Okay, this is my third time typing this because apparently I am a "moron" who can't work the new-fangled "technology." But if I can type it 3 times, you can read it once.
The 2006 Budget is up for vote again tomorrow in the House. Everybody's all geeked about the Superbowl of Talking Points (State of the Union) and nobody's talking about the Worst. Budget. Ever. It passed the House 212-206 before the holidays, but the Senate changed some stuff and now the House has to vote again for all the marbles. This budget can be killed. And should be. Read E.J. Dionne today if you need some background.
Two Republican moderates who voted for it last time have just come out against it (Schwarz from Michigan and SImmons from Connecticut). A lot of them are already in the hotseat on this--so make the hotseat hotter. This is a bipartisan effort and it is winnable and you should tell your damn Representative that you're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore: http://action.voiceshub.org/campaign/2006spendingbill
REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTACT: (If your representative is on this list, you must contact them, or turn in your "I give a damn" card)
Gerlach (Pa.)
Johnson (Conn.)
Jones (N.C.) - missed Dec. vote
Ramstad (Minn.)
Shays (Conn.)
Sweeney (N.Y.)
REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTACT:
Boehlert (N.Y.)
Bono (Calif.)
Boozman (Ark.)
Brown-Waite (Fla.)
Capito (W.V.)
Castle (Del.)
Coble (N.C.)
Jo Ann Davis (Va.)
Tom Davis (Va.)
Dent (Pa.)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Fla.)
Ehlers (Mich.)
Emerson (Mo.) Fitzpatrick (Pa.)
Foley (Fla.)
Fossella (N.Y.)
Gilchrest (Md.)
Gillmor (Ohio)
Gingrey (Ga.)
Green (Wis.)
Gutknecht (Minn.)
Hayes (N.C.)
Kelly (N.Y.)
Kuhl (N.Y.)
LoBiondo (N.J.)
McCotter (Mich.)
Miller (Mich.) Otter (Idaho)
Platts (Pa.)
Regula (Ohio)
Rehberg (Mont.)
Reichert (Wash.)
Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.)
Saxton (N.J.)
Shimkus (Ill.)
Simpson (Idaho)
Upton (Mich.)
Walsh (N.Y.)
Weldon (Pa.)
(Here's how they voted the first time around.)
Here's what you do: Call 800-426-8073 to contact the Capitol Switchboard. Ask for your Representative. If you've done this before, you probably enjoy this part, do what comes naturally. If not, you can say:
"My name is ________ and I live in [your town/city]. I would like Representative [name] to vote NO on the budget cuts bill (S.1932). This bill will cut billions in vital services that children need, services such as Medicaid, Child Support, Child Care, and Foster Care. Now that Representative [name] has had time to read and fully understand the implications of this bill, I urge him/her to vote against it."