We all should call. But my guess is that the Dems won't touch this. The MSM have ignored it, so there is no pressure for Congress to do anything. Unless their switchboards are flooded, they will just say nice things to the callers, and then ignore them.

by John R Moffett (89 articles, 18 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 697 comments [14 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 7:55:39 AM

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If people don't even try, then you'll surely be right.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 1:10:27 PM

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Every phone call equates to 13,000.

Our political theater is such that for everyone that calls the representatives believe there are 13,000 others of the same opinion who are too lazy to pick-up the phone and voice the same opinion, so it does have some power.

The problem is the powers-that-be care so little about what the people think anymore it could be 130,000 and it might not matter - unless of course they were camped out on their door-steps - which to me is something we should have been doing years ago.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 5:57:02 PM

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picks and shovels........ 

perhaps axes, swords and .... well, I personally prefer a mace.... 

by richard (0 articles, 5 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 1359 comments [400 recommended, 8 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 6:35:48 PM

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all of my "representatives" are Republicans, and not only will they ignore me, they will laugh at such a silly suggestion that there is anything such police abuse.

by Ed Martin (139 articles, 0 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 173 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:57:45 AM

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the house judiciary committee directly and the senate judiciary committee-- easily googled.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:44:10 PM

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for the Patriot Act to be overturned.

It is what is responsible for the corralling of anti-Bush protestors to areas and pens far away from the media (as written about by the ACLU).

It is responsible for the police state we are now in, giving police and FBI unilateral and expanded powers.

Congress voted for this by overwhelming majority, twice.

I am grateful to hear that this Congressperson you spoke with, Rob, has the good sense to care. But if he voted for teh Patriot Act, then he is double-talking you.

If he did not, he is probably sincere.

Yes we must call, but it will be like pruning  the branches of the tree while the tree keeps growing back. To really solve the problem, we must dig up the tree by the roots.

Overturn the Patriot Act. This is has got to be our primary focus if we don't want Tianenmen Square in AMerica becoming the norm.

by Kathryn Smith (110 articles, 2 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 542 comments [23 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 11:20:35 AM

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Call Congress anyway!

They DO listen to the voices of the millions. As Moveon.org turns in signatures by the hundreds of thousands, politicians don't budge. But every time Moveon has turned in signatures by the millions, I have seen Senators and Reps reverse their positions 180 degrees.

Democracy WILL fail if we don't participate. Let us not allow depression to govern *us* as it does the rest of the masses. Let's go for it! Ask others to join and the effect is exponential! Thank you.

by Kathryn Smith (110 articles, 2 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 542 comments [23 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 11:22:58 AM

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I was there in DC in 20003 when some 200,000 of us "demanded" a delay to the invasion.  On the same day, there were a million on the street in London to" demand" the same thing.  Result?  Zero. 

I have seen Senators and Reps reverse their positions 180 degrees.  

Oh really?   Which ones?  180 degrees from what?  And the net result was... what? 

If YOU want to jerk on the unconected levers and believe it's "doing something," that's fine.  However, the longer we delay REALLY "doing something," the more severe the REAL "action" will be.  "Revolution" is absurd.

It's going to be a Civil War.   

by waldopaper (15 articles, 3 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 609 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 7:11:16 PM

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I don't have time or patiences for complainers who say nothing can be done. You are probably one of those "don't vote" people too.

I called one congressman and he said he'd do it. Call the judiciary committees in the house and senate. Call Waxman's oversight committee.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:46:32 PM

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Do you think they might even appoint a committee to investigate?

Bureaucracies have so many intricate ways of avoiding doing anything. 

Bureaucracies can even work magic! If you have caught a crime on videotape in broad daylight, once the courts or the committees get through investigating it, deliberating over it, and adjudicating it, it may turn out as if it never happened at all! Shazam!

How are the impeachment hearings doing?  And, uh, as Rodney King put it, "Why can't we all just get along?" ROFL

by Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments) on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 at 1:35:26 AM

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This is (obviously) YOUR website. Thus I cannot refer to you as "pal" or tell you to "crawl into a hole."

You hold the banning riot-baton... as well as editorial body-armor and textual plastic handcuffs. Pointing out the "impeachment process" would only get me pepper-sprayed.

As a footnote: I WILL "vote" (doesn't cost anything...yet) and I DID send off another useless e-mail to my congressperp (who introduced legislation to put Reagan's head on the dime).

Nothing but total submission here. sir.

by waldopaper (15 articles, 3 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 609 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 at 9:18:18 PM

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I suggested they look at the videos themselves and asked how long they thought America was going to be the vibrant, fresh, country of new ideas that has made it great if this is what new ideas will be met with.  I brought up the militarization of the local police and the loss of the posse comitatus act as part and parcel of the events in the Twin Cities, and suggested that whichever party won, neither could govern effectively until the Bill of Rights was restored.  I quoted Edmund Burke throughout, the father of conservatism.

by W.M.L. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 537 comments [52 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 1:32:39 PM

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Though contacting legislators, officials, etc. may not be fruitful at first, it is a necessary aspect of the overall approach-    From Rage Against The Machine to hockey moms, we all need to speak out against injustice on all prongs  -Never stop fighting.... Thanks for the piece, Rob- 

by Brent Turner (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 94 comments) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 2:52:33 PM

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...and no "solution" at all.  What is "this?" 

"This" is the idea of "call" your Congressperp and "demand..."  Demand?  Or else... what... you won't "vote" for them in the next fake "election?"

"Reps," as in "representatives?"  Absolutely... we have a "representative" form of "government," and "they" represent the people who PAY them.  If you think that's the "US Taxpayer," you need to sit down on mommy or daddy's knee (if they're still alive) and have them tell you the TRUTH about Santy Claus.  

Look- we ALL KNOW what NEEDS to be DONE... except it is too dangerous (and probably illegal) to talk about it here.  But please... can we cut through the bullcrap about "calling" hoodie and "demanding" loodie?  If you WANT to BELIEVE the celebrity-cult "elections" are real, that's understndable. .. because the "alternative" is too awful to think about.  

Well... THINK about it... because it's the real deal, Niel.   

by waldopaper (15 articles, 3 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 609 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 5:20:09 PM

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also did you hear on tv today on cnn what the govenor of kansas said today----check it out-------realy dissapointed it was not an article posted today here--

by TRADESMAN (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 335 comments [40 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 5:51:47 PM

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...or anything like that... is THIS what you're talking about? 

Wow. whatever you heard on wherever fills me with so much hope and optimism.  

So glad to know that everything is just freaking fine.  

Hey-  Oprah's on!  

by waldopaper (15 articles, 3 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 609 comments [84 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 6:08:34 PM

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   It just about says it all that your concern is limited to the press. What an outrageous crumby thing to believe. Every other corageous soul getting their collective ass kicked is fine. Only the "press" should have their own personal constitutional rights. Screw the rest of us. Yeah you call your congressman and the mainstream media. Call your mama.  is there no way  to get you to wakeup?. You don't even know how to "feel" anger, let alone express it. Congratulations on your mushy gushy freedom of press vomitacious nonsense. Why don't you call Santa Claus too. Call ghostbusters. For all the good it will do. I know,"it can't hurt." It is a real courageous bit of silliness. Until you ultra civilized types wake up the right is correct. You are a bunch of elitist, pushovers.

by robert braunstein (60 articles, 0 quicklinks, 21 diaries, 194 comments [40 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:17:43 PM

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Folks, the only way to be GUARANTEED NOT to win the lottery is never to play. Sure it's more likely that you will be struck by lightning than that you will win. But, the only way to absolutely MAKE SURE OF IT is NOT to TRY.

Well guess what. If you really want to MAKE SURE that we ARE a police state, then DON"T CALL. FOR GOD's SAKE, DON"T CALL! FOR GOD's SAKE, LET"s HAVE TIANENMEN SQUARE IN AMERICA EVERY SINGLE DAY!

For all you care, that's what you will LET happen.

If you REFUSE to do your part, then shut up and stop moaning about how bad it all is. You have absolutely no right to moan in that case!

Those of us who actually give a damn and are working our tails off to see america restored as The Land of the Free NEED your help!

DO YOU CARE? Let's hope my impression is wrong.

OF COURSE policitians will literally get away with murder as EVERYBODy lies down!

OF COURSE They won't listen to 200,000 people out of a nation of 300 billion! OF COURSE they DO listen to the MILLIONS! REPEAT: I have seen it not once, but a number of times.

Hey, if you think elections are a lost cause, try a different tactic. SCANDALS WORK! Haven't you seen it? Or are you going to deny that too? What about using your pens to expose criminality to the light of day? You won't even try that!

SILENCE IS COMPLICITY. I RESENT THE HELL OUT OF YOU ALL FOR BLOCKADING THE CAUSE! WAIT UNTIL *YOU* ARE GUNNED DOWN BY POLICEMEN AND CHARGED WITH TERRORIST CRIMES JUST FOR SPEAKING OUT! MAKE NO MISTAKE OF IT: YOUR TIME, OUR TIME IS *GUARANTEED* TO COME SOON IF...NOBODY RAISES A PEEP AND NOBODY GIVES A DAMN!  

by Kathryn Smith (110 articles, 2 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 542 comments [23 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 at 9:56:56 PM

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Well, in the case of those of us in central Florida, if this issue weren't so serious, this would make one laugh out loud, since my congressman (R) John Mica was one of the abusers! (see his idiotic behavior on youtube) He is running for re-election and will, no doubt, go on to win.

Off point, this is a guy who has voted time after time to NOT fund veterans' benefits 

by MentalMagic (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 16 comments) on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 at 1:48:58 AM

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 Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me our Government is a Corporate Oligarchy veiled as a Republic. Perhaps we should focus the light on the power behind the seats.  http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?type=A

by Keystone (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 299 comments [78 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 at 3:10:22 AM

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