Hello, everyone. Reposting this from a few days ago for those who may not have seen it. Now shorter, clearer, and with a short sample letter at the end that will fit on a post card!
A Call to Action: American democracy is in an unprecedented emergency. If we do not pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Act, our democra…
Hello, everyone. Reposting this from a few days ago for those who may not have seen it. Now shorter, clearer, and with a short sample letter at the end that will fit on a post card!
A Call to Action: American democracy is in an unprecedented emergency. If we do not pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Act, our democracy will die with the 2022 elections. I am asking all Americans who care to write or call the seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Trump of incitement of insurrection, asking them to form a coalition for the sole purpose of saving our republic by voting these bills into law now.
Not the time to argue who is sincere, who has integrity. These Republican leaders are who we've got. For an expert take on why this is our best bet, read Robert Kagan's recent piece in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/. Below is a list of their Washington addresses and phone numbers. (No email, please. It's not effective.)
Please remember that each of these seven have suffered violent threats for their vote to convict in the impeachment proceedings. My suggestion is to appeal to their love of country, to tell them their nation needs them to prevent radical Trumpians from destroying us, that we need them to step up now as the 2022 elections will otherwise mark our descent into autocracy.
Thank you.
Richard Burr, NC (retiring)
217 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3153
Bill Cassidy, LA
520 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5824
Lisa Murkowski, AK
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6665
Mitt Romney, UT
354 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-228-0836
Ben Sasse, NE
139 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4224
Patrick J. Toomey, PA (retiring)
248 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4254
Susan Collins, ME
413 Dirksen Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-622-8414
An example of short letter:
Dear Senator __________,
Our democracy is in grave and immediate danger. I am writing to you today because you showed courage in voting to convict former President Trump. Please form a coalition with other courageous Republicans and vote for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. The future of American democracy is in your hands. Thank you.
Thank you, Nomi, for highlighting the necessity for us to walk our talk, and making this action as effective and easy as possible.
However skeptical we may be about "courageous Republicans," this list does represent Republicans who need to be pushed--and that means by us--to walk their talk of upholding democractic process, and voting rights in particular, over self-serving loyalty to preserve their wealth and power.
Call them and what we also need is fax numbers. Flooding fax machines has a real visible effect on staff. Bogging down their operations is the key...it gets the staffs attention the most and makes them yell Uncle.
My daughter tells me that many of their fax machines are "EQ" (?) Meaning digital, no more paper to shoot out onto the floor. The system is programmed to respond to people they need to know about. But we don't know how many offices have them, especially if our machines don't ping the right codes in the 'handshake.' She also said that stand-alone fax machines are the new eight track and VCR dinosaurs. Oh well, something less to buy....
Nomi, your previous post the other day prompted me to write these senators, even though I knew that getting them read was a long-shot. I decided I had to get some skin in the game. On Saturday, I mailed 9 hand-written thank-you notes (including Manchin & Sinema). I emphasized the priority of passing the voting rights legislation ASAP. Today, I'll continue Fair Fight's Fall initiative to call my Senators every day (833-465-7142) with the demand to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I appreciate and will follow up on the practical suggestions readers in this forum are offering about how to take ACTION (such as today's FAX post). Many thanks to all! You have been a huge support this past year.
Jacquie, wonderful. And, yes, as others are saying, staff does tally letters and calls. I did not know about Fair Fight's calling initiative, but now I do! Thank you.
This is excellent, Nomi. Many thanks. HCR and your comment made me have this strange thought in my la magdrugadic brain this morning. I suddenly wondered, what would happen if all dems, progressives and independents suddenly joined the Republican party and inoculated it by dissolving or at least diluting its' dark energy with Truth and Light? What would happen? Poof?! Their voting power would suddenly shift? There are more of us than them...aren't there? . Just an early dawn can-we-use-the-light thought. If you cannot beat them, join them...and destroy them? There was a quote when I was much younger, "Dress Republican, Think Democrat." Those of you who understand politics better than I, can set me straight. But once upon a time Dems were the current Repubs, and Repubs were the Dems. How did they shift? And in the middle of that shift, was there balance first? Like the center line between Yin/Yang? Radical repubs infiltrated everywhere in our systems. We infiltrate theirs with sanity?
You know, when you are in a brainstorming session, ANY idea is allowed to percolate up...
Consider this a perk-up from my overworked, primordial ooze of Being this morning.
I was born into a Lincoln-TR-Ike Republican family. Nixon really changed things a lot in his desire to not lose and to help his "friends". Reagan pushed it a lot further, the first Bush had some heart and at least was a "professional". His son was controlled more by Cheney, Rove and others around him. Iraq was never about WMD. That's when I changed my registration. Trump is his own animal. People can see the light, but it's hard to give up something you've grown up with. Our R Gov Hogan never embraced Trump and it's worked for him. Light and truth always prevail. It can take a long time...but keep at it.
Oh Penelope. I surround both parties with white light every morning with an extra boost of light sent to the recalcitrant brat adults…on all sided. Surrounding darkness with white light allows it to get in the cracks. And, yes, most effective when done in la magdrugada….early morning.
I like to go out in the early morning...at last dark, first light and honor the 4 directions...commune with the Universe...now I have a word for the time. Perfect.
1) The next step up from voting is joining your local party. That’s where being outed as a RINO would take big courage, like what’s required more and more at school board meetings. Not that a requirement for courage should be a barrier.
2) Republican politicians no longer care about winning more than 50% of votes. Hence the legislation to suppress and override votes.
Pros:
1) A bunch of progressive votes would sweetly mess with Republican gerrymandered districts.
2) A bunch of progressive votes would sweetly dismantle legislation to suppress and override votes.
3) Impression management and polls: Significant numbers of registered Republicans tallied as supporting progressive issues and candidates catches media attention and builds that momentum.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
Some sort of critical mass is needed to transform individual party switches into an effective movement. But it starts with individuals and needs cohesive direction.
For awhile it looked like the more Lincolnian Rs would reject the seditious Rs and either reclaim the party or split the party. But neither has happened.
How much of the big switch was an artifact of unique historical circumstances,
We need to re-read and re-listen to all that HCR has written and said about the history of the Republican Party and that switch of affiliation by big business. And of course, follow the money, which takes us back to the matter of how to influence big business. Which is all the more daunting in light of a new round of expose of dark money machinations as illuminated by the Pandora Papers. But why should “daunting” be a barrier. Other than wisely marshalling resources to maximize effectiveness.
Here’s a brief refresher on the big switch:
“How did this switch happen?
Eric Rauchway, professor of American history at the University of California, Davis, pins the transition to the turn of the 20th century, when a highly influential Democrat named William Jennings Bryan blurred party lines by emphasizing the government's role in ensuring social justice through expansions of federal power — traditionally, a Republican stance.
But Republicans didn't immediately adopt the opposite position of favoring limited government.
"Instead, for a couple of decades, both parties are promising an augmented federal government devoted in various ways to the cause of social justice," Rauchway wrote in an archived 2010 blog post for the Chronicles of Higher Education. Only gradually did Republican rhetoric drift to the counterarguments. The party's small-government platform cemented in the 1930s with its heated opposition to the New Deal.
But why did Bryan and other turn-of-the-century Democrats start advocating for big government?
According to Rauchway, they, like Republicans, were trying to win the West. The admission of new western states to the union in the post-Civil War era created a new voting bloc, and both parties were vying for its attention.
… From a business perspective, Rauchway pointed out, the loyalties of the parties did not really switch. "Although the rhetoric and to a degree the policies of the parties do switch places," he wrote, "their core supporters don't — which is to say, the Republicans remain, throughout, the party of bigger businesses; it's just that in the earlier era bigger businesses want bigger government and in the later era they don't."
In other words, earlier on, businesses needed things that only a bigger government could provide, such as infrastructure development, a currency and tariffs. Once these things were in place, a small, hands-off government became better for business.”
I actually did this once when I was young. Registered R for the primary to vote against Nixon. If enough people do it, you can sway an election in the primaries. In this case today try and get R's who will be reasonable, or loose to the Dem. It would take a lot of organizing and it would have to be in districts where the Dem is a sure thing or un-opposed in the primary. TX, GA & KY would be very interesting case studies.
The big shift occurred when LBJ supported & signed Civil Rights legislation. He did the moral thing, knowing many southern Dems would be upset and possibly leave the party. Nixon used that opportunity to court white racists in the southern states. That's when the south started to change from solid D to solid R. There's other factors and other things happened, but that really created the electoral map we see today. It's interesting that 2 of the Dems elected President since then have come out of the south, Carter & Clinton while Bush II is the only R from the south....and R's have elected 2 celebrities, Reagan & Trump. Bush I and Biden have been the political "professionals" and Obama came from the outside...and many of the elections have been very close...and now are electorally decided in about 8 states.
Thank you, Nomi, for reposting. When I wrote to these senators last week I asked them to vote for the Freedom to Vote Act but did not mention the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. I think a postcard this time (as opposed to a letter) could be very effective...with all due respect to envelopes!
Yes, I'm glad I got it down to postcard length. Postcards are good. Glad you're doing it again. I want them to get bags of mails. I posted on Twitter, and have gotten a lot of retweets, so that is encouraging.
A LOT of postcards is good...especially from their districts. We must find like minded people in their states...that makes the most difference....and calls...flood the phone lines...and we need fax numbers...nothing gets staffs attention like a pile of Fax paper on the floor. They can feel and see the "attack".
Lynell I would assume that Dem organizations in these states are doing these things, but one never knows. I'm extremely busy with my video work right now and don't have the time to do the "grass roots" organizing and motivating stuff. My suggestion is find the key Dem organizations in these states, communicate with them...get them into this forum and motivate them to call, fax and send post cards to these R senators in mass....and the truth is 100 calls, faxes and/or post cards feels like a barrage if they happen quickly in a day or 2. A "friendly" protest that gets TV coverage outside their local office with more than 20 people is really effective stuff...especially if it gets repeated on social media.
Lynell here's an example of how local groups can pressure their elected reps with video on social media. I just posted this to my "Camera Person Reflections" page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvgNv1F7gLQ
Thank you. I will start sending faxes to my representative.
You can also use Resistbot to send messages. It works from Twitter, Messenger and other media. It’s free but you can donate to support. We donate. My husband is much better about using it than I am.
Thank you again! I wrote my senator (Toomey) sending it snail mail but also email. Received a reply which details the current Rep. rhetoric on voting. Very discouraging.
These senators' individual responses are not to be expected to deviate from their party line. The value of these letters, emails, and postcards is adding to the numbers tallied on the issue by their office staff. Power in numbers!
This is absolutely true and essential. Flood them, make them feel it. This was a big part of the process we used to ban fracking in Maryland. We made sure the elected reps who were on the fence and whose votes we needed felt the heat constantly and in volume.
A few years ago when the goal was to send Trump pink postcards as a pink slip notification that he was fired we bought a stack that could be fed through the printer. Very nice not to have to hand address a hundred cards. Then we put a variety of messages on them. I think I have some left.
I rarely hand write anything because of my vision problems. I am thankful for a 12” iPad that I can make the print large!
Yes Anne, I too am a pajama person. Occasionally even in the car to drop my grandson off at college. Mostly to the mailbox and neighbors.
Several years ago when my husband had surgery for prostate cancer I made him about 8 pairs of pajama bottoms out of batik. Unless he has to go out of the house it’s all he wears. They’ve gotten great use during Covid and are lightweight for the heat. He also has flannel for the winter.
12 post cards (had to go to 2 POs) addressed, text composed, written, and in mailbox in plenty of time for 11am pick up. Of course with Mr DeVice's new slo-mo, they may not get to DC in time...
you're right. Any time a minority in power attempts to control the agenda like the Southern Planter aristocracy by secession and now this law, it just leads to bad results for the minority trying to impose their will. And it's all going to be painful in the process for a lot of people.
I just realized after reading your insights w the Southern Planter aristocracy, that states rights have a tendency to insure inequality. But not always. For instance, ME and AZ allow for government supported funding for state elections, including for governor. ME also allows for Ranked Choice Voting. However, the states rights inclusion in our democracy allows for suppression, because it challenges the federal role in assuring civil liberties.
You are certainly correct...and the "majority" opinion sometimes needs help getting to the right place. Southern secession is our "most extreme" states rights battle to date. We need to be teaching that the Civil War was fought because the CSA was an attempt to create a nation trying to preserve slavery.
Mike, Ashley, thank you so much. And, yes, I know Postcards to Voters is working on the Virginia House campaign. My mom and I have written thousands of postcards through them these past couple of years. They have made a huge impact in many close elections.
And thanks a mil, too, Ashley, for your Virginia voters stack! I voted over a week ago but sent my husband this morning to vote. I told him to just vote wherever he saw a "D" next to a name. He came back carrying the VirginiaDems pamphlet he was given down at the polls.
Will be starting on postcards tomorrow. Thanks, again.
Hello, everyone. Reposting this from a few days ago for those who may not have seen it. Now shorter, clearer, and with a short sample letter at the end that will fit on a post card!
A Call to Action: American democracy is in an unprecedented emergency. If we do not pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Act, our democracy will die with the 2022 elections. I am asking all Americans who care to write or call the seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Trump of incitement of insurrection, asking them to form a coalition for the sole purpose of saving our republic by voting these bills into law now.
Not the time to argue who is sincere, who has integrity. These Republican leaders are who we've got. For an expert take on why this is our best bet, read Robert Kagan's recent piece in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/. Below is a list of their Washington addresses and phone numbers. (No email, please. It's not effective.)
Please remember that each of these seven have suffered violent threats for their vote to convict in the impeachment proceedings. My suggestion is to appeal to their love of country, to tell them their nation needs them to prevent radical Trumpians from destroying us, that we need them to step up now as the 2022 elections will otherwise mark our descent into autocracy.
Thank you.
Richard Burr, NC (retiring)
217 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3153
Bill Cassidy, LA
520 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5824
Lisa Murkowski, AK
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6665
Mitt Romney, UT
354 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-228-0836
Ben Sasse, NE
139 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4224
Patrick J. Toomey, PA (retiring)
248 Russell Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4254
Susan Collins, ME
413 Dirksen Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-622-8414
An example of short letter:
Dear Senator __________,
Our democracy is in grave and immediate danger. I am writing to you today because you showed courage in voting to convict former President Trump. Please form a coalition with other courageous Republicans and vote for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. The future of American democracy is in your hands. Thank you.
Thank you, Nomi, for highlighting the necessity for us to walk our talk, and making this action as effective and easy as possible.
However skeptical we may be about "courageous Republicans," this list does represent Republicans who need to be pushed--and that means by us--to walk their talk of upholding democractic process, and voting rights in particular, over self-serving loyalty to preserve their wealth and power.
Call them and what we also need is fax numbers. Flooding fax machines has a real visible effect on staff. Bogging down their operations is the key...it gets the staffs attention the most and makes them yell Uncle.
I posted this list elsewhere on your comment, Mike: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Thank you Lynette! Stuffing their fax machines.
Thx so much!
Lynell, you are golden, many thanks💙!
Shh, Ashley...I'm an Ellie Kona wannabe!
…said the daily “morning, y’all!!” well researched links poster who cheerily inspires Ellie Kona and so many others!
My daughter tells me that many of their fax machines are "EQ" (?) Meaning digital, no more paper to shoot out onto the floor. The system is programmed to respond to people they need to know about. But we don't know how many offices have them, especially if our machines don't ping the right codes in the 'handshake.' She also said that stand-alone fax machines are the new eight track and VCR dinosaurs. Oh well, something less to buy....
Good to know, Gus. Bummer!
Yes, exactly.
Nomi, your previous post the other day prompted me to write these senators, even though I knew that getting them read was a long-shot. I decided I had to get some skin in the game. On Saturday, I mailed 9 hand-written thank-you notes (including Manchin & Sinema). I emphasized the priority of passing the voting rights legislation ASAP. Today, I'll continue Fair Fight's Fall initiative to call my Senators every day (833-465-7142) with the demand to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I appreciate and will follow up on the practical suggestions readers in this forum are offering about how to take ACTION (such as today's FAX post). Many thanks to all! You have been a huge support this past year.
Staff will see them. They tally how many letters or communications they get on either side of an issue for their reps. Numbers matter.
Jacquie, wonderful. And, yes, as others are saying, staff does tally letters and calls. I did not know about Fair Fight's calling initiative, but now I do! Thank you.
Thank you, Jacquie and Good morning. Keep those efforts going. You sound like a warrior.
This is excellent, Nomi. Many thanks. HCR and your comment made me have this strange thought in my la magdrugadic brain this morning. I suddenly wondered, what would happen if all dems, progressives and independents suddenly joined the Republican party and inoculated it by dissolving or at least diluting its' dark energy with Truth and Light? What would happen? Poof?! Their voting power would suddenly shift? There are more of us than them...aren't there? . Just an early dawn can-we-use-the-light thought. If you cannot beat them, join them...and destroy them? There was a quote when I was much younger, "Dress Republican, Think Democrat." Those of you who understand politics better than I, can set me straight. But once upon a time Dems were the current Repubs, and Repubs were the Dems. How did they shift? And in the middle of that shift, was there balance first? Like the center line between Yin/Yang? Radical repubs infiltrated everywhere in our systems. We infiltrate theirs with sanity?
You know, when you are in a brainstorming session, ANY idea is allowed to percolate up...
Consider this a perk-up from my overworked, primordial ooze of Being this morning.
I was born into a Lincoln-TR-Ike Republican family. Nixon really changed things a lot in his desire to not lose and to help his "friends". Reagan pushed it a lot further, the first Bush had some heart and at least was a "professional". His son was controlled more by Cheney, Rove and others around him. Iraq was never about WMD. That's when I changed my registration. Trump is his own animal. People can see the light, but it's hard to give up something you've grown up with. Our R Gov Hogan never embraced Trump and it's worked for him. Light and truth always prevail. It can take a long time...but keep at it.
Oh Penelope. I surround both parties with white light every morning with an extra boost of light sent to the recalcitrant brat adults…on all sided. Surrounding darkness with white light allows it to get in the cracks. And, yes, most effective when done in la magdrugada….early morning.
Can you send some of that light up to Georgia? And beam a little over to Sen. Warnock please....
Let's send it around the globe every madrugada!
Light in the cracks, I like it...magdrugada (didn't know the word till now) is my favorite...
“Madrugada” is classic Daria. Shared last week. Such a beautiful descriptor.
I like to go out in the early morning...at last dark, first light and honor the 4 directions...commune with the Universe...now I have a word for the time. Perfect.
Circle of Light time.
It is my new favorite word, too, from Daria a few days ago.
Continuing the brainstorming with pros and cons…
Cons:
1) The next step up from voting is joining your local party. That’s where being outed as a RINO would take big courage, like what’s required more and more at school board meetings. Not that a requirement for courage should be a barrier.
2) Republican politicians no longer care about winning more than 50% of votes. Hence the legislation to suppress and override votes.
Pros:
1) A bunch of progressive votes would sweetly mess with Republican gerrymandered districts.
2) A bunch of progressive votes would sweetly dismantle legislation to suppress and override votes.
3) Impression management and polls: Significant numbers of registered Republicans tallied as supporting progressive issues and candidates catches media attention and builds that momentum.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
Some sort of critical mass is needed to transform individual party switches into an effective movement. But it starts with individuals and needs cohesive direction.
For awhile it looked like the more Lincolnian Rs would reject the seditious Rs and either reclaim the party or split the party. But neither has happened.
How much of the big switch was an artifact of unique historical circumstances,
We need to re-read and re-listen to all that HCR has written and said about the history of the Republican Party and that switch of affiliation by big business. And of course, follow the money, which takes us back to the matter of how to influence big business. Which is all the more daunting in light of a new round of expose of dark money machinations as illuminated by the Pandora Papers. But why should “daunting” be a barrier. Other than wisely marshalling resources to maximize effectiveness.
Here’s a brief refresher on the big switch:
“How did this switch happen?
Eric Rauchway, professor of American history at the University of California, Davis, pins the transition to the turn of the 20th century, when a highly influential Democrat named William Jennings Bryan blurred party lines by emphasizing the government's role in ensuring social justice through expansions of federal power — traditionally, a Republican stance.
But Republicans didn't immediately adopt the opposite position of favoring limited government.
"Instead, for a couple of decades, both parties are promising an augmented federal government devoted in various ways to the cause of social justice," Rauchway wrote in an archived 2010 blog post for the Chronicles of Higher Education. Only gradually did Republican rhetoric drift to the counterarguments. The party's small-government platform cemented in the 1930s with its heated opposition to the New Deal.
But why did Bryan and other turn-of-the-century Democrats start advocating for big government?
According to Rauchway, they, like Republicans, were trying to win the West. The admission of new western states to the union in the post-Civil War era created a new voting bloc, and both parties were vying for its attention.
… From a business perspective, Rauchway pointed out, the loyalties of the parties did not really switch. "Although the rhetoric and to a degree the policies of the parties do switch places," he wrote, "their core supporters don't — which is to say, the Republicans remain, throughout, the party of bigger businesses; it's just that in the earlier era bigger businesses want bigger government and in the later era they don't."
In other words, earlier on, businesses needed things that only a bigger government could provide, such as infrastructure development, a currency and tariffs. Once these things were in place, a small, hands-off government became better for business.”
https://www.livescience.com/34241-democratic-republican-parties-switch-platforms.html
Food for thought!
Ellie…I’ll need to think about all this for quite awhile. Lots of nuggets in there…as usual. Thank you.
Great idea, Penelope! Just like the NYT columnist who suggest that Biden could get his money for his programs by minting a trillion dollar coin!
Is that called subversion or sabatage? Either esy i’m for it. Reps do it to the Dems already
I would say it would be a subversive action. And sabotaging their authoritarian coup d'etat would be the goal.
I actually did this once when I was young. Registered R for the primary to vote against Nixon. If enough people do it, you can sway an election in the primaries. In this case today try and get R's who will be reasonable, or loose to the Dem. It would take a lot of organizing and it would have to be in districts where the Dem is a sure thing or un-opposed in the primary. TX, GA & KY would be very interesting case studies.
Good morning Penelope! Very interesting perk-up.
I surprise my Self, sometimes, Gus!
Pay no attention to Randy. Keep on thinking!
Yes, he is adding nothing to the discussion at hand. Thanks, Gus!
The big shift occurred when LBJ supported & signed Civil Rights legislation. He did the moral thing, knowing many southern Dems would be upset and possibly leave the party. Nixon used that opportunity to court white racists in the southern states. That's when the south started to change from solid D to solid R. There's other factors and other things happened, but that really created the electoral map we see today. It's interesting that 2 of the Dems elected President since then have come out of the south, Carter & Clinton while Bush II is the only R from the south....and R's have elected 2 celebrities, Reagan & Trump. Bush I and Biden have been the political "professionals" and Obama came from the outside...and many of the elections have been very close...and now are electorally decided in about 8 states.
Thank you, Nomi, for reposting. When I wrote to these senators last week I asked them to vote for the Freedom to Vote Act but did not mention the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. I think a postcard this time (as opposed to a letter) could be very effective...with all due respect to envelopes!
Will get right on it today.
Yes, I'm glad I got it down to postcard length. Postcards are good. Glad you're doing it again. I want them to get bags of mails. I posted on Twitter, and have gotten a lot of retweets, so that is encouraging.
A LOT of postcards is good...especially from their districts. We must find like minded people in their states...that makes the most difference....and calls...flood the phone lines...and we need fax numbers...nothing gets staffs attention like a pile of Fax paper on the floor. They can feel and see the "attack".
Here's a list by state of senators' fax numbers: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
This same site has the fax numbers of House members as well as governors. You can find those lists at the top of the site.
Lynell I would assume that Dem organizations in these states are doing these things, but one never knows. I'm extremely busy with my video work right now and don't have the time to do the "grass roots" organizing and motivating stuff. My suggestion is find the key Dem organizations in these states, communicate with them...get them into this forum and motivate them to call, fax and send post cards to these R senators in mass....and the truth is 100 calls, faxes and/or post cards feels like a barrage if they happen quickly in a day or 2. A "friendly" protest that gets TV coverage outside their local office with more than 20 people is really effective stuff...especially if it gets repeated on social media.
Lynell here's an example of how local groups can pressure their elected reps with video on social media. I just posted this to my "Camera Person Reflections" page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvgNv1F7gLQ
This is an excellent example of the need to follow through! Thanks, Mike
Thank you. I will start sending faxes to my representative.
You can also use Resistbot to send messages. It works from Twitter, Messenger and other media. It’s free but you can donate to support. We donate. My husband is much better about using it than I am.
Thanks, Sharon!
Thank you again! I wrote my senator (Toomey) sending it snail mail but also email. Received a reply which details the current Rep. rhetoric on voting. Very discouraging.
These senators' individual responses are not to be expected to deviate from their party line. The value of these letters, emails, and postcards is adding to the numbers tallied on the issue by their office staff. Power in numbers!
Yes.
This is absolutely true and essential. Flood them, make them feel it. This was a big part of the process we used to ban fracking in Maryland. We made sure the elected reps who were on the fence and whose votes we needed felt the heat constantly and in volume.
Should we add these senators to your list as well?
The Honorable Richard Shelby
304 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
The Honorable Roy Blunt
260 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
The Honorable Rob Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
as soon as I am decent (dressed) I'm going to the P O to buy post cards. Thanks for your additions
A few years ago when the goal was to send Trump pink postcards as a pink slip notification that he was fired we bought a stack that could be fed through the printer. Very nice not to have to hand address a hundred cards. Then we put a variety of messages on them. I think I have some left.
I rarely hand write anything because of my vision problems. I am thankful for a 12” iPad that I can make the print large!
Yes Anne, I too am a pajama person. Occasionally even in the car to drop my grandson off at college. Mostly to the mailbox and neighbors.
Sharon, you're my kind of gal! Thanks for the pajama party!
Postcard writing pajama party!!!!!
🤣🤣🤣
Pajamas: Acceptable Covid Attire. Also sweats for ugly old men....
Several years ago when my husband had surgery for prostate cancer I made him about 8 pairs of pajama bottoms out of batik. Unless he has to go out of the house it’s all he wears. They’ve gotten great use during Covid and are lightweight for the heat. He also has flannel for the winter.
Postcard writing pajama party!!!!!
Postcard writing pajama party!!!!!
(pajamas ARE decent, apparently - especially for driving to the post office)
...especially to use the outside drive up mailbox so one doesn't have to go inside. I use the drive up mailbox as I have ambulatory problems
Well Barbara, in that case practically any costume could be appropriate 🤣
Wearing pajamas is definately legal for walking to the mailbox. Amd mine is 1/2 mile away. Except between 3 pm and 6 pm.
Does this provide an insight into your selection of ... pajamas?
I'm still laughing! But nah, it just indicates that "we dress for dinner!"
😅🤣😂
We'll take you, Anne, decent or otherwise!
Pajama pants and slippers are frequently seen in Albuquerque Walmarts, school drop off lines and even occasionally at the malls. 🙄
Nomi thank you. Constant and increasing pressure on the the right elected reps is what gets results.
Mailed seven letters yesterday!
Thank you for giving us something TODO!!
12 post cards (had to go to 2 POs) addressed, text composed, written, and in mailbox in plenty of time for 11am pick up. Of course with Mr DeVice's new slo-mo, they may not get to DC in time...
“States Rights Are Dangerous” as our history has proven, and our current Texas Vigilante Law proves
you're right. Any time a minority in power attempts to control the agenda like the Southern Planter aristocracy by secession and now this law, it just leads to bad results for the minority trying to impose their will. And it's all going to be painful in the process for a lot of people.
I just realized after reading your insights w the Southern Planter aristocracy, that states rights have a tendency to insure inequality. But not always. For instance, ME and AZ allow for government supported funding for state elections, including for governor. ME also allows for Ranked Choice Voting. However, the states rights inclusion in our democracy allows for suppression, because it challenges the federal role in assuring civil liberties.
You are certainly correct...and the "majority" opinion sometimes needs help getting to the right place. Southern secession is our "most extreme" states rights battle to date. We need to be teaching that the Civil War was fought because the CSA was an attempt to create a nation trying to preserve slavery.
Done. Handwritten. Snail mail.
Nomi!
Thanks a mil for making such an impactful action so simple and succinct for us!
I’ll be adding these 7 postcards to my stack going out to VIrginia voters today. 💙
Mike, Ashley, thank you so much. And, yes, I know Postcards to Voters is working on the Virginia House campaign. My mom and I have written thousands of postcards through them these past couple of years. They have made a huge impact in many close elections.
And thanks a mil, too, Ashley, for your Virginia voters stack! I voted over a week ago but sent my husband this morning to vote. I told him to just vote wherever he saw a "D" next to a name. He came back carrying the VirginiaDems pamphlet he was given down at the polls.
Will be starting on postcards tomorrow. Thanks, again.
Done! Thanks so much for providing the info!
Thank YOU, Liz!
De nada. 🥰
Letters are finished and will be mailed today 10/4.
Mine too!
Thank you, Nomi. I will do this.