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Dialing About Dollars
One of the easiest and most powerful things you can do as a taxpayer is call your Congressperson's office to ask questions or express an opinion about what they are doing. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it with your money.
When a constituent calls, the staffers keep a log of the call. They make reports to the Congressperson on what the callers are saying about issues. They are also there to answer questions you may have about a bill or how your member voted on legislation. When you call, they pay attention.
Have you called your Congressperson lately? If so, please tell us about your experience.
If not, here's an easy link that will hook you up to the contact information for your member of Congress.
Give them a ring and check on how they spent your money today!
shall do
i am FIRST
Good Morning Vana!
Telephone Line
by Electric Light Orchestra
Hello--how are you
Have you been alright, through all those lonely nights,
That’s what I’d say, I’d tell you everything,
If you’d pick up that telephone.
Hey--how you feelin’
Are you still the same
Don’t you realize the things we did were all for real not a dream,
I just can’t believe
They’ve all faded out of view.
I look into the sky
(the love you need ain’t gonna see you through.)
And I wonder why
(the little things are finally coming true.)
Telephone line, give me some time, I’m living in twilight
Telephone line, give me some time, I’m living in twilight
O.k. so no--one’s answering,
Well can’t you just let it ring a little longer
I’ll just sit tight, through the shadows of the night
Let it ring for evermore.
Telephone line, give me some time, I’m living in twilight
Telephone line, give me some time, I’m living in twilight
Great thread for us to be the watchdogs-especially for those of us in Blue States that are subsidizing Red States--we need to hold our elected officials accountable.
On a lighter side, for your conservative uncle, some table conversations-lol
Being a Republican means:
1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and
Hillary Clinton.
2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
4. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
5. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the
troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.
6. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.
7. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies, then demand their cooperation and money.
8. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing
health care to all Americans is socialism.
9. HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.
10. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but Creationism should be taught in schools.
11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an
impeachable offense.
12. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
13. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
14. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades,
but George Bush's driving record is none of our business.
15. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
16. You support states' rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have the right to adopt.
17. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest (smoke pot), but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant (snort coke and become an alcoholic).
Latina, great morning post to get me going. I'll forward that on to my parents, they'll get a kick out of that.
Mark Trager returns! Hey Mark, I was just asking after you on Monday.
Another day, another opportunity. I feel like calling my congressperson.
Lots to be thankful for, this site is near the top of my list.
Cheers!
Everytime I call mine I get a recorded message and never a call back. Maybe it is because my message includes "you are an idiot" somewhere in the message. I get Shadegg, McCain and Kyle....whoopee.
I flunked the phone manners course.
fresh blog meat
hexham.blogspot.com
i should've done it long ago, just to make myself feel better.
battlebob, good to see you. :-D
battlebob,
Here in the nation's capital, Washington DC, we have no voting representation. The way that they treat the sovereignty of the citizens in the place that services all of them, however, shows just how much contempt they carry for the democratic process.
I would LOVE to be able to call up my members and hold them accountable--let them know what I think and how I vote.
"you don't know what you got til it's gone"
Please, please, make some calls on behalf of us...
battlebob, nice to see another Arizonan here. I have only emailed McCain and Kyl on voting issues. No answer as yet. Guess a call is in order. Keep up the good fight. We can try to get the 10% to swing blue next time.
muse4kerry here - going by muse now. This would be a fine idea to contact my congress person, but as you all may remember from my postings on the kerry blog, my congress person is Tom DeLay. I've certainly contacted him in the past, but as you can imagine he does not "pay attention" to me. 2006 cannot get here soon enough.
oh muse, I am so sorry for you!
On topic, an interesting addition to Truthout on the minimum wage, inequity and lack of of media coverage. Apologies if repost.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/112404I.shtml
Also, this morning in Wall Street Journal, by John Harwood, usually fair-minded, writes that security more than morality the reason Bush did well among women, independents, and a clear majority in the suburbs. The 9/11 bond won’t be a transferable asset to the next GOP nominee.
I say this going forward, as many in our party are ready to talk religion in a way that is over reactive and pandering.
Maddening and sad, among the many things about this election, is how correct we were in our judgment of Kerry as the candidate able to talk in a reassuring way about values and confidently about terrorism. Our party thought it would be so easy, that they didn’t help enough, I believe, in local safeguards or verbal support against the mischaracterizations. Those insider stories, some may be believable, cite squabbling about security vs. domestic as a key problem. As we were saying all along, let Kerry be Kerry.
Posted by: muse | November 24, 2004 11:28 AM
and to make matters worse, it look like he is going to get off scott-free and not be indicted. Where is the justice?
I email my senator, Barbara Boxer, regularly. She is always prompt with her replies, usually within a week. My last email urged her to not allow Gonzales to become Attorney General.
I also email Diane Feinstein. She usually sends me back snail mail which takes a while so I don't always know what I was writing about that she responds to.
Lynne Woolsey is my Representative and she is also very receptive to my emails. I actually met her at our dem headquarters open-house.
I have never been very politically engaged, but now I am. I plan on also contacting my state representatives, especially with Ahnold the Gropenator in office.
2006... we can take back the House, gain more Senate seats and get Ahnold out of office. That would be a triple, the homerun will come when we impeach George Bush!!
My fiance' says that they have a formula that for every citizen that takes the time to contact them about an issue, x voters are also concerned about that issue. So your email, letter, or phone call actually represents a whole lot more citizens...
Muse,
Tom DeLay's staff can be fun to deal with too. Go here and rewad about how upstate New Yorkers are approaching John Sweeney--a big DeLay supporter.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_11_21.php#004099
karen,
Thanks for the link about Sweeny. Would be hilarious if not so pathetic. What a waste of tax payers' money. Like we won't find out eventually in the Congressional Record. They have all learned well from DeLay how to duck and dodge.
Karen,
A for real DeLay supporter, or just a funny column about rumor, inefficiency, and how columnists sometimes have nothing else to write about. My husband wrote one 20 years ago about bankers walking down the street.
We should ask Buffalo Mark to comment! As Kerry western NY, he has reformed his group into a progressive-independent WNY "cell." Other Kerry NY locales are trying to reform and reconsider options.
BILL CLINTON ON NOW
www.airamericaradio.com
before the day gets any older, i would like to take this moment to wish one and all a very happy thanksgiving.
it may be hard to think we have anything to be grateful for, this year. but in reality, we have much for which to express thankfulness.
we have this community, and hundreds of new friends. we have the knowledge we have gained. we have renewed purpose in service to our country.
we have been witnesses to the courage of john kerry and john edwards and their families.
these are not small things. i am grateful for all of you. some are still not here, and i dream about familiar names coming back to join us. underbear, we need your humor and musical genius.
be careful on the roads this holiday season.
much love to you all
muse,
Aah, but the point is--the staff now KNOW people are watching and questioning. When they brief the member, they will say "We had a lot of phone calls on this subject." Phone calls are rated higher than e-mails, BTW. They cost money and take time and are therefore valued more highly by both the caller and the staffer.
The more phone calls, the more hard questions, the more followup--the faster they get the message:
We are here. And we are watching. And we are acting. And this will change...or you will be out of a job.
We are shining light upon truth--it is up to each of us to carry the message to where it needs to be heard.
Marjorie G:
Oh yes, Buffalo Mark! We are going to Buffalo tonight--will have to call him! We need him and he will have great advice for all of us!
karen, and any of you who MIGHT be driving on pennsylvania highways this weekend. be aware, that turnpike toll takes have gone on strike. the whole damn turnpike system is a free ride.
imagine all the crying when they start lamenting the income lost from this!!!
karen, got it! I see what you are talking about. I was thinking that was wasted effort because it didn't seem to get results, but yeah, keeping those phone lines busy does show them that the people back home are expecting them to be paying attention and are expecting some action!
On a similar, yet different note, isn't kind of fun to watch the Republicans already starting to eat their young? And to read the op-ed pieces that are aimed at them? Puts a smile on my face.
muse, I have a very sharp feeling about how the GOP is ideologically overextened. Their tent is about to collapse, and Duncan Hunter is the harbinger of that imminent schism. yay.
Karen, just a personal note: thanks again for all you and Dick are doing and have done. As you once told me, the blog awakened many latent writers. I think that has the potential to be a lasting legacy everyone can be proud of.
I give thanks for it.
Happy Thanksgiving!
One other point about the reedeming power of calling Congress: the Member you call may or may not ever take heed of your position. But don't forget all the staff people you are talking to. Almost anyone who answers the phone is barely out of college, or may even be a high school intern. So you're not talking to jaded party hacks, you're talking to people who may or may not be "lifelong" rightwingers.
When you get a live human being on the phone on the Hill, don't blow the opportunity to interact WITH that person. You may angry and frustrated, but you can communicate those feelings without aiming them at the person you're talking to. The only thing they're responsible for in an enrty level position like answering the phones is learning about the world. And if every time they pick up the phone and talk to someone from the progressive side they find themselves being personally assaulted, they are never, ever, going to be able to hear the substance of your complaint. You'll just be pushing them deeper in the dark side.
Just think about the informal rules we operate under on this blog; you can disagree with someone on matters of fact or principle, but personal attacks are out. So when you phone in, be kind of the staff; see what happens if you ask them what THEY think!
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING!!!
BE CAREFUL!!!
http://news.com.com/Security+officials+to+spy+on+chat+rooms/2100-7348_3-5466140.html
Breaking news from Black Box Voting
Regarding lawsuit in Volusia County, FL.
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/volusia-lawsuit.html
Citizens take action to clean up elections: Volusia County resident Susan Pynchon, with the help of Volusia County attorney Daniel R. Vaughen, P.A., filed lawsuit to set aside Volusia County election due to irregularities.
...
So far this story is appearing in a few FL area newspapers, like this one:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/WestVolusia/03WVolWEST01EPOL112404.htm
Why Volusia? Because there is astounding evidence of vote tampering in that area, both from 2000 and now in 2004. Please keep aware everyone and try posting this information on all the blogs that your frequent. Spread the word however you can!
News on the Unofficial Kerry Blog (now known as "The Unofficial Kerry and Democracy Principles Blog"):
Russ Baker (investigative reporter from The Nation) Reports In From The Country's First Presidential Recount - http://kerryblog.blogspot.com/2004/11/russ-baker-reports-in-from-countrys.html
DiFi (Dianne Feinstein) to run in '06 - http://kerryblog.blogspot.com/2004/11/difi-to-run-in-06.html
Pamela aka Kerrygoddess
http://kerryblog.blogspot.com/
Posted by: vcannon | November 24, 2004 11:09 AM
Arizona is drifting further into right wingnut dreamland every election cycle.
This year, we had prop 200 which criminalizes aid to illegal aliens which happens to contradict state laws which require county health care providers to service everyone.
A few rare moderate Republicans were defeated by more wacko right wingnut Repugs.
The next election cycle will bring an anti-gay marriage ballot despite the fact the law is already on the books.
If Roe vs Wade is overturned, the right wingnuts have a bill ready-to-go outlawing abortion in the state.
I cannot believe how badly we did in the last election in Arizona. Bush did better in 2004 then he did in 2000. Arizona is like any other southern red state. God, guns, gay bashing and abortion are the issues. To win, we must have a more reasonable view on these issues then Repubs. We have to show how immoral and unreasonable the Repubs are. If the economy is still bad, I think people will be willing to listen.
Funny we should be talking about calling congress. For some reason this story came to mind the other day..
20 odd years ago I lived in Denver and the Hon Pat Schroder was our Rep. My kids were in Head Start, and suddenly we lost the lease on the space we were in. To make matters worse, the group that controled Head Start in our area were going to disband our group, and not pay the teachers for the rest of the year, dispite contracts. I called Pat's office and had ONE converstaion with a staffer. Following week I and some of the other parents who had been active were called to a meeting. All was well, space had been found, and of course the teachers would recieve full pay. Then the kicker, "We don't know who called the Rep. office, but we assure you it wasn't needed" Yea, right, but hey whatever works.
I was going to post a Thanksgiving wish too
but I'm not about to try to top tutterfly's.
Drive safely, eat wisely, there is good in the world, try and be a part of it.
http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0917-05.htm
"PBS Panders to Right With New Programming" - published on 17 Sept 2004
That pasty-faced dweeb Tucker Carlson is mentioned as one of the conservative shows being introduced into the PBS lineup per the new neocon executives at PBS. And, remember, PBS gets federal money and corporation sponsorship of most shows.
The local PBS station has Carlson and another neocon panel/journal show in their Fri. night lineup as of a couple of months ago just before the election, and that reduces the Charlie Rose show to four nights a week, M-Th. Carlson and the other neocon "journal" (panel) show are re-run on either Sat. or Sun. afternoon. (I deliberately don't watch.) When Moyers retires, David Brancaccio is apparently taking the host spot and NOW will be reduced from one hour to a half-hour show.
For anyone who donates to PBS, you might want to read the link in full, then decide how you want to reduce or increase or eliminate your donation during PBS's fundraising drives (there's another one coming up shortly). Or, you might want to phone or email or write your local PBS station about the matter.
As with Sinclair, the only thing that might get through to these people is the power of the dollar, and the power of On or Off on your TV..... If they don't have viewers, and we boycott the corporations who fund the shows or advertise on mainstream media.... no one will have any money to produce the shows that are only approved by the current administration.....
As with others who have mentioned where they get their news in the last few months, I've increasingly turned to the Internet, media in other countries, NOW with Bill Moyers is still on my must-watch list (may or may not change after Moyers retires), BBC on PBS, The News Hour on PBS, and while I still try to catch the local in-state news, I've only made half-hearted attempts at watching CBS and ABC evening news.... until they start repeating the propaganda issued by shrubbie's administration, and then I have to turn it off or risk throwing something at the TV out of frustration about the lies coming out of the anchors' mouths, and I've totally eliminated morning infotainment "news" on any channel. It's the only way to stay sane in this insane world of controlled media.
UK Politicians Start Bid to Impeach Blair on Iraq
Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:53 AM ET
Reuters
By Katherine Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) - Parliamentarians and celebrity campaigners launched a bid on Wednesday to impeach Tony Blair for "gross misconduct" over his justification for the Iraq war.
The impeachment move, a symbolic parliamentary process rather than a realistic proposition in Blair's case, is the first since the mid-19th century.
_________________snip___________________
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6909548
Posted by: Indy | November 24, 2004 02:29 PM
The technology to spy on what you type into your computer has existed for several years. It's called a keylogger, and is widely used in what are called malware or spyware. They don't need to spend yet more of our tax dollars
Karen & Marjorie,
Good to see much of the old gang here. Rep. Sweeney may be from NYS but he is fairly conservative Republican, as he represents a mostly rural district from north of the Catskills to the Adirondacks. I can't say that he would ever agree with the majority Democratic Congressional caucus from NY, so it is not suprising to find out he supported DeLay.
On another note, we are laying the groundwork for an organization that will focus on progressive/democratic issues. Tenantive name is the Coalition for Progress. Our first meeting went well with over 70 attendees and another 150 who want to be a part of it. They represent all walks of life - urban, suburban and rural. CoPro (as it is becoming to be known) will focus on both regional and national issues through directly addressing problems, sponsoring forums and presenting papers (sort of an action oriented think tank). I will keep you updated with CoPro's progress.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
Hello guys,
I was over at dem undergroung and I saw this letter that I thought was really good, so I am positng it here.
Please read!!!
Subject: A special letter from a NEW YORKER
Subj: Fwd: An explanation of a vote for Kerry
This letter that was written by a fellow NY'er is so close to my feelings that I thought I'd share it with you guys.
Anna
======================================
I am writing this letter to the people in the red states in the middle of the country -- the people who voted for George W. Bush. I am writing this letter because I don't think we know each other.
So I'll make an introduction. I am a New Yorker who voted for John Kerry. I used to live in California, and if I still lived there, I would vote for Kerry. I used to live in Washington, DC, and if I still lived there, I would vote for Kerry. Kerry won in all three of those regions.
Maybe you want to know more about me. Or maybe not; maybe you think you know me already. You think I am some anti-American anarchist because I dislike George W. Bush. You think that I am immoral and anti-family, because I support women's reproductive freedom and gay rights. You think that I am dangerous, and even evil, because I do not abide by your religious beliefs.
Maybe you are content to think that, to write me off as a "liberal" -- the dreaded "L" word -- and rejoice that your candidate has triumphed over evil, immoral, anti-American, anti family people like me. But maybe you are still curious. So here goes: this is who I am.
I am a New Yorker. I was here, in my apartment downtown, on September 11th. I watched the Towers burn from the roof of my building. I went inside so that I couldn't see them when they fell. I had friends who were inside. I have a friend who still has nightmares about watching people jump and fall from the Towers. He will never be the same. How many people like him do you know? People that can't sit in a restaurant without plotting an escape route, in case it blows up?
I am a worker. I work across the street from the Citigroup Center, which the government told us is a “target” of terrorism. Later, we found out they were relaying very old information, but it was already too late. They had given me bad dreams again. The subway stop near my office was crowded with bomb-sniffing dogs, policemen in heavy protective gear, soldiers. Now, every time I enter or exit my office, all of my possessions are X-rayed to make sure I don't have any weapons. How often are you stopped by a soldier with a bomb-sniffing dog outside your office?
Vana,
Here is the link to the whole letter. It is well worth the read.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1386853
NO SURRENDER !!!
Now if we could do the same to the cable news channels til they get their act together and report actual news...
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,65813,00.html
Young people just aren't interested in reading newspapers and print magazines. In fact, according to Washington City Paper, The Washington Post organized a series of six focus groups in September to determine why the paper was having so much trouble attracting younger readers.
Imagine what higher-ups at the Post must have thought when focus-group participants declared they wouldn't accept a Washington Post subscription even if it were free. The main reason (and I'm not making this up): They didn't like the idea of old newspapers piling up in their houses.
Don't think for a minute that young people don't read. On the contrary, they do, many of them voraciously. But having grown up under the credo that information should be free, they see no reason to pay for news. Instead they access The Washington Post website or surf Google News, where they select from literally thousands of information sources. They receive RSS feeds on their PDAs or visit bloggers whose views mesh with their own. In short, they customize their news-gathering experience in a way a single paper publication could never do. And their hands never get dirty from newsprint.
Its me again,
I thought I posted the whole thing but I did not, so here is the whole thing
Please Read!!!!
Subject: A special letter from a NEW YORKER
Subj: Fwd: An explanation of a vote for Kerry
This letter that was written by a fellow NY'er is so close to my feelings that I
thought I'd share it with you guys.
Anna
======================================
I am writing this letter to the people in the red states in the middle
of the country -- the people who voted for George W. Bush. I am writing this
letter because I don't think we know each other.
So I'll make an introduction. I am a New Yorker who voted for John Kerry. I used
to live in California, and if I still lived there, I would vote for Kerry. I
used to live in Washington, DC, and if I still lived there, I would vote for
Kerry. Kerry won in all three of those regions.
Maybe you want to know more about me. Or maybe not; maybe you think you know me
already. You think I am some anti-American anarchist because I dislike George W.
Bush. You think that I am immoral and anti-family, because I support women's
reproductive freedom and gay rights. You think that I am dangerous, and even
evil, because I do not abide by your religious beliefs.
Maybe you are content to think that, to write me off as a “liberal” - - the
dreaded “L” word - - and rejoice that your candidate has triumphed over evil,
immoral, anti-American, anti-family people like me. But maybe you are still
curious. So here goes: this is who I am.
I am a New Yorker. I was here, in my apartment downtown, on September 11th. I
watched the Towers burn from the roof of my building. I went inside so that I
couldn't see them when they fell. I had friends who were inside. I have a friend
who still has nightmares about watching people jump and fall from the Towers. He
will never be the same. How many people like him do you know? People that can't
sit in a restaurant without plotting an escape route, in case it blows up?
I am a worker. I work across the street from the Citigroup Center, which the
government told us is a “target” of terrorism. Later, we found out they were
relaying very old information, but it was already too late. They had given me
bad dreams again. The subway stop near my office was crowded with bomb-sniffing
dogs, policemen in heavy protective gear, soldiers. Now, every time I enter or
exit my office, all of my possessions are X-rayed to make sure I don't have any
weapons. How often are you stopped by a soldier with a bomb-sniffing dog outside
your office?
I am a neighbor. I have a neighbor who is a 9/11 widow. She has two children. My
husband does odd jobs for her now, like building bookshelves. Things her husband
should do. He uses her husband's tools, and the two little girls tell him,
“Those are our daddy's tools.” How many 9/11 widows and orphans do you know? How
often do you fill in for their dead loved ones?
I am a taxpayer. I worked my butt off to get where I did, and so did my parents.
My parents saved and borrowed and sent me to college. I worked my way through
graduate school. I won a full tuition scholarship to law school. All for the
privilege of working 2,600 hours last year. That works out to a 50 hour week,
every week, without any vacation days at all. I get to work by 9 am and rarely
leave before 9 p.m. I eat dinner at my office much more often than I eat dinner
at home. My husband and I paid over $70,000 in federal income tax last year. At
some point in the future, we will have to pay much more - - once this country
faces its deficit and the impossible burden of Social Security. In fact, the
areas of the country that supported Kerry - - New York, California, Illinois,
Massachusetts - - they are the financial centers of the nation. They are the tax
base of this country. How much did you pay, Kansas? How much did you contribute
to this government you support, Alabama? How much of this war in Iraq did you
pay for?
I am a liberal. The funny part is, liberals have this reputation for living in
Never-Neverland, being idealists, not being sensible. But let me tell you how I
see the world: I see America as one nation in a world of nations. Therefore, I
think we should try to get along with other nations. I see that gay people
exist. Therefore, I think they should be allowed to exist, and be treated the
same as other people. I see ways in which women are not allowed to control their
own bodies. Therefore, I think we should give women more control over their
bodies. I see that people have awful diseases.
Therefore, I think we should enable scientists to try to cure them. I see that
we have a Constitution. Therefore, I think it should be upheld. I see that there
were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Therefore, I think that Iraq was not an imminent danger to me. It seems so
pragmatic to me. How do you see the world? Do you really think voting against
gay marriage will keep people from being gay? Would you really prefer that
people continue to die from Parkinson's disease? Do you really not care about
the Constitutional rights of political detainees? Would you really have
supported the war if you knew the truth, or would you have wanted to spend more
of our money on health care, job training, terrorism preparedness?
I am an American. I have an American flag flying outside my home. I love my home
more than anything. I love that I grew up right outside New York City. I first
went to the Statue of Liberty with my 5th grade class, and my mom and dad took
me to the Empire State Building when I was 8. I love taking the subway to Yankee
Stadium. I loved living in Washington DC and going on dates to the Lincoln
Memorial. It is because I love this country so much that I argue with my
political opponents as much I do.
I am not safe. I never feel safe. My in-laws live in a small town in Ohio, and
that town has received more federal funding, per capita, for terrorism
preparedness than New York City has. I take subways and buses every day. I work
in a skyscraper across the street from a “target.” I have emergency supplies and
a spare pair of sneakers in my desk, in case something happens while I'm at
work. Do you? How many times a month do you worry that your subway is going to
blow up? When you hear sirens on the street, do you run to the window to make
sure everything is okay? When you hear an airplane, do you flinch? Do you dread
beautiful, blue-skied September days? I don't know a single New Yorker who
doesn't spend the month of September on tip-toes, superstitiously praying for
rain so we don't have to relive that beautiful, blue-skied day.
I am lonely. I feel that we, as a nation, have alienated all our friends and
further provoked our enemies. I feel unprotected. Most of all I feel alienated
from my fellow citizens, because I don't understand what you are thinking. You
voted for a man who started a war in Iraq for no reason, against the wishes of
the entire world. You voted for a man whose lack of foresight and inability to
plan has led to massive insurgencies in Iraq, where weapons are disappearing
into the hands of terrorists. You voted for a man who let Osama Bin Laden escape
into the hills of Afghanistan so that he could start that war in Iraq. You voted
for a man who doesn't want to let people love who they want to love; doesn't
want to let doctors cure their patients; doesn't want to let women rule their
destinies. I don't understand why you voted for this man. For me, it is not
enough that he is personable; it is not enough that he seems like one of the
guys. Why did you vote for him? Why did you elect a man that lied to us in order
to persuade us to go to war? (Ten years ago you were incensed when our president
lied about his sex life; you thought it was an impeachable offense.) Why did you
elect a leader who thinks that strength cannot include diplomacy or
international cooperation? Why did you elect a man who did nothing except run
away and hide on September 11?
Most of all, I am terrified. I mean daily, I am afraid that I will not survive
this. I am afraid that I will lose my husband, that I will never have children,
that I will never grow old and watch the sunset in a backyard of my own. I am
afraid that my career -- which should end with a triumphant and good-natured
roast at a retirement party in 2035 -- will be cut short by an attack on me and
my colleagues, as we sit sending emails and making phone calls one ordinary
afternoon. Is your life at stake? Are you terrified?
I don't think you are. I don't think you realize what you have done. And if
anything happens to me or the people I love, I blame you. I wanted you to know
that.
Karen, regarding the callling of representatives - it would be great if we had an area of "phone call issues" in here - a place where very busy people could go to read about the things that are happening in DC that we on the side of sanity should be concerned about and should be contacting our reps about. We just can't know everything, can't sift through all the information on blogs and forums. So a short cut to "phone call issues" would be a good thing to have, and even a suggested questions to ask would be helpful.
As an example, my two Dem senators both voted for the omnibus appropriations bill on Sunday. Should I be upset with them? I wish they would have taken a stand against the outrageousness of it all, like John McCain did, but I'm not sure that I have all the information. Did they really vote for it just so that everyone could have the whole Thanksgiving week off? What should good representatives of the anti-neocon movement have done?
Should I be looking to John McCain's vote to measure integrity in my reps?
Just a thought. :-)
Tom, I just got home. From what Karen Bradley has told me and others on the DCP steering committe, the DNC and private orgs have lawyers investigating the situation in Ohio, NM and FLA. Whether this is investigation is being publicized enough is a good question. I won't fill you full of bullshit, I don't know what's going on. All I am told is -- the DNC lawyers are working on it and public demand can only help our situation.
As an aside, can you spot the trend of hipocrisy in the USA's demands of the Russian election? It's a trend with this administration -- psychologists call it "projection." Our election is being questioned, so go on the offensive and declare somebody else's election unfair. Fucking bastards.
Doh! That was supposed to go to my friend, not to the blog. Moderators with access please feel free to delete it. Thanks!
Well Mark, I can say that I share your closing sentiments! :)
You know it, Amy. I usually don't use naughty words but that description seemed to fit. :)
To those interested, this was the email I was responding to. This was from a family man in small-town Iowa.
Right now, I'm feeling pissed. A year or so after the 2000 election was stolen, the democratic party did nothing. People
signed on in droves to do something with this election. The repugs are stone walling every action to verify the vote, and the democrats are doing nothing. I'm hearing conciliatory tones from the leadership. No fuss over Alberto Gonzales even though he allowed torture. Things need to be done now!!!
Mark, I understand you frustration. please don't take this the wrong way, but stop thinking of the DNC to get things done.
Ths DNC has some institutional failings that are not going to be solved overnight.
This is the whole point of the Democracy Cells Project. We are going to build the strength of the voice of the movement from the ground up in order to be effective and powerful with our message.
It is a different day in organizing. Please join us in forming your own democracy cell and then teaching others how to do it.
I have read you posts and you have the passion and the caring to be a leader and a teacher.
Stop looking to the DNC for help. We can help ourselves. And we can teachs others to do the same. We here at the project will be posting to teach people just how to do this and to help answer questions you may encounter along the way.
It's a new day and we are moving forward. All of us. With strength. With passion. with committment. With power.
Who's joining us?
Casey, thanks!
PS I like your messages, too. :)
The DNC has become much like the Texas State Party. Its only function seems to be fundraising and then scratching their heads wondering how or where to spend the money. Its time for bold leadership from the top maybe Bill Clinto would be willing to become interum head. Why are they not in the faces of the election officials in Washington state or here in Texas where Republicans are trying to steal a legitimately won state office. The DNC has become worthless.
Many of us adopted Senator Boxer as our shadow Senator years ago and will continue to regard her as our real Senator.
Hi all:
I called my congressman to find out how he voted on the recent ethics vote. I was told he didn't vote, but the newly elected republican voted.
So I called the newly elected republican to ask how he voted and was told he didn't because he hadn't been officially sworn in. So I'm feeling like Mr. Nick Smith of Michigan (incombent) and Mr. Joe Shwartz (newly elected)allegedly moderate are giving me the run around.
I want to know who voted on the ethics bill. Clearly, my representatives don't want us to know. So lets create a list here and of who voted to lower the ethics standards and who voted to keep the high standards and to keep anyone charged with criminal wrongdoing to not hold a high level position. We can gather this information and let all their constituents know the truth about their elected officials and their integrity.
Posted by: cmorris | November 25, 2004 07:45 PM
I agree with you. The democracycellproject will be a force for all our elected officials to contend with. That is my purpose in finding out who voted on the ethics change.
I also find it ironic how the media is suddenly interested in election fraud and reform--in the Ukraine.
And additionally, the Ukraine's "state" media is protesting the fraudulent election. That shows implicently how they are striving for democracy and how we here have lost it.
We need to shame the media about this. If they think democracy is blooming there, then maybe they'll spread some here too.