I was burnt out by the end of last week and I had Monday off so I decided to take the time off from some diaries and catch up on some rest. Here's one e-mail I received over the weekend from Senator Tom Udall (D. NM) that I wanted to pass along to you all:
During the holidays, 1.3 million jobless Americans -- those hardest hit by the Great Recession -- lost their unemployment benefits. For the past couple weeks we in the Senate have been trying to restore those benefits. You know what happened to that effort?
The Republicans in the Senate filibustered it.
Filibuster abuse is an ongoing problem. And while I commend Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for taking a step to relieve the gridlock on executive nominations, critical work is still being obstructed -- and it needs to end.
We need real filibuster reform, the kind that gets the Senate working again once and for all. Make your voice heard and call on the Senate to reform the filibuster now. Click here to add your name to the petition.
http://www.tomudall.com/...
In the Senate, filibusters don’t work like they do in the classic movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” Nowadays, Senators hold up an important vote without so much as a word.
It’s time to change the rules, to make sure that obstructionists can’t put up more roadblocks like they did on unemployment insurance.
If a Senator wants to block a bill, any bill, they should have to explain themselves on the floor using the real “talking filibuster” of Senate tradition. And that’s exactly the kind of reform that the Senate needs.
Add your name to the petition and call on the Senate to adopt the talking filibuster rule immediately.
http://www.tomudall.com/...
Thank you for your help and for working to end gridlock in the Senate.
Tom
You can click here to add your name:
http://www.tomudall.com/...
Another issue Udall is pushing is a constitutional amendment to fight Citizens United:
Over the last four years, Citizens United has damaged our electoral process on a scale that has never been seen before in American politics.
In 2012, outside special interests and dark money groups raised and spent more than $400 million. And this year alone, they’ve already raised an astounding $25 million.
Thanks to Citizens United, outside spending has taken over our elections, drowning out the voices of the middle class and undermining the democratic process. And it’s up to us to take it back.
That’s why my friend and colleague, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, and I are joining together to gather support for a constitutional amendment to reverse the disastrous effects of this law -- and we’d like your help, too.
Today marks the fourth anniversary of Citizens United. Add your voice to ours in support of our constitutional amendment to make sure that it’s the last. Sign the petition today.
http://www.bennetforcolorado.com/...
Amending the constitution is never easy -- and it’s not supposed to be.
But Americans have the right to an electoral system where their voices can be heard and candidates with the best ideas, rather than the biggest bank accounts, can compete.
Show your support for a more accountable, more transparent democratic process. Sign our petition today.
http://www.bennetforcolorado.com/...
Thank you,
Tom
You can click here to add your name:
http://www.bennetforcolorado.com/...