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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact
We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.
Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.
When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.
“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”
No one could have predicted…
Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?
The revolution will be supervised.
Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.
Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?
If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.
Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.
Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.
Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?
We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.
When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.
Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.
I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.
Fuck these fucking interesting times.
If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.
The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.
“More of this”, i said to the dog.
Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.
Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.
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General Stuck
Wrong number. Try this one 1-666-GOP-Hell. If you make them any deals, cross your fingers behind your back and whisper “wingnut” three times.
wesindc
Man I wish I could do this but being a DC resident…Eleanore is great but she has little power.
rob!
I just called Rep. John Runyan (R-NJ) and told them I really hope he votes for some sort of compromise bill and just gets this thing solved already.
Boudicca
First time caller to Congress. I called both Senators and my Rep. Had no trouble getting through to local offices – got busy tone at the switchboard.
Violet
I called yesterday. My Rep’s intern said they had been getting a lot of calls. The poor dear sounded very young, inexperienced and overwhelmed. I didn’t push for more info.
Both of my Senators had phone trees (“Push 1 for this, 2 for that” etc.). I did get to speak to the intern for one of them. She was a bit more with it and noted my requests and asked for my zip code. The other Senator’s phones were too busy to take calls when I pushed 3 to talk to someone in the office. I’ll try again today.
I live in wingnutland, so both my Senators are Republicans. I don’t think it’ll do any good to talk to them, but I like letting them know people like me exist. Maybe they’ll waste a bit more money next time they campaign if they think more people are against them.
gbear
Did it yesterday afternoon. All of my reps are democrats so they were happy to get my call.
wrb
Yelling is good.
I’m thinking that the faith that some have in the Gaultian O’s stepping in and saving us may be mistaken, for a few reasons.
The stock and bond markets are doing fine.
That is because there is not going to be a default. There is plenty of money to service the debt: it is everything else that will be cut.
Those cuts will hurt the poor, the middle class and main street. Maybe this has gotten so crazy because many of the the GOs favor that outcome. Sure the Chamber of Commerce has come out against but The Club For Growth is still backing the Tea Partiers.
The fact that there need not be a default is why the 14th Amendment solution won’t work. Obama can comply with its requirements without issuing new debt.
Those who think he has a solution available that he could use if he “only had the spine” are full of shit, unless I’m missing something.
Ordovician Bighorn Dolomite (formerly rarely seen poster Fe E)
Called my rep and both senators. As they are all Dems they were happy to get the call.
Apparently they have been getting a ton of calls, and they are mixedl.
Southern Beale
I called last week but have been trying to call today and am not getting anything but a busy signal.
Face
Due to the penchant for TPers to do exactly whatever pisses off liberals the most, I think an effective strategy would be to call said Teabaggers and ID oneself as a gay Mexican immigrant abortionist, then demand they NOT pass Reid’s bill.
Enough of those calls, and Reid’s bill is sailing thru Congress.
linus
Buckle up for safety cats and kittens. The markets are starting to dive across the board. Perhaps now we can end the kabuki and just raise the damned debt ceiling ?
Boudicca
Just called the White House at 202.456.1111 to express support for the 14th amendment solution if Congress doesn’t act. The volunteer on the line said they are getting a “tremendous” number of calls with the same message.
ohsuzanna
I called Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and she’ll be voting with the Dems. I also called one of my Senators (A$$hat Rob Portman R-OH) – the intern was cordial, but I told him I felt like I was talking to a wall. The intern didn’t even pretend to disagree with me – did not even pay any lip service to assuring me that the Senator represented all people of Ohio. It was really astonishing.
JPL
Whether your representatives are democrat or republican call. I asked my republican senators not to filibuster the Reid bill. The democratic representatives are probably overwhelmed with tea party callers and idiots so make sure they know you have their back.
I called and it took several times to get through but it was not a hassle.
Just Some Fuckhead
Shouldn’t we be calling Standard & Poor’s too?
ETA: Here’s the number for S&P: 1-877-772-5436. Ask them to please not pull the trigger on the gun Republicans loaded and gave to them. Tell them you will send them cash money. They like cash money.
karen marie
I called my rep and both senators (again) and reiterated that this hostage crisis created by Republicans is unacceptable, the debt ceiling is to accommodate spending resulting from past budgets, and to please vote affirmatively for Reid’s bill.
I was able to easily get through to John Kerry’s and Jim McGovern’s Washington offices but had to call Scott Brown’s Boston office as his Washington line is busy. I told Brown’s peep that as a Republican he holds a great deal of responsibility for the nonsense pouring out of his party and he should do his utmost to get this turned around.
Boudicca, I am jealous you got through to the White House. I’ve been trying all week and get nothing but a busy signal.
Some ammunition via Steve Benen:
TooManyJens
We met with a staffer from our Congressman (Tim Johnson, IL-15) yesterday, and learned the following:
– A vote for any bill that raises taxes or even closes loopholes is off the table because he promised Grover Norquist (this from a guy who promised voters in 2000 that he would voluntarily limit himself to three terms, so you can see which promises really matter and which don’t);
– The country will be able to pay its bills even if the debt ceiling isn’t raised, because we have $700B in gold in the reserves;
– After an hour of explaining exactly what we were so distressed about: “What I’m hearing you say is, ‘Soak the Rich.'”
– We’re just jealous because the Tea Party are better negotiators than we are;
– The worst case of strongarming and politicking that this staffer has ever seen was “passing Obamacare,” so it’s OK for the Republicans to bring us to the brink of default because Both Sides Do It.
So, yeah, they’re listening really fucking hard in that office. Thankfully, under the new redistricting plan our new district is about 15 points more Democratic than the old 15th, so there’s a chance we can get somebody in 2012 who is more interested in his constituents’ needs than Grover Fucking Norquist’s approval.
PNW Warrior Woman
Read, THIS take a pill and chill. We were screwed long ago. Don’t have a dog? Get one. I did and it’s saving my sanity. Stocking up on a few supplies, focusing on my kids, staying in the moment. Donated to Planned Parenthood when they called. Working on fundraising for my local Community Health Care Clinic. Watching candidates running for local city council and school board races so I know how to vote in November. This is oligarchy dealing. When Wall Street demands the deal it will get done. I’m saving my emotion and life units for something that I can change locally.
JGabriel
@TooManyJens:
Anyone getting this line about Norquist should ask in Very. Pointed. Terms: “I’m sorry, what district does Grover Norquist live in? Does he live in this district? This state?”
.
catclub
“Reid’s bill cuts deficits by about $2.2 trillion through 2012, nearly three times the $850 billion credited to the Boehner bill on Tuesday.”
Did any one else read this and wonder if they meant 2022 rather than 2012? That is a BIG change in 1.3 years.
TaMara (BHF)
I contacted my tea-tard congressman (phone, fax and email, wanted to cover my bases) and got a canned response that basically says I’m going to do what the fuck I want, but hey, thanks for calling.
Democracy in action people.
arguingwithsignposts
@TooManyJens: Good to know. I haven’t called Tim Johnson yet, but it was as I suspected. The man is a cancer on the body politic, and I wish there was some way to get him out of office.
wrb
@TooManyJens:
Hmmm. Maybe they see this as a way of forcing the national garage sale they’ve wanted for years. They refuse to pass a debt ceiling increase, Obama is required to apply what money there is to the debt, and suddenly There are a whole lot of hurting people to rally behind selling the public lands.
“It is Obama’s fault you aren’t getting your check because he won’t sign our ‘Sell the Shit’ bill.”
Conveniently, the sale will take place at at a time when most Americans can’t compete at buying the shit.
TooManyJens
@JGabriel: Oh, believe me, I did ask that. The response? “Taxpayers live in this district.” To which I replied, “people who will be hurt if we default also live in this district,” but the guy just didn’t give a shit.
@arguingwithsignposts: I’d call anyway, if for no other reason than to piss off the staffers who obviously don’t want to hear disagreement. :) Anyway, there’s a real chance we can get rid of him next year, and I cannot WAIT to get started.
@wrb: You should have heard the collective groan/gasp of disbelief when he said that. I had all I could do not to burst out with, “Really, motherfucker? That’s your PLAN? Fucking really?”
Martin
You should have. Selling all of our gold to the Federal Reserve or China would make Ron Paul and the rest of the goldbugs go nuclear. But you have to lead into it right:
“So you’re suggesting that we take what remains of the gold, which once backed the value of the US dollar and sell it to China or the Federal Reserve? Can we sell the Lincoln Memorial after that? How about South Carolina after that?”
TooManyJens
@Martin: Really, I was just too stunned to make any intelligent comment. And then he tried to walk it back, but … yeah.
I just sent this letter to the local paper:
I kind of wish I’d read your comment before sending; I might have used some of your material. :)
lllphd
please forgive my harping on this, but we need to hit the monsters square on. call boehner and canton.
boehner: (202) 225-6205 (202) 225-0704 fax
cantor: (804) 358-6160
plus, it just occurred to me from noting that what is making this so difficult for boehner (besides being the saddest tangerine) is he is trying to reason with the teaparty caucus. THESE are the folks we need to be calling.
there is no need in the world to be a constituent. if they ask, just give a zip code (easy enough to bring up on google) and move on to the complaints, emphasizing that their ECONOMIC TREASON means you will NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN AGAIN, AND DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE TEA PARTY, which everyone can see is dying anyway.
don’t be daunted by the fact that there are SIXTY of these suckers; just pick some at random, perhaps the most vocal and pernicious, and call a few. those with enough time to exploit all this rage we’re wasting here in comments should take advantage and try to call ALL of them.
this will be infinitely more effective in the long run.
wrb
@Martin:
Glidwrith
Took one look at the CNN report that one of the ratings agencies HAS downgraded us and called up the intern (Hunter, R-CA). Told him what I was seeing, declared it IS all their fault and asked if they even realized we’d add $100 billion to the deficit if there was a downgrade of credit rating. He tried to say they’ve been working hard, but I cut him off and told him all they’ve been doing is saying “no, no, no”, when the Dems bent over backwards to give them what they want and that all they want to do is hurt people to be happy other than guarding the top 2%. Told him to compromise or at least pass a clean bill, mentioned leadership passing debt ceiling 19 times, and historically 72 (89?) times with nary a whisper especially during the Bush years. Reiterated that I hold them soley responsible. Guy made sure I was a voter in the district, said he was writing everything down and would certainly pass on my concerns. FWIW.
Dr. Psycho
I got my Congressman’s office on the first ring, and one Senator, and only the second had a robot put me on hold, where after less than a minute i got a live person to take my message. Cool.
Joe Max
Once again, I am so glad that Barbara Lee is my congresscritter. I don’t need to call her office to sway her (though I often send her faxes of support.) She’s already fighting against this nonsense as we type. And who can forget:
That’s my Rep!
Ben
Called my rep and Senators yesterday. Rep is a Tea Party member, Senators are the Majority Whip and a “moderate” republican.
Couldn’t get through to the Rep, got through to Durbin’s DC office and Kirk’s Springfield office. Durbin’s staffer was polite, Kirk’s staffer HUNG UP ON ME as I began to talk. I called back a few minutes later and the staffer claimed we were “disconnected”. I’ll take him at his word as he was polite during that second call. I’ll try again tomorrow…