Lamontz

?uestlove

Congrats and Well-frickin’-Done, FDLers!

Now I’m off to watch the video…I can picture Joe Lieberman turning to ash and blowing away in the wind as soon as the book touched his hands.

Well, it looks like Dianne Feinstein has a new doorstop for ther office.

ROOTZ!

FLUTZ!!

Great job - well done! I hope the offices are soon buzzing about this great book, and that its message - and its lessons - are taken to heart.

Off to make phone calls and watch the video!

fabulous photo of the Rootzers there, would love to put names to them faces!

you guys seau rawk!

I have been grinning from ear to ear ever since I got up and watched the video. You guys absolutely rock — everyone involved did a fantastic job with this! Well done.

Can’t wait to see what someone cooks up for the next Roots project…

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE ! ! !

really wasn’t expecting to get choked up by the video - but seeing ‘just folks’ taking their rightful place in the halls of power - AAHH!

A big phat THANKS! and Good On Ya to all the volunteers

xxooxxoo

Thanks for posting this update!

It was a blast. Still so juiced from it. I can’t believe the whirlwind pace of the day and of the action on whole. But we did it, with the help, support, time, energy, and money of the netroots behind us. I feel incredibly inspired to have taken part in this action and I, too, cannot wait to see the next RP action!

Oh, I didn’t get to follow news yesterday - anything happen (besides Dodd announcing for President)? Anyone indicted?

a guy #4 - Feinstein was one of two offices that have a “no gift” policy. Her book is being mailed to her. Hopefully it will NOT become a doorstop.

The heroine of the day is Edgery, who is the woman in the picture. She organized the stickering project and ran the details of the action. Her experience with the Hill was invaluable. She gave us all a great opening briefing on the layout of the offices and etiquette for visitors. Her organizational plan of sorting the books by building, and within that, office number, saved an immense amount of time.

I apologize to the other folks for forgetting names–the day is still something of a blur. But thank you all. The DC crew was the key to our getting this done successfully. Those first two waves at the start of the day were critical.

btw, won’t have a congresscritter in this group until MaryBeth Harrell and Barbara Ann Radnofsky get elected in November . . .

so I telephoned Pachacutec’s Bitch Senator Schumer’s office !

Heh, wait a minute. Where are the left-wing, long haired, hippe type nutcases that are the radical left? Heh, they look a bit like me. Well, maybe better looking but they seem like regular people. Wow, do D.C. people know that we look, sound, and are sane? Well they do now.

Congratulations to the originators of the idea, and for absolutely everyone pitching in. Someone, somewhere, is buzzing about those books this morning.

Wow! What a rush, to see “my” copy of Crashing the Gate…well, crash the gate.

Great work, folks. (And you’re right, GrandmaJ. These people look an awful lot like me and my neighbors.)

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Fantastic work everybody, thanks to all the volunteers who helped deliver those to the Congresscritters!

Oh yeah, and Frooitz! As in the Frooitz of the Dev-ill!

Good morning everyone. This is so moving. To see such a highly organized, thoughtful, meaningful action take place gives me chills. Huge heartfelt thank you to all who participated. An incredible act of inspiration.

Feingold!

Wait, something’s wrong with these pix! I don’t see a moon or any bats, and the FDLers look so…so well-hinged!

Where are all the crazed, filthy hippies? The foaming-at-the-mouth Bush haters??

These people look like sane, normal constituents. Somebody in Casting has made a horrible mistake!!

(Psst…Philo & Co.: great job!)

GrandmaJ

along the lines of your comment - the few times I’ve made visits to Hutchison’s and Cornyn’s Austin offices - I’ve made sure to dress as Central Texas Church Lady as I could - including out of character ‘big hair’
my plan was validated when Hutchison’s chief of staff patted me on the hand !

Grandma J, you beat me to the post. I’m hoping it’s a case of great minds thinking alike.

EPU’d, but back again . . .

Sounds like it was a blast! DiFi is one of my senators (much to my chagrin*) and her “no gift” policy is I think related to the whole Abramoff/Dukestir mess.

Of course, whoever delivered it could have tried to *sell* it to her office . . . “That’ll be $16.50, please. (We offer free shipping to Capitol Hill.)” Call it “office supplies” or “constituent services research”.

(*On the other hand, Pete Stark is my rep! It doesn’t quite make up for DiFi, but I’ll take what I can get.)

cbl #15:

This story will tell you all you need to know about Sen. Chuckles:

http://www.dealbreaker.com/200.....ets_b.html

Unlike the pix above, this picture could be a lot prettier.

Good on US!!!

I’m hoping to meet with a couple of Markey staffers in June when I’m in DC. I hope to fill them in on who we are and what we are doing, and to figure out how we can work together just like we are doing with Kerry’s office.

Doing good things feels really good, doesn’t it?

Crashing the gate
With books in a crate
Now, lying in wait…
Will Dems take the bait?

Ain’t FDL great?

OT-
Anyone have access to the times?
Evidently they published 5 letters critical of the tabloid article from yesterday.

T-

OT -

The Refresh Comments button is back!
The Refresh Comments button is back!

It’s got to be one of the best little tweaks to improve a site like this, especially for those of us on dialup.

Christy, Jane, Pach, and all your techies - We love the voodoo that you do!!

This is amazing–democracy in action. I will make the calls today!

OT-
Now, as the pre-trial jousting in Mr. Libbys case picks up momentum, the onetime loyal West Wing confidant will have to choose between protecting himself and protecting the White House. Specifically, insiders say, he will have to choose between a not-guilty verdict and a Presidential pardon. - NY Observer

T-

Peterr, thanks for the reminder. After all of the feedback about issues yesterday, it’s time for some positives today. Site’s working perfectly at home on Firefox 1.5.0.3 and XP Media.

I’ll log in from the office later to see how we do with IE6 and NT 4.0.

Sweet!

T- at 31 — do you have a link on that? Thanks heaps in advance if you do…

16 and 21 “dirty hippies and moonbats”

That issue was an interesting part of our discussion with Dodd’s chief of staff and her internet staffer. We pointed out that the demographics of political bloggers has a mode at 40-49 year olds with post graduate education. The CoS expressed surprise at that–turned to her internet guy who said, “They’re right. I can give you those figures.”

I think part of what happened in that session is that we provided confirmatory evidence of what the internet guy has been saying to them all along. Dropping the polite modesty bit for a moment, both Philo and I are very well-educated, well-informed, well-read and articulate. That we were saying what I’m pretty sure she has been hearing from her internet guy is gonna help him get a deeper commitment from the Senator to a bigger internet presence. They certainly do want to reach people like us–as Philo pointed out at one point, using different words, we are influencers. We shape the opinions of our friends and family who don’t have the time to follow these issues.

Tim, if you’re reading this, and I’ve got any of it wrong, please chime in.

This is so pathetic. Why would any dem vote for Hayden? It’s an endorsement of the illegal NSA spying you morons.

The committee voted 12-3 to move the nomination forward. As it was a closed-door vote, Roberts did not announce which members voted no. However, FOX News learned that Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Evan Bayh of Indiana objected to the nominee.

Democratic Sens. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Dianne Feinstein of California and Carl Levin of Michigan all voted for the nominee. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va, recovering from back surgery, cast a vote by proxy in favor of Hayden. All the Republican panel members voted for Hayden.

al-scooter - thanks for that link - now bookmarked, Wall Street gossip - who knew ?

Christy & everyone - repeating my heads up from last night

Opening Statements today in David Safavian’s trial - bringing it up as it takes place at Fitz’s Courthouse and don’t want folks to get overly excited in the event there are cameras and bobbleheads outside on a Wednesday

Morning all. Isn’t it about time for someone to breathlessly say that “The Note” is reporting that the Fitz GJ is meeting today?

http://www.nyobserver.com/2006.....story2.asp
Tried the tag above and it looked good in the preview…but I’m an html rookie.

Hilarious - the NY times has five letters on the clinton marriage article, but they are all behind a subscription firewall.

That is quite the policy there, NYTimes - force the reading public to pay to read letters from the public.

I’ll tell you the best part of this roots project;

THE DEMOCRATS WERE WAITING FOR US AND WONDERING WHY THEY HADN’T GOTTEN THEIR BOOK.

in other words

THEY READ US!

THEY PAY ATTENTION

Condi is pissed! This was her dream job. Rub it in, Jeb….

Jeb Bush is approached about running NFL

28 minutes ago

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said he was privately approached about his interest in becoming the NFL’s next commissioner.

OOPS,somehow I hit enter before I was done writing

anyway, the democrats are listening to us and we can make a differance for that reason alone.

this is great news and we now have good reason to KNOW AS A FACT that we are influencing policy, so long as our wishes are based with facts as our tools.

we are the watchdogs of America and we have to keep the vigil for our democracy

I am energized

The pic of all of us from Monday night is (l to r):

Edrie
Jeff
Clarke (in back)
David Grossman of PTV
me (Dave, grrtigger on Daily Kos)

Looking forward to hearing about feedback from all the calls and emails the Congressional Dems are about to get asking whether they’ve received the book, plan to read it, what they thought, etc. :D

jayackroyd @34-

In the comments at dKos, you rightly said that you were very happy to meet with staffers. When I read that, I had the sense that you meant “political liasons” and “constiutent services” folks.

As critical as they are, however, I think that staffers like the “internet guy” might be at least as important to cultivate from our perspective out here at FDL, the Roots Project, etc. They are folks who understand the medium, and are around the staffers (and members) enough to be able to explain it to them, again and again if necessary. They also can do it in words that they can understand, like “I can get you the figures.”

Nothing works like data, when it comes to reaching a politician.

This is great. You guys did a fabulous job.

Met to me 41:

I’ll tell you the best part of this roots project;

THE DEMOCRATS WERE WAITING FOR US AND WONDERING WHY THEY HADN’T GOTTEN THEIR BOOK.

in other words

THEY READ US!

THEY PAY ATTENTION

That gives me an idea…

reload comments.

I don’t know when you added the feature, but I love it, I think you might even up the timer to 20 to 25 seconds which will ease the bandwidth pressure and increase overall site speed

well done

From the NYT (you don’t have to pay to subscribe, just register)

To the Editor:

Re “For Clintons, Delicate Dance of Married and Public Lives” (front page, May 23):

I’m not quite sure what to make of your report about Bill and Hillary Clinton’s marriage as provided by anonymous experts.

What I do know is that I’ll be looking forward to the same thorough reporting into the marriages of other presidential hopefuls, like John McCain and Rudolph W. Giuliani, including “interviews with some 50 people and a review of their respective activities.”

I assume that those critical investigations will be prominently placed in The Times as well; I’d really hate to miss them.

Vivienne Leheny
New York, May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

You write, “Many of those interviewed were granted anonymity to discuss a relationship for which the Clintons have long sought a zone of privacy.”

Nice job in going ahead and invading their privacy anyway.

Is the Clintons’ intimate personal life really such an important issue these days?

Alexander Dent
Avon, Ind., May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

“Tension and disappointment” in a marriage? They’re not always together? There are good times and bad times? Wow, what a revelation!

I’ve been married for 10 years, and much of what you describe in the article about the Clintons’ marriage is true for almost every marriage I’ve ever seen, including my own.

Where I also identify, however, is that the Clintons, regardless of the problems they have had, are still together. They raised a child who seems very well adjusted.

They never did “cut and run,” like many political and media figures who, coincidentally, preach family values.

Paul Eric Plavcan
Newington, Conn., May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

You carry the Clintons’ baggage very well, but I don’t believe that you don’t know what holds the Clinton marriage together: two people who think they are the smartest people in the world, and boundless personal ambition, no matter the cost to party or country or other people.

Mary McLemore
Pike Road, Ala., May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

What are these reports about Bill Clinton and late Tex-Mex dinners?

Mr. President, we want you to live much longer. Try being like George W. Bush a little bit more — dinner by 7.

J. P. Slavin
Dalkey, Ireland, May 23, 2006

Jay - all citizens who step up are leaders. There’s no reason to shy away frmo that. We’re not authoritarian leaders. We’re just citizen making a difference together to change the country.

Letter to the Editor One

To the Editor:

Re “For Clintons, Delicate Dance of Married and Public Lives” (front page, May 23):

I’m not quite sure what to make of your report about Bill and Hillary Clinton’s marriage as provided by anonymous experts.

What I do know is that I’ll be looking forward to the same thorough reporting into the marriages of other presidential hopefuls, like John McCain and Rudolph W. Giuliani, including “interviews with some 50 people and a review of their respective activities.”

I assume that those critical investigations will be prominently placed in The Times as well; I’d really hate to miss them.

Vivienne Leheny
New York, May 23, 2006

You know what really got to me? Reading the bookplate and seeing those boxes all sorted and ready to go, with each Congress members’ name on their copy, in Philo’s Flikr account. It finally seemed real and intimate, a “touchable” moment.

Direct representative democracy, here we come…corporations and lobbyists, get the hell out of our way.

The “Times” letters are not behind a fire wall. They are available with registration. I’m able to read them and I don’t pay for “Times Select.” You just need to register.

Here’s the first three with names changed to initials.
To the Editor:

Re “For Clintons, Delicate Dance of Married and Public Lives” (front page, May 23):

I’m not quite sure what to make of your report about Bill and Hillary Clinton’s marriage as provided by anonymous experts.

What I do know is that I’ll be looking forward to the same thorough reporting into the marriages of other presidential hopefuls, like John McCain and Rudolph W. Giuliani, including “interviews with some 50 people and a review of their respective activities.”

I assume that those critical investigations will be prominently placed in The Times as well; I’d really hate to miss them.

V.H.
New York, May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

You write, “Many of those interviewed were granted anonymity to discuss a relationship for which the Clintons have long sought a zone of privacy.”

Nice job in going ahead and invading their privacy anyway.

Is the Clintons’ intimate personal life really such an important issue these days?

A.D,
Avon, Ind., May 23, 2006

•

To the Editor:

“Tension and disappointment” in a marriage? They’re not always together? There are good times and bad times? Wow, what a revelation!

I’ve been married for 10 years, and much of what you describe in the article about the Clintons’ marriage is true for almost every marriage I’ve ever seen, including my own.

Where I also identify, however, is that the Clintons, regardless of the problems they have had, are still together. They raised a child who seems very well adjusted.

They never did “cut and run,” like many political and media figures who, coincidentally, preach family values.

P.E.V
Newington, Conn., May 23, 2006

Oops, I see Anne beat me to the punch on the letters to the editor.

Nevermind 49. :)

O/T

*ilson - a brief post & lots of comments on FBI raid of Jefferson’s office from Talk Left

TalkLeft

Rockefeller must be doped on morphine if he voted for Hayden. Maybe he has lots of space in that drawer for another letter or two to himself. Freaky.

T-says at 28

Letters are not behind the wall. Yes, there are five letters on the subject. I didn’t read them but here’s the link:

LTEs

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the color coded thingy when we post. I hate scrolling and this gives a quick visual to get back to bidness. Thank you!!

Another idea for possible followup would be for local RP chapters to contact the local campaign offices of Democratic challengers to Republican members of congress, to give them the book.

We wouldn’t want potential newcomers to DC like Ned Lamont to be behind on their reading, come next January, and it might even help a few more get there, if they read it quickly . . .

In the comments at dKos, you rightly said that you were very happy to meet with staffers. When I read that, I had the sense that you meant “political liasons” and “constiutent services” folks.

As critical as they are, however, I think that staffers like the “internet guy” might be at least as important to cultivate from our perspective out here at FDL, the Roots Project, etc. They are folks who understand the medium, and are around the staffers (and members) enough to be able to explain it to them, again and again if necessary. They also can do it in words that they can understand, like “I can get you the figures.”

We do understand the hierarchy. The Clinton staffer the NYRoots folks met with was extremely constrained in what she could say, for example. We all knew that. But we delivered our message, first in the questions we submitted to her for review by the “policy staff” in DC and second, in our conversation with her. Would it have been more effective to have that conversation with the actual policy staffers? Sure.

Was a substantive discussion with the chief of staff more valuable than a symbolic handshake with the senator. You bet it was. She’s been with the Senator for 11 years. She knows how to talk to him. We don’t.

But we should reach out for every contact in any case. The non-front door staff we talked to yesterday were all good people for us to talk to. And I think the next action that happens will get a better response from more senior staff because of this action.

jay (34), pach (48) — Pach’s got that right, been proven time after time since I got active on a local basis in 2004. Leaders are people who show up. Period. We see the same ones again and again, bringing different skill sets and a determination to do the right thing and win; it’s enough to make them a leader, even if it’s only for a day or an hour. As one of our more self-effacing folks says, “I’m just a drummer”…but he shows up every day to make the office run and solves our computer and network problems. He’s the go-to now on technical matters, our leader on that subject.

Jay, if you want demographics to have for future conversations with CoS and others, check out the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s reports, usually one published every month. The April report, for instance, looked at penetration of internet usage. (USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future also has studies with demographics, but their site is current screwed up, can’t retrieve a report.)

Sorry Anne, I must have been writing my post when your’s went up. Apologize for the dup.

I just now called the office of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO, 5th Dist)and the office was not aware that a book had been delivered, so I gave a short pitch for it. Polite reception but I got the sense that Congresspeople are asked all the time by constitutents to read something.

Speaking of the disastrous Clinton article in the “Times” has anyone read the travesty at “Salon” this morning about the review of Al Gore (not his movie) by Andrew O’Hehir. Lots of good letters at the end. It’s crap like this that made me cancel my premium subscription. Dandy Andy prints all the Gore memes this morning. Amazing that he could get so many in such a short article.

Salon Front Page

ArthurKC at 61 — thanks so much for making the call. The more calls they get on any one subject, the more likely they are to sit up and take notice. Your one call — coupled with the calls of a few others — will make a big difference on this. Thanks again!

I’m sorry but I don’t get it. Much like the ruberstamp congress stunt this would seem to be a waste of time and money.

Does anyone here think these congresspeople are going to read much less internalize the book’s message?

No.

Why bother with them? They are absolutely and utterly useless as the last five years have shown (and in some cases the thirty years before that). Okay there are a couple exceptions, and I mean literally a couple, but those aren’t people who need to read the book.

Do you really think A Kennedy much less a lieberman is going to have a sudden epiphany that they don’t have to be a complacent douchebag all the time while the GOP rapes the country?

Again, no.

This is not real citizen action. This is akin to protesting: a legal and utterly ineffective way to make any real change that is legal precisely because it is ineffective.

Look, supporting Lamont against Lieberman? That’s worthwhile. Sending a brand new doorstop to congress? Waste of time. Waste of money (unless your name happens to be Markos in which case I guess you’re pretty happy). How much money did this stunt cost? Was it enough to put one commercial on the air in CT for Lamont?

Seriously, we need to be a lot smarter than this if we want to make a real change.

Polite reception but I got the sense that Congresspeople are asked all the time by constitutents to read something.

TJOP (that’s just our point).

The reason to call and email is to make the point that this book is not like the others. It’s not a book the author wants you to read. It’s a book your constituents want you to read.

The suggestion from the Kos commenters, picked up by Christy is intended to lead to people in the office wondering what all the fuss is about. It’s just another book, after all. Why are all these people calling?

OT

Jane, you are going to have fun with this WaPo Frist fluff piece. Unleash your snark!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01380.html

Bill Frist: A Doctor at Heart
By Laura Blumenfeld
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

(snippets)

“He climbed into the back of his black SUV; his driver steered toward the zoo. “I gravitate towards insurmountable problems,” Frist said, his long legs spilling between the front seats. “I try to use creative solutions.” One day, he hopes to cure AIDS or cancer. He sucked on the stem of his glasses: “The typical person around here may not understand.”

“Frist joined the team, as he had on other mornings, tying on a mask. He unbuttoned his business shirt, revealing jungle-pattern surgical scrubs and a pair of hairy, toned biceps.”

“A little bit like Superman,” said the dentist, Chuck Williams.

“Frist snapped on rubber gloves. He leaned over the operating table, gripping the corners.”

“He pressed his stethoscope to the gorilla’s chest and narrowed his eyes”.

“The stink of ape sweat and gorilla testosterone soaked his hair and clothes”.

The other powerful aspect of this action is the in-person nature. There’s a hierarchy of importance placed on different kinds of contact around DC. Different members/staffers may have slightly different scales, or may switch some of them around, but the top and the bottom of the ladder are firm. From bottom to top, IMHO:

*petitions (email, internet, or hard) - lowest of the low, especially electronic petitions.
*mass emails/snail mail mass postcards - not much better.
*email/snail mail general correspondence - getting there
*handwritten (neatly, of course) personal correspondence - shows more effort on the part of the sender
*phone calls
*personal, in the flesh actual visits.

The more effort that is put into making contact, the more it is listened to. IOW, “when you care enough to send the very best,” that means showing up in person.

Good choice in not just shipping the books to Capitol Hill!

Tlaloc at 64 — well, I can tell you that I personally got a note from someone in Sen. Kennedy’s office this morning — and he’s not only happy to have gotten the book, but was very pleased with the comments made in yesterday’s thread on the Profiles in Courage posting. If you think that members of Congress aren’t sitting up and taking notice of these types of activity, you are fooling yourself — expecially given that people haven’t been using this sort of connection on the left as effectively as they should but now are doing so through efforts like the Roots project. I know when I get personal contact from Senators and Congresspeople (as does Jane) that someone is paying attention — even if it’s the internet staffer or a policy staffer or a press staffer, it’s more than we’ve ever gotten in the past for the voices that we try to bring out. And for that I say to everyone involved again — BRAVO.

Best reward yet for yesterday’s action (and proof that it was appreciated):

I walked into work and my copy of How Should a Patriot Act? had arrived. Joy!

I’m sorry but I don’t get it. Much like the ruberstamp congress stunt this would seem to be a waste of time and money.

Does anyone here think these congresspeople are going to read much less internalize the book’s message?

I don’t know how widely held this view is, but if you think this project was designed to get members of congress to read a book, you’re missing the point.

This project was the Cliff Notes version of the book.

Peterr at 67

That is also why we decided to use the much more cumbersome method of individually purchased books rather than prepurchased books against a donation site. Two reasons.

1) It puts the in the flesh involvement at the outset of the transaction. In some case we could say (because we were asked to) Joe Smith of Maplewood bought you this book.

2) Second, it ups the level of engagement of the contributors. There are 200 odd people out there (some made multiple purchases) who made a very concrete bit of involvement in linking constituents with their representatives. We saw a similar effect with our volunteers. The time commitment kept going up, as they became more engaged with the project.

Congratulations to everyone!!! Special thanks to the roots on the ground! It was a great idea and a wonderful expression of the wishes and motivations of we, the people. Thank you all.

That issue was an interesting part of our discussion with Dodd’s chief of staff and her internet staffer. We pointed out that the demographics of political bloggers has a mode at 40-49 year olds with post graduate education. The CoS expressed surprise at that%u2013turned to her internet guy who said, “They’re right. I can give you those figures.”

Damn, I was thinking how old that is, then I realized…I’m part of that age group. Still can’t believe it. :)

Way to go Rootz!!! I’ve been bumming lately that I don’t have the cash to support this site or support these citizen actions. Why, despite all those tax cuts, am I constantly working just to come up with another 3-month self-employment tax to pay to the fucking govt that treats me like a terrorist? Oh yeah, those tax cuts aren’t for us regular working folks. Anyways, someone in the comments above gave me an idea: I’ll buy CTG for the Dem running in my district and use it as a way of introducing myself to her and offering to help in whatever small way I can.

For those who think this is a waste of time and money –

Please take note — “The Rubber Stamp Republican Congress” meme has gained currency in the public narrative, and that probably would not have happened without the FDL rubber stamp citizen action. “The Rubber Stamp Republican Congress” dovetails very nicely with “Culture of Corruption”, and in addition to being funny, it actually tars the GOP — something the DC Dems seem to neglect far too often.

OT - Zoellick Would Leave State If Passed Over for Top Treasury Job:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....Rs8WIsOoM0

I need suggestions for my banner in Chicago’s “Bike the Drive” for my bike this weekend.

Past banners:

Re-Defeat Bush (04)

Stop Funding Terror: Ride a Bike (05)

Any suggestions this time?

I’m considering:

ITMFA

Fitz!

I’d have to ask for some Dems to call. All I have representing me are Republicans. Any suggestions who deserves a wake up call? Ooh… Cuellar!

Never mind.

Thanks again to Jay and philo and everyone who volunteered, including PoliticsTV. I spent the morning watching not only this action over there but also the kickoff video for Crashing the Gate at GWU. There is one thing that we don’t remember much that I also think is important: Remember when the web award nominations were up and voting was going on? I had never been part of that before so I went to previous years to see how things went, and to my surprise many if not most of the nominated blogs were from the right side of the blogosphere. For 2005, the tide had washed them all away and the lineup was almost completely from the left. Jerome and Kos made a good point at the kickoff, which Jane and Christy (and we) have mentioned many times that the right does not engage their readers to participate, and they don’t organize themselves around any particular issue or action. They really can’t because they can’t defend their positions. Sites like Kos, mydd, firedoglake and others facilitate and promote action and participation and here on FDL, we have direct discussion with our facilitators, whether they are J, C or P, but all of our guest posters like Taylor, TRex, Roger and Matt. That is something unique and certainly different from what Corp Media will ever accopmlish in their online versions.

As a former health educator I know that it takes many repeated messages to move folks to action, and our Congress is no different. This boots on the ground action does make a real difference and I am very, very grateful.

Oh, this refreash comments is really nice, thanks.

Tlaloc @ 64 –

I don’t think you can just dismiss thoughtful and rational action of any kind as being a waste of time and money. Why? Well, take the book giveaway yesterday. It’s true that maybe the senator or representative him- or herself may not be the first person to read the book. Maybe it will be a staffer. But staffers talk to other staffers. Word filters up the chain. The more people who read the book, talk about what’s in the book, the better. At some point, someone with regular access to the legislator is going to say, “You need to read this book, or at least let me tell you what’s in it.”

It may not be instant gratification. Lightning may not strike. There probably won’t be a global “light bulb” moment on the Hill, but I there will begin to be more and more of those moments as time goes by. Before long, the light will shine bright enough to wake up even the most oblivious senator or representative. That’s what movements do.

I think most of us are no longer willing to just sit and curse the darkness – we’re ready to throw the switch on some light bulbs. Not only is it empowering to be involved in this, it’s fun. All I did was buy a book and a rubber stamp, but I did something besides sit on the sidelines and mutter about these dirty rotten scoundrels ruining our country.

You do what you do because you believe that’s the best use of your time and your money – and that’s great. But don’t belittle and diminish the time, money and effort expended by those who had a different approach just because it isn’t the one you would take. This was an all-volunteer effort. Those who thought the book-buying was a good idea bought books. Those who didn’t, or couldn’t afford to, contributed in other ways.

It’s all good. Christy’s comment should be proof of that.

trying to close the link

Jay (34), Peterr (44) and Rayne (59)–

First of all, Jay, you got it right. A part of what I do is evangelize, for lack of a better word, the virtues of the netroots within my office. With all things, change takes time, but I am constantly impressed by how receptive my fellow staffers are when they see what you are all accomplishing out there.

Peterr, I can only speak for myself as one ‘internet guy’ on the hill, but there’s no need to ‘cultivate’ me–I’m on your side. I agree though that folks with technology skillsets in other offices are worth reaching out to.

Rayne, thanks for the link. The more data I have, the easier my work becomes.

Finally, I want to publicly thank Matt, Jay, Edrie, Dewita, Sari and Julie, with whom my CoS and I met yesterday, as well as all the other volunteers and organizers. It was a great meeting, and an excellent project.

Tim

ck - 74:

We also saw a number of posters & signs outside of Democratic congressional offices attacking Republicans for “rubber stamping” legislation. It is certainly part of the common parlance, just as “crashing the gate” is becoming a common term as well.

I forgot my manners, very sorry…

THANK YOU VERY MUCH Edrie, Jeff, Clarke, David Grossman, Dave, Matt, Jay, and everyone else who put their shoulders to this.

Appreciate greatly your efforts to realize this project.

For those who want to come over and constantly whine hoping we’ll eventually link to you — no names please — it’s not going to happen.

And when we look you up and see you parading under a variety of names, we’re just embarassed for you so please don’t.

64 Tlaloc says:

May 24th, 2006 at 7:59 am

I’m sorry but I don’t get it. Much like the ruberstamp congress stunt this would seem to be a waste of time and money.

Does anyone here think these congresspeople are going to read much less internalize the book’s message?……

Well, dude, I guess we should just burn the government down? Seriously, do a Reichstag on Congress?

I keep wondering if a Ukraine would work here after they steal the Fall elections? If thousands, millions, camped out in washington and refused to leave until they did?

I don’t think a damn thing would happen cuz we have a rule of law for dealing with the rabble (that is, non-republicans).

Really, I’m re-reading Shirer’s “Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” and the parallels are amazing. When leftists preach revolution, they are charged with treason and sent away for life. When righists do it (like Hitler’s pusch) they are given a platform and a slap on the wrist.

Look at the treatment of Rush versus that other guy who was script shopping.

Stoller has a great post up about this:

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/5/24/11416/9662

Re: Tlaloc @ 64 %u2013

Other suggestions are always welcome, however the “it’s no use, it’s a waste of time” perspective is kind of pointless here at firedoglake. No ones efforts are wasted if they are for the cause of liberating our country.

Called Mike Michaud’s office and let them know a gal from a tiny town helped in the “book drive”. Got a friendly response.

Jane, thanks for that, makes sense.

Going to get my pre-Vegas haircut.
Later, pups!

I called Chet Edwards’ office — got a clueless response, but she was polite and took my name and address. Unfortunately, Chet is a Dem in a Repub area and is conservative and runs to the right. So it might be pointless to contact him. I did anyway though, so I feel like I did my job as an open-source lobbyist.

Tialoc at #64

I realize there is a sense of futility in trying to change things by pacifistic means. Democratic methods of protest, and grassroots organization may not cause the criminals in power to shake in their boots. But it certainly helps those opposed to them be united around a common goal, and reminded that they are not helpless.

The reason why ‘wedge issues’ are so commonly used by criminally inclined politicians is precisely to ‘divide’ oppostition, thereby weakening it. One of the values of blogs, and grassroots is for those isolated and outraged; by the apparent injustice of power storming Washington, is that they can know that they are not alone, and can take effective action that doesn’t involve ’storming the bastille’.

That said, I think there are some with a nascent ’storm the bastille’ ire in their hearts. This is a state people arrive at when feeling they have nothing left to lose. I pray we never come to that point.

Grassroots, netroots, blogs, and the like, while less dramatic, do create unity and hope. I for one am happy to see them in action.

twolf1 at 81 — what’s open. I can close it via edit, but I can’t see it in MS. If you can point me to the comment number, I’ll be happy to close it off…

“Tlaloc at 64 %u2014 well, I can tell you that I personally got a note from someone in Sen. Kennedy’s office this morning %u2014 and he’s not only happy to have gotten the book, but was very pleased with the comments made in yesterday’s thread on the Profiles in Courage posting.”

He’s a politician. Do you really expect him to say what he really thinks? Come on.

Maybe this expresses it best:
http://www.sinfest.net/comics/sf20040727.gif

Ck at 74-

“Please take note %u2014 “The Rubber Stamp Republican Congress” meme has gained currency in the public narrative”

Look it up on Google. You get 800 hits. Now look up “Pony in slavery.” 19000 hits.

I wonder if anyone from the right would be interested in discouraging our activism?

Just wondering. . .

Christy - at the beginning of post 31, there is an ‘A’ tag, i think that is the culprit. All text below that appears as active link (to nowhere) for me in safari.

ceci #66

That is a truly disturbing bit of blowjob journalism. It has been a while since I have seen a reporter have such a public orgasm in print and the object of this undisguised desire? Bill Frist. EEEWWW!

Anne @ 80—you said it better than I ever could.

My $20 for a copy of CTG pales in comparison to the hours spent labelling and individually delivering books to our Congresscritters. Thanks to each of the RP members who gave their time to bring this all to fruition.

Anne at 80-

“I don’t think you can just dismiss thoughtful and rational action of any kind as being a waste of time and money.”

The problem is that this action seems neither thoughtful nor rational. It seems like just anopther pointless exercise in wasting our energy and the left has too many of those already.

“Well, take the book giveaway yesterday. It’s true that maybe the senator or representative him- or herself may not be the first person to read the book.”

Let’s put it this way if 1% of those books that got delivered ever got cracked by a single human being I’d be surprised. They went straight into the garbage, don’t kid yourself.

These are people who feel massive entitlement to their position by and large and you think they are open to getting a ymbolic spanking by us peons? And yes that is exactly how they think of us. Their contempt for us has been made abundantly clear. If we are going to threaten them (and we should) we have to do it in a direct concrete way. “Stop fucking around or your asses are history.” Not “hey here’s a subtle message delivered in a bit of street theater that you can totally pretend laugh about over a brandy later.”

Again backing people like Feingold and Lamont is effective.

“All I did was buy a book and a rubber stamp, but I did something besides sit on the sidelines and mutter about these dirty rotten scoundrels ruining our country.”

My point is that you could have spent the same money and gotten a much better return assuming your goal is political change. If you are doing this for your personal amusement then by all means feel free. But as an attempt to fix our broken system it is anemic and counterproductive.

“But don’t belittle and diminish the time, money and effort expended by those who had a different approach just because it isn’t the one you would take.”

I don’t mean to belittle anyone. I just think you guys are using a very weak tactic to accomplish your goals. I hope that if it’s pointed out we can all focus on better means to the end.