I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who is taking time out of their day to make calls and stand by their commitment to end the war. When I look over the lists and read about the thousands of calls people are making to the offices of members of congress, and I see people like Toby who called 25 offices in one day, it makes it all worthwhile.
We really appreciate the efforts of everyone who has called, and who continue to call. It’s a highly fluid situation, and Rahm Emanuel is furiously horse trading for votes. Sources on the Hill say that they’ve never seen this kind of full-court press from the White House. Members are being bribed, bullied and cajoled into abandoning their commitment to vote against any war funding that doesn’t include a time table to bring the troops home.
- Voting NO: Jay Inslee, Pete Stark, Peter DeFazio (IMF)
- Leaning NO: Doris Matsui, Anthony Weiner
The conference meeting will be at 3pm ET today. I’ve updated the Whip Tool to include the latest information we have on the vote count.
| Caller | Response | Representative |
| Mike | Called Pete Stark’s office, and when I mentioned that I was calling about the War Supplemental Act, his secretary, (for the first time ever)took down all my information, and then asked me what I felt about the bill. I’ve called MANY times over the years, but I’ve never been asked for all my info before. Seems they are serious about finding out what their voters feel about this subject. I told her I’ve been a Dem. all my life, and always voted for Stark, but Americans voted Obama & other Dems in to END this war, and they are only increasing it. I said I will be voting third party if Stark votes yes on this. I explained how 100 Billion for IMF that devastates third world countries, and money to do anything but end these endless wars, is unacceptable. She said I could be assured Pete would be made aware of my feelings. Who knows??? | Rep. Pete Stark |
| Jerilyn | Inslee will vote No | Rep. Jay Inslee |
| Toby | I called over 25 congressperson’s offices in DC yesterday. Only Pete Stark’s staff person was willing to confirm that he would continue to vote no on the supplemental bill. | Rep. Pete Stark |
| Gwen | I spoke with Adam in Rep. Bobby Rush’s office. He does not know Rep. Rush’s position, but will give him my message. | Rep. Bobby Rush |
| Elizabeth | Maloney doesn’t have a position yet; took my comment. | Rep. Carolyn Maloney |
| Carolyn | In Brooklyn Anthony Weiner is undecided but leaning NO. Velazquez and Towns remain undecided until they see what comes out of committee. | Rep. Anthony Weiner |
| Joseph | Robert Brady is going to support the Supplemental. I just got off the phone with his office. | Rep. Robert Brady |
| Joan | I was on the Hill yesterday to talk to previous no voter Reps on the supplemental. Saw no reps but Costello’s chief of staff said he saw no reason at all that Costello would shift his vote to yes. | Rep. Jerry Costello |
| Coleen | I talked to James Oberstar’s staffer who I know personally. He said Oberstar is undecided but is being pressured to vote FOR the supplemental. (Oberstar is one who finally voted to defund the Vietnam War if you didn’t know his background and he’s been quoted saying he knew it was come to this again.) Coleen R. | Rep. James Oberstar |
| Alan | Called Michael Michaud’s office (Maine) and they were unwilling to commit on the phone, but promised to call back asap with that information. | Rep. Michael Michaud |
| Fran | Spoke with an intern who said he did not know how Lloyd Doggett would vote. | Rep. Lloyd Doggett |
| Wilma | Contacted Zoe Lofgren, George Milller, Mike Thompson, Louise Slaughter all took my message and name and address and said they would pass the message on. No problem. Got through on first ring to each one. Easiest calls I have ever made. | Rep. Zoe Lofgren |
| Rev. Allyson | Rep. John Lewis (D) Georgia opposed first, opposed to upcoming. Tried to call for more but the circuits were all busy! Yea! | Rep. John Lewis |
| Meek is voting for the supplemental. I told the aide that we will not be supporting him for senator next year | Rep. Kendrick Meek | |
| Connie | Tammy Baldwin voted "no" before and intends to vote "no" once more. | Rep. Tammy Baldwin |
| Robert | Called Donna Edwards. Staffer would not confirm position but thinks she’s in favor of passing supplemental. | Rep. Donna Edwards |
| Larue | Receptionist took my call, I explained purpose of call, she said Mz. Matsui had voted NO previously on supplementals, and would likely do so this time. I then left a message for Sam? legislative aide to Mz. Matsui, to encourage a no vote for THIS supplemental. Generally, I think Mz. Matsui is voting against it. | Rep. Doris Matsui |
| Virginia | Jay Inslee’s office says he is against HR 2346 a supplimental appropriations act and also the Graham-lieberman Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009 blocking release of detainee photos. | Rep. Jay Inslee |
| Karen | Rep. Kendrick Meek’s assistant said yes, Meek favors bailing out the European banks. Sent me to voice mail when I asked if Rep Meek favored over-riding the Freedom of Information Act. | Rep. Kendrick Meek |
| Toby | I called over 25 congressperson’s offices in DC yesterday. Only Pete Stark’s staff person was willing to confirm that he would continue to vote no on the supplemental bill | Pete Stark |
| Joyce | I spoke to the assistants of the stated congressional members. The Berman amendment of the bill was being voted on as I spoke at 5:00 p.m. central time. A conference report is to be heard tomorrow morning on HR 2346.
I expressed my opposition to HR 2346 and said I was entirely for the public option of the Health Care reform program. We could not pay for the public option with trillions going to Afghanistan. Peter DeFazio – against the IMF provision. For the supplemental. Will know more after the conference report. Donna Edwards – could not find out anything. Ed Markey – would not say, just took my comment. James McDermott – a pacifist and my assumption then is he opposes the bill. Jared Polis – don’t know. |
|
| Mary | Cohen: person said "OK" Edwards: asked for my name & asked if I was a constituent (no). Frank: asked where I was calling from (CA), said he would pass along the message, & said thank you. Jackson-Lee: asked for my zip & said thank you Lofgren: asked where I was calling from & said thank you Speier: asked for my name & address, said she’d let her know my views |
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Good morning. I see that NPR Check has a link to your whip tool as well!
http://nprcheck.blogspot.com/2…..l-not.html
Good morning!
Poor Congress critters.
I know they just hate it when citizens actually particiapte.
I emailed my congresswoman Nikki Tsongas (MA-4) recently because I couldn’t get through on the phone. I’m still awaiting a response.
Robert
LOL
Mornin’, Jane, pups
Off to swim in the great capitalist cesspool.
No war but class war.
Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.
Namaste
OT, but looks like the indigenous people of Peru have won round one, at least for the moment…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8094304.stm
Hunt Oil of Texas will be back to killing people once they bribe a few Peruvian pols.
What is it that Rahm is doing again?
Yep!! The last thing some politicians want is to speak with “”ready to rumble”” constituents. Especially when you undermine their positions utilizing facts and humor!
My congress critter ran away from me when confronted with the evidence to support my position. An abject coward! I stated what he was espousing was nothing more than an elaborate scheme concocted by well entrenched corporate interests using lobbyist and the “corporate model” to to buy law and effectively render the governed subservient to myopic self serving selfish asinine “fuck heads!”
Dred Scott a free man was denied legal standing being a African Negro for the benefit of slave owners in an ownership society? Today we look back on Dred Scott with contempt and ask how?? Seems the fix was in back even back then. Seems today much is for the benefit of corporations as was back then for slave owners!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D……_Sandford
Supplemental budgets for Oil Wars and the IMF leveraging against resource rich third world countries cheap labor and the American People!
“Corporate Aristocratic T*eason anyone?” A Jeffersonian Fear for the Republic maybe even the enemy from within in light of obvious violations of law by the president and his vice president, while allegedly protecting America the corporate interest was the only thing really protected. Today Americans and future generations pay and will continue to pay price for corporate’s greed and unwillingness to relinquish power and control, Just like the King of England!!!
Marcy Kaptur To Vote “No” On the Supplemental
O/T Supplemental..Smupplemental, Kent Conrad should be mule kicked outta Dem Party. He wants to please the 21% Republican voters first then never give a shit about the Dem singlr payer health-care needs.
Regarding IMF – Once again fringe extremists on the left choose to betray Barack Obama, millions of liberal Democrats and “true” progressives by railing against IMF.Do you feel proud that you side with the most extreme right-wing reactionaries in Congres in opposing loans to poor countries? Just because conditions of the loans call for cutting spending and raising interest rates and encouraging fiscal responsibility? Perish the thought of that!
Please read this well reasoned editorial in the WP this morning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..03410.html
“At a time when many Americans are losing their jobs, the IMF is vulnerable to populist attack. Republicans have denounced the president’s proposal as a global bailout and spread the canard that the IMF helps regimes that support terrorism. Yet the aid is also opposed by 41 liberal Democrats, who want the United States to oppose IMF loans that force countries to cut spending or raise interest rates”.
Wow! I never thought my bleeding liberal heart would live to see the day when fellow Democrats and liberals sided with populist facists like Lou Dobbs!!! Shame on you.
I called Harry Teague’s office in DC. Jacob said that Congressman Teague has not made up his mind on 2346, and is seeking constituent input.
I said that I’m opposed to expanding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He thanked me after confirming my contact info. He said he would pass the information to my Congresscritter.
I am surprised, because I expected Teague to have declared for the supplemental. So, any of you other pups here in NM-2, tell Teague how you feel!
The IMF is a tentacle of the capitalist corporate financial network. Once you let it enter your sphere or space it has you. Many Americans understand the predatory nature of the credit card industry, is there any difference with the IMF? Yes, individuals and nations need capital to address the human condition while attempting to improve their lot in life by the accumulation of wealth, which insures at least some form of liberty, but at what cost?
Well structured IMF loans which indeed create efficiencies in a carrot and stick approach while benefiting both parties seems reasonable. However the basic concept is a foreign entanglement on its face, which usually benefits the corporations and the local leaders who more often than not are as irresponsible as some of our corrupt greedy corporate/political leaders?
No job what liberty!!! When the republic is decimated to this extent, because of actions untenable in nature, by corporations do the American people have the right and access to the courts to address constitutional claims grievances or will the American people be denied standing as in the dreaded, “Dred Scott Case.” Claims for damages against the tobacco industry or auto industry or pharmaceutical industry or chemical industry of energy industry and Pontius Pilate like legal maneuvers by the SJC predicated on abject intellectual garbage which pit one constitutional protection over another, once, for the benefit of an ownership society, slave owners, now for the benefit and protection of corporate entities aligned with government for purposes of generating tax revenue and corporate profit?
Take all the bailout out money and address the one thing which enslaves us all. The cost of energy, dictating the cost of everything else, controlled by powerful corporations. Where the illusion of Life and Liberty are bought and paid for by an overpriced costly premium!
i’ve been quietly reading your posts ever since you showed up, trying to grasp where it is you’re coming from, but i can’t keep my opinion of your posts to myself anymore…..do you realize you come off sounding like those who believe “my country right or worng” each time you vociferously defend obama against the ppl here who criticize him? judging from your cyber persona, i know you know in our democracy we’re allowed to disagree w/ elected officials.
i’ve worked very hard to get obama & many other dems elected, (as did many of the residents here at the lake), & part of the reason i did this was to get those ppl elected who will insure my constitutional right to disagree with them.
that obama deliberately choose ppl for his cabinet he knew wouldn’t always cow-tow to him, certainly set a tone of mutual respect via listening to opposing views, yet you get bent out of shape when we disagree with, or chastise him here.
it doesn’t seem you’ve noticed that we also applaud & give kudo’s to him when they are due.