Online political action group MoveOn.org is planning rallies across the country tomorrow in response to what it describes as the judicial takeover being orchestrated by the Republicans. A rally is scheduled to take place here in Grand Rapids outside the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building (110 Michigan St NW) at 5:00pm. As of this posting, ninety-one people have scheduled to participate in the rally.

MoveOn's nationwide rallies come after a week of escalating rhetoric between Democrats and Republicans over the possibility of Republican leaders in the Senate ending the long-standing practice of filibustering. The threat came from Republican Bill Frist as a result of Republicans increasing frustration with Democrats' filibustering of judicial nominees and their inability to bring recent Bush nominees to a vote. The Republicans, who hold the majority in the Senate, can change the Senate's rules to eliminate filibustering and are believed to be within one to two votes of being able to do so. Democrats initially responded by threatening to shut down the Senate should such an action be taken, but they have since backed down and are looking for a "compromise" that would allow some of President Bush's nominees to be confirmed in order to preserve the filibuster. While Senator Frist has publicly rejected compromise offers, the Associated Press is reporting that discussions continue and that the possibility of holding confirmation votes for three judicial nominees from Michigan may end the debate.