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Downsize DC Media Announcements

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Wow! The Maine legislature just passed a resolution refusing to comply with the federal REAL ID Act, and calling on Congress to repeal it.::::::The vote was overwhelming. The Maine Senate voted for the resolution 34 to ZERO, while the Maine House passed it 137 to 4!::::::Ouch! That’s a real spanking for Congress. Now . . .::::::The REAL ID Act is on the ropes, so it’s time to throw as many hard punches as we can. Please send more messages to Congress today asking them to repeal the REAL ID Act. Here’s what I’m going to say in my message:

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::In this issue:::::::* The 800-pound gorilla in our living room:::* The Senator doesn’t know what he passed:::* Media announcement

Jim Babka will be on Newsmakers with host Peter Ferrand on WRJN AM 1400 in Racine, Wisconsin. The 30 minute interview will start shortly after 1 PM Central time. It appears there is no way to listen to the show on the Net.

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::Percy Bysshe Shelley said that, “Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.” Shelley was, of course, a poet, so it’s understandable that he got it wrong. Who are the real “unacknowledged legislators?”

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::You can be punished for what your government does in your name. ::::::When you allow your government to treat others as you would not want to be treated, do not be surprised if you are treated in the same way by other governments. ::::::Imagine that you are in a foreign country, simply changing planes in an airport on your way to yet another country. You’re just there long enough to walk from one plane to another, but on your way down the concourse men with guns and badges surround you, arrest you, and take you away to prison.::::::Imagine being incarcerated in a foreign land and tried in foreign courts under foreign laws for doing something that is perfectly legal in your own country. ::::::Imagine being arrested in Canada for doing things in America that are legal in America. ::::::Imagine spending years in prison in a foreign country under such circumstances. ::::::All you were doing is changing planes, and BANG, your life comes to a screeching halt. ::::::It could happen to you, because this is what YOUR government is doing to others.

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::A man named Bernie called my radio show last week. I had just completed explaining what I thought we should do in the Middle East and Iraq. Yet Bernie asked, “What would you do?” ::::::Bernie told me how naive I was to believe war would never happen. But I never said or even hinted that I thought that. I tried to dispel his confusion. ::::::But Bernie wasn’t finished . . .::::::* He suggested the Iraq invasion was a proper response to 9-11. :::* He insisted that Iraq’s WMDs had been moved to Iran or Syria. “We saw them on our satellites,” he said. :::* He claimed the President already has the authority to attack Iran ::::::And where did the President get this authority? Who wants Iran attacked? According to Bernie, God does.

Bernie from Nebraska debuts at the end of this episode. I hope he calls back! Two other callers. ::::::Main topic: Solutions to Iraq. ::::::The show is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, as well as the Marijuana Policy Project and Gun Owners of America. ::::::

The power and discretion to prosecute individuals in federal court is easily abused. That’s why, until recently, Presidential appointments to the office of U.S. Attorney have always required Senate approval. This check on the executive branch helped ensure that U.S. Attorneys were qualified, competent, and ethical. The President couldn’t staff his Administration with unqualified lackeys – at least not without Senate approval.::::::Since last March, however, U.S. Attorney appointments no longer require Senate approval. Now, the President can fire U.S. Attorneys at will and replace them with whomever he wants. The terms of office of these new appointees expire at the end of the President’s term.::::::How did a law providing for such a drastic change in the appointment process get passed? Why would Senators voluntarily give up their advise-and-consent power?

Todaay’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::We won!::::::Late last night the Senate voted 55 to 43 to strip the grassroots regulations out of S.1.::::::This is a major victory for the 1st Amendment, for Downsize DC, for our coalition partners, and for small grassroots groups all across the political spectrum. It is a major victory for YOU!::::::As little as three days ago this stunning success seemed impossible. So what happened?