Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Second rate reporter says what?

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Trump’s legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

“They not like us!” (that’s for sure!)

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / How To Send a Fax for Free

How To Send a Fax for Free

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I like to fax my representatives, but I no longer have a fax machine. Here’s how I do it for free using only an Internet connection.

1. Write a respectful, fact-based, and original letter in Microsoft Word. (Or, write it in some other word processing program that creates a .DOC, .DOCX or .PDF file for output. Open Office is a free program that writes Word output.) Be sure to mention that you live in the district and vote.

2. Look up the representatives’s fax number here.

3. Go to FaxZero and create a fax. Attach your Word doc or PDF to the fax. You can send 2 free faxes per day, so do your Member of Congress and most intransigent Senator today, and the lesser asshole Senator tomorrow.

Also, if you’re a Facebook user, lots of representatives have a Facebook page where you can leave comments. I’m sure that amounts to something.

Update: As requested, a letter suggestion after the break.

Here’s my take on a good letter:

Dear Representative/Senator :

I live in your district [, I voted for you – nice to add if it is true, and maybe even if it isn’t]. I’m writing to ask you to vote to increase the debt ceiling.

I know that my job as a [insert your daily toil here] is in danger if the economy gets worse. I also know that the economy will suffer if the United States defaults, and that may mean that I can’t put food on my family’s table. I can’t afford to lose my job over a political food fight.

I think our national debt needs to be addressed, but I also know that when I miss credit card payments, the bank lowers my credit rating and raises my interest rates. If we lose our good credit because of a default, that will only make the deficit bigger.

No matter how I’ve voted in the past, I just can’t vote for anyone who would risk our economy and cost our country billions of dollars in interest in order to make a political point.

Sincerely,

[Your name and Address]

I try to channel my centrist swing voter when I write these things — your mileage may vary.

Reader Interactions

131Comments

  2. 2.

    LarsThorwald

    mistermix, you should also repost the tips on what to say in a letter. I am an attorney with a reading level above 8th grade, but it would still be helpful to get a good sense of how to construct the letter for maximum effect. I think writing “Fuck you sideways if you allow default” has a nice ring, but probably ineffective.

  4. 4.

    shortstop

    News we can use. Thanks, mm.

    Lars, I like to follow Lincoln’s custom in that sort of thing. Write that letter, feel great, don’t send, write real letter for sending.

  6. 6.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @JD Rhoades – dunno according to some bright spark commenting over at Politico on this story “I BET ALL THE CALLS ARE AGAINST OBAMA!” Eleventy!

  7. 7.

    maye

    This Obama vs. Boehner cage match is starting to remind me of the Carter vs. Kennedy drain-on-the-psyche competition in 1980.

    Hello President Romney. I hope he’s more sane than the rest of his crowd.

  8. 8.

    Martin

    I’m going to visit my Reps district office later today and drop off a letter and have a few words. Teatard who hands out copies of Atlas Shrugged if you visit his DC office, so not expecting much.

  9. 9.

    artem1s

    the Facebook pages of Cantor and the Great Orange are loaded with commentary (about half and half surprisingly). Pelosi, nothing. Not even a post on the debt ceiling. That’s kind of weird unless the Dems are brokering a deal while the Teahaddists run around trying to put out the internets fires?

    I get regular email info from several Dems and the WH but nothing on this today? so weird.

  10. 10.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @ J. D. Rhoades #3:

    Well, I just got an email from the Washington Post, a “Political News Alert” saying “The US Capitol switchboard was on the verge of being overloaded with calls from around the country Tuesday morning after President Obama called on Americans in his address to the nation Monday evening to contact their members of Congress about the high-stakes debt battle playing out in Washington.”

    I hope very much that this is, in fact, a good sign. But I just don’t know.

  13. 13.

    Reality Check

    Keep wasting your time. The Tea Party has Obama by the balls, and in the end he has to sign whatever comes out of the House.

  14. 14.

    WereBear

    That was awesome! I wrote on a plain piece of paper with a fine line Sharpie, scanned it into a PDF, and sent it off.

    My rep doesn’t list his fax number on his website… I checked last night. It’s down now! Tee hee.

  16. 16.

    gogol's wife

    I called rep and two senators this morning, although they are not teatards or even Republicans. De Lauro’s staff person said she’s in talks constantly, but they have no idea what’s going to happen. Blumenthal’s staff person started explaining to me that we can’t just raise the debt ceiling until we get the budget under control, so I screamed at him about the debt ceiling money having already been appropriated, and he said, “Okay, okay, you’re preaching to the choir.” Lieberman’s staff member was cagey as usual but assured me that he preferred a Reid-type plan to a Boehner-type plan.

  17. 17.

    Montysano

    Fax lines are down, and the web site of my rep, the detestable Mo Brooks, won’t load. I’ll prefer to believe that he is being besieged with calls/faxes telling him to pull his head out of his ass and get to work on a solution.

  18. 18.

    Joel

    I signaled my support to McDermott and Cantwell. Not like either of them are the issue, but I’m sure support is nice to hear.

  19. 19.

    lllphd

    ah, this is SO helpful!! i’ve been on hold for boehner for over an hour now, and am getting quite repulsed by the hypocrisy of all the damn patriotic music!!

    boehner’s fax: (202) 225-0704
    cantor’s fax: 804.747-5308

    fax these suckers, dammit! they’re the ones holding up the program. i plan to let them know i will tirelessly from this moment till nov ’12 making calls on behalf of the democratic party to spread the word about their treasonous obstructionism and willingness to take the country down in order to take this president down and push their agenda for the wealthy.

    politely, of course.

  20. 20.

    shortstop

    gogol, what the hell was Blumenthal’s person doing making a comment like that? “We can’t just raise the debt ceiling until we get the budget under control”? WTF?

  22. 22.

    gogol's wife

    shortstop#20, I have no idea. My husband in the next room was just shaking his head when he heard my end of the conversation. My only explanation is that they’ve been getting calls from the left complaining about giving stuff away to the Republicans, so they’re explaining that the deficit is reely reely important, and he didn’t switch gears fast enough to realize that wasn’t my position.

  23. 23.

    Dexter

    Looks like Boehner is not sure whether his plan can pass the house. Nice going Mr. Speaker.

  24. 24.

    fasteddie9318

    Damn, Reality Check, you sure do like to imagine touching Obama’s balls. If that’s what does it for you, that’s cool, but can you please not post your fantasies here?

  26. 26.

    bmcchgo

    Done. Forgot I had a Republican for a U.S. Senator Mark Kirk. Very respectful fax, I sent. Thanks

  28. 28.

    marian

    “do your Member of Congress and most intransigent Senator today, and the lesser asshole Senator tomorrow”

    But, but..I have such a target rich environment, Senators Jim DeMint and Linsey Graham and my new congressman is the jerk who introduced Cut Cap and Balance!!!

    So many to choose from so little time.

    Writing now…Thanks!

  30. 30.

    shortstop

    TooManyJens:

    That happens to me all the time. I got really used to IL having two Democratic Senators. Damn it.

    Me, too. Takes me back to the Pete Fitzgerald days.

  31. 31.

    Martin

    I hope very much that this is, in fact, a good sign. But I just don’t know.

    I suspect it is. My dad hangs out with some teatards (small town, you get what you can get) and they seem to call their reps constantly. I take any additional traffic to be biased toward non-tea partiers.

  32. 32.

    LarsThorwald

    I wrote by hand and faxed to Rep. Andy harris’s office a two-page letter expressing that as someone who makes more than $200,000 per year, I would rather have certain taxes negotiated at the front end, rather than uncertain taxes in the form of higher interest rates, a crippled 401(k0, and Lord knows what else that would come with default. I also explained that the default was a topic of conversation at the community pool this last weekend, and that my neighbors — republican, Democrat, and independent alike — viewed this in terms of House GOP intransigence. I asked him to respectfully reconsider his position, engage in compromise, and make the right decision — as voters, like me, of his district expect.

    Felt good.

  33. 33.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Contacted Tammy Baldwin, Herb Kohl, and Ron Johnson. Baldwin and Kohl are on the side of the angels here and Johnson is both a dipshit and an asshole. I said that I wanted the debt ceiling raised and that my priorities were 1. a clean bill, 2. cuts balanced by revenue increases, and 3. cuts targeted in a way that protected the most vulnerable in society. When I spoke to Johnson’s office, I emphasized that raising the debt ceiling has never been controversial before and should not be so now.

  34. 34.

    nastybrutishntall

    [I thought this worked alright. Anyone? -NBnT]

    Rep. Scott Tipton
    218 Cannon HOB
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: 202.225.4761
    Fax: 202.226.9669

    Tuesday, July 26, 2011

    Dear Rep. Tipton:

    As one of your home-town constituents AND a small-business owner trying to ride out this recession, I urge you to throw away your partisan pet-project of a Balanced Budget Amendment and do whatever it takes to raise the debt ceiling. You SAY you want the cost of doing business to be lower, but if the US has to pay higher interest rates because of a default, the cost of doing business will go up and YOU WILL BE COSTING MY BUSINESS MONEY!

    Vote for the Dem plan or whatever plan is most likely to pass both houses and quit playing chicken with the economy, Scott. I’ve met you and your family, and you seem like a decent guy. Now’s the time to prove it’s not all an act just to get you a cushy job at my tax-payer expense.

    Sincerely,
    NBnT

  36. 36.

    jprfrog

    I just talked to my Reps office, and felt like a fool. He’s a North jersey Dem in a solid Dem district and all I could say was “hold the line”.

    I understand the frustration many on the Left feel but my hope is that whatever catastrophe comes down, it will be the Teatards in the Red States that sent these lunatics to Congress will feel the pain first and most: the states that send less to DC than they receive are all Republican (except Texas, which should secede anyway). Maybe it will shock them awake and realize that they have been snookered into shooting themselves in the foot while bragging about their marksmanship. Still, with Fox Noise and “Fats” Limbaugh pouring poison in their ears and the natural, if unfortunate, human tendency to prefer being right no matter how wrong or disastrous the result, that is almost certainly a vain hope.

    Frankly, I’m feeling old and tired and would prefer to ignore the whole thing. Unfortunately, when they bring the house down on their heads they will bring it down on me and mine too.

  38. 38.

    dww44

    Already talked to my Rep; will try my Senators later, even though they are Republicans who predate the Tea Party. Interestingly yesterday one of my Republican former co-workers tole me that one of these Senators said that he believes that one of the problems with the broken politics in the Congress can be traced back to the ascendancy of Newt to the Speaker position, wherein Newt told the newly minted Republicans that they didn’t need to live in D.C., but that they could leave their families behind in their home districts and commute. This has resulted in an environment where there is little socialization and personal interaction/respect between representatives of the two parties. A widening of the divide.

    Also, o/t, but does anyone remember the comment from a few days from one of the BJ’ers who made this perfect analogy between the embittered participants in a divorce to our current political situation? I need to share it with the sender of an email talking about Obama’s hidden and anti-American agenda. Want them to know why we are where we are. That analogy was perfect in its simplicity.

  39. 39.

    Martin

    The most recent Treasury statement, for July 22, reports a balance of $84.4 billion, slightly below projections.

    Even if we stop paying other bills, ask your Congressmen how we’re supposed to pay the $23B in Social Security checks on 8/3 and then the $91B in bonds that mature on 8/4. And that assumes that soldiers aren’t paid, VA staff aren’t paid, and so on.

  40. 40.

    Brandon

    I work near the White House and it is a glorious day out. So I am sitting outside at Caribou Coffee for a change of pace from Swings and I just saw the Presidential motorcade roll out with both Obama and Geithner in separate limos. Oddly they were headed up Pennsylvania Avenue, like they were heading to the State Department (or perhaps a Washington Post ‘salon’ luncheon at the Graham residence in Georgetown) and not towards the Capitol. I can only guess that they are either heading to give Hillary special instructions, making their way to the Chinese embassy to pay dealty or heading to a negotiation with Boehner at a neutral site because evidently the Tea Bahgers think that meeting in the White House confers Obama a home court advantage. I guess the morons have decided that is why they are losing. Unless Biden is using thunder sticks in the Roosevelt Room, these clowns are clueless.

  41. 41.

    Elliecat

    but I’m sure support is nice to hear.

    Back in the ’80s I had a reliably liberal state legislator who BEGGED local Dems etc. to write or call in support. Conservatives kept accusing her of not properly representing her constituency and she said it was hard to properly fend off their complaints when 90% of the letters and calls she got were negative. She knew most of us were happy with her but she had no concrete evidence to show detractors.

  42. 42.

    Alex Scott

    Just sent the fax. Sent an email last night, but I thought I’d make sure something actually made it to my Rep’s office. He’s a supporter of Cut, Cap, and Balance, and I let him know that he needs to decide whether he represents me or Grover Norquist.

  43. 43.

    Brian R.

    I just talked to my Reps office, and felt like a fool. He’s a North jersey Dem in a solid Dem district and all I could say was “hold the line”.

    Why did you feel like a fool? They need to hear that, and I’m sure they appreciated it.

  44. 44.

    Julie Raffety

    @Litlebritdifrnt: #6

    I’d bet he’s e-mailing all his friends to tell them he’d posted on a liberal site.

  46. 46.

    bob h

    One of the nice things about being from NJ is that your Representatives and Senators are way ahead of you. I don’t have to waste time with this stuff.

  48. 48.

    SiubhanDuinne

    O/T. David Wu is resigning from House.

    ETA: So I guess if he’s your Congresscritter, don’t bother with the calls and faxes.

  50. 50.

    Martin

    don’t bother with the calls and faxes.

    Unless you’re looking to score with a congressman, in which case step it up because the clock is ticking on the easy target.

  51. 51.

    Teak111

    Faxed, probably won’t get through, but I tried. Thanks for the post.

    I don’t understand that GOP these days. Obama has two years to the election. Reducing the deficit helps restore confidence thus helping the econ, thus helping BO get re-elected. Tom Delay or even Gingrich would have been much more strategic about the debt, perhaps holding off a year or two until it could be used against BO. Is the some eleventhy-level chess going on here between Boner and the Tea Party? Or just basic level level ideology?

  52. 52.

    Woodrow/asim Jarvis Hill

    @Brandon: Obama went to the Norwegian Embassy a little while ago, per TPM; that’s likely what you saw.

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    ETA: So I guess if he’s your Congresscritter, don’t bother with the calls and faxes.

    Also per TPM, Wu has said he’s staying until the debt situation is resolved.

  53. 53.

    JustPeachyAndYou

    I used mistermix’s excellent instructions to fax a letter by my tea-party wannabe rep., who also voted for the Ryan plan and wants to give up the Rocky Mountains in their entirety to the oil companies. For my opening, I said I live in his district and am on the Republican mailing list (all true), leaving out the fact that I’ve never VOTED Republican in all my born days.

    The whole process took about 12 minutes, start to finish.

  54. 54.

    Brandon

    Motorcade just returned. Couldn’t see Obama and my guess is that he wasn’t in it. Must’ve dropped him off somewhere. But it seems odd that they would leave the wheels behind.

  55. 55.

    fasteddie9318

    Thanks for this, mistermix. If nothing else I’m glad I got to use the internets tubes once more before they go offline and to send one last fax before the power grid goes offline. WOLVERINES!!!!

  57. 57.

    fasteddie9318

    Obama went to the Norwegian Embassy a little while ago, per TPM; that’s likely what you saw.

    Applying for a visa or maybe asylum?

  58. 58.

    jwest

    Mistermix,

    Through the magic of electronic communication, I’ve already received a reply to your letter….

    Dear Constituent,

    Thank you for your thoughts in your recent letter. As you know, as a supporter your opinion is very important to me.

    I am in full agreement that the economy will suffer if the United States defaults on its debts, which is what President Obama is threatening to do, even though we have plenty of money to pay the obligations on the debt, Social Security, Medicare, Veterans and thousands of other obligations without increasing the debt ceiling. Of course, we will need to make adjustments in debt ceiling in the near future, but without changing the fundamental problem of government overspending the debt will just keep increasing.

    Please join with me in calling or writing the White House to urge the President to put politics aside and vote for a responsible budget that cuts the bloated government without job-killing new taxes.

    Thanks again for your support!

    Your loyal congressman,

  59. 59.

    Libby

    As an aside, my useless GOPer Rep and Senator have been tweeting all morning. I’ve been tweeting them back telling them — politely — to quit dicking around and just raise the ceiling because honoring our debts, that they ran up themselves, is the responsible thing to do.

    Doesn’t matter if they listen, or respond to us. What matters is that we let them know we’re watching them.

  60. 60.

    SuzieC

    Wow, that was easy! Thanks for the useful tip. I faxed my US Rep, Stivers of OH-15. Not sure yet if it went through.

  61. 61.

    Fed Up

    Faxes, emails, AND phone calls sent to my reps. Marian, is your new congressman and mine the same (he co-sponsored cut cap and balance). If not, they are both jerks!

  63. 63.

    Kane

    Even if you believe that your call or e-mail or fax will have no direct influence on your representative, the emerging story of phone lines being tied up in Washington and House web servers being overwhelmed by the president’s call to action is being noticed by the media. That can change a media narrative and put added pressure on representatives.

  64. 64.

    cleek

    here’s a little bit about my Rep, David Price (Raleigh, Chapel Hill, etc):

    Rep. David Price, D-N.C., said his office probably has heard from about 300 constituents either by telephone or email. The sentiments about whether to raise the ceiling were split.
    “It started out with more people saying, ‘Don’t raise the debt ceiling,'” Price said. “It’s tilting more towards those wanting to protect Social Security and Medicare and be sure that…we don’t do damage to the safety net or middle-class concerns.”

    that was last week. still, sounds like he could use some more Dem support.

  65. 65.

    Ash Can

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    David Wu is resigning

    Thank goodness.

    And again, folks, first jwest tells you to quit calling your reps, and now Reality Check sez:

    Keep wasting your time.

    Folks, right-wingers do not want you to speak up. They do not want you to contact your representatives. They want you to stay silent and keep your mouths shut.

    SO, you know what to do! Keep those calls and faxes coming!

  66. 66.

    Rommie

    Done. I’m sure I’ll get something from Mr. Upton explaining how he hasn’t gone full-bore Teabagger while continuing to vote otherwise. Whee.

  67. 67.

    JPL

    As I see it, Democrats don’t think it is necessary to call democratic representatives because they will vote accordingly. Democrats don’t think it will help to call Republican representation. I think it helps. I called my two republican Senators and asked them not to filibuster the Reid bill if it comes up for a vote.
    I’m tempted to call my tea party rep and ask him not to vote for the boehner bill, though. Okay I’m evil…

  68. 68.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @ Ash Can:

    Folks, right-wingers do not want you to speak up. They do not want you to contact your representatives. They want you to stay silent and keep your mouths shut.

    Yep, pretty dumb to have established trolls trying to act as coolers.

  69. 69.

    Pococurante

    Thanks mistermix – emailed all three of my congress critters but as I am in Texas and all three are ‘R’s…

    Ah well hopefully spelling out my job occupation (software engineer) suggests to them even their more dependable supporters are at risk. (haven’t voted Republican since Bush Sr was primaried out and became VP instead).

  70. 70.

    Martin

    @Brandon:

    President Barack Obama is visiting the Norwegian Embassy in Washington to extend his condolences in person over the bombing and shooting rampage that killed at least 76 people in Norway’s capital of Oslo.

  71. 71.

    Omnes Omnibus

    As I see it, Democrats don’t think it is necessary to call democratic representatives because they will vote accordingly.

    Two of the three I called this morning were Dems and their staffers sounded very glad to hear support. The person in Herb Kohl’s office flat out stated that it was nice to get complimentary, supportive messages from constituents.

  72. 72.

    Stella

    I just used FaxZero to send a fax to my congressman & got the following message:

    Your fax has failed because the receiver’s phone was busy 5 times in a row.

    Maybe that’s a good sign. However, I’m in Phoenix so maybe not.

  73. 73.

    bemused

    A friend who is a teacher and lives in my cong. dist. called our rep. Using her teacher voice she asked the staffer for his name and proceeded to make her pitch using his name as she made each point. Now Joe, do you have a credit card? Joe, what do you think will happen to the interest rate on your credit card bill? Do you have a loan? And so on. She was able to momentarily surprise him into silence a few times, he didn’t know what to say and he was answering her, yes ma’am and no ma’am. She actually had a good time.

  75. 75.

    Ash Can

    @Omnes Omnibus: I haven’t ruled out the possibility that one or both of those clowns are spoofs, trying to goad us into action. Nevertheless, I want to highlight what these guys are saying because it’s so telling, and because a lot of folks around here have slapped pie filters on their drivel. I actually think they’re performing a service by coming here and telling us to STFU.

  76. 76.

    cleek

    my letter to my rep said that it was great to have a rep that was neither a teaparty lunatic nor a DINO, and that i appreciate the effort he’s expending in keeping the dimwits from tanking our economy.

    hope he likes it :)

  77. 77.

    Brandon

    Thank you all for filling in the President’s itinerary. Definitely explains the direction of the motorcade. Interesting that Geithner was in tow though. I definitely saw him. Considering the situation, my guess is that Obama has requested for him to fill in for Reggie Love over the next week.

  78. 78.

    shortstop

    Why did you feel like a fool? They need to hear that, and I’m sure they appreciated it.

    No, I understand this. I frequently feel semi-foolish when I call Schakowsky’s and Durbin’s offices. The interns and just-graduated answering the phones always sound bemused that I’m calling to support what their bosses are doing, like they’re not sure what to do with that information. (Too often, they also manage to sound patronizing, a neat trick for a 19-year-old.) But I keep doing it because we gotta keep doing it.

  79. 79.

    JustPeachyAndYou

    Sadly, the fax to my repugnant Repub. rep failed because the fax line is busy. I’ll try again later this afternoon, because I still have a free fax left from FaxZero. I hope it’s busy because he’s getting an earful, not because the staff took the fax’s phone off the hook.

  80. 80.

    Citizen Alan

    Well, I just faxed hand-signed letters to Thad Cochran, Roger Wicker and Alan Nunnelee. I suspect for all the good it did, I might as well have gone outside and yelled at the neighbor’s dog about the debt ceiling, but at least I feel like I’ve done my patriotic duty. I’ll try calling next.

  81. 81.

    shortstop

    Considering the situation, my guess is that Obama has requested for him to fill in for Reggie Love over the next week.

    What’s going on with my secret lover, Reggie Love?

  82. 82.

    Marty

    I have been trying to reach my Repub congressman all morning and finally got through. His staff sounded extremely stressed, which is a good thing.

  83. 83.

    KetzelandIke

    I’ve been adding in all my letters and calls that not raising taxes to pay for a war is unpatriotic.

  84. 84.

    Alex S.

    @Ash Can:

    Reality Check is like the harbingers of the collector race (nerd alert):

    ‘Face your annihilation’, ‘These attacks are pointless’, ‘You prolong the inevitable’

  85. 85.

    Citizen Alan

    Interestingly (I thought), the young lady taking messages for Roger Wicker basically refused to take my address. In the past, they always did, and a few weeks letter, I’d get some bland response letter that failed utterly to respond to my concerns, but now apparently, they aren’t even doing that. She just “promised to share [my] concerns with the Senator.”

  86. 86.

    David Hunt

    Just got off the phone with the local office of Bill Flores (R-TX17). He’s a teahadist and his staffer told me that he will only support a raise in the debt ceiling if there’s a balanced budget amendment and a deal with no revenue in it. I stayed respectful and made a case. Raised like 90 times as a clean bill and should be again. The ratings agencies said they’d downgrade our rating and that would have detremental effects on the deficit. Lots of deals have been offered that were to the advantage of Republican Party.

    Then I said that although I’d never given money to political candidate, if he voted against it I’d fund whoever ran against him in preference to funding my I.R.A. That was rough as I’m a terrible liar so I had to actually mean it.

  87. 87.

    les

    MM, nice letter. It may be worth adding that raising the debt ceiling doesn’t effect the deficit, it just pays for budgets that the rep. voted for already.

    Mine, of course, knows not the meaning of shame or hypocrisy; but it’s worth a shot.

  88. 88.

    Sir Nose'D

    Faxed my letter off to the Congresstard, and only used the word bullshit once. I showed restraint–where’s my pony?

  91. 91.

    David Brooks (not that one)

    Phoned Reichert (R-WA-08) and to my surprise an intern answered immediately. I gave him my spiel about the House funding spending that was mandated by laws originating in the House, and not raising revenue would result in an effective tax increase on his middle-class constituents. The young man was obviously not writing anything down, but he said “I will definitely do that, sir” and hopefully added one to a list.

    Now to call Murray and Cantwell, and follow up to Sheriff Hairspray (R-WA) with a hand-written fax.

  92. 92.

    Joy

    Thank you so much for this information. I just sent Senator Mark Kirk and Congressman John Shimkus a fax and I’ll try to follow up with a phone call as well, but switchboard was jammed when I tried. I’ll keep trying.

  93. 93.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Citizen Alan:

    I suspect for all the good it did, I might as well have gone outside and yelled at the neighbor’s dog about the debt ceiling, but at least I feel like I’ve done my patriotic duty.

    And I’m sure the doggie appreciates the effort.

  95. 95.

    David Brooks (not that one)

    Update: people answered for both Sens Cantwell and Murray right away, and seemed upbeat (I’ll give her the message, generally upbeat tone).

  96. 96.

    quannlace

    What the Tea Party wants, the Tea Party gets.

    Yup, They want to take our country back. All the way back to 1915.
    No child labor laws or minimum wage. Back alley abortions. And minorities knowing their place!

    Nice going, Teatards.

  98. 98.

    Libby's Person

    Thank you, mistermix! You saved me a lot of hassle trying to find a fax machine.

  99. 99.

    Emerald

    Wow. Just called Issa’s local office in Vista. Little jerk on the other end of the phone argued with me. When I said the rich ought to pay a little more (and I was very polite) he said “Why don’t you pay a little more then?”

    After that he wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise.

    I had to yell that he was a terrible representative for the congressman who wouldn’t listen to his constituents and that he had just lost two votes for the congressman.

    There. So that’s Issa.

  100. 100.

    jwest

    When people call to demand an increase in the debt ceiling, it plays right into the republican’s hand.

    The House will pass a short-term debt ceiling increase in exchange for a small decrease in spending (that the Senate has already signaled they would approve). Obama has threatened to veto that bill, thus defaulting on the debt simply for political reasons.

    Republicans are hearing from the public that they want the debt ceiling increased, so they believe that Obama will have to fold and sign the short-term bill.

  101. 101.

    Hillary Rettig

    phone receptionist for Scott Brown says he’s against cutting SS “except as a last resort.” So Massachusetts people need to call him.

    Can’t get through to Capuano.

  102. 102.

    metricpenny

    mistermix,

    Thanks for the guidance in your posts today. I used your letter template for a fax and call to Tom Price’s (R-GA) office. The person I spoke with didn’t offer any pushback and seemed empathetic to my request of Rep. Price to not harm his constitutients in an effort to harm President Obama and the Democrats.

    On to Senators Chambliss and Isakson (Rs-GA)…

  103. 103.

    gene108

    Called my Congressman, John Runyan (R-NJ_03), and the receptionist, who answered the phone said she was getting a lot of calls about people encouraging Rep. Runyan to vote to raise the debt ceiling.

  104. 104.

    quannlace

    Dear Constituent,

    Thank you for your thoughts in your recent letter

    Just curious, if your not a constituent, does it matter if you contact a particular Congresscritter? People have mentioned calling/writing Boehner and Cantor. Do those carry any weight at all?

  105. 105.

    cckids

    Sent fax to both the local and Washington offices of my Rep.Heck (what a name!). Couldn’t swallow telling him I voted for him, just ran the line “I vote for the person, R or D, blah, blah.” Gave him a few strokes to the ego–he’s an ER doc in real life, I’ve dealt with docs forever due to my son’s major illnesses, etc, always respect their judgment, etc. That also gave me the chance to talk about Medicaid, SSI, etc, and how a default will devastate people like us. I also went to his web page & listened to an interview he gave a local TV station; it was just boilerplate Repub talking points, but at least I could reference it. Why I think me being reasonable will help him be reasonable is beyond me.

    Tried to call the local office, lines were busy, will try again. He’s one of the newbies voted in in 2010, tho not a complete teahadist. I have no faith that my letter will change his mind, but maybe they are keeping score; who knows?

    I reined in my profanity & snark; closest I came to letting loose was to remind him that he took an oath to represent the people of NV & that I hoped he took that more seriously than his loyalty to the R party. The letter I TRULY wanted to write would leave the computer smoking.

  106. 106.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Emerald: #99

    I had to yell that he was a terrible representative for the congressman who wouldn’t listen to his constituents and that he had just lost two votes for the congressman.

    Oh, the little twerp is having a bad day? What a shame.

    [Too many people saying things he doesn’t want to hear?]

  107. 107.

    opal

    @jwest:

    it plays right into the republican’s hand

    Who is this “republican”? Which hand will be involved?

  108. 108.

    Comrade Luke

    In all seriousness, what makes anyone think that deluging a Republican congressperson will make any difference whatsoever?

    Does anyone here really believe that they will respond to their constituents? Or that they represent them?

    I’ll never forget when people picketed Jennifer Dunn in Olympia over a gun vote. She was interviewed on TV, and said “These people don’t represent my district”. Um, they were DIRECTLY from her district. They had organized and come down there on their own.

    Any Republican that hears negativity will just assume that it’s Democrat trolls or some other conspiracy, as opposed to the people they represent.

  109. 109.

    Emerald

    @Linda Featheringill

    I’m gonna call back. I’m sure that nasty little twerp didn’t record our wishes.

    Actually, I lied. Little twerp only lost one vote for the Congressman. Dad’s a Republican, but not after this. He’s pissed.

  111. 111.

    Kirbster

    My only problem child is Senator Scott “Centerfold” Brown. My fax got through on the third try. I asked for a “clean” vote with the Reid plan as a second choice. I opined that the Boehner plan was out of the question because voters weren’t going to stand for another round of cheap theatrics in six months, and that the miserable Cut, Cap, and Balance was DOA in the Senate for a reason: any congresscritter who needs automatic triggers and magic formulas and such to manage a budget is an irresponsible fool who ought not to be in Congress.

  112. 112.

    Emerald

    Called Issa’s D.C. office. Either got bounced to the same jerk in Vista, or they’ll all like that.

    But at least I got him to say that he’ll make a record of my comment.

    And this time he hung up on me.

  113. 113.

    Joy

    Thanks for the free fax site. I bookmarked it for future use.
    I sent a fax to my rep. Last week I snail mailed him also.

  114. 114.

    opal

    @opal:

    …which is all the more reason for me urge firebaggers to become part of a concrete positive process or go DIAF.

  115. 115.

    Mnemosyne

    In all seriousness, what makes anyone think that deluging a Republican congressperson will make any difference whatsoever?

    If nothing else, you can annoy the crap out of the congressperson by making him/her listen to points of view they don’t want. Added bonus is preventing more teabaggers from getting through for the 10 minutes it takes them to take your call.

    If teabaggers can flood the lines of my rep here in California (and they do), then why not return the favor and flood their rep’s lines with your opinion?

  116. 116.

    gene108

    Any Republican that hears negativity will just assume that it’s Democrat trolls or some other conspiracy, as opposed to the people they represent.

    When I called my Rep., the lady who answered the phone wanted my name and address, which I guess is to verify if I am actually a constituent.

    I’m assuming other offices would be doing the same, before actually logging the calls in whatever computer system they have.

  117. 117.

    Carl Nyberg

    Carl Nyberg
    [street address]
    Chicago, Illinois

    July 26, 2011

    The Honorable Mark Kirk
    U.S. Senate

    Dear Senator Kirk,

    I am writing to express my support for raising the federal debt ceiling with no strings attached. In fact, I happen to think the plain language meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment is clear. Once Congress has authorized and appropriated the money, Congress does not get another bite at the apple.

    If you accept what the Republicans are trying to do to President Obama right now, you would have to accept Congress passing one-month extensions to the debt ceiling and Congress extracting concesssions each month from the President of the United States.

    How well would the country operate if Congress had the power to use the debt ceiling in this manner?

    Further, it’s undemocratic to make cuts to middle-class programs in secret negotiations. How would rich people feel if tax increases went through a secretive fast-track process? (It’s not a perfect analogy since rich people would have their advocates at the table.)

    I also find it offensive that Republicans are threatening to do grave harm to the country if they don’t get their way on policy issues.

    If Republicans don’t like how Social Security, Medicare or other government programs work, there’s a process to change things. As a U.S. Senator, you can introduce a bill and navigate it through Congress.

    Threatening to do grave harm to the United States makes it appear Republicans are more interested in advancing partisan interests than in protecting the government, economy and the country.

    On top of this, President Obama is playing the Republican Party for suckers. The more cuts the Republicans demand, the more fat cat donors are going to be happy with re-electing Obama. Those fat cats are going to fund the adds blaming the Republican Party for the cuts.

    Congress should pass a clean increase to the debt ceiling. You should take the lead. But I doubt you will, because, in your heart, you’re basically a coward.

    Sincerely,

    Carl Nyberg

  119. 119.

    Dee Loralei

    This is my fax sent to Marsha Blackburn R-Dimwit) Corker and Alexander;
    89 times in the past 72 years the US Congress has voted to raise the debt ceiling to pay for things it had already bought, now you must do the same.
    The “Party of Personal Responsibility” must pay its bills. Our bills, that you gleefully ran up during the Bush years with the two unfunded tax cuts, the two wars off the books and the Medicare Part D bill that gave billions to Big Pharma. You also voted for TARP during the Bush Presidency. Most of the trillions of dollars in debt this country has accrued was under Republican watch. And now you want to punish the poor, the elderly and the middle class for your profligacy. Pass a Clean Bill by voice vote and then have this fight during the budget negotiations in the next few months. Which is when hearings about these draconian measures should be held.
    If you destroy our nations debt rating out of petty and vindictive spite, the cost of living for all your constituents and the country rise. And history will not look kindly at your intransigence. It will cost more for the Fed to borrow money which will raise interest rates for individuals and businesses. Which will cause a huge drain on our economy. I’m sure you think the elderly and small business men are parts of your parties natural constituencies, that will no longer be the case, if you force a default.
    I want a clean bill to raise the debt limit. Barring that, I back the Presidents balanced approach, cutting some spending, raising some taxes and closing some loopholes. Do not balance your hideously reckless bad spending habits on the backs of the elderly and middle class. The rich MUST pay more.
    I know the Constitution has a very precise legal definition of Treason, but I do not know what else to call you or your party if you willfully destroy the full faith and credit of the US.

    Sincerely, meblahblahblah

  120. 120.

    catclub

    Citizen Alan @ 80 Did you know that Thad Cochran is one of the _very_ few republicans who have NOT signed Norquist’s no tax pledge? I learned that today. I am sure the fact that he is an old bull of the senate (Chair of appropriations Committee) has nothing to do with it, its a matter of principle.

  121. 121.

    Quinne

    Sent to Rehberg, who’s MY problem child. He’s a nasty piece who will be going up against our decent Dem senator next year.

  122. 122.

    Dee Loralei

    Anyway, I got through to all three of their DC offices, most of them were snitty little snots. None took my name or address, so I doubt any of their interns are actually keeping a tally. I got in a fight with Corker’s though, he said Corker backed the Cut Crap and Smoosh bill that passed Congress last week. I informed him it didn’t actually pass Congress since the Senate had tabled it, and since it called for a Constitutional Amendment and hadn’t receive 2/3rds vote in the House that it actually didn’t pass the House either. And why didn’t he understand how a Bill becomes a law and did he need to go re-watch school house rock? He hung up on me, but hey I kept a teabagger from getting through for 5 minutes or so.

    Now I’m gonna call their local offices.

  123. 123.

    Glidwrith

    I’ve been chewing my rep (Hunter – R CA) up one side and down the other. Actually talked to someone for over half an hour roughly a month ago and covered verbatim every single ‘Thug talking point possible. He may not have declared for the Tea Party, but he’s voted in lockstep with every single pissant wrongheaded legislation this Congress has come up with. I also called both Senators and thanked them for their work.

  124. 124.

    opal

    As a partial follow up, I phoned the local office for Jim Gerlach.

    The phone rep declined to give any information on Jimbo’s stance other than “things have been busy”.

  126. 126.

    Spaghetti Lee

    Got through to Joe Walsh. His staffer was very polite-it felt like I was calling the phone company or something. I was polite too-no swear words-but I made it clear that he’d better vote the right way or I’d be voting against him next year.

  127. 127.

    desertflower

    Just a thought, but I think it would be a good idea to include a request for your reps/senators to read what the effects of Boehner’s plan would mean. Have them look at cbpp.org and have them print it out for them. Devastating is an understatement.It’s from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. If you have already spoken to them today, fax them the info, Tweet, email whatever…thanks

  128. 128.

    WaterGirl

    Just sent my 2 free faxes for today

    – one to my EVIL republican representative in IL, and one to John Boehner.

    Tomorrow i will send my 2 free faxes to my two senators.

    *****

    mistermix, could you re-post this thread, or a similar one, every day until this is resolved? I can’t tell you how much easier it was to do this when all I had to do was cut and paste your letter and customize it a bit. THANK YOU!

  129. 129.

    Alex Scott

    Turned out my fax earlier didn’t go through–the line was busy. But I sent another one that did go through. Maybe I’ll swap some names out and send it to Corker and Alexander tomorrow.

  130. 130.

    BruceJ

    Too bad some gun-toting teatard lunatic fuckwit of the likes that the NRA loves to hump tried to kill my representative >:-(

  131. 131.

    PitchForker

    Wait, you folks know that FaxZero insists on slipping some adverts at random into the free faxes, and at the other end the staff can skip all the faxes with adverts saying they appeared to be junk?

    Even if you just sign up for a free trial and never pay, you’ll have a MUCH better chance to get your faxes delivered. I know that the better services (I use Metrofax.com) will also re-try until they succeed, so leaving the line tied up won’t save them from getting your fax.

    Plus you’ll get a status of what happened, and any replies, even on the free trial. :)

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