Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .
Please share with concerned friends . . .
Subject: Are you the victim of a conspiracy?
Consider the thread of evidence . . .
Representatives Marty Meehan and Chris Shays were two of the architects of the BiPartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). BCRA was one of the things that led us to create DownsizeDC.org.
BCRA tilted the electoral playing field so far in favor of incumbents that the founders of DownsizeDC.org did a “reality check” about ever changing things at the ballot box. We decided instead to resort to direct pressure on Congress, both to build an army and to bring about change. We saw it as the best avenue left open to us.
Now, many of the same groups that pushed for BCRA are also trying to regulate groups like DownsizeDC.org too. One of the groups pushing for these new regulations is called Democracy 21.
A man named Don Simon is on the Board of Directors of Democracy 21. He is also that organization’s general counsel. In addition, Don Simon was the attorney for Marty Meehan and Chris Shays in a suit to strengthen enforcement of BCRA. But the connections don’t end there.
Mark Fitzgibbons, of GrassrootsFreedom.com, reveals that . . .
“Mr. Simon’s law firm even lobbied on behalf of two of the same Indian gaming clients represented by Jack Abramoff, one of which was named in the 2006 ‘Gimme-Five’ Senate report on the Abramoff scandal.”
The Abramoff scandal is being used as one of the justifications for regulating groups like DownsizeDC.org. But these proposed regulations would have no impact on people like Jack Abramoff and Don Simon. They would only effect smaller, growing, grassroots groups like DownsizeDC.org.
Isn’t that interesting?
Is it unreasonable to wonder if we have been, and may yet be, the victims of a conspiracy?
First they crippled the power of the ballot box with a series of “Incumbent Protection Acts” up through BCRA, and now some of the same people responsible for BCRA want to cripple the power of citizens to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
If these giant, institutional insiders, represented by the likes of Don Simon, succeed, then Congress and the big special interests will be left completely free to make their backroom deals without any interference from taxpayers.
Conspiracy or no, we have the power to fight and defeat this underhanded power grab. We did so in the Senate, and we can do so in the House. Grassroots pressure on Congress actually works, which is why the secret power brokers in Washington want to curtail our efforts.
Don’t let them get away with it!
Please send another message to the your Representative telling them to, “strip ANY provisions regulating grassroots organizations.” You can tell your Representative that you know about the connections between this legislation and the big K Street lobbyists and attorneys like Don Simon, and that you want him or her to stop this fraudulent power grab.
But please don’t stop there. Share this message with a concerned friend or use our Tell-a-Friend feature after you send your message to Congress. Every voice is needed.
Finally, it bears repeating — grassroots pressure on Congress works. Do you want to change things? If yes, then we need more people exerting more pressure. This requires funding. Please help us make YOUR voice more powerful by making a contribution to further our work. You can do so HERE.
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.