I know, I know, everyone is wiped out from Mardi Gras and Super-Duper Tuesday, and the urge to write that candidate diary you've been writing over and over again every day for the last few months is overwhelming. But I'm here to ask you, Nay! to beg you, to put down that mouse and back away from that keyboard, pick up that phone and call as many Senators as possible concerning the FISA legislation. We don't have a moment to waste here, folks, it's do or die time, shit or get off the pot time, time to put your words into action in an effort to save our Constitution and the way of life we hold dear and would like to see live long enough for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
Yes, I am repeating exactly what the Front Pagers have been telling you. I intend to repeat it until we either win this thing or our rights and protections are stripped from us. Then I'll be taking it to the streets, as I've done in the past.
I know, I know. It's the middle of a work day, you're burned out from all the primary stuff and that list of Senators is long and daunting. Just thinking about the phone bill makes you cringe. But this is Democracy, folks. That requires participation, it requires us to do things that make us uncomfortable or requires some sort of sacrifice. How much sacrifice are you willing to deal with? Would you rather take a little time out of your day to make a difference or just watch as your protections are stripped away, then complain about it in some diary? I know what the answer is for me. What is the answer for you?
So close that office door, pull out your cellphone and make a few dozen quick calls.
Per mcjoan, here is the list. You know what to do. If your Senators are not on this list, call them anyway, along with the rest...
- Bayh (202) 224-5623 phone, (202) 228-1377 fax
- Byrd (202) 224-3954 phone, (202) 228-0002 fax
- Carper (202) 224-2441 phone, (202) 228-2190 fax
- Feinstein (202) 224-3841 phone, (202) 228-3954 fax
- Inouye (202) 224-3934 phone, (202) 224-6747 fax
- Johnson (202) 224-5842 phone, (605) 341-2207 fax
- Kohl (202) 224-5653 (202) 224-9787
- Landrieu (202)224-5824 phone, (202) 224-9735 fax
- Lincoln (202) 224-4843 phone, (202) 228-1371 fax
- McCaskill (202) 224-6154 phone, (202) 228-6326 fax
- Mikulski (202) 224-4654 phone, (202) 224-8858 fax
- Nelson (FL) (202) 224-5274 phone, (202) 228-2183 fax
- Nelson (NE) (202) 224-6551 phone, (202) 228-0012 fax
- Pryor (202) 224-2353 phone, (202) 228-0908 fax
- Rockefeller, (202) 224-6472 phone, (202) 224-7665 fax
- Salazar (202) 224-5852 phone, (202) 228-5036 fax
- Stabenow (202) 224-4822 phone, (202) 228-0325 fax
- Chambliss (202) 224-3521 phone, (202) 224-0103 fax
- Coleman (202) 224-5641 phone, (202) 224-1152 fax
- Collins (202) 224-2523 phone, (202) 224-2693 fax
- Dole (202) 224-6342 phone, (202) 224-1100 fax
- Graham (202) 224-5972 phone, (202) 224-3808 fax
- Lieberman (202) 224-4041 phone, (202) 224-9750 fax
- McCain (202) 224-2235 phone, (202) 228-2862 fax
- Smith (202) 224-3753 phone, (202) 228-3997 fax
- Snowe (202) 224-5344 phone, (202) 224-1946 fax
- Sununu (202) 224-2841 phone, (202) 228-4131 fax
- Warner (202) 224-2023 phone, (202) 224-6295 fax
And when you're done, open that office door and go have a chat with your family, friends, co-workers, strangers on the street, anyone and everyone you come in contact with. Beg, cajole, twist their arms, do whatever it takes to get them to do the same. Hand them your cellphone, dial the numbers for them and show them what they need to say. We need numbers, folks, we need overwhelming numbers to put the fear of God and the fear of losing their precious power positions into them so they'll listen to us. And if they tell you that they only accept info from people in their states, you tell them, politely, that this doesn't affect people just in their state, it affects all Americans and you demand better from them.
While I type this, there are young men and women in a foreign and unhospitable land putting their lives on the line in the name of Freedom. That's your freedom. The fact that the Iraq war is unjust and their sacrifice is unwarranted and that pursuit of the real perpetrators of terror has been thrown by the wayside only makes it that much more important that we do our part to make sure that this kind of intrusion on our rights and protections ends now. In light of the sacrifice made by so many others on our behalf every day, this is the smallest of prices to pay.
Go on now, go do your part. And remember....
UPDATE: For those of you who do not have phone or fax access, try sending emails. If the Senators accept emails, they can be found here. You can also send a fax online via faxZERO (hat tip to dogheaven. Thanks!)