Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Jim Babka to appear on “most requested talk show”
* Urgent action item on regulation of groups like DownsizeDC.org
URGENT ACTION ITEM:
We recently won a big victory in the House of Representatives. Our pressure helped keep a provision regulating grassroots organizations like DownsizeDC.org out of the so-called lobbying reform bill. Congratulations!
But that victory was only the beginning of the fight. We could still lose when members of the House-Senate conference committee meet to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
Conference Committees are where a lot of mischief is done, because the full House and Senate never read the bills they get back from the conference committees, and may pay little attention even to the summaries they receive.
Worse still, bills get combined in such a way as to entice a yes vote, even if really bad provisions are included. In fact, the lobbying bill has already been combined in the Senate with another bad bill that would regulate political speech by 527 committees.
The thing to do now to keep grassroots groups like DownsizeDC.org from being regulated is to call the Senate members of the Conference Committee and ask them to accept the House version of the lobbying reform bill. Tell them you do NOT want grassroots lobbying organizations regulated.
REPEAT: Ask them to accept the House version of the lobbying reform bill. Tell them you do NOT want grassroots lobbying organizations regulated.
There are only 5 Senator’s numbers to call, and you can call all of them, even if none of them represent the state you live in.
Sen. Trent Lott 202-224-6253
Sen. Ted Stevens 202-224-3004
Sen. Mitch McConnell 202-224-2541
Sen. Christopher Dodd 202-224-2823
Sen. Daniel Inouye 202-224-3934
This is very important to what we’re trying to do with DownsizeDC.org, so we hope you can take the time to make the calls. THANK YOU!
MAJOR MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT:
We have had more requests for Jim to appear on the “The Tony Macrini Show” than for any other show. We are pleased to announce that we’ve landed the interview, and Jim will be on tomorrow morning. Details below . . .
Location: Norfolk, VA
Date: Thursday June 1, 2006
Time:
7:30 AM Eastern
6:30 AM Central
5:30 AM Mountain
4:30 AM Pacific
Station: 790 AM WNIS
Host: Tony Macrini
Show: The Tony Macrini Show
Topic: The Read the Bills Act
Guest: Jim Babka, President, DownsizeDC.org
Internet: Log on to www.wnis.com
Click on the headset labeled “Listen Live” in the left-hand column. Winamp required.
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer!
Perry Willis
Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.