away. Let's get to work.

UPDATE: Well, OF COURSE things just went stupid with Jeff Flake voting the nomination out of committee and asking for a one week delay for an FBI investigation. All that's REALLY guaranteed is that it's now out of committee. Working on that post now. BUT LOOK! A MESSAGE FROM YR EDITRIX!It is a challenge to you, Wonkers! 

I've got $250 divided by 10 Senate Dem candidates. it'll split it up however you want. @actblue https: //t.co/V3TcYdBA99

— Master Rebecca Schoenkopf, Wonkette Editrix, King (@Master Rebecca Schoenkopf, Wonkette Editrix, King) 1538158517.0 

 You should click this linky and send money to a bunch of Democrats, now!  

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