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DownsizeDC.org has joined 28 other organizations in sending the House and Senate a message asking them to support S. 2088, the National Security Letters Reform Act. Here is the copy of the letter sent to the Senate:
April 22, 2008::::::Hon. John Conyers, Jr., Chairman:::Hon. Lamar S. Smith, Ranking Minority Member:::House Committee on the Judiciary:::2138 Rayburn House Office Building:::Washington, DC 20515-6216::::::Re: National Security Letters Reform Act, S. 2088::::::Dear Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Specter:::::::The Judiciary Committee will soon consider issues relating to National Security Letters. We write to express our support for the National Security Letters Reform Act (S. 2088). ::::::The PATRIOT Act and Intelligence Authorization Act of FY 2004 drastically expanded the FBI’s authority to obtain the business and personal records of Americans by issuing National Security Letters (NSLs). NSLs, which do not require prior judicial approval, can be used to obtain a wide range of documents based upon vague claims that the information is merely “relevant” to a terrorism investigation. Once the FBI acquires records with an NSL, it can keep them indefinitely, even when it concludes that the subject of those records is innocent of any crime and is not of intelligence interest.
Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .::::::Quote of the Day:::::::“It is indeed probable that more harm and misery have been caused by men determined to use coercion to stamp out a moral evil than by men intent on doing evil.”:::– Fredrich von Hayek, Nobel Laureate in Economics, from “The Constitution of Liberty”::::::Subject: Progress Report::::::We’ve been busy this month, mostly with behind the scenes stuff that you’ll begin to see in May. Meanwhile, we’ve been clicking right along in April with our integrated campaign of education, recruitment, and pressure on Congress . . .
Is today really Tax Freedom Day?
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Change the political environment. Recruit more Downsizers. Share this message with others.
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:::Quote of the Day:
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:::”Nothing is as terrible to see as ignorance in action.”
:::– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) Source: engraved on a plaque at the Naval War College
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:::Subject: Bureaucratic bookkeeping vs. targeted surveillance
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:::Which is more likely to protect you from terrorism, a database and a plastic ID card, or targeted surveillance of probable terrorists?
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:::REAL ID is mere bureaucratic bookkeeping. It aims to put EVERY LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN in a database, give us a special ID card, and then constantly ask us the totalitarian’s favorite question, “May I see your papers please?”
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:::But how exactly would a REAL ID card protect you from a suicide bomber? Could you throw it at them, or use it to shield yourself from the blast? Would a suicide bomber even . . .
On today’s (Sunday) Downsize DC Conference Call (radio show), I’m going to have two guests. And we have a brand new feature you’re going to like.
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:::And if at least one of my guests can’t get you interested and excited — ready to listen and even participate — well, you might be asleep. Wake up! It’s going to be quite an informative and entertaining program.
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:::Guest #1 – David Keating, SpeechNow.org
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:::The show starts at 3:06 PM Eastern (2:06 PM Central, 1:06 PM Mountain, and 12:06 PM Pacific), and I’ll be joined during the first hour by David Keating, Executive Director of the Club for Growth. But it’s not his day job that interests me this April afternoon. He’s also the man behind SpeechNow.org.
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:::SpeechNow.org is suing the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with the expert assistance of folks like former FEC Chair Brad Smith. This group, led by today’s guest, David Keating, is challenging the restrictions campaign finance laws place on the exercise of First Amendment rights — asserting the “freedom of association” principle
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:::Many of you may remember or know that my show sponsor and my employer, DownsizeDC.org, Inc., which has been operating since mid-2004, was preceded by RealCampaignReform.org, Inc.(RCR). RCR was the organizing plaintiff of Paul v. FEC, one of eleven plaintiff groups that participated in McConnell v. FEC, a challenge to the un-Constitutional, McCain-Feingold, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). I have a deep and abiding interest in this issue because I recognize that . . .
Senate underscores need for RTBA and OSTA
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Change the political environment. Recruit more Downsizers. Share this message with others.
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::: Quote of the Day:
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:::”Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
:::– Ronald Reagan
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::: Subject: The ultimate test of ethanol
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:::Our campaign against federal mandates and subsidies for ethanol provoked a huge response, both for and against. While thousands of DC Downsizers sent messages to Congress, an unusually large handful also wrote to us complaining that we were unfair to ethanol — even though they agreed that federal mandates and subsidies should be repealed.
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:::How were we unfair? Apparently, many of the problems associated with ethanol disappear when ethanol is produced and used directly on farms, using primarily farm waste in combination with passive solar power.
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:::We have no quarrel with this assertion, and our campaign has nothing to do with that source and use of ethanol.
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:::We would even agree that ethanol produced and used directly on farms could actually lower the price of food, in addition to having a beneficial impact on energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. But exactly the opposite is the case for industrial ethanol produced for use in the nation’s cars. It’s the latter phenomenon, driven by federal law and subsidy, that we oppose.
Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .::::::Change the political environment. Recruit more Downsizers. Share this message with others.::::::Quote of the Day:::::::”The rule of law thrives when the law is at peace with the people, not when it’s a cudgel.”:::— Jim Harper, scholar, Cato Institute ::::::Subject: A message from the Unknown Taxpayer::::::We received a message from a DC Downsizer over the weekend. This person wishes to remain anonymous, but has agreed to let us share the message . . .
Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .::::::Change the political environment. Recruit more Downsizers. Share this message with others.::::::Quotes of the Day:::::::NINTH AMENDMENT: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.::::::TENTH AMENDMENT: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.::::::Subject: More progress on the “Enumerated Powers Act”::::::The “Enumerated Powers Act” would force Congress to cite its Constitutional authority for every law it passes. When we last reported to you on this bill in mid-March it had 44 co-sponsors. Since then the bill has gained 3 more co-sponsors. Perhaps the 12,534 messages sent by DC Downsizers (up from 8,328 in our last report) helped generate this progress.::::::Let’s keep pushing.
Lots of Americans are doing their taxes this weekend. I’m one of them.
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:::It would be nice if there was a radio program that made you feel better as you filled out those forms and wrote your check. Well, today’s Downsize DC Conference Call (radio show) will NOT be that program!
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:::Everyone should feel bad about the IRS and the Income Tax. And for those wage slaves who are excited about their big refunds . . . they should feel bad too! Why? Because Big Government hurts, and if you got that large refund, that just means you lent the federal government your money at zero interest.
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:::Downsize DC was founded on an idea . . .
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:::* Democrats tax and spend. In fact, the two remaining candidates are both calling for an increase in your taxes.
:::* Republicans borrow and spend. And, the presumptive nominee has all kinds of new spending plans, especially for fighting the strawman of terrorism.
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:::. . . The PROBLEM is the spending!
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:::Big Government costs you, inconveniences you, and occasionally hurts people you love. But it routinely injures a neighbor, damages your industry, and destroys your community — it even kills people. We must Downsize DC for harmony and human progress.
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:::I’m not usually prone to ranting and