Fw: A Story of the Future

[Guest guest]

This is to support the "Read The Bills Act"

..Bills get signed and passed on a regular basis without being read by our representatives. Send a message to Capitol Hill easily here.

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

 

Congress cannot claim to be representing us if they don't know what's in the bills they pass. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, even for a Congressman. Today, I want to encourage you, once again, to take action on the Read the Bills Act. But the action I'm going to suggest will be a little different this time. If you want to send another message to Congress, please feel free to add to the 40,000 others we've already sent to Capitol Hill. Click here to send your message. But we need to take things to a whole new level. I have a dream. In my dream, Representatives are getting inundated with electronic messages, letters, faxes, and phone calls. It is almost routine to find some constituent in their office who is asking them, "Why won't you sponsor the Read the Bills Act?" The constant pressure is annoying and they can't wait to get back home, away from Capitol Hill and the relentless pressure. But things have become a nightmare back home too. As our imaginary Representative marches in a local parade, he sees a dozen citizens holding signs that read, "Congressman X, Why do you believe you don't need to read the laws you impose on me?" As he visits local talk shows and editorial boards every host and reporter asks him, "Why do you believe you shouldn't be required to read the laws you pass?" And when he dodges the question he finds that he is pressed. The talk show hosts and the reporters are relentless. They won't let go. Frustrated, he drives to his next campaign stop. On the way, he hears a radio ad saying, "Congress doesn't read the laws they pass ... visit DownsizeDC.org." The Congressman asks his driver to change the station, but before he arrives at the next event, he hears the ad again! The Congressman is going to speak to a friendly crowd (most incumbents tend to steer clear of less than friendly crowds). But tonight is different. In the audience, dozens of people are wearing buttons that say, "Make Congress Read the Bills." He shudders. But he's a consummate professional, and so he delivers his canned speech. Then, they open up the mikes. Someone stands and asks, "Why do you believe you can pass laws that I must live by, when you haven't even read them?" The Congressman tugs at his tie. Is it getting hot in here? Yes. It's getting hot in there, and it just gets hotter and hotter for the next hour as he is bombarded with question after question about the "Read the Bills Act." And none of his evasions seem to get him off the hook, and so . . . He flees the event, returning to the seeming safety of his campaign headquarters. "How's it going?" he asks his campaign manager. Well, the folks working the phone banks keep getting asked where the Congressman stands on the "Read the Bills Act." The Congressman grimaces and says, "I'm going home. Call me if anyone wants to talk about something other than Read the Bills." On the way home he sees a DownsizeDC.org bumper-sticker. He grumbles, "How did it ever get this bad? Being a Congressman was supposed to be fun. People were supposed to show me respect. I had all these plans for a brave new world." The Congressman arrives home. There, he finds his wife watching TV. She doesn't even acknowledge that he's entered. "I'm home," says the legislator. His wife responds, "You know what I've been doing all day?Sure," he replies, "You've been out stumping. What was it? The school assembly this morning, the civic club at lunch... But at least you had time to get together with the girls to play cards, right?Yes," she says. The Congressman detects the condescending tone in his wife's voice. "So what's the matter?" he asks. "All day, Read the Bills. Schoolchildren want to know when you'll read the bills. It's all the civic club members could talk about. And our so-called friends, well, even they wanted to know how you could expect people to obey laws you haven't even read." The Congressman slams down his briefcase, cusses to himself and heads for the "reading room" (maybe in your house you call it the sandbox, the water closet, or something else). He settles in and opens the paper. This headline catches his eye: "Grassroots group to assemble on Capitol Hill for the No Legislation Without Representation Conference." It's a story about an expected crowd of more than 2,000 people descending on Capitol Hill in just a few months to demand that Congress pass the Read the Bills Act. The Congressman can't even go to the bathroom in peace. Unfortunately, this story is only a dream. But we're growing at DownsizeDC.org, so I fimrly believe this day will come. Increasingly, the question is less "if," but "when?" It's just a matter of time. How much time? It depends. First, we need to greatly increase our media penetration. I did nine interviews in February and 13 in March. I've done four so far this month, and another tonight (details in the P.S.). In May, I want to do 20 interviews, and even more in June. And I'll make you this promise. If you can name the producer of a radio show, get his or her direct phone number and/or email address, and some other relevant data -- to fill out this form -- we'll try to book the interview. Sometimes, they don't call back after repeated calls. But we'll really try to get me on the show if you get us the right information. Second, we've raised less than half of our necessary budget for the month of April, and we have only a third of the month to go. $14,000 not only pays the bills, but insures that we continue to grow and make progress. I know that there are people reading this message who could pay the entire amount. We would be very grateful for that support. It would improve our focus on Congress, instead of our checkbook. There are others who could contribute $2,000 or $1,000 or $500. We've only had two donations in this range all month. Those amounts would really speed us to our goal. If you can give $250, $100, or even the Spirit of $76, you would make a real difference. But ANY amount is helpful. If those amounts would create a strain, perhaps you could become a monthly pledger. Please consider pledging $25, $20, or $10 per month. You might not even miss the money, but it will add up to something substantial over the course of a year. As I said, any amount is helpful. We have 21,600 rs on this list. If half of them gave $5, not only would we have enough for this month and the next, but we'd have some left over to get "the nightmare" started in a couple of Congressional districts -- maybe even yours. You can contribute here. So here's how you can hasten "the nightmare" for Congress . . . Send a message in support of RTBA by clicking here. Add to our media database here. Make a contribution or monthly pledge here. Thank you for being a DC Downsizer. Jim Babka President DownsizeDC.org, Inc. P.S. I will be a guest on Free Talk Live tonight (Thursday) - now heard on more than a dozen stations in several states. I'll be on during the 7 PM hour (Eastern time), discussing the National Animal Identification Act, the Read the Bills Act, and who knows what else. It's always fun. To learn where the show airs, or to listen live online, visit www.freetalklive.com

 

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c his the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc. & Downsize DC Foundation CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project http://www.DownsizeDC.org is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a non-profit educational organization promoting the ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, and small government. You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business associates, and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein as long as attribution is provided for articles and the subscription instructions above are included. IF you have difficulties or inquiries, simply hit reply to this message. We're eager to help, including with requests to .

If you wish to cancel your subscription, simply click once on the link below.Click here to

[Guest guest]

This is to support the " Read The Bills Act "

..Bills get signed and passed on a regular basis without being read by our

representatives. Send a message to Capitol Hill easily here.

 

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

--

 

Congress cannot claim to be representing us if they don't know what's in the

bills they pass. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, even for a Congressman.

 

Today, I want to encourage you, once again, to take action on the Read the Bills

Act.

 

But the action I'm going to suggest will be a little different this time. If you

want to send another message to Congress, please feel free to add to the 40,000

others we've already sent to Capitol Hill. Click here to send your message.

 

But we need to take things to a whole new level.

 

I have a dream. In my dream, Representatives are getting inundated with

electronic messages, letters, faxes, and phone calls. It is almost routine to

find some constituent in their office who is asking them, " Why won't you sponsor

the Read the Bills Act? "

 

The constant pressure is annoying and they can't wait to get back home, away

from Capitol Hill and the relentless pressure.

 

But things have become a nightmare back home too. As our imaginary

Representative marches in a local parade, he sees a dozen citizens holding signs

that read, " Congressman X, Why do you believe you don't need to read the laws

you impose on me? "

 

As he visits local talk shows and editorial boards every host and reporter asks

him, " Why do you believe you shouldn't be required to read the laws you pass? "

And when he dodges the question he finds that he is pressed. The talk show hosts

and the reporters are relentless. They won't let go.

 

Frustrated, he drives to his next campaign stop. On the way, he hears a radio ad

saying, " Congress doesn't read the laws they pass ... visit DownsizeDC.org. " The

Congressman asks his driver to change the station, but before he arrives at the

next event, he hears the ad again!

 

The Congressman is going to speak to a friendly crowd (most incumbents tend to

steer clear of less than friendly crowds). But tonight is different. In the

audience, dozens of people are wearing buttons that say, " Make Congress Read the

Bills. " He shudders. But he's a consummate professional, and so he delivers his

canned speech. Then, they open up the mikes. Someone stands and asks, " Why do

you believe you can pass laws that I must live by, when you haven't even read

them? " The Congressman tugs at his tie. Is it getting hot in here?

 

Yes. It's getting hot in there, and it just gets hotter and hotter for the next

hour as he is bombarded with question after question about the " Read the Bills

Act. " And none of his evasions seem to get him off the hook, and so . . .

 

He flees the event, returning to the seeming safety of his campaign

headquarters. " How's it going? " he asks his campaign manager. Well, the folks

working the phone banks keep getting asked where the Congressman stands on the

" Read the Bills Act. " The Congressman grimaces and says, " I'm going home. Call

me if anyone wants to talk about something other than Read the Bills. "

 

On the way home he sees a DownsizeDC.org bumper-sticker. He grumbles, " How did

it ever get this bad? Being a Congressman was supposed to be fun. People were

supposed to show me respect. I had all these plans for a brave new world. "

 

The Congressman arrives home. There, he finds his wife watching TV. She doesn't

even acknowledge that he's entered. " I'm home, " says the legislator. His wife

responds, " You know what I've been doing all day? " " Sure, " he replies, " You've

been out stumping. What was it? The school assembly this morning, the civic club

at lunch... But at least you had time to get together with the girls to play

cards, right? " " Yes, " she says. The Congressman detects the condescending tone

in his wife's voice. " So what's the matter? " he asks. " All day, Read the Bills.

Schoolchildren want to know when you'll read the bills. It's all the civic club

members could talk about. And our so-called friends, well, even they wanted to

know how you could expect people to obey laws you haven't even read. "

 

The Congressman slams down his briefcase, cusses to himself and heads for the

" reading room " (maybe in your house you call it the sandbox, the water closet,

or something else). He settles in and opens the paper. This headline catches his

eye: " Grassroots group to assemble on Capitol Hill for the No Legislation

Without Representation Conference. " It's a story about an expected crowd of more

than 2,000 people descending on Capitol Hill in just a few months to demand that

Congress pass the Read the Bills Act. The Congressman can't even go to the

bathroom in peace.

 

Unfortunately, this story is only a dream. But we're growing at DownsizeDC.org,

so I fimrly believe this day will come. Increasingly, the question is less " if, "

but " when? " It's just a matter of time.

 

How much time? It depends.

 

First, we need to greatly increase our media penetration. I did nine interviews

in February and 13 in March. I've done four so far this month, and another

tonight (details in the P.S.). In May, I want to do 20 interviews, and even more

in June.

 

And I'll make you this promise. If you can name the producer of a radio show,

get his or her direct phone number and/or email address, and some other relevant

data -- to fill out this form -- we'll try to book the interview. Sometimes,

they don't call back after repeated calls. But we'll really try to get me on the

show if you get us the right information.

 

Second, we've raised less than half of our necessary budget for the month of

April, and we have only a third of the month to go. $14,000 not only pays the

bills, but insures that we continue to grow and make progress.

 

I know that there are people reading this message who could pay the entire

amount. We would be very grateful for that support. It would improve our focus

on Congress, instead of our checkbook. There are others who could contribute

$2,000 or $1,000 or $500. We've only had two donations in this range all month.

Those amounts would really speed us to our goal.

 

If you can give $250, $100, or even the Spirit of $76, you would make a real

difference. But ANY amount is helpful. If those amounts would create a strain,

perhaps you could become a monthly pledger. Please consider pledging $25, $20,

or $10 per month. You might not even miss the money, but it will add up to

something substantial over the course of a year.

 

As I said, any amount is helpful. We have 21,600 rs on this list. If

half of them gave $5, not only would we have enough for this month and the next,

but we'd have some left over to get " the nightmare " started in a couple of

Congressional districts -- maybe even yours. You can contribute here.

 

So here's how you can hasten " the nightmare " for Congress . . .

 

Send a message in support of RTBA by clicking here.

 

Add to our media database here.

 

Make a contribution or monthly pledge here.

 

Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.

 

Jim Babka

President

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

 

P.S. I will be a guest on Free Talk Live tonight (Thursday) - now heard on more

than a dozen stations in several states. I'll be on during the 7 PM hour

(Eastern time), discussing the National Animal Identification Act, the Read the

Bills Act, and who knows what else. It's always fun. To learn where the show

airs, or to listen live online, visit www.freetalklive.com

 

 

 

--

 

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc. & Downsize DC Foundation

 

CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project

 

http://www.DownsizeDC.org is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a non-profit

educational organization promoting the ideas of individual liberty, personal

responsibility, free markets, and small government.

 

You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business associates,

and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein as long as

attribution is provided for articles and the subscription instructions above are

included.

 

IF you have difficulties or inquiries, simply hit reply to this message. We're

eager to help, including with requests to .

 

 

If you wish to cancel your subscription, simply click once on the link below.

Click here to