Today, 57 Senators stood up for democracy in America, stood up against taxation without representation, stood up for the voting rights of 580,000 Americans living in the District of Columbia.

But it wasn't quite enough.  We needed 60 votes to end the filibuster led by Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Trent Lott.  What happened to Democrat Max Baucus?  What about the great American John McCain?  This was a bipartisan bill, with 8 Republicans voting for it.  What happened to other Republicans, like Thad Cochran, Gordon Smith - why didn't they stand up to their misguided leaders and do the right thing?

Mitch McConnell sits smiling (sort of) in this photo, ironically, in front of the American flag.  Nothing to smile about, Mitch, you're disrespecting our flag.  You decided to follow your coarsest political instincts rather than stand up for your fellow Americans in DC.

DC voting rights is on the line tomorrow: Senate vote to end the filibuster on S. 1257, DC House Voting Rights Act.

Today, a press conference and rally in support of the bill outside Senate office buildings.  Fuzzy photo shows the bald head of Mayor Adrian Fenty, the white head of Jack Kemp, a Republican champion of DC and to the right Ilir Zherka, head of DC Vote and the head of the Kentucky NAACP, here to lobby Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader who's leading the opposition.

McConnell is well-known to Common Cause.  He fought campaign finance reform for years - tenaciously, smartly, but wrongly.  He's tough to beat, but we did it then - we can do it now.

Call you Senator today and urge them to vote NO on the filibuster.  NO to a filibuster blocking the fundamental right of Americans to taxation without representation!