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Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
So far in April . . .:::
* We’ve recruited 203 new DC Downsizers:::* Sent 13,917 messages to Congress:::* Raised the total for messages to Congress about the “Read the Bills Act” to 39,315:::
This means . . .:::
* We’re lagging behind last month’s pace for recruitment:::* But way ahead of last month in terms of messages to Congress:::
With a little push today we can . . .:::
* Exceed 14,000 messages to Congress so far in April:::* Exceed 40,000 messages to date in support of the “Read the Bills Act”:::
If you haven’t sent a message to Congress this week about the “Read the Bills Act” please help us achieve new milestones by sending your message today. You can do so by clicking here.:::
If you haven’t yet asked Congress to pass the “Read the Bills Act” we need your help. It only takes two minutes. You can send your message by clicking here.:::
SPREADING THE WORD THROUGH “FREE TALK LIVE”:::
“Free Talk Live” is a great small government radio show that broadcasts Downsize DC radio ads in every episode. It appears on 14 stations across the country, and more than 7,000 people download its podcast. :::
“Free Talk Live” spreads the word about Downsize DC, and we can spread the word about “Free Talk Live” by helping them win the monthly podcast popularity poll. Just 1,000 votes from Downsizers this month would put them in first place. Please vote for “Free Talk Live.” You can so do here.:::
Victory in this poll helps “Free Talk Live” pick-up new stations. This is an easy way to increase our visibility. Please help. :::
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.:::
Perry Willis:::Communications Director:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
Please forward to interested friends . . .:::
We need more pressure on Congress to pass the “Read the Bills Act” (RTBA). Today is the day to increase that pressure. If you’ve already asked Congress to pass RTBA, do it again by clicking here.:::
If you’ve not yet contacted Congress about RTBA, please do so now. It only takes two minutes. Click here.:::
RTBA would slow the cancerous growth of government by requiring a quorum of Congress to hear a reading of every word of every bill before a vote is held.:::
RTBA would require the same level of responsibility that accountants and attorneys have when they represent you. Any Representative or Senator who will vote yes on a bill must sign a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has read every word of the bill they intend to pass. :::
RTBA would motivate Congress to make bills shorter and simpler, so they could tolerate reading them. This would reduce the practice of passing bad measures by combining them with good ones. :::
RTBA would require the posting of the final text of a bill on the Internet for 7 days before a vote can be held. This would end the secret insertion of secret provisions into bills at the last minute. This would help control earmarks (pork barrel spending).:::
No exception is made for emergencies, because Congress would make everything an emergency. Neither the response to Pearl Harbor nor 9-11 would have been hampered by the 7-day waiting period. The President already has executive power for the immediate response to emergencies. :::
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for you. Neither should it be for lawmakers.:::
We have so far bombarded Congress with 36,090 messages requesting the passage of RTBA. This pressure has resulted in the introduction of two weak copycat bills that would do nothing to end Congress’s practice of passing legislation it has not read. We need to increase the pressure to pass a real “Read the Bills Act.”:::
Let’s push the number of messages past 40,000 today. It takes just two minutes to send a message that will go to both your Senators and your Representative. You can do so by clicking here.:::
You have a right to petition Congress for a redress of grievances. Use your rights or lose them. You can send your message in support of the “Read the Bills Act” by clicking here.:::
Thank you for participating. :::
Jim Babka:::President:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc.:::
A progress report . . .
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
Please forward this to anyone you know who cares about representative government.:::
Dear friend,:::
Congress wants to make it harder for you to control your government.:::
So-called lobbying reform bills would force citizens’ groups to file complicated government reports. Big lobbying firms seeking government handouts can afford it. Taxypayer groups can’t. :::
These bills would exploit Congressional scandals to shield Congress from public pressure. Our position is simple: Congress should control its own misdeeds by regulating itself, not YOU.:::
Tell Congress to reject these bills. Use your rights or lose them. It only takes two minutes. One short message will reach your Representative and your two Senators. You can send your message here.:::
Jim Babka:::President:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc.:::
Please forward to anyone you know who cares about free speech and open elections.
The hosts for my show, the Genesis Communications Network, is moving to new and improved facilities. But their ISDN line was down, and so, the episode of the Downsize DC Conference Call was postponed (my decision). ::::::Unfortunately, I didn’t find out about the technical problem until right before we went on air. I still want to talk about immigration. I hope to do so next week, depending on what’s going on in the wide-wide world. :::
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
Jim Babka will be discussing the immigration controversy and other topics today on THE DOWNSIZE DC CONFERENCE CALL:::
You can listen to the show at www.GCNLive.com:::
Click on Listen Live and then choose one of the first two channels to get the free feed:::
You can also call-in to talk to Jim on the air at 1-800-259-9231 :::
The show is broadcast live at … :::Eastern: 5pm – 6pm :::Central: 4pm – 5pm :::Mountain: 3pm – 4pm :::Pacific: 2pm – 3pm :::Alaska: 1pm – 2pm :::Hawaii: Noon – 1pm :::
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.:::
Perry Willis:::Communications Director:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
There has been some depressing news this month. We lost a great spokesman and friend in Harry Browne. Other freedom organizations went through, or are going through, some serious challenges. It would be easy to get down in the dumps. :::
But there’s hope. It’s Downsize DC. Yes, I know it’s April Fool’s Day, but this is no joke!:::
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . . ::::::Scientists do research demonstrating the health benefits of cherries. Other scientists review this research and validate it. Cherry growers mention this research on their websites, and . . . ::::::The FDA crashes down on them, threatening to fine them and perhaps even seize their orchards!::::::Why? Because the research wasn’t done with the guidance of the FDA. No scientific research about the health benefits of food can be promoted to the public without FDA approval, which costs billions of dollars. ::::::Do you want or need this “protection?” If not, please help Congressman Ron Paul pass the “Health Freedom Protection Act.” This bill would prevent the FDA from silencing peer-reviewed scientific research. Send a message to Congress asking them to pass this bill. You can do so by clicking here. ::::::Media Interview Today!::::::Talk Radio – Local (FLA), Internet, & Satellite ::::::DATE: Wednesday, January 18, 2006:::TIME: 3 PM Eastern::: 2 PM Central::: 1 PM Mountain::: Noon Pacific:::LENGTH: 1 hour:::SHOW: Fate of Nations with Brett Folks:::NETWORK: First Amendment Radio Network:::GUEST: Jim Babka, President::: DownsizeDC.org, Inc. :::TOPIC: Read the Bills Act::::::How to hear the show . . .:::INTERNET: http://firstamendmentradio.com/listen.html (Real Player or Winamp required):::SATELLITE: Telstar 5 KU Band Frequency: 11836 – Symbol Rate: 20.770 – Vertical Polarization – PID: 62 – Right Channel :::FLAGSHIP AFFILIATE: 95.3 FM, WXEI, in Crestview, Florida – heard from South into Ft Lauderdale and North into Southern Alabama.::::::Carpe Diem,::::::Gary Nolan:::Chair,:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc. :::
Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .:::
UPDATE: The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has issued its court-ordered regulations covering political expression on the Internet. Individuals have been largely exempted from the burdens of the campaign finance regulations. So far so good. But the Incumbent Protection Gang won’t be satisfied. They’ll almost certainly file suit claiming the FEC has not complied with the original court order. Meanwhile . . .:::
The House leadership has withdrawn the “Online Freedom of Speech Act” once again on the grounds that it is no longer needed. This is a mistake. If they would go ahead and pass this bill the whole matter would be settled. Otherwise, the entire issue is going back to the courts, which have already ruled that Congress originally intended for the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act to apply fully to the Internet. Only Congress can inform the courts differently by passing the “Online Freedom of Speech Act.”:::
Here’s the bottom line: The only reason the FEC went easy on the Internet was because of public pressure. Remember, the original Internet regulations they drafted were harsh, not easy. Public pressure makes a difference! So now we need to apply pressure on Congress to go ahead and pass the “Online Freedom of Speech Act.” You can do so here.:::
Plus, if you reside in the districts of the House leaders, Hastert and Boehner, please call them and ask them to bring the “Online Freedom of Speech Act” to a vote. Our system will provide you with their phone numbers after you send them your electronic message. :::
This is an issue where public pressure has worked, and it can continue to work if we continue to apply it. Thanks for being a DC Downsizer.:::
Jim Babka:::President:::DownsizeDC.org, Inc.