Monthly Archives: November 2006

Here is today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Our growth continues daily. We’ll share all of the statistics for November in a day or so, but there’s one number we want to share today.

Grudge Day

Here is today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence. Recent silence about our plan to form MeetUp groups to Invade Congress might lead you to believe nothing is happening on that front. Not so, and we want to use the current lull in Congressional criminality to bring you up-to-date.

Here is today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Congress is treading water while the lame ducks wait to be replaced by new ducks. Meet the new duck, same as the old duck. Meanwhile . . .::::::The rest of us are digesting that turkey we just ate and flocking to stores for Christmas shopping. Am I out of bird references yet? Not quite. There is also the continued . . .::::::Flight of the albatross. We owe it to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” that the albatross has become a metaphor for carrying a burden. We are burdened by two albatrosses — our government and our political system. Neither work, but both fly on and on. ::::::The public sent Congress and the White House two big messages earlier this month. 1) We don’t like your corruption. 2) We don’t like the “war” in Iraq. The politicians heard both messages loud and clear, but then . . .

The Downsize DC Sandwich episode. Most people think we’re all about lobbying, but that’s just the bread: “They’re the guys that send the messages to Congress.” But they’re missing the meat. What is the “meat” of what we’re doing at DownsizeDC.org? Host (and Downsize DC President) Jim Babka explains on this Genesis Communications Network show which is sponsored by Gun Owners of America, the Marijuana Policy Project, and DownsizeDC.org.

At the beginning of November I sent out a message from fellow DC Downsizer and nationally syndicated radio host Ian Bernard of Free Talk Live. Free Talk Live is a big supporter of Downsize DC. 

In fact, I’LL BE APPEARING ON HIS SHOW TONIGHT AT 7pm Eastern (6 PM Central, 5 PM Mountain, and 4 PM Pacific). 

You can listen live online or later via archive at freetalklive.com 

In the message from earlier this month, Ian asked you to take a moment and vote for his show at vote.freetalklive.com  

Many of you did and as a result

Here is today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::We know you’re all getting ready for Thanksgiving face stuffing, but . . . ::::::Before you eat you may want to consider what may happen to the vitamins you may take with your Thanksgiving meal, if S. 3546 is passed into law. ::::::Let’s say you feel really sick after eating, so you go to the ER. If S. 3546 becomes law the fine people at the ER may grill you about the supplements you took with your meal. Then, the manufacturers of those supplements will have to file an “adverse incident report” with the FDA, even if the reason you went to the ER had nothing to do with your supplements. ::::::How will all of this work exactly? Who knows. ::::::Will you have to carry a list of your vitamins and the companies that made them with you when you go to the ER, or will you have to call the hospital later, after you return home, to give them this information? Or will someone from the FDA call you to get the information? Who knows. ::::::These are all details and S. 3546 is short on details. The detailed rules and procedures will probably be written by the FDA later. but remember, the devil is in those details.

Welcome to this latest edition of “Last Week in Congress.”::::::The “lame duck” Congress had a (thankfully) brief three-day session between Election Day and Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, they will resume next week.::::::The Senate was particularly inefficient

The following letter is from Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland’s 8th District, replying to a Downsizer who contacted him via our No Warrant, No Search campaign

We’re doing something different in this edition of the Downsizer-Dispatch. We’re going to share some of my schedule with you.

Call this: “What I’m doing to Downsize DC today, and how you can help.”

Please note: There are some simple action items for YOU today.

At 2 PM . . .