The Go-Gos and “Our Lips Are Sealed.” Dear Congress and WH: Not if we can help it…Signed, Your Pissed Off Constituents
The George Bush press conference today was one of the most convoluted non-answer-filled jumbles and dodges that I’ve seen in quite some time. Given the climate in Washington these days, that is really saying something. But one thing came across loud an clear in a question regarding accountability, the Libby case and the mess at the DOJ: George Bush accepts no responsibility for anything. And he thinks that Congressional oversight is less than necessary. And that his policies are the only way to “prevent future 9/11s.” And then it was off to many more days of vacation.
Chris Matthews came right onto MSNBC to say that it was powerful and that he was listening to one of the great neoconservative minds, Paul Wolfowitz, with whom he had lunch at some point prior to 9/11. “This President is ready to fight like a rock…and he made it clear that he is willing to stay and fight to establish democracy in Iraq.” Chuck Todd notes that the President is picking a fight on taxes with Congress — and that this maybe the one thing that Bush has in order to keep the lockstep base in line, the “scary taxes” issue that gets trumpeted across the Wurlitzer for election purposes.
And where is a Democratic response to all of this? *crickets thus far* (Although I suppose we should be grateful with “leadership” like this spew from Harold Ford. Good gravy! Don’t know about you, but I think I’ll set the TIVO to stun for the Kos/Ford match-up on MTP this Sunday…)
You want to know what my response is? Get in their faces and tell them you don’t like what you are hearing, and especially what they are doing. More of the same in Iraq? Not good enough. Handing over our civil liberties? Wrong. Misplaced domestic priorities and more corporate tax cuts at the expense of an increased deficit? No thank you.
Jane and several readers have found the following:
August 9 — Nancy Pelosi will be in Stamford, CT at a fundraiser for Chris Murphy at Il Falco Restaurant, 59 Broad Street, from 12:00 – 1:30 pm.
August 10 — Jim Clyburn will be at the “Grand Clyburn” golf tournament in Tunica, Mississippi.
August 12-14 — Nancy Pelosi will be touring New Orleans and Mississippi
August 15 — Harry Reid will be in Pahrump, NV at a town hall meeting at the Bob Ruud Community Center, Highway 160 and Basin Street from 11:30 am until 1pm.
August 21 — Steny Hoyer will conduct a town hall meeting in Syracuse, NY on the war in Iraq, time and place to be determined.
If you have some public event information for your elected officials, do share in the comments. The only way — and I mean the ONLY way — they are going to get the message is if we take it directly to them. Send letters, FAXes, e-mails and postcards. Write in letters to the editor in your hometown paper. Go to public meetings and speak your mind. Go to local political meetings and do the same. Set up a private meeting with them or their staffers. Or, better yet, do all of the above.
And while you are at it, take a few minutes to sign the Move-On petition against the craptastic FISA legislation.
Lobbyists and wingnut welfare groups spare no expense in doing this on a constant basis. It is up to us to make certain that our side has a voice in the mix with every single elected official we can contact. Citizenship isn’t something that you just get, it is something that you DO. Now, let’s get to work…what are you doing today to hold your elected officials accountable?
PS — Those who are represented by Randy Kuhl in NY, do keep this in mind. Creepy, reckless and stupid, and a whole bunch of other words that add up to “what a doofus.”
UPDATE: Reader mui found two more appearances of note (H/T to reader dakine for the heads up on the comment):
– Rep. Steny Hoyer will be doing a fundraising appearance for Brad Ellsworth in IN this month. If anyone has details on this, let us know.
– Rep. Jim Clyburn will be leading a congressional delegation to the Gulf Coast through Mississippi and Louisiana from August 12-14.
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Zed!
Busy reading.
{{Redd!}}
(Why don’t they just set out a tape recorder with his speech on? It would make as much sense and be as responsive to questions. And we could tell for sure which reporters are just stenographers, because they’d be the ones that wouldn’t mention it was recorded.)
I’m taking my message directly to the president.
He’s coming to Seattle-Bellevue, WA on August 27 for a fundraiser.
cancer_cures @ 4
Will the free speech zone be located in Portland?
How does one ” Fight like a rock”?
Just sit there and take the hits I guess.
Sometimes these people try too hard to make Bush look like a tough guy.
Drugstore Cowboy and all around brush cutter.
What got Tweety all a-tingle today, if the presser was so lame?
“This President is ready to fight like a rock…and he made it clear that he is willing to stay and fight to establish democracy in Iraq.
Um, how does one fight like a rock? Sit still? Be there? Don’t change shape?
Nemo at 7 — No clue. It was really bizarre.
Matthews tryin to suck in a couple more gooper viewers– he’s against the war ya know.
N=1 @ 5
That’s what I was thinking…
So what do I say if I call my rep and senators. They are all repubs and all serious Bushies. Should I call someone else’s reps instead?
Christy,
mui @ #68 last thread also found a Hoyer sighting scheduled fundraiser for Brad Ellsworth for later this month (no date noted)
I think Matthews misspoke. Fighting like a rock makes no sense. He no doubt meant to say that Bush was ready to fight like an enema or possibly a hairdryer.
“Fight like a rock.” Can someone help me understand this simile? It seems lamer than a centipede with gout.
anyone know where feinstein is hiding? I’d like to ask her why she voted for the FISA abomination
pk @ 16
Hiding out somewhere on her own personal island in the Pacific.
ok, everyone notice gasoline prices are getting lower fast?
this means there’s gonna be a bombshell bush is preparing for and he needs to calm the masses before it happens
maybe he’s preparing for colon powell to finally reclaim his patriotism and tell us what really happened?
N=1 @ 5
To be honest it’s a very accessible part of town. I don’t know how they intend to set up ‘free speach’ zones in that part of town. Either way, it’s gonna be great to be there. I have no idea if anyone is showing up – I’m checking online right now for organizations or protest groups that will crash the Bush party.
Maybe, “fight like a pet rock”?
Thanks for the splash party, Christy
and the call to more action!
Thanks for the heads up dakine — added them as an update. Huge thanks to mui for the find.
Hugh @ 14
I’ll be giggling at this comment all day.
Goopers back supporting their Clusterfucker- they’ve now all forgotten that he sponsored an immigration bill that they think means the end of western civilization.
Re: Kuhl from NY
Doofus is being kind Christy.
I was thinking cowardly asshole.
Anyone going to visit him should wear yellow. Send him postcards on yellow card stock. Yellow balloons,something.
That’s really appalling. Anyone running against him next go ’round should never let people forget this.
Let’s hope Congress’ report on “what I did on my summer vacation” says they listened to their constituents and will commence impeachment hearings!
rwcole @ 24
rw, he is all they have.
ccmask @ 11
Ignore unconstitutional “free speech zones”. The entire damn country was intended to be, and IS, a free speech zone.
A very scary but insightful read from an interview with comedian Rush Limbaugh:
Q One more, and that’s the recess appointment of Sam Fox. Sam Fox is from my home state, and I know Sam Fox — he’s an immigrant, a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant, whose parents would have nothing — when they died they had nothing. He is a totally self-created man, a great American. And he was treated horribly by Senator Kerry and others on that committee, simply because he had made a political donation. They essentially told him he did not have freedom of speech in this country, until he would apologize, until he would go up to Kerry and apologize for supporting the Swift Boats. Now the President has recess-appointed him. And of course, the Democrats have said they’re going to investigate this and going to look into this.
This is the kind of move that garners a lot of support from the people in the country. This shows the administration willing to engage these people and not allow them to get away with this kind of — well, my term — you don’t have to accept it — Stalinist behavior from these people on that committee.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, you’re dead on, Rush. I know Sam well. He’s a good friend of mine and has been for many years. I think he’s a great appointment. He’ll do a superb job as our Ambassador to Belgium. I was delighted when the President made the recess appointment. He clearly has that authority under the Constitution. And you’re right, John Kerry basically shot it down.
Q You go on vacation, this is what happens to you.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: If you’re a Democrat. (Laughter.)”
Rush Interview with VP in April 07
I can just hardly wait to see them chuckle about the next set of recess appointments, can’t you?
TiredFed @ 26
yeah right.
they don’t care.
Did anyone here get over to Pelosi’s event in Portsmouth, NH yesterday? If so, how did it go?
newt
Well they’ve got RUDY- the hero of the day we got the shit kicked out of us…
Funny kind of heros these goopers pick.
Like making heroic figures out of a last place team.
TiredFed @ 29
Substitue American for Democrat in Cheney’s response. It’s just as accurate.
Brief ThinkProgress post: Air force study contradicts Bush rhetoric
I see AT&T paid Chimpy back for the NSA bill by editing out bad words about Bush uttered by Pearl Jams’ Eddie Vetter.
The fascist merger is working like a charm.
Now if we can only prop up the stock market until January 2009.
-GSD
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 34
Any serious study of anything will contradit Bush rhetoric.
phred @ 31 – Someone made it to the Shea-Porter event, but couldn’t get access to Pelosi. See the end of Jane’s FISA Part II thread (linked above by Christy) for a report about that.
cancer_cures @ 4
Are you planning on being in the audience, or relegating yourself to the “free speech” zone?
Senator Amy Klobuchar will be at the Minnesota State Fair, which runs from August 23 to September 3. I’m trying to get the exact date(s) of the Senator’s visit from her shceduling secretary. She needs to be grilled about why she voted for FISA. I already called my critter, Keith Ellison, MN-05, to thanks him for his vote. He voted against. I’m also trying to get the schedule for that weasel, Senator Norm Coleman, who voted Yea.
I think Tweety meant to say: “Bush is ready to fight and I like his c*ck”.
-GSD
How come no one asked Cluster about Executive
Privilege?
Sorry, folks, but the day of voter pressure is OVER. The Dems have rolled over, the Presnit has claimed Congressional AND judicial powers and the CorpRunMedia have accepted each word from any Republican as fact.
Congress should save us some money and dissolve itself. For all the good they’re doing we could have a group of chimps picking fleas off of each other.
This republic is done for. In 5 years we’ll all be forced to get our SS# tattoed on our forearms and the ‘GWOT’ will be brought to you by V*agra. All gov’t services will be privitized but will accept MC and Visa. Your doctor will check you credit rating first and then your temp.
There is no way a Dem can win the WH. By hook or crook a Republican will be president. All foreign looking people will be rounded up and installed in a ‘detainment camp’ for background checks. All SS and Medicare/Medicade money will be released to the DOD to pay for new long range bombers. The U.S. will become a feudal system based on the bible and only white male Republicans will be allowed to run for office. Utopia indeed.
~~~ModNote: Edited for content to clear filters.~~~
More news out of DC:
Feds Plan New Air Passenger Screening
By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN, Associated Press Writer
8:46 AM PDT, August 9, 2007
[snip]
[snip]
So why didn’t they do it this way from the start? It would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble.
Fresh thread up and running from Tula for everyone…
pow wow @ 37
Thanks pow wow, I’ll go look…
Dr. Zaius @ 38
Free speech zone – It costs $1,000 to sit with the president and snack on moldy bread and cheese. I’ll just fire up my BBQ outside instead.
Link to protest site.
christy – thank you again… everytime you put up one of these posts i get a bit of faith that we can make a difference.
update, from RevDeb via email, on kerry’s missing friday night’s fisa vote is posted on bluemassgroup.
when i called senator kerry’s dc office today to complain about him missing the vote, i was told that i was the only person would had called so far to complain.
phred @ 45
What did it say? I can’t seem to find it. Are these events gonna be closed to those that don’t contribute? I hope Jane or someone sees Pelosi in CT today. Pelosi has some questions she needs to answer.
GSD:
The Republicans only need to prop up the stock market until November of 2008.
Joe and phred -
There’s a report in that same thread that a group of CT impeachment activists were planning to picket the Stamford Pelosi meeting today (a group of CT politicians were scheduled to attend along with Chris Murphy).
Pelosi sure is making certain she stays away from her HOME DISTRICT.
Wonder why?
CHS, have you read drational today at kos? any thoughts on that?
Jake D. @ 49
Right, they can claim the election of Hillary or Gravel is the cause of the new depression.
Forgot how cynical they are.
-GSD
P.S.
This news is almost as sad as the NYTimes piece about how poor George H.W. Bush is watching his little Georgie with sad eyes, like a dad watching his son lose at a little league game.
Except this little league game has killed about 700,000 people.
A new poll finds John McCain at all of three percent in Iowa. That and other political news of the day in today’s Election Central Morning Roundup.
casual at 52 — Nope, haven’t read it. Do you have a link? What is it about? Generally, I’m trying to stay on top of so much information in any given day, if you want me to see something in particular, providing some background and a link is really helpful for me. Thanks!
Dave:
The Speaker was in San Francisco on Sunday.
GSD:
I doubt Hillary will win. And, Gravel has LESS of a chance being elected President than McCain ; )
The leaders of the French Partisans, the Maquis always needed lots of prodding from their consituents…
oh wait, no they didn’t. they fought for what they beleived in, with great courage.
The (D) Party is more like the Vichy government every day.
(Vichy is French for, “we don’t have the votes”)
The Vichy’s were the least worst, compared to the Nazis!
But the French had a 3rd party, as it were, the Resistance, who are still heroes today.
Why not support leaders who you don’t have to nag in the summertime to do the right thing, for once?
Dave:
Of course, Cindy Sheehan is in San Francisco TODAY formally announcing her candidacy against Nancy Pelosi.
RUN, CINDY, RUN!!!
TiredFed @ 26
Sounds likely, doesn’t it.
There will be the Petreaus Report, impeachment of Gonzales, building the case for impeaching Cheney, something to deal with the creeping credit crunch, perhaps retirement system protections, FISA redux and who knows what else.
It’s a full plate of potato salad and hotdogs.
Comment:
It seems to me that the way things are shaping up, Hillary will be the Dem nominee and Giuliani will be the Repug nominee. VPs are anybody’s guess. If my prediction is right on, I think we all know who our next Prez will be. There’s no way the other candidate can win. He (and I mean he) is too dirty and simply has too much baggage. Every nasty thing that he has ever done (and he’s done plenty) will come out during what will be a thoroughly virulous
campaign.
Incidentally, the presidential race will then be the 2000 NY senatorial race that never was–because of Giuliani’s cancer–played out on the national scene.
sporkovat:
Do you live in California’s 8th Congressional District? If so, you can vote for Cindy Sheehan instead of Nancy Pelosi.
Biodun:
Your don’t think Rudy could have won that Senate race?! I would think both nominees would want a battleground state Governor as V.P. Maybe Bill Richardson for Hillary?
sporkovat at 56 — The nagging is part of the political process. It’s called “public opinion” and “voicing your concerns.” It was expected, which is why the Founders wanted elected officials who were citizens first, who farmed or had ties to their communities, and would return to them at the end of a legislative session and get an earful from their fellow citizens.
There is no pure third party. Period. And anyone who thinks there is — or that there is some magic bullet which will cure everything and that they then won’t have to do this work to have their voice heard with this group or that one is simply naive or full of it. The Green Party candidate in PA for the Senate financed his campaign with GOP donor money, for hell’s sakes, to serve as a vote syphon from Casey (who is not, btw, my fave, but that’s just a singular example).
Citizenship is not meant to be easy. And elected officials don’t get to have it easy either. And at the moment, we are in a down-cycle of me, me, me-ism and not a lot of “we” to go around. Tough shit — it’s up to us to turn it around, not some miracle third party candidate on a white horse. They do not exist.
We are the hero on the white horse — but ONLY if we do the damn work to make it so.
SnarKassandra @ 12
Can someone tell me? I will call.
JF @ 36
I could not contain my laughter at this comment. Then the morbid reality that it’s true sets in.
P J Evans @ 3
Why? Mebbe because they can’t find any tapes of him being coherent for longer than 1/2 sentence at a time. My fave time of today’s presser: when jr. snapped, “Just WAIT! I’m not finished yet!” to a hapless press would-be questioner. And then the next few minutes – seemed like hours – were filled with jr-mutterings, as himself tried, unsuccessfully, to find a single thought to express, from within that empty melon on his shoulders.
How do I find words to express how proud I am. So desirous of impeachment of the lot of these nits… I know I’m in the minority here, but I can dream, can’t I?!
p.s., for future reference to all you fellow home-fixer-uppers out there, it apparently is a rotten idea to try to tease used masking tape off edges of a newly painted wall while listening to a booosh presser. Whut WUZ I thinking?! *sigh*
on the importance of contacting our representatives…. do NOT assume they know what they are doing and that they don’t need our help.
kagro x finds that chairman waxman (oversight committee) was unaware of the “inherent contempt” power of congress.
i hope this report is in error… hard to believe… but i have to say that the more i follow what our congress is doing, the more i learn about what our representatives don’t know.
Must be the Lyme Disease
Jake D. @ 55
Your doubts on Hillary are not necessarily grounded in truth.
As to Gravel, you seem to have missed my ever present snark in that little bon mot.
-GSD
selise @ 66
Amazing but not surprising.
Really,before anyone runs for almost any office they should have to take a civics,basic law and government exam. Kinda like the civil service exam,but with tougher questions.
The following is a comment made on a local blog by someone who called Senator Mark (Lieber-lovin’) Pryors DC office and tried to ask about the FISA fiasco….
It’s rather scary,imagine what else they don’t know….
henry waxman needs a constituent visit part 2
sibel edmonds deserves justice. congressman waxman is the one to do it.
GSD @ 40
Oh, you’re bad…really bad…(remarkably accurate, though)
GSD:
Which “snark” was that? As for ME not grounded in reality. Considering that she currently polls at TWICE the negatives of any other candidate — and the fact that educated women are breaking for Obama overwhelmingly — my doubt is on solid ground.
Okay, so here’s my serious question to Christy (and this is not rhetorical, I am hoping to use it in a letter to Kyl and McCain, who are my senators, and to my rep): If you put a copy of the fourth amendment side by side with the new FISA bill, wouldn’t there be blaring conflict? Just the fact that they’re trying to remove oversight from the courts is definitive to me, but can’t we assume that any reasonable court would have to find this bill unconstitutional? And if one wants to pass this bill, first they must repeal the earlier bill, which so happens to be part of the Bill of Rights. Is this a legitimate approach, or would a lawyer just say, “Rank amateurs!” and ignore the point?
What they really need to know is – Bush will not respond to words. He will respond to acts.
When they were on the verge of failure with Padilla, they pull the case.
The objective of this congress needs to be to turn the screws as quickly as possible. Funding. Inherent Contempt.
Don’t fear the veto, welcome the veto! Then send the same bill back!
Well put, sporkovat @ 56.
What I’m thinking is that we need a mutiny in the Democratic rank and file in Congress to help us get the country (and the party) back on track – and I don’t mean a pseudo, self-serving mutiny like that of the Blue Dogs (who are Pelosi’s best cover when she wants a vote to end up a certain way, but doesn’t want to ‘own’ it).
The refusal to break ranks (even by Kucinich) on the unanimous consent requests in both the House and Senate on FISA tells me party and caucus dicipline is enforceable and enforced, at the leaders’ whim, including of most of the Blue Dogs when needed. The problem is what the whims and priorities of the party leadership leads them to do, and the suspension of independent principled action by the rank and file in opposition to corrupt party leadership, more so than the true motives of the majority of Democrats, I’m starting to think.
This week is an obvious demonstration of how the system works, as Nancy Pelosi runs herself ragged currying favor with and loyalty among new members grateful for her help in raising campaign funds. What do we have that can compete with that sort of under-the-radar sway, with the likes of Representatives Hodes, Shea Porter and Murphy, who are still feeling their way in Congress?
And while Pelosi is collecting chits, Steny Hoyer is giving an interview to Haaretz this week, assuring them that the Democrats want to listen to the Israeli government’s leaders and their point of view about the future of Iraq, to ensure that America doesn’t leave Iraq in “chaos” and posing a threat to Israel… Here’s one priority of the leadership of the Democrats in Congress, that a cancelled August recess would have interfered with:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/891358.html
This from the guy who doesn’t plan to hold a single public meeting in his own district during the month-long Congressional recess.
Yep. That’s why I’ve never voted for any third-party candidates. As for no magic bullet: There’s also no pure revolutionary moment from one social regime to the next.
Ann in AZ:
While you are comparing side-by-side, please let me know where in the 4th Amendment are America’s ENEMIES protected.
pat_alexva:
The prosecution of Jose Padilla rested last month — I think the defense case is still proceeding as we type — what are you talking about?
pow wow:
Tell all your friends in San Francisco to vote for Cindy Sheehan!!!
SnarKassandra @ 63
Cassie ~ Christy’s been doing posts all this week on the “You Work For Us Summer Tour.” The first one or two had all kinds of links and advice about how to write letters, using postcards (if that suits you), where/how to call and what to say, including setting up face-to-face meetings if your congress member *ever* comes to town. Check the posts for links to (sources for) telephone numbers as well.
I hope that helps ~ Go Cassie!
One simple thing to say when you talk to them: Bush today said that congress has not said that Alberto Gonzales has done anything wrong, so how in the world can he be held accountable? Of course this is crap – many senators have said he did many things wrong. but just to be crystal clear, tell your congressperson that Bush needs to be sent a personal letter detailing exactly all of the things Gonzo has done wrong. Offer them a list if they need it.
Jake D. @ 79
Jake, the SCOTUS was about to rule Padilla’s detention in Federal custody unlawful, so they Feds transfered him to state custody, IIRC.
selise @ 66
Oh, for heaven’s sake … now I truly have heard it all. They don’t seem to know much, do they?
Dawn @ 82
Individual Senators or Representatives saying it is quite a bit different (quantitatively and legally) from CONGRESS saying that Alberto Gonzales has done anything wrong, i.e. contempt citation or articles of impeachment.
ReddHedd – that link to the MoveOn petition has your info embedded in it. Whoops! Might wanna lop off the end of it so we don’t send a bazillion signatures in your name. I’ll be sure to put one in from lovely downtown Madison (i.e. me).
Wish Bush would just stay on vacation
newtonusr @ 83
Incorrect. His trial is currently proceeding in FEDERAL District Court.
AZ Matt:
Do you honestly think ANY modern-day President of the United States takes a normal “vacation” day (i.e. AWAY from work)?
OMG. Redd, might have a nice graphic for a future post, from the onion. Sometimes, they speaketh the truth.
http://www.theonion.com/conten…..rveillance
Ed Albaugh,
Elevator Repairman
“You won’t need to eavesdrop to hear this: I voted for you assholes because you said you were against shit like this.”
Linky wrt my earlier Padilla reference.
Jake D. @ 86
Not suggesting otherwise.
I called Waxman’s LA office (I’m a constituent) and asked about the rumour of his being unaware of “inherent contempt” powers. The aide said she didn’t want to speak on his behalf without checking, but that she would be very surprised if he was not aware of this power.
Jake D. @ 88
No Jake, I don’t. I just wish he would go away.
pow wow @ 77
Wow. Spot ON!
The Democratic caucus is (of course) driven by these group dynamics: who helps who, how people keep their position, and who doesn’t count. Who decides, when, and what, and for what reason.
I agree Pelosi is collecting chits and how else are junior members supposed to operate while they learn the ropes? More evidence the leadership is a big problem.
About Hoyer: this is huge. The Saudis are pressuring Bush not to leave Iraq and the Israelis are pressuring D’s and R’s not to leave Iraq. And Hoyer is ‘campaigning’ for the Israelis!
And 70% of the American population can’t get shit for getting out of Iraq.
WHAT A MESS.
anangryoldbroad @ 68
it’s what they think they know but are wrong about that worries me the most.
I called Conyers office and had them write down “inherent contempt” They treated me like a Rethug. I should have called Waxman as well. I assumed Henry knew. OmYGOD, I now trust no one in Congress.
Jake D. at 79 says:
August 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Ah, but that’s the rub, isn’t it. We are vulnerable because of the openness of our society; the solution this new bill represents is to lessen the openness by spying on one another. This is the same sort of thing that was used to explain why Communism is bad when I was a kid. The story went that under communism, children were encouraged to turn their parents in for anything that could be considered against the state. Everything was considered a traitorous act. Blah, blah, blah…Now our own government is telling us that we should offer up every transaction, every phone call, every e-mail to the government for their approval, and we should do it happily in the knowledge that we are doing it for our own good.
Vacation all I ever wanted.
Not for me it didn’t.
If the president wants to pick a fight over taxes with congress, it’s time the Democratic Party went into formation.
The obivious tax is a WAR TAX. We should recind all of the tax cuts until we have paid for this little adventure. It would be hard for the president to say he doesn’t believe we shouldl pay for the war he has directed.
He wants us to support the troops. Are we really only able to give lip service to the notion and pass the bill onto our children?
SnarKassandra @ 63
Cassie, I’m not sure whether someone has already addressed this, but: when you call, you don’t have to identify yourself according to your political preferences, just i.d. yourself as a constituent and a voter; you can let them know that you are in strong disagreement with the FISA bill and that you want written explanation of why your representatives voted to gut FISA. You might want to imply that you are concerned about the Republican party – that the party is being destroyed by the President’s policies and you would like to see your representatives separate themselves out from chimp – and start asking for some accountability.
I often say, truthfully, that I’m not speaking only for my own perceptions, but that I am hearing from everyone in my workplace, my neighbors, my community, a growing outrage.
Give your name and address, be polite but outraged, insist on a written response. And you can call both their Washington offices and their local office. Washington switchboard for Congress – try: 1 800 828 0498 or 1 800 614 2803.
selise @ 66
Selise, I forwarded KagroX’s (I believe it was) posts on Inherent Contempt to my Congressman, Peter Welch – who is on Waxman’s Oversight Committee – several months ago. I did get a personal thanks and acknowledgement from him, and said he’d keep it in mind when thinking about how to deal with folks in contempt of subpeonas. So someone on the Committee had that info.
Oh, O.K., newtonusr — I thought you had posted that the “Feds transfered him to state custody.”
AZ Matt:
I’m fairly certain he will go away on January 20, 2009 (and even more certain that his wife will not run for President in 2016 ; )
Jake D. @ 104
Yes, and then I did my homework. Recall that i was supporting pat_alexa @ 76:
Dawn @ 82
Actually, Bush would be on VERY firm ground if he simply stated that the House AND Senate have given Gonzales their vote of confidence by giving him powers to determine what Americans should be spied upon. If they trust him with THAT, how can he have done anything seriously wrong?
Don’t Forget:
And:
Nevada Clean Energy Summit
Date: 8/18/2007Location: Reno, NV
Peppermill Resort and Casino, Tahoe Ballroom.
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The inaugural Nevada Clean Energy Summit will emphasize the importance of clean energy development to Nevada and U.S. energy independence and will illustrate that Nevada is an ideal location for performing renewable energy research, manufacturing renewable energy systems, and generating renewable energy for the western United States. The event will feature U.S. Senator Harry Reid, federal, state and local officials, and other special guests. This event is FREE to attend thanks to the support of our sponsors. RSVP required by August 15, 2007. Space is limited.
And powow pointed this out in a previous thread:
Praedor Atrebates @ 107
Packing Civil Rights and other offices with hacks whose function it was to do anything possible, including prosecute the innocent and exonerate the guilty to ensure that Republican patronage would determine the outcome of elections from the Presidential one on down in favor of Republicans, i.e., One Party State.
and from those of us in NY29 re shotgun Randy- thanks so much!
pow wow @ 50
Here’s the story from the Connecticut Post:
http://www.connpost.com/breakingnews/ci_6583843
Pelosi urged to impeach Bush
MICHAEL P. MAYKO Mmayko@ctpost.com
Connecticut Post Online
Article Last Updated:08/09/2007 04:03:30 PM EDT
STAMFORD — Two dozen people armed with placards and petitions turned out today to beseech House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to push for impeachment of President Bush.
But Pelosi, a Democratic congressman from California, avoided the demonstrators by slipping into Il Falco restaurant through a back entrance cordoned off by police.
“She doesn’t like opposition,” said Marilyn Bonoff of Stamford, one of those demanding that proceedings be launched to force Bush from office. “We are the people she represents. For her to dodge us is just not right.”
Pelosi was in Stamford for a fund-raising luncheon benefiting U.S. Rep. Christopher Murphy, D-5. Several Democratic politicians including Mayor Dannel Malloy and state legislators from the area, attended.
Josh Raymond, a member of Murphy’s staff, said Pelosi did not give a formal address during the 90-minute session.
But Murphy’s support from Pelosi angered Steve Miller, a Bridgeport Democrat running for a council seat from the Black Rock neighborhood as a member of the newly organized Bridgeport First party.
“I’m here to let Chris Murphy know that I am angry he’s crawling into bed with Pelosi,” Miller said. “She made so many promises that she flip flopped on.”
Miller vowed that progressive Democrats in the state will challenge Murphy, first elected last year, in 2008.
Meanwhile, Sal Liccione of Westport, the Connecticut campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, running for next year’s Democratic presidential nomination, said he gave Pelosi a petition signed by about 650 state residents demanding she push for impeachment.
“She didn’t say much,” Liccione said.
He also gave a copy to Murphy.
“He said he’ll look it over,” said Liccione.
Next time you write about Randy Kuhl, can a brother get a link.
Harry Mitchell will post soon on his website the locations and dates for his upcoming “Street Corner” meets to happen soon in and around Scottsdale,AZ (so his office says). Will post more when they are posted.
i am sal from ct the speaker got pit but our party progissves told us not prostee why not i was inside and out
sal liccione @ 114
sal – I don’t quite follow your comment (it was easier to speak to Pelosi than the article makes it sound?), but KUDOS to you for getting the petition to Pelosi, however you managed it (and to Michael Mayko for covering the protest and appearance for the Connecticut Post):
http://www.connpost.com/breakingnews/ci_6583843
Great job. Hopefully somebody said “FISA” to her at some point during the event, but if not, here’s to better luck at the next opportunity (unless Pelosi manages to keep herself as sealed-off from the people as the president’s handlers manage to keep him – which alone would be quite telling and indicative of a certain state of mind).
[Thanks for linking that article, Save Our Constitution @ 111.]