We only need seven votes to stop the NSA’s meta-data sweeps of our e-mail and phone calls. Imagine my chagrin when I discovered those seven votes among the progressive Democratic members of the Illinois delegation, every one of whom I’ve supported financially and as a volunteer and several of whom I know personally.
So I did what any writer does: I wrote. If you’re represented by Bustos, Duckworth, Foster, Kelly, Quigley, Schneider or Schakowsky-or any other progressive Democrat who voted “Nay” on civil liberties-you might consider giving them a piece of your mind. Despite how little I have to spare, I did, as follows:
Dear Congressman/woman Whomever:
I am writing to express my concern about your vote on the Amash Amendment.
As a supporter of, and donor to, your Congressional campaign, I was very disappointed to see your vote against the amendment, which would have stopped the National Security Agency from collecting meta-data on the phone calls and e-mails of American citizens. I’m sure Illinois legislators were under particular pressure from the White House and the Democratic leadership to support the NSA’s claim to power under the Patriot Act, but what the Agency argues it’s permitted to do goes far beyond any legitimate security concerns and is a complete violation of civil liberties.
Only seven votes stand between the current situation of Panopticon state surveillance and a return to the values and requirements of the Fourth Amendment. Every one of those votes is available from the Illinois delegation. Please consider joining Congressmen Rush and Davis in standing up for our rights: probably every other member who voted “no†is susceptible to change if you would lead the way.
I urge you to reverse your position the next time the amendment (or something containing its provisions) is presented to the House of Representatives. Thanks for your consideration.
>If you’re represented by Bustos, Duckworth, Foster, Kelly, Quigley, Schneider or Schakowsky–or any other progressive Democrat who voted “Nay†on civil liberties–you might consider giving them a piece of your mind.
Why write only the progressive Democrats? Why not write your lawmaker regardless of his/her party affiliation?
It looks like the votes on the Amash amendment was not close to a party-line one: Dems voted for it 111-83, Republicans against 134-94. There were plenty of each party on each side of the question. Justin Amash himself, of course, is a Republican.
Here’s the roll call on this vote, where readers can see how their own representative voted:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll412.xml
And if you like what they did, it doesn’t hurt to send a “thank you” note.
Both NH reps too!
I emailed my rep, both at her HR email and the one used for fundraising and emails to supporters, telling her that in the past I’d donated enthusiastically and would continue to donate in the future only because the republican candidates are so much worse, but that I’d be holding my nose while I do that.
Schakowsky was my state legislator c. 20 years ago and her vote disappoints me no end.
I’m sure the threat to hold your nose while continuing to support her has her scared spitless. You just told her that she can do anything, and you’ll rationalize continuing to send her money.
This, however, is encouraging. Let’s hope it succeeds (and that some of our wayward congress critters come over from the dark side).
Ah, good to see my Rep, (A Republican) voted for the amendment. I’ll have to drop him a note of thanks.
Brett, we sometimes disagree, but I’m with you on this.
We all (I plead guilty to this) too often unload our disappointment on our reps, but too seldom send them a BZ (that’s Navy for “well done”).
My Republican Rep voted yes as well. I guess he really does want that Senate seat . . .
Well, pretty clearly the blind pig principle applies here: My nearly useless congress-critter (Pearce, NM-2) voted in favor of the amendment.
I guess I need to write him a letter. Unless, of course, that would cause him to reconsider his vote.
Gotta Rep rep here in IL and I’m proud to say — mark this down, doesn’t happen but once in a decade or so — he voted to curtail the excessive latitude given the NSA. There’s very little else I can say positive about him, but he did us right on this.
Yes, absolutely disgusting some many in the IL delegation basically voted to make the Constitution optional. There was a lot of pressure coming from Sen. Durbin on this, no doubt. I’m as disturbed by that as the others, because he knows better. He’s also up for election in 2014, so this is a good time to hold his feet to the fire.
What’s most disgusting about this is that it is seen by some as a partisan issue. How come taking away our liberties is bi-partisan but we can’t muster a majority in support of the Bill of Rights? Frankly, I think every single one of those who voted to defeat the attempt to rein in the NSA — no matter what their party — should be bounced from office, no matter how good they are on other issues you are concerned about. This is such a fundamental issue that if someone can’t get this right, they really are unfit for office on pretty much anything else.
I loved that semi-parody piece in The New Yorker on Google:
And so on an on.
I find this such an interesting juxtaposition:
Meanwhile…. Google sends some of the money it makes from reading your emails to Inhofe:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/shouts/2013/07/even-more-new-features-of-your-gmail-inbox.html?currentPage=all
guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jul/09/google-climate-denier-jim-inhofe
Just hit unsubscribe to all thus fundraising emails. That’ll get their attention.