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Bust Bauer! Print E-mail
State Activism
Written by Joyce Morrell   
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 21:34


Bust Bauer!

A Statesman or a Politician?


 

A Statesman or a Politician?

from Walls in Our Minds by Red Beckman

 

1. A Statesman loves the Constitution.

- A Politician hates the Constitution.

 

2. A Statesman enforces the Constitution

- A Politician violates the Constitution.

 

3. A Statesman uses truth to keep power in the hands of the people.

- A Politician uses lies to gain power over the people.

 

4. A Statesman's primary concern is to secure freedom for future generations.

- A Politician's primary concern is to get elected or re-elected.

 

5. A Statesman will not play politics with the people's money.

- A Politician will buy votes with tax money.

 

6. A Statesman knows the people must control government.

- A Politician believes that government should control people.

 

7. A Statesman knows the people must limit government's power to tax.

- A Politician believes government should have unlimited power to tax.

 

8. A Statesman gives his allegiance to the people and country.

- A Politician gives his allegiance to government.

 

9. A Statesman will demand a balanced Budget.

- A Politician will spend money stolen from future generations (deficit spending).

 

10. A Statesman will cause peace.

- A Politician will cause wars.


The Campaign to Clean the House



Speaker Pat Bauer has overstayed his welcome and grown too big for his britches.  His actions of partisan politics must end!! 

 

Our job here is to inform Speaker Bauer that we have had enough of his 'machine' politics and its time to start acting professional in his representation to, of and for, the people of Indiana or be replaced. 

 

Phase 1.  Educating Speaker Bauer's constituents.

 

1.  Letters to the editor.  Ten people will write one letter (making 9 copies) per week for five weeks to send to ten newspapers in Speaker Bauer's surrounding area and major newspapers around the state.

2.  Use Constitutional reasoning when applicable in your letters when addressing Speaker Bauers actions and misdirections.

3.  Tools will be provided here on ICRC website as the Campaign unfolds.


Issue topic suggestions will be posted here, on the ICRC website -- one issue per week.

Those ten letters each week will then be posted on ICRC website for others to be inspired.


Depending on topic, you may be addressing "Is this Constitutional?" and / or his integrity each week (this could be exciting).

We will have resources as the weeks progress.

 

Phase 2.  Causing awareness in his party.

 

Fellow Hoosiers who have a Democrat Representative in Indiana should contact him/her and ask for explanation of why they continue to support Speaker Bauer. 

Holding them accountable at the same time we hold Speaker Bauer accountable.

 

Phase 3  Money and Boot Action

 

Ads in his District - money

Boots on the ground canvassing in his district throughout spring of 2010.

 

 

Also, if you would like to drop Speaker Bauer a line via his General Assembly webpage, you can by clicking here.

Newspapers

South Bend South Bend Tribune (A) (C)

 

 

Indiana Newspaper Editor's Email Addresses

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--------------------------------
More media contacts: newspaper email addresses:

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Week 1

 

Week 1

 

Laying foundational work for the five weeks series (if necessary we will add an additional five weeks) refer to the Statesman vs Politician by Red Beckman, write your letters using the examples from Red's chart.  Please be precise, factual, and be clear on the Speakers offenses this session. 

 

 


Week 2

 



Tools

Below are a number of excellent references (in recommended reading order).

Remember to keep written correspondance to under 1500 characters for effectiveness.

Communicating with Elected Officials - Congress.org
Letters to Leaders at Congress.org - Actual letters processed at congress.org. Wide variety.
Hints for communicating with congress - Congress Merge
How to Write Letters to Elected Officials - About.com
Letters to Congress - About.com
Writing Letters to Elected Officals - Community Toolbox - Kansas University
Community toolbox - *****   excellent.
Enhance Your Political Voice - 2020vision.org
Tips on writing your elected officials - ACLU - ugh!

Google: writing letters to politicians

From: http://politicalactivistsonline.homestead.com/

Political Activism - The American Tradition


Ways to make your views known:


1. Call members of congress.
2. Write letters to congress and letters to the editor in your local newspapers.
3. Online activism, in chat rooms and forums. Start your own web site.E-mail articles to friends. Use of the web has made a major impact on politics and has greatly helped the conservative cause.
4. Help conservative groups and campaigns.
5. Call radio talk shows.

Conservative's debating tactics:


1.  Pace yourself, be patient but consistent and firm. 
2.  Never state facts without sources. Use credible sources.
3.  Never exaggerate or misrepresent facts.
4.  Never resort to the sleazy tactics used by the opposition.
5.  Never start or enter a debate without knowledge of the issue.
6.  Never retreat when you know you are right. Finish with a firm statement and display confidence.
8.  Never allow the opposition to draw you off subject.
9.  Never under estimate the power of a lie or propaganda; don't let it go unanswered. Don't assume people won't believe it.
10.Never act, talk or conduct yourself in a manner that  diminishes or brings disrespect to the conservative cause.

 

Activism fundamentals


To a elected official you can be a pleasure or a pain.

Pick and focus on one. A thorn in the side, or their best friend. You catch more flys with honey than you do vinegar.


Pleasure for politicians: money or votes. Pain for politicians: Angry voters, bad press, no money, loss of party support, challenged in primary, public humiliation.

Effective method of moving politicians:
Write letters, insist on a reply.
Share and track replys. 
Write follow-ups.

Get the word out.
  • Find like minded individuals to aid in the campaign, make sure they stay informed.
  • Study the issue, become knowlegable and persuade associates, friends and family.
  • Prepare questions in advance, and seek out opportunities to question politicians on the issue whenever possible.
  • Follow the money.
  • Boycott financial supporters of mal-illed politicians.


Be prepared for a long fight.

Notes from Real Politics Seminar with Mike Rothfeld, August 31, 2008, Brooklyn Center, Mn.

Politicians suborn humanity for ambition.


They are ruled by ambition which reduces their behavior to the mechanical.

They are predictable and understandable

Are manipulatable

 

Politicians have a Pavlovian Response. Two forms of stimuli:

 

Pain and Pleasure.

 

PLEASURE
#1: money.
#2 Good press, praise, public endorsements.
#3 Getting others to attack their opponents for them.

 

Can't handle real time actions, or losing. Best way of pressuring them is with these two items.

Easiest way to get votes, is to buy them, hence entitlements. Of all sorts.

 

PAIN

#1 ANGRY VOTERS
No money.

Bad Press

Public humiliation (getting common, less effective of late)

Loss of party support.

Getting challenged in primary as an incumbent

 

Greatest force in politics - Inertia. Easiest, safest thing for a politician to do, is nothing. To move, need to mobilize and confront, apply force vectors to move the status quo box.

Morton Blackwell, Founder of the Leadership Institute. "Political Success is determined by the effectiveness and number of the activists on either side."

 

Politicians responses to Mobilization and Confrontation:

Ignore

Respond

 

Responses: Threaten, many direct and indirect ways..... powerful people with the ‘law' on their side. May approach you to 'Explain' the facts' or reply with: "If I don't follow the crowd something worse will happen".  May try to buy you off with prestige, privilege or entitlement.  Can be very good at sucking you in and then pigeon holeing you.  (hence sugar is better -jt)

Articles on the same subject on the web by Mr. Rothfeld (same material as above):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2078859/posts

http://www.nationalgunrights.org/realnatureofpolitics.shtml

 

 

 

 

MORE ACTIVISM RESOURCES


SPREAD THE WORD - FURTHER ACTIVISM

  • Stay informed and connected.   If you're familiar with RSS feeds you can add a RSS feed for our State Activism page by clicking here.  Or, you can subscribe to our  Action Alert email list by clicking here.
  • Share this issue and our website with your friends, family and associates. Click here to email this page or use the icon in the upper right corner of the article window.
  • Familiarize yourself with the issue and help us campaign.  Watch the videos, read the articles.
  • Help develop literature, handouts and fliers.
  • Print out literature to hand out, post or share.
  • Help canvass and spread literature in your communities.
  • Write a letter to your local newspaper.

More links and resources

 

Activism.net - LOTS of resources - left, green - globalist.

Activism 101. - dead link..

Wiki entry on activism

Activism entry at Answers.com

Activism.net excellent list of articles, guides and material for the activist,

Electronic Frontier Foundation - Activism another excellent site with LOADS of information.  Personal liberties and freedom idealogy.

Political activist online - very nice site.

How to be a Political Activist - Andrew Paterson  8/2003

GWU - Political Management Master's Program Courses - Syllabus and required reading.

Saul Alinsky - Wikipedia - Know thy enemy.

Alinksy's Rules of Power,  Use their tactics against them

More Quotes from Alinsky's Rules for Radicals

How to Plan an Advocacy Campaign apta.com

Activist's Grass Roots Handbook (not really, kinda short. But good.) heall.com

Activist's Handbook - protest.net

Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism November.org

google searches - 'guides to political activism', 'planning grassroots activism', 'planning a direct advocacy campaign'

How to Plan an Advocacy Campaign apta.com

Activist's Grass Roots Handbook (not really, kinda short. But good.) heall.com

Activist's Handbook - protest.net

Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism-November.org

When Do You Have to Give Your Name at the RNC Protests? (PDF)

Legal Briefing for Activists at the Republican National Convention - (PDF)

 

Test of nested tabs


Articles




 

 
 

Action Alert - Support HR 1207 - Audit the Fed! Print E-mail
Written by Alanna, Joyce and Jerry   
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 00:00


TAKE ACTION!

Support HR 1207

AUDIT the FED!

Support HR 1207

June 2nd Update:  179 co-sponsors!! 

Continue to call and write your Congressman or woman if they are yet to co sponsor this legislation. 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

HR 1207 text at thomas.loc.gov

GovTrack - HR 1207 status and progress.

 

In a major breakthrough for our Liberty movement, Ron Paul's bill H.R. 1207 to Audit the Fed has been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services..  That's a HUGE step forward.  Most bills begin by being considered by one or several congressional committees which may "report" the bill favorably or unfavorably to the Senate or House as a whole allowing it to receive consideration by the full body and move forward.

We need to influence the House Financial Services Committee to give a favorable report on H.R. 1207

There are 71 members of the House Financial Services Committee with Barney Frank as Chair.  Please go to this link and PLEASE contact these members encouraging them to Support H.R. 1207.  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=HSBA

Draft a simple email and let them know we want transparency and their favorable support of H.R. 1207 to Audit the Fed and.  Send an email and/or call each of the members on the committee right away!  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=HSBA

Let's focus first on the members of the House Financial Services Committee.

After you do that, if you want to PRAISE and APPLAUD those Representatives who have Co-Sponsored the HR 1207.  There are 71 co-sponsors as of 4/18/09  You can contact them through this link: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-1207

NOW is the time to bring all of our efforts to bear on the situation.  If we can get the bill out of Committee with a favorable report it will go to the House floor for a vote!  Please copy and paste this Action Alert to fellow Americans asking them to contact the Members of the House Financial Services Committee right away!

Alanna Grimm kicked this alert off over on C4L, and we'ver kind of cabbaged on to it.... so we want to make sure we give credit where it's due! Thanks Alanna!!  Click here to check out Alanna's blog at the Campaign for Liberty.

 

Click the Take Action tab for more information and instructions on taking action on HR 1207!

Take Action!

Phase 1:  Contact the members of the House Financial Services Committee.

If 70 names are too many for you to call then try this angle.

Find the 10 to 20 representatives whose names are closest to your last name and call them. Also call any representative who is from your home state and call them. Lastly call Chairman Frank.

Forward and repeat.

Representative

State

District

Phone

Ackerman, Gary L.

NY

5th

202-225-2601

Adler, John H.

NJ

3rd

202-225-4765

Baca, Joe

CA

43rd

202-225-6161

Bachmann, Michele

MN

6th

202-225-2331

Bachus, Spencer

AL

6th

202-225-4921

Barrett, J. Gresham

SC

3rd

202-225-5301

Bean, Melissa L.

IL

8th

202-225-3711

Biggert, Judy

IL

13th

202-225-3515

Campbell, John

CA

48th

202-225-5611

Capito, Shelley Moore

WV

2nd

202-225-2711

Capuano, Michael E.

MA

8th

202-225-5111

Carson, André

IN

7th

202-225-4011

Castle, Michael N.

DE

At Large

202-225-4165

Childers, Travis W.

MS

1st

202-225-4306

Clay, Wm. Lacy

MO

1st

202-225-2406

Cleaver, Emanuel

MO

5th

202-225-4535

Donnelly, Joe

IN

2nd

202-225-3915

Driehaus, Steve

OH

1st

202-225-2216

Ellison, Keith

MN

5th

202-225-4755

Foster, Bill

IL

14th

202-225-2976

Frank, Barney

MA

4th

202-225-5931

Garrett, Scott

NJ

5th

202-225-4465

Gerlach, Jim

PA

6th

202-225-4315

Grayson, Ala

FL

8th

202-225-2176

Green, Al

TX

9th

202-225-7508

Gutierrez, Luis V.

IL

4th

202-225-8203

Hensarling, Jeb

TX

5th

202-225-3484

Herger, Wally

CA

2nd

202-225-3076

Himes, James A.

CT

4th

202-225-5541

Hinojosa, Rubén

TX

15th

202-225-2531

Hodes, Paul W.

NH

2nd

202-225-5206

Jenkins, Lynn

KS

2nd

202-225-6601

Jones, Walter B.

NC

3rd

202-225-3415

Kanjorski, Paul E.

PA

11th

202-225-6511

Kilroy, Mary Jo

OH

15th

202-225-2015

King, Peter T.

NY

3rd

202-225-7896

Klein, Ron

FL

22nd

202-225-3026

Kosmas, Suzanne

FL

24th

202-225-2706

Lance, Leonard

NJ

7th

202-225-5361

Lee, Christopher John

NY

26th

202-225-5265

Lucas, Frank D.

OK

3rd

202-225-5565

Lynch, Stephen F.

MA

9th

202-225-8273

McCarthy, Carolyn

NY

4th

202-225-5516

McCarthy, Kevin

CA

22nd

202-225-2915

McCotter, Thaddeus G.

MI

11th

202-225-8171

Maffei, Daniel B.

NY

25th

202-225-3701

Maloney, Carolyn B.

NY

14th

202-225-7944

Manzullo, Donald A.

IL

16th

202-225-5676

Marchant, Kenny

TX

24th

202-225-6605

Meeks, Gregory W.

NY

6th

202-225-3461

Miller, Brad

NC

13th

202-225-3032

Miller, Gary G.

CA

42nd

202-225-3201

Minnick, Walt

ID

1st

202-225-6611

Moore, Dennis

KS

3rd

202-225-2865

Moore, Gwen

WI

4th

202-225-4572

Neugebauer, Randy

TX

19th

202-225-4005

Paul, Ron

TX

14th

202-225-2831

Paulsen, Erik

MN

3rd

202-225-2871

Perlmutter, Ed

CO

7th

202-225-2645

Peters, Gary C.

MI

9th

202-225-5802

Posey, Bill

FL

15th

202-225-3671

Price, Tom

GA

6th

202-225-4501

Putnam, Adam H.

FL

12th

202-225-1252

Royce, Edward R.

CA

40th

202-225-4111

Scott, David

GA

13th

202-225-2939

Sherman, Brad

CA

27th

202-225-5911

Speier, Jackie

CA

12th

202-225-3531

Velázquez, Nydia M.

NY

12th

202-225-2361

Waters, Maxine

CA

35th

202-225-2201

Watt, Melvin L.

NC

12th

202-225-1510

Wilson, Charles A.

OH

6th

202-225-5705

 




2. Spread the word, stay involved. This is a grassroots effort. We will probably need your help again.  Diligence, persistence and tenacity are three factors we CAN control and affect that have proven results.  Tell your neighbors, family and friends.  Help distribute literature and fliers in your community.

3. Future focused action. Our strength is our numbers and in organized, coordinated effort.  So please signup for our email updates or RSS feeds (for our homepage or this category by clicking the RSS symbol at the top in the left pane) to stay informed, engaged and available. >

National Day of Action!

Please support the folks over at the  EndtheFed.us website in their Nationwide day of protest.

If you can't make it to a Federal Reserve facility, please consider gathering up a few friends and staging a short protest at your local post office or better yet, the busiest intersection in your town or city. Or decorate your car and drive around and honk like you give a dam.   Call up a few friends, surely it shouldn't be to hard to find a couple of folks po'd at the fed.... and head out to vent some, and then grab a bite to eat and a beer afterward.



The End Began on November 22nd, 2008...

April 25th, 2009
Rally at Every Fed Bank and Office
"Audit the Fed! Repeal The Fed!"
Support HR 1207 and HR 833


links, articles and flyers

Ron Paul.com - http://www.ronpaul.com/on-the-issues/audit-the-federal-reserve-hr-1207/

The Daily Paul - http://www.dailypaul.com/node/85929

JBS.org - http://www.jbs.org/index.php/inflation-taxes-economy-blog/4569

JBS Campaign at voter voice - email your representative http://www.votervoice.net/Core.aspx?AID=972&APP=GAC&SiteID=0&IssueID=16611

Aids for Activists

Below are a number of excellent references to assist you in writing letters and communicating with elected officials.

Remember to keep written correspondance to under 1500 characters for maximum effectiveness. Make sure to remember to insist on a response.

Communicating with Elected Officials - Congress.org
Letters to Leaders at Congress.org - Actual letters processed at congress.org. Wide variety.
Hints for communicating with congress - Congress Merge
How to Write Letters to Elected Officials - About.com
Letters to Congress - About.com
Writing Letters to Elected Officals - Community Toolbox - Kansas University
Community toolbox - *****   excellent.
Enhance Your Political Voice - 2020vision.org
Tips on writing your elected officials - ACLU


Congress.org also has a section called 'Letters to Leaders', that features letters that others have submitted and selected to share with the general public.  It's an excellent resource that you can refer to for form and content ideas.

Google: writing letters to politicians


Political Activism - The American Tradition - From: http://politicalactivistsonline.homestead.com/

Ways to make your views known:
1. Call members of congress.
2. Write letters to congress and letters to the editor in your local newspapers.
3. Online activism, in chat rooms and forums. Start your own web site.E-mail articles to friends. Use of the web has made a major impact on politics and has greatly helped the conservative cause.
4. Help conservative groups and campaigns.
5. Call radio talk shows.


Conservative's debating tactics:

1.  Pace yourself, be patient but consistent and firm. 
2.  Never state facts without sources. Use credible sources.
3.  Never exaggerate or misrepresent facts.
4.  Never resort to the sleazy tactics used by the opposition.
5.  Never start or enter a debate without knowledge of the issue.
6.  Never retreat when you know you are right. Finish with a firm statement and display confidence.
8.  Never allow the opposition to draw you off subject.
9.  Never under estimate the power of a lie or propaganda; don't let it go unanswered. Don't assume people won't believe it.
10.Never act, talk or conduct yourself in a manner that  diminishes or brings disrespect to the conservative cause.


Activism Fundamentals

To a elected official you can be a pleasure or a pain. Pick and focus on one. A thorn in the side, or their best friend. Remember, you catch more flys with honey than vinegar.

Pleasure for politicians: money or votes.

Pain for politicians: Angry voters, bad press, no money, loss of party support, challenged in primary, public humiliation.

 

Most effective method of moving politicians (other than big bucks):

Write letters, insist on a reply.

Share and track replys.

Write follow-ups.



Get the word out.
  • Find like minded individuals to aid in the campaign, make sure they stay informed.
  • Study the issue, become knowlegable and persuade associates, friends and family.
  • Prepare questions in advance, and seek out opportunities to question politicians on the issue whenever possible.
  • Follow the money.
  • Boycott financial supporters of mal-illed politicians.


Be prepared for a long fight.

Notes from Real Politics Seminar with Mike Rothfeld, August 31, 2008, Brooklyn Center, Mn.

Politicians suborn humanity for ambition.


They are ruled by ambition which reduces their behavior to the mechanical.

They are predictable and understandable.

They are manipulatable


Politicians have a Pavlovian Response. Two forms of stimuli, Pain and Pleasure.


PLEASURE
#1 Money.
#2 Good press, praise, public endorsements.
#3 Getting others to attack their opponents for them.


Can't handle real time actions, or losing. Best way of pressuring them is with these two items.

Easiest way to get votes, is to buy them, hence entitlements. Of all sorts.


PAIN

#1 ANGRY VOTERS
No money.

Bad Press

Public humiliation (getting common, less effective of late)

Loss of party support.

Getting challenged in primary as an incumbent


Greatest force in politics - Inertia. Easiest, safest thing for a politician to do, is nothing. To move, need to mobilize and confront, apply force vectors to move the status quo box.

 

Morton Blackwell, Founder of the Leadership Institute. "Political Success is determined by the effectiveness and number of the activists on either side."


Politicians responses to Mobilization and Confrontation:

Ignore

Respond


Responses: Threaten, many direct and indirect ways..... powerful people with the ‘law' on their side. May approach you to 'Explain' the facts' or reply with: "If I don't follow the crowd something worse will happen".  May try to buy you off with prestige, privilege or entitlement.  Can be very good at sucking you in and then pigeon holeing you.  (hence sugar is better -jt)

 

Articles on the same subject by Mr. Rothfeld (same material as above):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2078859/posts

http://www.nationalgunrights.org/realnatureofpolitics.shtml

More Activism

SPREAD THE WORD - FURTHER ACTIVISM

  • Share this issue and our website with your friends, family and associates. Click here to email this page or use the icon in the upper right corner of the article window.
  • Familiarize yourself with the issue and help us campaign.  Watch the videos, read the articles
  • Help develop literature, handouts and fliers.
  • Help canvass and spread literature in your communities.
  • Write a letter to your local newspaper.

More links and resources

Activism.net - LOTS of resources - left, green - globalist.

Activism 101. - dead link..

Wiki entry on activism

Activism entry at Answers.com

Activism.net excellent list of articles, guides and material for the activist,

Electronic Frontier Foundation - Activism another excellent site with LOADS of information.  Personal liberties and freedom idealogy.

Political activist online - very nice site.

How to be a Political Activist - Andrew Paterson  8/2003

GWU - Political Management Master's Program Courses - Syllabus and required reading.

Saul Alinsky - Wikipedia - Know thy enemy.

Alinksy's Rules of Power,  Use their tactics against them

More Quotes from Alinsky's Rules for Radicals

How to Plan an Advocacy Campaign apta.com

Activist's Grass Roots Handbook (not really, kinda short. But good.) heall.com

Activist's Handbook - protest.net

Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism November.org

google searches - 'guides to political activism', 'planning grassroots activism', 'planning a direct advocacy campaign'

Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism-November.org

When Do You Have to Give Your Name at the RNC Protests? (PDF)

Legal Briefing for Activists at the Republican National Convention - (PDF)


Test of nested tabs



 

"HR 1 is about more than just pork. Millions of gun owners stand to lose their gun rights without any due process." Print E-mail
Federal Activism
Written by Jerry Titus   
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 18:03

"Pork" Bailout Bill Could Ban Guns for Millions of Americans

 

Larry Pratt, Gun Owners of America, Executive Director

 

"HR 1 is about more than just pork. Millions of gun owners stand to lose their gun rights without any due process." Larry Pratt, GOA Executive Director

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Obama administration is putting a lot of pressure on Congress to slam through the most recent $800+ billion bailout package before anyone has an opportunity to read it.

The Obama administration intones that the details are unimportant. The only thing that matters is the "bigness." And, by shipping a bill of nearly $900 billion (plus interest) to our children and grandchildren, the package is really, really big -- bigger, in fact, than the budget of our entire government for the first 170 years of our country's existence.

But now that some of the details are finally starting to leak out of Washington, Gun Owners -- and a lot of other analysts -- are beginning to look at the fine print. And some of it is particularly scary.

Of particular concern to gun owners are sections 13101 through 13434 of HR 1, which would set up the infrastructure to computerize the medical records of ALL AMERICANS in a government-coordinated database.

True, the bill doesn't mandate that the data will be in a giant computer under the Oval Office. But it does mandate that your medical records be reduced to a computerized form which is available to it in a second.

This it would do by establishing a National Coordinator for Health Information Technology -- tasked with, among other things, "providing information to help guide medical decisions at the time and place of care."

It should be scary enough that a government bureaucrat is directed by statute to try to influence your doctor's decisions with respect to your medical care.

But of even greater concern to gun owners is the fact that a government-coordinated database (which government can freely access) will now contain all records of government-provided and private psychiatric treatment -- including, in particular, the drugs which were prescribed.

Remember last year's "NICS Improvement Act" otherwise known as the Veterans Disarmament Act? This law codified ATF's attempts to make you a prohibited person on the basis of a government psychiatrist's finding that you are a "danger" -- without a finding by any court. Well, roughly 150,000 battle-scarred veterans have already been unfairly stripped of their gun rights by the government.

But people who, as kids, were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder... or seniors with Alzheimer's... or police with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder... or people who are now theoretically covered by the new law... these people have, generally, not suffered the consequences of its sanctions YET. And the chief reason is that their records are not easily available to the government in a central, easily retrievable, computerized form.

The bailout bill would change all of that. It would push increasingly hard to force your private psychiatrist or government-sanctioned psychiatrist to turn over your psychiatric records to a massive database. This would be mandated immediately if your doctor does business with the government.

This would supposedly save Medicare money in connection with medical treatment. And, the sponsors insist, they would work very hard to protect your privacy.

But this turns the concept of "privacy" on its head. The privacy which is MOST important is privacy from the prying eyes of government -- not privacy of government data against the prying eyes of others. After all, many government data bases have been hacked in recent years, with mountains of information stolen.

So, once the government has access to these computerized psychiatric records, the stage will be set for using that database to take away the gun rights of those with Alzheimer's, those with ADD, and those with PTSD.

 

ACTION: Write your two senators. Urge them to vote against the bailout bill (HR 1) until it is stripped of provisions which would turn your psychiatric records over to a central government-coordinated database against your will without you getting your day in court.

 

You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Senators the pre-written e-mail message below.

- Prewritten Letter -

Dear Senator:

 

I am particularly concerned about sections 13101 through 13434 of the new bailout bill (HR 1). These sections would set up the infrastructure to computerize the medical records of ALL AMERICANS in a government-coordinated database, including psychiatric records.

 

It is scary enough that a government bureaucrat is directed by statute to try to influence my doctor's decisions with respect to my medical care.

 

But of even greater concern to gun owners is the fact that a government-coordinated database will now contain all records of government-provided and private psychiatric treatment.

 

Last year's "NICS Improvement Act" codified ATF's attempts to make a person a prohibited person on the basis of a government psychiatrist's finding that he is a "danger" -- without a finding by any court. Well, roughly 150,000 battle-scarred veterans have already been unfairly stripped of their gun rights by the government.

 

Now, this new government-coordinated database threatens the gun rights of people who, as kids, were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder... seniors with Alzheimer's... police with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder... and many other law-abiding Americans.

 

Please vote against cloture on HR 1 until this provision is removed.

 

Sincerely,
 

Letter To The Editor - Jeremiah Morrell 2/9/09 Print E-mail
State Activism
Tuesday, 10 February 2009 22:10

 

 

 

2-9-2009

Are we going to cut off Adam Smith's invisible hand?

I am amazed at how quickly our society has marched away from the principles that have made our country what it is! In every economics course I have participated in, the first concept which is taught, is "the invisible hand" by Adam Smith. The basic principle is very simple. Markets correct themselves, if given the opportunity. They always seek the equilibrium. Supply and demand will balance out, and market forces will guide our economy.

 

This principle, which has been so easily understood and has successfully been the generator to the most powerful country on the face of the earth, is now being shunned. This week, our Congress is debating a further step away from this principle. Removing market forces from the people, and cutting off the power of the invisible hand. Markets will correct themselves - they always do. America needs to allow itself to reach the bottom of this recession in a way that is organic, not one that has been manipulated through government intervention.

 

I commend the leadership of Congressman Mike Pence in his opposition of this issue, and am extremely disappointed in the decision of Senator Bayh, in failing to recognize this defining swing from free market economics. As a Senator and as Governor, Mr. Bayh has attempted to bring the "Hoosier Values" to Washington. This move away from America's economic model is a direct attack on the Hoosier Values that he is to represent.

 

The legislation that seems bound to become law will forever change the way that we view Adam Smith's Invisible Hand. This new rule of law will remove the ability of the Invisible Hand to adjust our markets. Instead we will rely upon the federal government to be more efficient than the very principle which made us the most successful nation in the history of civilization.

 

 

 

Jeremiah Morrell

New Castle, IN

 
 

The Elements Of A Successful Public Interest Advocacy Campaign Print E-mail
Articles
Written by Jerry Titus   
Tuesday, 23 December 2008 00:23

THE ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
THE ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN



FOREWORD



In 1984 we co-founded the Advocacy Institute as a non-profit, tax exempt center for the study, analysis , and teaching of advocacy strategies and skills, for use by citizens and their voluntary organizations to effect public policy change. The Institute works with the public interest community by researching and teaching legislative and media advocacy skills; providing tactical counseling for specific problems in a large number of public policy areas; conducting workshops and seminars to "connect" advocates working in different issue areas to share knowledge and experience; and training and nurturing emerging issue leaders.

As we have taught, we have also learned. we have learned from the creative tactics and strategies adopted by our fellow advocates, and we have captured many of the, so that others may learn from those experiences. Too often lessons learned in the heat of one advocacy battle are not recorded and transmitted to the next generation of advocates. This guide is a modest attempt to rectify that problem. It analyzes the constituent parts of an advocacy campaign, and explains how a successful campaign knits those parts together into an effective, integrated whole.

This guide's structure reflects our preferred teaching method; although each section begins with a distillation of principals, it relies heavily on examples drawn from a dozen public interest campaigns, on issue ranging from arms control to energy efficiency to smoking and health. We draw heavily on the block Bork campaign because it illustrates so many different advocacy lessons, and is so well chronicled. We are grateful to the many public interest advocates who took the time to share their campaign histories with us, and who experiences enrich this guide and our own understanding of advocacy. We hope they will derive satisfaction, as we do, out of the knowledge that sharing these lessons will help increase the effectiveness of all advocates.



I. INTRODUCTION

If it's time for a key vote in the House of Representatives, you'll probably find public interest lobbyists "off the floor." That's the area beside the bank of elevators and the pay phone, just outside the doors into the House change, and it's where public interest lobbyists congregate at crucial moments. There, lobbyists trade information, talk with Members of Congress, check-in with their offices, and await the outcome of important votes. When the new is good, there are sure to be congratulations for the winners and condolences for the losers. When the opposition carries the day, there are likely to be new strategies for new campaigns; whatever the vote, advocates know they will be back.

That House vote was just on step, probably not the final step, in a long advocacy campaign. If that campaign is to succeed, it should have clear goals, easily articulated. The goals should express unity and values of importance to the public - justice, fairness, equity, and truth all retain untold political clout - and the issue should be framed to appeal to prevailing public opinions and beliefs. The appeal should be addressed to the widest possible group of potential constituents, no just the narrow body of existing supporters. To be successful, the appeal will have to grow by attracting increasing numbers of supporters from ever-widening circles. Coordination and collaboration are important, but so are diversity and contrast.

Campaigns require a long term vision, yet goals should be achievable. Gains may be incremental as long as that vision is not lost. At the same time, campaign strategies and tactics should be organic, adjusting to changing circumstances, constantly reassessing positions and progress in light of changing conditions and opinions.

No one - and no group - can do it alone. The care and feeding of each participant, no matter how inexperienced or humble, counts. The merits of the case count; homework counts; research and analysis are essential. Ideas matter, so do values and vision. Yet moral suasion won't succeed without the facts to back up even the best argument.

Advocacy is a long distance race, not for the short winded. Rarely are battle won or list with a single effort. Successful advocacy require organization, tolerance and patience, and enthusiasm for the tedious and mundane tasks, as well as the moments of high drama.



This guide discusses the main elements of an advocacy campaign:

§ Building and maintaining effective networks and coalitions;

§ Capturing the media's and the public's attention by creatively framing issues; Strengthening grassroots' support by providing issue leadership, coupled with constructive, two-way communication;

§ Lobbying effectively with comparatively few resources;

§ Building and sustaining the intensity and public support required to advance and issuer on the nation's agenda; and,

§ Integrating advocacy strategies and tactics into a cohesive, persuasive public policy advocacy campaign.



We begin each section of this guide with a discussion of basic principles, followed by specific suggestions for effective advocacy. Finally, we illustrate those suggestions with examples drawn from a range of public interest case studies conducted by the Advocacy Institute.



IV. STRENGTHENING THE GRASSROOTS

Every advocacy campaign ultimately depends for its success on the support of the people - the grassroots. While some popular campaigns arise directly out of grassroots passion and indignation, many more are conceived and directed centrally, often by Washington-based advocacy organizations. Today's campaigns are most often the result of research, analysis, and advocacy begun at the top of membership or advocacy organizations. Those organizations face a difficult, dual challenge. They must involve their membership - the grassroots - the formulation of the campaign and its goals, and they must mobilize them to achieve success. Organizations must first listen carefully to their supporters as they formulate policy initiatives, and second they must provide the grassroots with the necessary tools and incentives to accomplish their goals.

Individuals join together in voluntary associations for many reasons; just as a coalition being together individuals and organizations whose sole common ground is their support for the objective of the coalition, so too an organization often attracts as members individuals with diverse interests whose only meeting point is their affiliation with the organization. Each new campaign the organization undertakes requires many of the same skills needed to form and manage a coalition. There is no assurance that the members will all agree on the objectives of the next campaign, at least not without a concerted effort to educate and "bring along" one's own constituency.

Nowhere is the tension between "inside" and "outside" efforts greater than in the integration of "Washington" and the "field." Used positively, the result can be creative tension; otherwise the results may be disastrous. The labels "Washington" and "field" themselves reveal the germ of the problem; they are "we-they" terms. The professional public interest lobbyists, media strategists, and organizers based in Washington tend to view their local members and activists in the field as a resource to be cultivated and ultimately, controlled. Washington-based advocates are reluctant to leave any part of a national grassroots campaign untended; surely, they believe, there must be a coordination process controlled by a central authority if there is to be unity themes and strategies.

Grassroots activists, on the other hand, tend to view even their own colleagues and leaders in Washington as tainted by their surroundings, by the perceived arrogance of that center of power. grassroots activists feel closer to "the people," while Washington, and all who work within it, are seen as isolated from the real country. They feel Washington appreciates non of their knowledge and learning, their strategies skills, their prudence and judgment.

Yet Washington must continually turn to the grassroots, no just for guidance or validation, but for manifestations of political support. To be effective advocates, the grassroots must be more than passive supporters of policy. They must be active participants in advocacy campaigns, willing and able to demonstrate their political power.

There are two essential phases in a grassroots campaign - mobilization of supporters and channeling their enthusiasm and resources into action. Neither will happen without communication; first, in the process of framing the issue so that it generates broad- based public support, and second, in convincing the grassroots to take effective action.

Once the issue is joined, and the troops are at the ready, there must be continuing communication between the " inside" (Washington-based advocates) and the "outside" (the grassroots). People become mobilized when they are first energized, most often when they believe that something important to them is at risk - their environment, their freedom, or their health.

Communication is an ongoing, organic process that, at its best, rewards and regrets the inside advocate at the same time as it educates the grassroots. To be effective, there must be continual feedback and attentive listening. Not only do supporters want to be hear, they want to heard and be consulted. Members should have a stake in the policy goals of the organization. To often the organization is perceived as setting those goals from the "top down," with little or no prior consultation with the grassroots. Communication must continue beyond the initial setting of policy objective, and include the inevitable refinement and modification of short and intermediate term goals as the issue is subjected to public and legislative debate.

Many grassroots organizations send their lobbyists into the field to share their experiences with members, as well as to listen and answer questions. Large organizations have an opportunity to become "real people" in the eyes of their members., and lobbyists get a first hand opportunity to gauge the breadth and depth of grassroots concern on an issue. Still other organizations "connect" their grassroots activists electronically, taking advantage of the latest computer networking technology to connect activists to each other and to Washington-based advocates.

Meetings at the grassroots level can be an important opportunity to educate and involve members about the issue and its legislative status, but the purpose and goals of the meetings should be clear. Large meetings should be informational, no action oriented, and should include a person who is knowledgeable about the issue and can answer a variety of questions. More useful are small meetings with local leadership and activists where in- depth discussions can occur.

Consultation is part of an ongoing process, not just for the Washington-based advocate to make sure he or she is in step with the grassroots, but also to create and maintain the necessary intensity in the grassroots that will support an advocacy campaign. Consultation includes member surveys, focus groups, and polling data. This data is then supplemented by the kinds of public opinion data (described in section III) that are used to help frame an issue.

Advocacy organizations should set achievable goals for their members, providing specific tasks, accompanied by the resources necessary to accomplish them. The tasks can range from writing letters to their elected representatives to arranging meetings with editorial boards. Appropriate feedback helps members become a part of an ongoing campaign.

20/20 Vision operates under the principle that individuals will be willing to spend twenty minutes a month to do something about arms control or the environment. it organized citizens within Congressional districts, who each month decide on a particular task to recommend to the group's Congressional district members. With the help of a knowledgeable Washington staff ( and access to Washington "insiders"), the task chosen may focus on an upcoming legislative vote, be a thank-you note for a past vote, or a suggestion to contact local media for coverage of an issue. Tasks aren't handed down from Washington, only suggestions. And the Washington staff has found that subscribers in Cleveland have a better notion how to localize an arms control issue - and capture the attention of Senator Glenn - than do the Washington insiders.

With routine contact with Washington advocates, local activists see themselves as insiders, and are more able to sustain the intensity required for the necessarily long term struggle inherent in the environmental and arms control movements. Several keys to successfully motivating the grassroots emerge from the 20/20 Vision experience: choose specific, achievable tasks; put limits on what you ask people to do, provide feedback on issues and activities, provide them with access to Washington advocates as a source of information and reinforcement, and provide them with advice on how they can really make a difference.

The block Bork campaign kept in constant tough with grassroots supporters as it developed and implemented strategy.

A Washington-based coordinator was designated to serve as the Washington connection for a group of target state coalition. The assigned "Desks" were to keep information flowing to and form the Field, nurture the local coalitions, and facilitate coordinated planning. Each target state or local coalition was phone at least weekly, sometimes daily, by its "Desk."

That work involved helping the state leadership reach known constituencies, and then helping them broaden and expand their base. Karen Bosch, on organizer hired to work for two months with Arizonans for a Just Supreme Court, confirmed the importance of daily conversations with the desks: "It was motivating and it either would confirm what we were doing or help to bring another perspective to bear on what the local coalition was doing." Each Wednesday at noon, throughout the campaign, this national Grassroots Task Force met to exchange information about activities in the field. This meeting was always enhanced by updates offered by Washington representatives of parent organizations which gathered news directly and frequently from their affiliates in the field.

The national Coalition could draw deeply on the political intelligence gathered by local activists. Texas advocates, for example, had different people getting information from Senator Bertsen's various Texas-based offices, so they could monitor as closely as they could not only where the Senator stood, but what his feelings were about the kind of opposition the campaign was considering to the Bork nomination, including what was more acceptable versus less acceptable to him, as well as how many telephone calls, postcards, and letters were coming in.

The National Abortion Rights Action League circulated to state affiliates its weekly "Bork Beat," which highlighted events around the country. NARAL's Debra Ness says: "This homespun weekly update on grassroots activities not only facilitated the transfer of creative ideas and tactics, but also inspired healthy competition between states as to who could generate the most grassroots action."

Issues must be framed so that they are salient to the grassroots, using basic principles that are important to members.

In 1989, the pro-choice movement found that its supporters were mobilized by the fear that decades of progress on women's and abortion rights were threatened by the Supreme Court's Webster decision and its aftermath, as anti-abortion groups began pressing state legislatures for laws restricting access to abortions. Women and others who had grown accustomed to the settled state of the law had to understand that a new era loomed, in which movement might be backwards. By framing the issue as a potential loss of the freedom of choice, women's organization were able to mobilize - at lease for a time - many women who had become complacent about their rights.

Virtually all organizations encounter times when their members react adversely to the organization's position or to legislative developments. Common Cause found itself in just such a position when it called for a House Ethics Committee Investigation of then- Speaker Wright.

While Common Cause members knew the organization pushed long and hard for ethics reform, many were not prepared for it to take on the Democratic House Speaker in the Presidential election year. Still others were upset because they admired Wright, who had been a key figure trying to bring peace to Central America.

Common Cause tackled the problem directly, using its Chairman (and former Watergate Prosecutor) Archibald Cox, to tell its members - and the public - how carefully the organization had explored the issue, and how this action was consistent with many similar actions in the past. Common Cause used its magazine, the media, and its volunteer network to get the message across.

Common Cause has an "early warning system" in place to give its Washington office the first signal of any problems at the grassroots level. On any given Tuesday, Washington volunteers will be in touch with some 500 members around the country. The connection is quick, just to get a sense of how they respond to materials sent out, and whether they have any suggestions. Questions from the volunteer connection early in 1989 first alerted Common Cause that despite a constant record of support for Congressional pay raises, some of its members were ready to speak out opposing the latest raise. Common Cause addressed the issue head on, supplying its members with material that described the campaign accurately and honestly as one for a reasonable salary adjustment which would be paid for by special interests through honoraria.

"Leadership with listening" best describes the relationship between the organization's leaders and the grassroots. Issue leadership requires the organization's leaders to bring along its constituency, never venturing very far from it, always seeking its approval and reaffirmation of the organization's mandate. It is possible for an organization to "over-listen" to its members, and become paralyzed into inaction, for fear that any action will upset a significant percentage of its membership. In those situations, leaders must lead. Lay Hedlund, Common Cause Field Director, observes:

"You figure the parameters and how far you can go with the bulk of your members, not just the most active or the most committed on certain issues. You try to keep 80% of your membership with you. If members have been educated about the legislative process, part of what they will come to understand is that compromise is inevitable. While they may not be pleased with the final legislative vehicle for a particular issue, as long as they feel the basic principles are in place, chances are they will stick it out. An organization which has been listening to its members may have to reframe an issue, not back off it, in order to re- enlist its members."

John Carr, head of the advocacy arm of the United States Catholic Conference, advises that open, participatory decision-making within advocacy organizations can help ensure that Washington advocates will have the full support of the grassroots.

"When issue leaders put together a position statement - and when we do out job well by involving lots of people - then that policy is much more broadly owned and much more likely to be acted upon, not only nationally, but locally. When we as advocates take the time and trouble - and it is often a painful process - to make policy in close consultation with the grassroots, Congress has more confidence in us."

"When often overlook the internal policymaking process, because it is just not as much fun as the outside activities. The hard internal work involves developing a position; building consensus around that position; finding a way to move an issue within your organization; raising the salience of that issue within the organizational and translating an idea from a piece of paper into a program of action, a strategy. We must encourage diversity; we should insist on hearing both perspectives from the grassroots; and we must make sure our institutional diversity is reflected in the way we work at all levels. Many of us who work for national organizations tend to be more strategic, clearer and more effective, in our external politics than our internal politics. We become vulnerable because we are only as strong as our base."



World Learning and the School for International Training are not responsible for and do not review the content of Student and Faculty pages. Links are provided as a service only and sites linked to are not necessarily approved or endorsed by World Learning, Inc. or the School for International Training. Further, World Learning and the School for International Training do not guarantee the accuracy or validity of information on sites outside of their control.
 

Congress Merge: Hints for Communicating with Congress Print E-mail
Aids and resources
Written by Jerry Titus   
Monday, 22 December 2008 22:12
Congress Merge: Hints for Communicating with Congress

Reposted with permission.



About
Congress Merge

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Congress Merge: Hints for Communicating with Congress

 

One of the many wonderful aspects of living in the United States is that we can have a direct
Be courteous and respectful in all communications. Don't use threats.
influence on the way we are governed. To do so, you need to become your own advocate with Congress. Members of Congress listen to their constituents and care about constituent opinions. But to be effective, you must communicate properly with your representative and senators. Members of Congress are people, too, and as you would react negatively to someone who sent you an angry or threatening letter, so do they. So to be effective, you need to follow some guidelines that are founded on civility and common
sense:

 

Letters, Faxes & E-Mails

Unless you have a personal, first-name relationship with a member of Congress or one of their staff members, the way you guarantee that your communication will be effective is to make sure the receiving office instantly can identify you as a constituent. If they can't, there is an excellent chance your communication will be discarded without being read. Start each communication with your name and address at the very top:

 

Ms. Sally Jones
123 Main Street
Wabash, IN 98765

When writing a member of Congress it's important to use the proper salutation. For senators it's "Dear Senator" (and the senator's last name: Dear Senator Lansing:). For members of the House of Representatives (according to House rules), the way to address female members of the House is "Congresswoman" and male members is "Congressman" (Dear Congresswoman Munster: /  Dear Congressman Calumet:). However, using "Dear Representative" (Dear Representative Hammond:) is acceptable.

If you are sending a letter, fax or e-mail already prepared for you, take a minute to put the message into your own words.

 

If you are sending a letter, fax or e-mail already prepared for you, take a minute to put the message into your own words. And remember, courteously written communications are more likely to be read and have positive impact than a page or two of ravings and rantings.

Here are some other key points to remember in writing to your legislators:

  • Be courteous and respectful in all communications. Don't use threats.
  • Know your issue! Request documents from your organization that provide background information on the issue and the elected official you wish to contact. This information can be particularly helpful in drafting letters. If you are doing this on your own, do your homework to be knowledgeable in your communication.
  • Keep your comments brief, pertinent, and factual. Cover only one issue per letter. Explain how the issue would affect you and/or your organization.
  • Limit your comments to one page or two at most. Elected officials hear from hundreds of constituents daily so a brief letter is more effective than a multi-page one.
  • Identify the subject in the first paragraph. If you are writing in reference to a particular bill, refer to the measure's House or Senate bill number and/or title, if possible.
  • Be reasonable. Don't ask the impossible.
  • Be constructive, not negative. If a bill deals with a problem, but seems to represent the wrong solution, propose constructive alternatives. Recognize that you might have to compromise.
  • If you support a particular bill, say so. If you are writing in opposition to legislation, include specific examples of how the measure would adversely effect you and suggest an alternative approach if possible.
  • Avoid stereotyped phrases, jargon, and sentences that give the appearance of form letters.

    • Also, don't forget that elected officials are people too and they like to be told when they've done something right. Send them a congratulatory note when they do something that merits approval.

    If you are sending an e-mail to a representative, you won't receive a response via e-mail but will receive one through the mail (rules of the House -- however, you can communicate with House staff members via e-mail). Senators respond to e-mail with e-mail. If you follow these guidelines and establish a working relationship with the elected official or one of their staff, you might be sending and receiving e-mails on a regular basis.

     

    The Best Communication:  A Personal Visit

    The most effective way of communicating with a legislator is to personally meet with them or their staff. Unless you are planning a trip to Washington, DC, this means visiting their local
    Don't forget that elected officials are people too and they like to be told when they've done something right.
    office. Don't expect the legislator to be in their local office if Congress is in session on the date of your visit. If you have the opportunity, note when Congress is in recess (please see the Congressional Schedule) and make a point to visit the legislator's district office then. You also can see if your representative and senators have on their Web sites a listing of their district offices (most do) and whether they list times when they will be there. You increase the chance of actually meeting the legislator by visiting at this time.

    It is very important to remember that all contacts with elected officials must be constructive even if their opinions contrast with your own or those of your organization. It's one thing to disagree with someone, it's another thing to be a jerk about it . . . be respectful, courteous, and professional.

    If you meet the legislator either in the Washington or local office, send them a thank you card after the meeting. In the card or letter state that you would like to meet again to tell them more about your profession and the issues about which you are concerned. Try to attend any social gathering which your elected official may attend; this is a good way to nurture the friendship.

     

    Telephone Calls

    Unless you have established a working relationship with a legislator or one of their staff members, telephone calls are best limited to times when a bill is coming up for a vote and you want to urge the legislator to vote for or against it. If you have established a working relationship with the legislator or one of their staff members, then call them to discuss it. But, keep in mind you may not be able to talk with the legislator personally. When in Washington elected officials have hectic schedules and a good part of their day is spent in committee meetings or on the floor of the House or Senate.

    Instead of calling your legislators' Washington office consider calling a local district office instead. For one, it's less expensive than a long distance call to Washington and, two, district offices tend not to get swamped with phone calls as do Capitol offices.

    If this is your first call to a congressional office, you'll talk with a staff member. The first thing you need to do is state your and name and the fact that you are a constituent of the legislator. Then briefly state the nature of your call, i.e., urging the legislator to support or oppose a particular piece of legislation:

     

    "Hello, my name is Sally Smith and I am a constituent of (name of senator or representative). I am calling today to urge them to support/oppose HR 1234. Thank you."

     

    These types of calls are very important to legislators and the vast majority of offices keep track of these calls.

     

    In Conclusion

    Your congressional communications can be as effective as you wish them to be, all you have to do is take a little time to know your issue, be civil, to the point, and be reasonable.

    Please feel free to link to this page or to copy and use it on your own site. If you copy the page, please include the Congress Merge copyright notice at the bottom of the page.

     

     

    Congress Merge
    PO Box 232
    Mount Vernon, VA 22121-0232
    To contact us online use our mail form.

    ©Copyright 2008 Congress Merge - All Rights Reserved
     

    Aids to Correspondance Print E-mail
    Aids and resources
    Written by Jerry Titus   
    Monday, 22 December 2008 21:37
    Communicating with Elected Officials - Congress.org

    Letters to Leaders at Congress.org - Actual letters processed at congress.org. Wide variety.

    Hints for communicating with congress -     Congress Merge

    How to Write Letters to Elected Officials - About.com

    Letters to Congress - About.com

    Writing Letters to Elected Officals - Community Toolbox - Kansas University

    Community toolbox - *****   excellent.

    Enhance Your Political Voice - 2020vision.org

    Tips on writing your elected officials - ACLU

    Google: writing letters to politicians


    Under 1500 characters for effectiveness.

    http://www.britannica.com/



    http://politicalactivistsonline.homestead.com/

    Political Activism - The American Tradition
    Ways to make your views known:
    1. Call members of congress.
    2. Write letters to congress and letters to the editor in your local newspapers.
    3. Online activism, in chat rooms and forums. Start your own web site.E-mail articles to friends. Use of the web      has made a major impact on politics and has greatly helped the conservative cause.
    4. Help conservative groups and campaigns.
    5. Call radio talk shows.

    =  These are not the only ways to advance the conservative view. Leave a message in the guest book of other ways you have to win in the battle of ideas.


    Conservative's debating tactics:
    1.  Pace yourself, be patient but consistent and firm. 
    2.  Never state facts without sources. Use credible sources.
    3.  Never exaggerate or misrepresent facts.
    4.  Never resort to the sleazy tactics used by the opposition.
    5.  Never start or enter a debate without knowledge of the issue.
    6.  Never retreat when you know you are right. Finish with a firm statement and display confidence.
    8.  Never allow the opposition to draw you off subject.
    9.  Never under estimate the power of a lie or propaganda; don't let it go unanswered. Don't assume people won't believe it.
    10.Never act, talk or conduct yourself in a manner that  diminishes or brings disrespect to the conservative cause.
     

    Action Alert - No ConCon! Stop HJR 0006! Print E-mail
    Written by Jerry Titus   
    Sunday, 21 December 2008 00:00

    Update 3/10/09 - It appears that this didn't make int othe 2009 session. I'm keeping this page up in case it rears its ugly head though.  -jt



    TAKE ACTION!

    Just say No!

    No ConCon!

    Stop HJR 0006!

    No Con Con!



    The calls for a Constitutional Convention     look appealing enough. A balanced budget is a good thing. Or, reform on apportionment of house districts - gerrymandering.  The caveat here is there is no legal basis or likelihood that congress, state legislatures or the courts could confine a Constitutional Convention to a specific purpose. In reality, we DON'T want a Constitutional Convention that can be confined, is so, their purpose and power would be severly diminished.

    In other words, once convened the chance for a 'runaway' convention that could substantially change any or ALL of our Constitution at one sitting, is very high. Considering the level of influence and control that special interest groups have over our government(s), it's not unthinkable that globalists would seek to modify our Constitution to formally strip away our rights and/or sovereignty.  It's widely thought that this IS the real agenda - call a con con, and subvert it to radically alter the Constitution.

    Not since the Second Constitutional Convention has there been a need for another.   The congressional amendment process path has worked and proven to work.  If the true intent of these Con Con efforts is legitimate, we question why the organizers are not pursuing the tested and proven method of Congressional led amendments versus the call for a Constitutional Convention.


    And now, the call for a Con Con is here in Indiana this legislative session for ours to battle.   HJR 0006, introduced By State Representative Ralph Foley House District 47, for this upcoming Indiana legislative session introduces a resolution for the State Assembly of Indiana to call for a Constitutional Convention for consideration of a Constitutional Conventionto consider an amendment on apportionment.  Help us stop House Joint Resolution 0006.

    Mr. Foley represents most of Morgan county and parts of Hendricks, Johnson and Owen Counties. If you are a constituent of Mr. Foley, or know someone who might be, please take note: WE NEED YOUR SPECIFIC HELP IN PUTTING PRESSURE ON MR. FOLEY.  For the rest of us, we ALL need to contract our legislators and let them know we expect them to know all of the facts and to vote NO CON CON. As well, you can directly contact Representative Foley HERE.  Nonconstituent contact with a elected official typically doesn't sway a politician. However, if Mr. Foley gets a clear picture that he might be causing his fellow Representatives grief, he might back off.

    Please click the Activism to lend your voice, the Issues tab for more information on WHY a ConCon is undesireable. and other tabs to help us  STOP HJR 0006.


    Thanks for your time, we truly appreciate your help!

    libertas!

    Take Action!



    We need YOUR help.  We CAN make a difference if we stand together.   Here, you'll find steps and aids to specific activism that you can take to help us STOP HJR 0006.




    Contact your legislator. First and foremost, we put pressure on Representative Foley and all State Assembly Representatives and Senators through a direct contact campaign.   Call, send a email, write a letter. Please do ALL three.  INSIST on a response.  Share your letters and responses with us so we can encourage and help others by and with our example. To share with us, you can paste submissions in the comments window at the bottom of this page,  or email them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Please be sure to include a link to the video in the State Legislators be Aware Article V! in all of your correspondance.

    Model legislation. I have modified model legislation used in Pennsylvania to rescind ANY Constitutional Convention calls for Indiana.  You can find a copy of it HERE.  Forward it to your legislature for consideration on submitting.

    Spread the word, stay involved. This is a grassroots effort. We will probably need your help again. Diligence, persistence and tenacity are three factors we CAN control and affect that have proven results.  Tell your neighbors, family and friends.  Help distribute literature and fliers in your community.  We need as much help as we can get.  Please.

    Future focused action. Our strength is our numbers and in organized, coordinated effort. At some future time we will do just that. So please signup for our email updates or RSS feeds (for our homepage or this category by clicking the RSS symbol in the left pane) to stay informed, engaged and available. 


    CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR

    1. FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR. Click here to go to the 'Who's your legislator?' page at in.gov. Enter your zip code and select 'Indiana House in the 'Elected Office' field.  This will take you to a map, which you may have to zoom in on to find your exact district.  Once sure of your district, click on your Representatives name in the window on the right side of the page.  This will take you to a panel that lists your Representative's contact information.  Clicking on the email field will open a window for direct email to him. Or, you can author an email in your preferred program and email it to the address given.

    If you know your Representative's name, you can access a master list of Indiana Legislators by clicking here.

    2. CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR. Click here for our talking points on the issue. If you get a machine, or an aide, INSIST on a written reply.

    3. EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATOR. Review our example page then author your own personalized correspondance in an external notepad or word processor before pasting into the provided window at in.gov.

    Flat text is all that is allowed so keep formatting to a minimum. Make sure you INSIST on a written reply. Be sure to click here for examples and help page.

    Submit via the in.gov webpage for your legislator.  Please keep a copy and share here with us via the comments window at the bottom of this page, or by emailing them to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  You may use any or all of the sample correspondance found here.

    Alternatively, you can use a tool I have at Congress.org for the Indiana Honest Money Campaign to assist you in finding your legislators and authoring a email and or letter to your legislator. Go here, enter your zip+4 and click 'go'.

    As well, The John Birch Society has a site that will also assist you in finding your legislators and composing and sending a message to them. Click here for the JBS Grassroots Action Center at votervoice.

     

    4. WRITE YOUR LEGISLATOR. Re-edit your correspondance for a printable copy.  Personalize and embelish. See the 'Aids for Correspondance' tab.  Don't forget to INSIST on a reply.  Print out and mail it to your legislator.

    5. After you are complete for your State Representative, go back to step 1 and repeat for your State Senator. The Resolution is

    'Joint' so we have to contact both our Representatives and Senators.

    Lists of legislators from in.gov:

    House Democrats
    House Republicans
    Senate Democrats
    Senate Republicans
    Standing Committees
    Legislation by Legislator
    Legislators Listings
    Statements of Economic Interest - House of Representatives
    How to Contact your Legislator
    Who's Your Legislator

     

    List of email addresses for the entire General Assembly - copy and paste or direct click if you know your dstrict.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. 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    Aids for Activism

    Below are a number of excellent references (in recommended reading order).

    Remember to keep written correspondance to under 1500 characters for effectiveness.

    Communicating with Elected Officials - Congress.org
    Letters to Leaders at Congress.org - Actual letters processed at congress.org. Wide variety.
    Hints for communicating with congress -     Congress Merge
    How to Write Letters to Elected Officials - About.com
    Letters to Congress - About.com
    Writing Letters to Elected Officals - Community Toolbox - Kansas University
    Community toolbox - *****   excellent.
    Enhance Your Political Voice - 2020vision.org
    Tips on writing your elected officials - ACLU

    Google: writing letters to politicians

    From: http://politicalactivistsonline.homestead.com/

    Political Activism - The American Tradition
    Ways to make your views known:
    1. Call members of congress.
    2. Write letters to congress and letters to the editor in your local newspapers.
    3. Online activism, in chat rooms and forums. Start your own web site.E-mail articles to friends. Use of the web has made a major impact on politics and has greatly helped the conservative cause.
    4. Help conservative groups and campaigns.
    5. Call radio talk shows.

    Conservative's debating tactics:
    1.  Pace yourself, be patient but consistent and firm. 
    2.  Never state facts without sources. Use credible sources.
    3.  Never exaggerate or misrepresent facts.
    4.  Never resort to the sleazy tactics used by the opposition.
    5.  Never start or enter a debate without knowledge of the issue.
    6.  Never retreat when you know you are right. Finish with a firm statement and display confidence.
    8.  Never allow the opposition to draw you off subject.
    9.  Never under estimate the power of a lie or propaganda; don't let it go unanswered. Don't assume people won't believe it.
    10.Never act, talk or conduct yourself in a manner that  diminishes or brings disrespect to the conservative cause.

     

    Activism fundamentals


    To a elected official you can be a pleasure or a pain.

    Pick and focus on one. A thorn in the side, or their best friend. You catch more flys with honey than you do vinegar.


    Pleasure for politicians: money or votes. Pain for politicians: Angry voters, bad press, no money, loss of party support, challenged in primary, public humiliation.

    Effective method of moving politicians:
    Write letters, insist on a reply.
    Share and track replys. 
    Write follow-ups.

    Get the word out.
    • Find like minded individuals to aid in the campaign, make sure they stay informed.
    • Study the issue, become knowlegable and persuade associates, friends and family.
    • Prepare questions in advance, and seek out opportunities to question politicians on the issue whenever possible.
    • Follow the money.
    • Boycott financial supporters of mal-illed politicians.


    Be prepared for a long fight.

    Notes from Real Politics Seminar with Mike Rothfeld, August 31, 2008, Brooklyn Center, Mn.

    Politicians suborn humanity for ambition.


    They are ruled by ambition which reduces their behavior to the mechanical.

    They are predictable and understandable

    Are manipulatable

     

    Politicians have a Pavlovian Response. Two forms of stimuli.

    Pain and Pleasure.

     

    PLEASURE
    #1: money.
    #2 Good press, praise, public endorsements.
    #3 Getting others to attack their opponents for them.

     

    Can't handle real time actions, or losing. Best way of pressuring them is with these two items.

    Easiest way to get votes, is to buy them, hence entitlements. Of all sorts.

     

    PAIN

    #1 ANGRY VOTERS
    No money.

    Bad Press

    Public humiliation (getting common, less effective of late)

    Loss of party support.

    Getting challenged in primary as an incumbent

     

    Greatest force in politics - Inertia. Easiest, safest thing for a politician to do, is nothing. To move, need to mobilize and confront, apply force vectors to move the status quo box.

    Morton Blackwell, Founder of the Leadership Institute. "Political Success is determined by the effectiveness and number of the activists on either side."

     

    Politicians responses to Mobilization and Confrontation:

    Ignore

    Respond

     

    Responses: Threaten, many direct and indirect ways..... powerful people with the ‘law' on their side. May approach you to 'Explain' the facts' or reply with: "If I don't follow the crowd something worse will happen".  May try to buy you off with prestige, privilege or entitlement.  Can be very good at sucking you in and then pigeon holeing you.  (hence sugar is better -jt)

    Articles on the same subject on the web by Mr. Rothfeld (same material as above):

    http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2078859/posts

    http://www.nationalgunrights.org/realnatureofpolitics.shtml

    More Activism
    SPREAD THE WORD - FURTHER ACTIVISM
    • Stay informed and connected.   If you're familiar with RSS feeds you can add a RSS feed for our State Activism page by clicking here.  Or, you can subscribe to our  Action Alert email list by clicking here.
    • Share this issue and our website with your friends, family and associates. Click here to email this page or use the icon in the upper right corner of the article window.
    • Familiarize yourself with the issue and help us campaign.  Watch the videos, read the articles.
    • Help develop literature, handouts and fliers.
    • Print out literature to hand out, post or share.
    • Help canvass and spread literature in your communities.
    • Write a letter to your local newspaper.

    More links and resources

     

    Activism.net - LOTS of resources - left, green - globalist.

    Activism 101. - dead link..

    Wiki entry on activism

    Activism entry at Answers.com

    Activism.net excellent list of articles, guides and material for the activist,

    Electronic Frontier Foundation - Activism another excellent site with LOADS of information.  Personal liberties and freedom idealogy.

    Political activist online - very nice site.

    How to be a Political Activist - Andrew Paterson  8/2003

    GWU - Political Management Master's Program Courses - Syllabus and required reading.

    Saul Alinsky - Wikipedia - Know thy enemy.

    Alinksy's Rules of Power,  Use their tactics against them

    More Quotes from Alinsky's Rules for Radicals

    How to Plan an Advocacy Campaign apta.com

    Activist's Grass Roots Handbook (not really, kinda short. But good.) heall.com

    Activist's Handbook - protest.net

    Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism November.org

    google searches - 'guides to political activism', 'planning grassroots activism', 'planning a direct advocacy campaign'

    How to Plan an Advocacy Campaign apta.com

    Activist's Grass Roots Handbook (not really, kinda short. But good.) heall.com

    Activist's Handbook - protest.net

    Introduction to Bottoms Up:A Grassroots Activism-November.org

    When Do You Have to Give Your Name at the RNC Protests? (PDF)

    Legal Briefing for Activists at the Republican National Convention - (PDF)

     

    Test of nested tabs

    Videos

    This video explains Constitutional Conventions.  Developed for, and targeted at legislators, it still makes a very straight-forward argument that any citizen can understand. The video includes a long list of cited Judicial authorities who believe that a ConCon is dangerous and undesireable.

    I've gathered the four parts of the YouTube videos on a playlist at our INCRC YouTube channel: Just say No! No Constitutional Conventions! The playlist is presented here in it's entirety. All four parts should play back to back.

     

    State Legislators - Beware Article V!

    Articles

    Articles, websites and further reading on calls for Constitutional Conventions

    Chuck Baldwin - Act Now to Reject Con Con

    Phyllis Schlafly -Con Con is a Terrible Idea

    Tom DeWeese - U.S. Two States Away from Constitutional Convention

    Tom DeWeese - Con Con Update Victory -- With More Action Needed



    HJR06  Status

    Home page of the legislation with legislative history and status.


    DIGEST OF INTRODUCED RESOLUTION

    Citations Affected: None.

    Synopsis: Congressional apportionment based on citizenship. Requests Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to apportion representatives among the states to be determined by counting the number of persons in each state who are citizens of the United States.

    Effective: A constitutional convention is called when two-thirds of the state legislatures make application to the Congress to call a constitutional convention to consider an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

    Introduced by Foley

    Status:

    January 16, 2008, read first time and referred to Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures.

    Introduced Second Regular Session 115th General Assembly (2008)

     

    HOUSE JOINT
    RESOLUTION No. 6


    A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States concerning congressional apportionment.

    Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

    SOURCE: ; (08)HJ9223.1. --> SECTION 1. That the general assembly of Indiana makes application to the Congress of the United States for a convention under Article V of the Constitution of the United States for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to apportion representatives among the states according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by counting the number of persons in each state who are citizens of the United States.


    SOURCE: ; (08)HJ9223.2. --> SECTION 2. That certified copies of this resolution be sent to the presiding officers of the Congress of the United States, to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to the presiding officer of each chamber of each statelegislature in the United States, and to the members of the Congress of the United States from Indiana.


     

     
     

    Action Alert - Support SR42/HCR 50 - Defense of state sovereignty resolution Print E-mail
    Written by Jerry Titus   
    Sunday, 21 December 2008 00:00


    TAKE ACTION!
    Support SR 42/HCR 50

     

     

    Support Senate Resolution 42





    Indiana becomes the 13th state this year to file such a resolution, all of which are in the same vein: asserting the State's rights under the 10th amendment.  Some, such as New Hampshire's, are more strongly worded than others....  but all echo the same sentiment - the Federal Government has overstepped it's bounds and is operating in an un-Constitutional manner.

    It is of particular to note, and no coincidence, nearly to a 'T' the legislators sponsoring these resolutions throughout the country are 'Liberty' minded Constitutionalists.  Through our grassroots support of Constitutional principals and a handful of courageous legislators throughout the country a line being drawn in the sand.   We are not alone.


    UPDATE 4/10/09

     

    From ICRC member Lynette Sherril, Thanks Lynette!

     

    As Joyce posted earlier. IN State Sovereignty Resolution passed the Senate.
    (Joyce, do you suppose the vote discrepancy the speaker's vote?)

    This reply below confirms HCR 50 died even thought the 'amendment had broad support.'

    All in all folks, it's a good day. We had a victory. Congratulations.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: House District
    To: Lynette
    Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:36 PM
    Subject: RE: [QUARANTINE] Support HCR 50, Urging the US to stop mandates beyond their scope of power.

    Dear Lynette,

     

    Thank you for contacting me with your support of Senate Resolution 42. The resolution passed in the Senate by a vote of 44-3. House Concurrent Resolution 50 was not heard in committee by the committee report deadline which was today. As a result the house will not hear this resolution this session. I am disappointed by the House Democrats refusal to hear this amendment which has broad support. I support the concept of the resolution. The states will have to work harder to preserve their jurisdictions from federal intrusion as the federal government continues to expand its power. I appreciate your passion on this issue.

     

    Sincerely,

     

    William C. Friend

    State Representative

     

    WCF:AD

     

     

     

    Update 4/8/09

    Big thanks from ICRC member Lynette Sherril for this excellent alert. Lynette included some sample letters that she, Joyce Morrell and Bob Thayer composed.  Please copy and paste to an email and share with your friends!

    Thanks Lynette, Bob and Joyce!

     

    Action needed NOW!  Thursday, 4/9/09 is the Deadline to move this.

    This is the last push for Indiana's State Sovereignty legislation that's authored in the House.  

    HCR 50, Urging the US to stop mandates beyond their scope of power. http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=0050&doctype=HCR

    HCR 50 is currently in the Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures.  http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&request=getCommittee&committee_name=Rules+and+Legislative+Procedures&chamber=H

    The Committee Chairman is Representative GiaQuinta. http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_democrats/giaquinta_contact.html

    Please Call the committee Chairman TODAY and URGE that the committee passes Resolution 50. Plase call the Speaker of the House Rep. Bauer TODAY and URGE that he take action. Call toll-free (from anywhere within Indiana):1-800-382-9842


    or directly at (317)232-9600     Please send emails!!!! http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_democrats/caucus_members.html

    The email address to use in contacting State Rep. Pat Bauer is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Speaker of the House)

    The email address to use in contacting State Rep. Phil GiaQuinta is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

    Here are some letters for inspiration or simply cut and paste!!!

     

     

    Name County name of Rep.

    The Honorable Representative Pat Bauer Indiana House of Representatives

    Re:  Support HCR 50

    Dear Mr. Speaker Bauer,

    I am contacting you in hopes that you will influence the House Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee to pass the State Sovereignty Resolution, HCR 50.  We know you take your fiduciary responsibilities seriously and desire the best for Indiana.  Supporting HCR 50 is definitely a step in the right direction.

    I apologies for the last minute plea, until recently I have been focused on the passing of the Senate version, SR 42; which passed out of committee with a unanimous vote!  Many are pleased and excited that it might receive a full floor vote this week.  I urge that the House follow suit so Indiana may claim foresight in responsibility with regards to her own action. I know my legislators are competent and capable of taking care of business without the federal mandates that lack the funding.

    I thank you for your precious time while the session is active.  I honestly believe this is time used wisely.

    Best Regards,

    Name

    email address

    phone number

     

    HCR 0050, Urging the US to stop mandates beyond their scope of power.

    http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=0050&doctype=HCR

    SR 0042, Defense of state sovereignty resolution. http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=0042&doctype=SR ......................

     

    Indiana House Speaker Pat Bauer

    Indiana House of Representatives

    200 W. Washington Street

    Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2786

    April 6th, 2009

     

     

    Dear Honorable Speaker Bauer,

    As a Hoosier citizen like you, I am highly concerned with the debt and the amount and rate our federal government is growing. I urge you as a fellow Hoosier to take a stand for our fellow citizens of Indiana. I know you are the individual who holds the discretion over bills and resolutions in House legislation and request your leadership in a state sovereignty matter.

    I am writing to you today in reference to House Concurrent Resolution 0050, which has been sitting in Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee since March 12th. I am asking that you ask Chairman GiaQuinta to put HCR 50 to a vote in this committee and I would be in high hopes that it would come out of committee and come to a full House vote before the end of this 2009 session.

    I believe you are the person to ask to get this job done no matter which side of the aisle you sit as you are representing each and everyone of Indiana citizens of every age.

    I look forward to your courage in this unselfish and non partisan issue before the committee deadline next week.

    Respectfully submitted,

    ................

    (works for Speaker or Chairman)

     

     

     

    Re:  Support HCR 50 - Now

    There are two pieces of legislation, in the form of Senate and House resolutions that are critical to preserving the sovereignty of our state:

     

    SR 42, Defense of state sovereignty resolution:

    http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=0042&doctype=SR

     

    and

     

    HCR 50, Urging the US to stop mandates beyond their scope of power:

    http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/HRESF/HC0050.html

     

     

    In light of the horrendously irresponsible behavior of both houses of Congress over the past generations, we find ourselves being forced by our federal government, through the many administrative "Executive Orders" and unconstitutional legislative maneuvers imposed by our federal.

     

     

    To defend ourselves against such an injustice about 30 states are presently undertaking to underscore the independent sovereignty of each state afforded us by the tenth amendment of our Constitution with active state sovereignty legislations.

     

     

    The aforementioned resolutions have been drafted to permit Indiana to assume its rightful status as an independent

    entity.  Senate Resolution 42 has passed committee with a bipartisan unanimous yes.

     

     

    My reason for writing is to ask you to become a part of the process of asserting our constitutional rights to sovereignty as a state by moving the House version to the floor so the state's full body of Representatives may participate in requesting members of the U. S. Congress that they operate within the confines of the provisions of our Constitution.  As you know, there is only one day left to address HCR 50 this session.  Indiana needs a united General Assembly.

     

     

    With both bodies asserting our state's sovereignty, we will be positioned to protect ourselves from the activities of the federal branch who would unconstitutional impose their will upon us.

     

     

    Sincerely,

     

    name

    address

    .


     

     

     

    Update 4/6/09

    HCR 50 is in Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee on March 12th.  The chairman could push it out but will only do so on House Speaker Bauer's say so.  How do we make a difference?  By pressuring Speaker Bauer with 500 or more letters.

    Why letters? Because they make the most impact.

    Indiana House Speaker Pat Bauer

    Indiana House of Representatives

    200 W. Washington St.,

    Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2786

    Putting your best foot forward, urge the speaker to get this state sovereignty resolution out of committee and onto the House Floor this week so all representatives across the state can put it to a vote.  Those folks who profess Hoosier Values and who are in control need their feet held to the fire and we MUST be the ones doing this to both sides of the aisle.

    I'm told for every 15 paid liberal agenda lobbyist, there is one at our very own state house.  If we do not fill that gap, the socialist will and are.  If we want change, we have to be the movers and shakers ourselves.

    go to http://www.incrc.com  for further information and action items there!  Stay abreast of the situation with following up this week on writing, calling and emailing Speaker Bauer.  If and when we get it to the floor, we will need to be getting the word out for Hoosiers across the state to urge their own representatives to vote yes to state sovereignty.  All the information is on Indiana Conservative Republican Caucus site for our use. We have until mid April to get this done!!!

    -Joyce

     

    Update 4/3/09 We would really like to get the House resolution - HCR 50, to a vote.  We've been advised that if we could get 500 letters to Representative Patrick Bauer, Speaker of the House, imploring him to allow HCR 50 to the floor for a vote, we might have a chance.


    To that end, please call Speaker Bauers Assistant below and leave a message to that effect, if you would please!  A short email as well, followed up with a snail mail version as well, if you would please!


    Jonathan Morgan
    Legislative Assistant Rep. Pat Bauer
    Speaker of the House 234-9294


    By Mail...
    Indiana House Speaker Pat Bauer
    Indiana House of Representatives
    200 W. Washington St.
    Indianapolis, IN 46204-2786


    By Internet...
    The email address to use in contacting State Rep. Pat Bauer is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

     

    The following link is to a web interface at in.gov to emaill Rep Bauer directly.

    http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/contact/contact-lsa-2-5.pl?data=h006

     

    Update 4/2/09

    Please call 1-800-382-9467 and ask for your Senator's office. If you do not know who that representative is, the staff will assist you. Some people may be overwhelmed with computer work, plus a call makes a good impression on top of an email. - Joyce Morrell

     

    Update 4/1/09

    SR 42 status page: http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=0042&doctype=SR

    I just spoke with Senator Walker.  SR 42 was heard in hearing in the Committee on Commerce and Public Policy & Interstate Cooperation this afternoon.

    Senator Walker reports the hearing was "...the most fun I've had in the 2 1/2 years I've had this job." 

    Needless to say, SR 42 passed in committee.

    The vote was 8 to 0, with 3 absent.  All four Democrats present voted AYE!  As well, three asked to be added as coauthors no less!!  Those Senators being Senators Deig, Skinner and Arnold. 

    Senator Walker reports that he is up to 19 co-authors now, including three Committee Chairs - Senators Paul, Steele and Kruse, and Senate President pro-tem Long.

    There should be video of the hearing posted tomorrow,  I'll try to get it dl'd and onto youtube as soon as I see it.


    Action Alert - Phase 2
    A vote on the floor could come as early as next monday. Senator Walker wants to get it to a vote as soon as possible, so time is short.

    Call and/or write your State Senator and express your support for the resolution and encourage them to do so as well.  If your Senator was been involved in the committee hearing or is a co-sponsor, please be sure to thank them (profusely).

    I have a Soapbox alert set up at Congress.org to aid in finding your Senator and authoring a message.  The Alert is titled "Support SR 42" and is from Kokomo In.

    http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=12989051&content_dir=ua_congressorg


    I also have an Action Alert up at http://incrc.com:

    http://incrc.com/action-central2/state-activism/304-action-alert-support-sr-42-federalism


    Please share this with your friends, family and neighbors, and encourage them to write or call their Senators!


    Thanks for your time and efforts!!

    Libertas!

    Jerry Titus

    Update 3/23/09  My good friend Joyce Morrell is in the Statehouse today.... she chased down the scoop on what was formerly SCR 37. It has been refiled as SR 42.

    Early last week, there was confusion about it's assignment to the rules committee. Now we hear that there was some problems with the language. I haven't had time to compare the two, but the new is as strong or better than the old imho.

    Joyce spoke with Senator Walker within the last hour and found that it has been corrected and refiled as - 'SR 0042 -- Defense of state sovereignty resolution', and that the bill is indeed assigned to the Committee on Commerce and Public Policy & Interstate Cooperation.

    Joyce also reports that Senator Walker recommends that now is the time to again contact Senator Alting, and the Committee members to urge a hearing and a AYE vote. Please EMAIL AND CALL Senator Alting within the next 48 hours.


    Once we clear this hurdle, we'll be focusing our efforts on the Senate as a whole.

     

     

     

    Update 3/11/09

    I've received word that SCR 37 has been assigned to and scheduled for hearing in the Senate Commerce, Public Policy & Interstate Cooperation Committee, with:

    Chairman Senator Ron Alting    Homepage -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9517 - Leg. Ass. Amy Jorgenson


    Senators on the committee:

    Becker     Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9494 - Kate Vincent

    Delph       Homepage - eMail - (317) 232-9488  - Patricia Smith

    Merritt     Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9533 - Dawna Smith

    Stutzman Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9493 - Brian Rockensuess

    Waltz      Homepage - eMail - (317) 232-9814 - Matt Doerr

    Zakas      Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9490 - Debbie McCarty

    Deig        Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9523 - Tracy Woolbright

    Arnold     Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9532 - Michelle Moody

    Skinner    Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9849 - Brent Stinson

    Taylor     Homepage - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - (317) 232-9847 - Tiffany Limbach


    Please help us support this important resolution by emailing, calling and writing and the Committee Chairman and members and your specific Senator and Representative. Our first priority of business is getting the resolution out of committee, then once over that hurdle to get in passed in the Senate and then house, so be sure to write Senator Alting and the committee members regardless of whether they are or not your specific legislators, and of course a note to your specific legislators as well.


    My contact in the statehouse passes this advice on:

    "Approach Sen. Alting very respectfully, in your comments and inquiries. Refer to the 10th Amendment Resolution sponsored by Senators Walker, Delph, Kruz, Stutzman and several of their peers in the House and Senate.   Let fly....he has not received the resolution assignment yet, but that is where I  believe the resolution is going.

    Now is the time to make initial contact with Sen. Alting. I think we will get a hearing...no threats, or veiled innuendos to voter retribution for failure to SUPPORT the resolution - he needs clear concise reasons to support the resolution."


    As I said earlier, Indiana was the 13th State this year to file a resolution reasserting States rights under the Tenth amendment. As of March 12th, 24 states have filed similar resolutions. This movement is bringing awareness to the masses that the federal government has overstepped its Constitutional authority and that state governments are tired of it and are reasserting their inherent rights of sovereignty (and superiority) as guaranteed by the tenth amendment.

     

    These are all non-binding resolutions, but are of very high importance as a first step at securing and restoring Constitutional government to our country. From this years crop of resolutions, to date only Oklahoma has passed theirs.   Indiana could be the second - lets make our best effort to make it so.


    Thanks for your time and support,


    In liberty,

    jt




    More information on the 10th amendment movement:

    JBS 10th Amendmendment Campaign Tools

    State Sovereignty Resolutions - 10th amendment center

    Tenth Amendment Talking Points - 10th amendment center

    The 10th Amendment Movement Continues To Grow

    OK 10th Amendment Resolution Passes State House! NH Sets Trend For Nation

    Oklahoma Declares Sovereignity | American Conservative Daily

    Good News and Bad News for the Tenth Amendment Movement

    Take Action!
    1. Contact your legislator first and foremost, put pressure on our State Assembly Representatives and Senators through a direct contact campaign.   Call, send a email and write a letter. Please consider doing ALL three for maximum effectiveness.  INSIST on a response.  Share your letters and responses with us so we can encourage and help others by and with our examples. To share with us, you can paste submissions in the comments window at the bottom of this page or email them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

    Click here for an online tool at Congress.org to help you find your legislator.

    2. Spread the word, stay involved. This is a grassroots effort. We will probably need your help again.  Diligence, persistence and tenacity are three factors we CAN control and affect that have proven results.  Tell your neighbors, family and friends.  Help distribute literature and fliers in your community.

    3. Future focused action. Our strength is our numbers and in organized, coordinated effort.  So please signup for our email updates or RSS feeds (for our homepage or this category by clicking the RSS symbol at the top in the left pane) to stay informed, engaged and available. 


    CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR


    1. FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR. Click here to go to the 'Who's your legislator?' page at in.gov. Enter your zip code and select 'Indiana House in the 'Elected Office' field.  This will take you to a map, which you may have to zoom in on to find your exact district.  Once sure of your district, click on your Representatives name in the window on the right side of the page.  This will take you to a panel that lists your Representative's contact information.  Clicking on the email field will open a window for direct email to him. Or, you can author an email in your preferred program and email it to the address given.

    If you know your Legislator's name, you can access a master list by clicking here.

    2. CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR. Check above for talking points on the issue. If you get a machine, or an aide, INSIST on a written reply.

    3. EMAIL YOUR LEGISLATOR.  Compose an email to your legislator

    I've created a Soapbox alert at Congress.org that be used  to assist you in finding your legislators and authoring a email and/or letter to your legislator on any topic.    Click here, enter your zip+4 in the 'zip window' and click 'go'.

    As well, The John Birch Society has a great site that will assist you in finding your legislators and composing and sending a message to them.  Click here for the JBS sample letter and 'Take Action' submission tool at VoterVoice.


    Submit online via the in.gov web interface. Review our example page then author your own personalized correspondance in an external notepad or word processor. Copy and paste into the provided window at in.gov.  Flat text is all that is allowed so keep formatting to a minimum. Make sure you ask for a written reply.


    Tip - Saving your online submission if you enter it directly.  Highlight and copy the text before selecting the submit button. Open a notepad or word processor new file and paste the copied text. Save.  Please consider shareing a copy with us via the comments window at the bottom of this page, or by emailing them to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  You may use any or all of the sample correspondance found on our site or in our articles to aid you.

    4. WRITE YOUR  STATE LEGISLATOR. Re-edit your correspondance for a printable copy.  Personalize and embelish. See the 'Aids for Correspondance' tab.  Don't forget to INSIST on a reply.  Print out and mail it to your legislator.

    5. After you are complete for your State Representative, go back to step 1 and repeat for your State Senator if necessary (only at in.gov).

    Lists of legislators from in.gov:

    House Democrats
    House Republicans
    Senate Democrats
    Senate Republicans
    Standing Committees
    Legislation by Legislator
    Legislators Listings listed by name or district.
    How to Contact your Legislator

    Who's Your Legislator

    Senate Democrat Staff - Legislative Assistants

    Senate Republican Staff -Legislative Assistants


    List of email addresses for the entire General Assembly - copy and paste or direct click if you know your district.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. 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