Posted on 06/04/2009 9:23:08 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
Special to AIPNEWS.com
Just when you think you have heard it all, there is more. The Republican party has failed time and again to stand on the party planks, and failed to listen to the voices of the members of the party, the voters, whom they are allegedly supposed to represent. NOW we cannot even be assured that our voices are being heard, when it is our own voice, in Washington DC.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is hoping to make fast moves today, while under the smoke screen of Obama's support of Muslim rights and his selection of Sotomayor for Supreme Court. In a sly, fast moving pace they are hoping to confirm Judge David Hamilton. FORGET YOUR VOICE! They are NOT listening!! I made phone calls to each and every Senate Judiciary Committee member's office this morning. When I called Sen. Schumer's office, after I spoke my piece, "Please give this message to the Senator. Oppose and Filibuster, if necessary, the confirmation of Judge David Hamilton. The man should never have been allowed to become a judge to begin with. He does not support our Constitutional Rights of Freedom of Religion for all. He doesn't support the rights of Christians, and thus should never be confirmed." I was then asked for my zip code. I responded with it. After making 3 more calls, the call to Sen Cornyn's office resulted in the same request and it dawned on me that my message was being screened.
I asked the person on the other end of the line, from Cornyn's office if it mattered what my zip code was and the response was "YES". If it wasn't from the Senator's state the message was not going to be conveyed. I was stunned! I stated to them that since the Senator is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, he was representing the entire country in decisions being made and thus had no right to screen any messages regarding issues before that committee! The staff member then relented and seemed to take my message!
I received the same treatment with staff from Senator Klobuchar's office! I then called back to Sen. Schumer's office. I requested that the staffer find my previous message to the Senator. He could NOT find it!!! I then informed him that he and the Senator had no right to screen calls for the issues before the Judiciary Committee, that I wanted my message directed to the Senator immediately and a confirmation of his having received it. I left my mailing address, and informed the staffer that I was going to be reporting this.
In the past 2 years, any time I have taking the time to voice my opinions or request someone in DC to take notice of certain matters by email, I get an automated email response or snail-mail letter (even from my own legislators) and wonder where the black hole is that contains all the unread emails that everyone of us has sent to make our voice heard. Are those emails echoing off the dark cavernous walls of oblivion? Are the FAXes falling off the machine and into the large garbage receptacle right beside it?? Today's events make it obvious that even my REAL VOICE on the phone does not seem to make or have an impact. My messages are being screened by staffers who may, or may not be following an "office policy" or just functioning on their own non-objective whims. Is this WHY I voted for legislators to be in office? To be paid a large sum of money to make decisions about our state and country that will not even represent me, my family, our needs or our rights?? Decisions they hope to make quickly BEFORE the voters in the country hear about the issue and voice a concern, before they can be held accountable?
I have totally and completely lost faith in the Republican Party, and now in the system and how we are to reach our legislators! No one is listening!!
I hereby publicly put ALL Senators and Representatives of the UNITED STATES on notice!!!
Do not forget WHO put you where you are, WHO you are supposed to represent, and WHAT you are placed in Washington DC to do! It is NOT for the pork, the power, the control or the wealth. You are there to represent the people of THIS country!! You are here to stand up for OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS! How dare you spurn the voice of those you are elected to represent! How dare you spurn the Constitution, you are meant to uphold!!
DO NOT CONFIRM Judge David Hamilton (who ruled that it is illegal to pray in Jesus name, but okay to pray to Allah), who does NOT stand on my constitutional rights of religious freedom, and who will deny me my right to pray to God or express my views, over the rights of his Muslim friends/counterparts! This man is racist and prejudiced by such a stand against my religion which was in this country before Muslims ever were. If the Senate Judiciary Committee confirms such a man or anyone else taking such a stand, they do not stand on the Constitution of the United States of America and are not worthy of the position they are holding.
We will NOT be ignored! We will NOT go away! If you VALUE your office, then VALUE our voice!
M. McMurrey
The Heartland Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Yeah, it’s a shame about the zip codes. My solution has been to give them what they want: a Zip Code from their state.
Don’t know the Zip Code? Go here: http://www.usnaviguide.com/zip.htm
They were just looking for an excuse not to listen to you because you didn’t agree with them. Typical Liberal Demonrat MonoMental failure.
It wasn’t me who wrote this.
But you’re certainly right.
I think the writer expresses the frustration well of those who think government ought to listen to the people, but who are running into the reality.
Fact is, there really are very few in government who are listening to the people at all.
x Ben Nelson, D-NE 202-224-6551
y George Voinovich, R-OH 202-224-3353
x Bill Nelson, D-FL 202-224-5274
y Judd Gregg, R-NH 202-224-3324
x Kay Hagan, D-NC 202-224-6342
y Richard Lugar, R-IN 202-224-4814
x Mark Pryor, D-AR 202-224-2353
y Olympia Snowe, R-ME 202-224-5344
xz Blanche Lincoln, D-AR 202-224-4843
y Susan Collins, R-ME 202-224-2523
z Chris Dodd, D-CT 202-224-2823
xy Kit Bond, R-MO 202-224-5721
z Barbara Boxer, D-CA 202-224-3553
z Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY 202-224-4451
z Michael Bennet, D-CO 202-224-5852
z Roland Burris, D-IL 202-224-2854
z Byron Dorgan, D-ND 202-224-2551
(x = Lives in the South. y = Voted for Sebelius. z = Facing re-election in 2010)
Sorry! I am not on my normal computer and don't remember how to put up a link. You will have to paste this in the address box, since I am HTML-iterate!
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
In 2003, Judge Hamilton struck down part of an Indiana law on abortion. The reasonable law had required abortion clinics to simply give women information about alternatives to abortion in the presence of a physician or nurse, 18 hours before the procedure, until Hamilton ruled to hasten abortions. But thank God, the 7th Circuit Court also reversed Hamilton's bad decision in that case.
If confirmed now Hamilton will sit on that 7th Circuit Court (the same court that frequently overruled him) with tyrannical power to rule the heartland of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin with his anti-life, anti-liberty, anti-Christian agenda.
Is that North Nebraska or South Nebraska for ol’ Ben.
Judge Hamilton wrote: "The injunction orders the Speaker...that the prayers should not use Christ's name or title or any other denominational appeal...If those offering prayers in the Indiana House of Representatives choose to use the Arabic 'Allah'...the court sees little risk that the choice of language would advance a particular religion or disparage others."
In other words, Judge Hamilton ruled the words "Jesus" or "Christ" or "Savior" are illegal words, prohibited for public speech, banned by the First Amendment, which somehow prohibits freedom of religious expression, and makes Christian prayers ILLEGAL, but prayers to Allah are TOTALLY LEGAL in a public forum. (What crazy version of the First Amendment is he reading?)
Barbara Boxer, D-CA 202-224-3553 another refusal. no surprise there!
Nebraska is Nebraska, isn’t it?
Actually yes but unless they moved it, it’s not in the South.
LOL Gotcha!! I had a very blonde moment there....I am not sure what they were using to determine that...that information came to me via another route. Sorry! Where does the Mason Dixon line run??? ::sheepish grin:: I can picture the picture in my history book in Jr High, but not clear enough in my memory to know which states....isn’t that funny/ weird!
I love the response of the one staffer....we only represent the people who live in our state. If it were a WORLD issue we were voting on, would you want someone from Iraq to call and give us their advice?..... Ridiculous!!! Oh, wait a minute.... that was not a creative thought! It came from Obama!!! Why should the country listen to citizens when we can just hand things over to all the illegals in the country and those who are not voting citizens? and that staffer tried to pass it off as an original idea. Sheesh! /sarc
With that in mind, it is not improper to contact a Congressman from a different state. Just know in advance that your voice will weigh far less than a resident voice. Be sure to keep it civil as you are appealing to his reason and good graces and not as a constituant.
I do it all the time. Usually I will begin by stating my interest in his State, Something along the lines of "We do business in six states, including South Nebraska. I enjoy the opportunities of working with South Nebraskans and take every chance to see more of South Nebraska." That at least gives me a tie and a reason to contact him. I make my comment and thank him for considering my opinion. By doing it this way I am rarely dismissed as an outsider.
Another approach to consider is a positive feedback approach. "Mr. Smith, I saw today that you voted no on the confirmation of Mr. Debbil to the Appeals Court. I am a resident of North Nebraska but I would like to thank you for your courageous stand. You have done the country a great service." Don't hide anything and be positive. I have had several rather lengthy series of correspondence with Representatives from other states simply because I kept it pleasant.
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