No on Gonzales

Being someone born and raised in Florida, I still feel obliged to make my views known to Florida elected officials when necessary. Yesterday, I e-mailed Senator Bill Nelson, D-FL to urge him to vote NO on the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales. I explained to Sen. Nelson that I felt a vote for Gonzales was also a vote for torture.

I was extremely disappointed in the vote on Condi Rice's nomination - only 13 Democrats stood firm to oppose her nomination. If the Democratic Party is to effectively challenge the right-wing extremism of the GOP, it's leaders must stand firm against the primary architects of the extremist vision. The Gonzales vote is the next crucial test of the party's basic morality and the courage of its leadership.

A united Democratic vote against Gonzales will show the country and the world that the Democratic Party believes it is possible and necessary to defend America and its ideals without using torture or other despotic tactics. Without such an alternative to the Bush Administration's explicit endorsement of torture as an instrument of statecraft, the American voter has no choice but to accept this dangerous, extremist ideology currently driving US foreign policy.