Matt Stoller at MyDD has put up a post about the net neutrality which I am going to reprint in toto. (I'm sure he won't mind.) The situation is dire. I've never asked my readers for a dime, and neither have most other bloggers. But if you want blogs like mine to continue to exist, if you want to see forums like Democratic Underground continue to grow, you have to DO SOMETHING NOW. Stoller's words follow:
Ok, so the House Judiciary is going to mark up Sensenbrenner's great net neutrality bill tomorrow. Many of the Democrats have been pressured by the Communications Worker's of America to vote down the net neutrality provisions. The CWA came out publicly against net neutrality just now because the telecom companies have convinced them that this is vital to their industry. The CWA has made a grievous error here, with SEIU taking the other side. I just learned that these are the members to contact on the Sensenbrenner bill. Here's what to say. Urge them to support the bipartisan Sensenbrenner-Conyers Net Neutrality bill (HR 5417) in the Judiciary Committee on Thursday -- and to support it without amendment. Saying without amendment is key.
[NOTE BY CANNON: Make it easier on yourself. Just say "PRESERVE NET NEUTRALITY." Then hang up.]
Howard Berman (D-Calif. 28th)
Phone: 202-225-4695
Fax: 202-225-3196
William Delahunt (D-Mass. 10th)
Phone: (202) 225-3111
Fax: (202) 225-5658
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas 18th)
(202) 225-3816 phone
(202) 225-3317 Fax
Marty Meehan (D-Mass. 5th)
Phone: (202) 225-3411
Fax: (202) 226-0771
Bobby Scott (D-Va. 3rd)
Phone: (202) 225-8351
Fax: (202) 225-8354
Chris Van Hollen (D-Md. 8th)
Phone: (202) 225-5341
Fax: (202) 225-0375
Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 35th)
Phone: (202) 225-2201
Fax: (202) 225-7854
Mel Watt (D-N.C. 12th)
Tel. (202) 225-1510
Fax (202) 225-1512
Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y. 9th)
Phone: (202) 225-6616
Fax: (202) 226-7253
Robert Wexler (D-Fla. 19th)
phone: (202) 225-3001
fax: (202) 225-5974
3 comments:
Forgive me, but ABSOLUTELY DON'T shout "support net neutrality" and hang up, as Joseph thoughtlessly advises.
If you do, the whole thing will be dismissed as a movements of lunatics and flashers.
Make your point concisely, but take the trouble to make it. These whores have to understand that you're a rational person who votes.
Whenever I talk to congressional staffers, they always act as though they want to keep the dialog as short as possible. I stillsay the most effective way is to call the offices late at night. Dial *67 so that they do not know whether or not you are a consituteunt. Leave a short, to the point message. Hang up. Let 'em tote up the number of calls they receive on the subject in the morning...
My old civics teacher used to tell us to send postcards. Just scrawl a brief message: "Do this." "Don't do that."
GOOD NEWS!
I called Rep Berman's office this morning to ask them to support the HR 5417 without amendment and was told it already passed in the Judiciary committee yesterday morning, 22 to 11, without amendment.
If anyone wants to see a video webcast of the Judiciary proceedings yesterday morning and see the session, go to:
http://judiciary.house.gov/markup.aspx?ID=132
and then click on the link "video webcast". Apparently these video webcasts are being made available to the public so that citizens have the complete record of the sessions instead of 1) no reporting by the media or 2) filtered/biased reporting by news organizations like Fox News.
to get more info about when this bill is going to be scheduled for a vote before the House, I spoke with a Judiciary committee staffer who works for Sensenbrenner and she said that before the HR5417 can be scheduled for a vote for the house, a report has to be filed and then it has to be put on the calendar which won't be until probably mid-June at the earliest she said due to the house going on recess next week and it takes at least a week to schedule a vote for the entire house.
Although the house is on recess next week except Sensenbremmer is actually interrupting his vacation to hold unprecedented hearings about the FBI's Saturday night raid on Rep. Jefferson which can be viewed via video webcast by clicking on the schedule for Tuesday May 30th:
http://www.judiciary.house.gov/schedule.aspx
and then click on "live video webcast". Here is the press release in .pdf that I have copied and pasted:
Sensenbrenner Announces Hearing Next Week on Constitutional Questions Raised by the FBI’s
Unprecedented Saturday Night Raid of Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (RWis.)
today announced the Committee will hold an oversight hearing next week on the constitutional questions raised by the FBI’s unprecedented Saturday night raid of Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-La.) Capitol Hill office.
Chairman Sensenbrenner stated, “Members of Congress must follow the law and be held
accountable just like everyone else. By no means, should Rep. Jefferson’s alleged conduct be
condoned, but there is a constitutional way for justice to be served. The FBI’s unprecedented
Saturday night raid of Rep. Jefferson’s Capitol Hill Office raises profoundly disturbing
constitutional questions that must be addressed.”
“In their wisdom, the Founders established checks and balances in our system of government to
protect the ability of the People’s representatives to do their jobs free of intimidation or threats from the executive branch. Unfortunately, the FBI’s raid seriously infringed upon the
Constitution’s Speech or Debate protection for the People’s representatives in a way not seen in the past 219 years and could have a chilling impact on the Legislative Branch’s ability to
function. Tuesday’s hearing will focus on these constitutional issues and what remedies might
be necessary,” added Chairman Sensenbrenner.
WHAT: Oversight Hearing entitled, “Reckless Justice: Did the Saturday Night
Raid of Congress Trample the Constitution”
WHO: House Judiciary Committee – Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (RWis.),
Chairman
WHEN: 9:30 AM, Tuesday, May 30, 2006
WHERE: 2141 Rayburn Building
TENTATIVE WITNESSES:
Professor Charles Tiefer, Professor at University of Baltimore School of Law and former
Assistant Legal Counsel to the Senate (1979-1984), Solicitor and Deputy General Counsel to the
House (1984-1995); Professor Jonathan Turley, Professor of Law at George Washington
University Law School; The Honorable Robert S. Walker, former Representative from
Pennsylvania and former Chairman of the Science Committee; and Mr. Bruce Fein, Esq.,
Principal at the Lichfield Group.. Rep Sensenbrenner is extremely concerned about the exercise of FBI raids
Ok, Joseph, I did my bit today for democracy!
anon from SF who is actually having a day off from work today and started calling the list you posted yesterday--yeah! happy memorial weekend everyone
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