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October 12, 2007

Backdoor key to victory

Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .

Evangelize the Downsize DC message. Share this with others.

Quote of the Day:

“War is an evil inasmuch as it produces more wicked men than it takes away.”

— attributed to an unknown Greek writer by Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) German philosopher, Source: Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch, 1795

MEDIA NOTICE: Jim Babka is on the radio today. Look below the signature for listening information.

Subject: Backdoor key to victory

There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that we’re very unlikely to get everything we want from the fight to repeal or revise the so-called “Protect America Act” (PAA).

The good news is that we may get a lot of what we want, and President Bush claims he will veto any bill that does not give him everything he wants.

If President Bush vetoes Congressional changes to the PAA then Congress could simply allow the PAA to sunset in six months, which is the same as repeal, and we would get everything we want while President Bush would get nothing that he wants.

Thus, the more changes we can persuade Congress to make that the President doesn’t like, the more likely it is that the PAA will sunset out of existence. This is the backdoor key to victory.

Sorry if this seem complicated, but that’s the way things work in Washington. Everything is complicated and confusing.

In addition to asking Congress to repeal PAA, please use one or all of the following talking points in the personal comments section of a message to Congress that . . .

  • Restore the requirement for individualized warrants for wiretapping of U.S. communications and email.
  • No immunity for telecommunications companies that broke the law by permitting the government to conduct surveillance of their customers’ phone and email records.
  • Let the public see the text of Congress’s bills BEFORE they’re passed.

Please take note of the last point. It comes from our coalition partner, The Bill of Rights Defense Committee. The “Read the Bills” idea is spreading! Also, please note that the most important thing to ask for is to deny retroactive immunity for the telecom companies.

You can send your message to Congress here.

COUNTDOWN

Goal: 1,000 monthly credit card pledgers of at least 16 cents per day ($5 per month)

Purpose: To launch Operation Everywhere — an advertising campaign designed to recruit a huge army of DC Downsizers and make Downsizing proposals like the “Read the Bills Act” seen and heard by everyone, everywhere, every day.

Status (as of close of business yesterday): 2 new pledgers, 991 left to go

Relentless progress will get the job done, so we plan to be relentless. Help us prepare to exploit the new political environment that will exist after the presidential primaries are over. Congressman Ron Paul has caused an explosion of public discussion about smaller government. This discussion must not end when the campaign ends, it must expand.

Here are the new monthly pledgers: Don Matesz, Timothy Sauer

Here are the Downsizers who made one-time donations: Robert Taylor, Eric Unthank, Richard Williams

You can get your name added to the list (unless you choose not to be listed), plus receive a copy of “The Downsize DC Vision.” Just start a monthly pledge of at least 16 cents per day ($5 per month). You can do so here.

Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

PS: Please also tune in, call in, and/or send an email question or comment when I appear on the Jerry Hughes show today. This show is a great opportunity to spread the DC Downsizer message. Please support this show. Help us create “buzz!” You can do so by listening, but especially by calling-in or sending an email.

The toll-free call-in number is: 1-866-222-2368
The email is: Jerry at AccentRadio dot com

Time: 3:00 PM Eastern, 2:00 PM Central, 1:00 PM Mountain, Noon Pacific

Length: 1 hour
Host: Jerry Hughes
Show: Straight Talk w/ Jerry Hughes
Internet: www.accentradionetwork.com/chooseplayer.htm
Click Winamp or Windows Media Playerm, as appropriate.

You can listen to the show on the Internet, but it is also available in more than 20 markets. A complete list of “affiliates” is available here.

If your comment is off-topic for this post, please email us at feedback@downsizedc.org

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