Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .
Please share with concerned friends . . .
In this issue:
* Protecting your right to freely organize to petition Congress
* Another reason we need the “Read the Bills Act”
* Brief progress report
Protecting your right to freely organize to petition Congress:
Would you like to know exactly how Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives plan to regulate grassroots organizations like DownsizeDC.org?
Sorry. You’re not allowed to know. It’s a secret.
Mark Fitzgibbons, of GrassrootsFreedom.com, reports in Human Events, that several Big Lobbying Groups know what the final legislation will look like, because they’re helping to draft it, but the people to be regulated, like DownsizeDC.org, do not.
Rumor has it, however, that the grassroots regulation provision is being altered to further camouflage the fact that grassroots groups will be regulated, while Big Lobbying Groups will not.
So the tune remains the same, even if the lyrics are being changed.
If you did not send a message to your Representative yesterday asking him or her to oppose regulating grassroots groups like Downsize DC, we urge you to do so now.
House Democrats wants to burden your right to freely organize with others to communicate with Congress. They want to hear from you less often, while keeping their doors wide open to the Big Lobbying Groups. Do something about it.
Use your right to organize with others to petition Congress, while that right still remains free and unburdened. You can send your message here.
If you sent a message to Congress on this issue yesterday, consider doing the following . . .
Another reason we need the “Read the Bills Act” (RTBA):
The grassroots lobbying bill is likely to be rushed to a vote in the House without the public having a chance to read it and offer comments to Congress. This could not happen if DownsizeDC’s “Read the Bills Act” was the law of the land.
RTBA requires that every piece of legislation must be posted on the Internet for 7-days before a vote can be held. Such a requirement would prevent the kind of mischief that is currently happening with the grassroots regulation provisions.
Send a message to Congress asking them to pass the “Read the Bills Act.” You can do so here.
Use your personal comments to mention your concern that there is insufficient public disclosure about plans to regulate grassroots groups, and that you want RTBA as protection against secretive legislating.
Brief Progress Report:
We’re getting closer and closer to reaching our fundraising target to launch the “One Subject at a Time Act.” We only need another $711 in monthly pledges to launch “One Subject at a Time.” You can make a monthly pledge here.
Or, if a monthly pledge wouldn’t work for you, a one time donation would also help. We need to raise another $2,976 to make budget for April. You can contribute here.
Thanks for being a DC Downsizer.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.