RIGHT NOW – Call Congress, Blow Up the Phones

[Alan Grayson]

Yesterday, I asked you to burn up the phones on Capitol Hill. But today, we have to turn up the heat. Burning up the phones is not enough.

We have to blow up the phones.

In the next couple of HOURS, the House will vote on the Trade Assistance bill, and on Fast Track. The Trade Assistance bill is a booby trap. According to a tricky “House Rule” that passed by five votes last night, the Trade Assistance bill has to pass for Fast Track to pass.

We can’t let that happen. Call the House at [phone], right now, ask for your Congressman, and tell him or her to VOTE NO.

Today, it’s “no” on everything and anything. It’s National No Day.

“Do your best Nancy Reagan imitation. Just say no.”

“Be the anti-Nike. Just don’t do it.”

No. Negative. Never. No way. Not by any means. Absolutely not.

By the way, this is working. One GOP Member of Congress told me yesterday that calls to his office are running 100-to-1 against Fast Track.

100-to-1!

But the time is now, and now is the time. Anomie is the enemy. Take that phone out of your pocket, and dial [phone], like your life depended on it.

As I said yesterday, if you feel that your talk needs to be pointed, then here are your talking points:

(1) Our trade debt stands at eleven trillion dollars ($11,000,000,000,000.00). That’s more than $35,000 for every human being in America – including you. “Fast Track” would pave the way for new trade bills that would increase that. How are we ever going to pay that money back?
(2) Fast Track applies to whatever the Executive Branch calls a trade agreement, even if it has nothing to do with trade.
(3) Fast Track unconstitutionally restricts Congress from holding hearings, conducting investigations, debating a bill and offering amendments – basically, its job. In fact, it could restrict each House Member to only 83 seconds of debate.
(4) No other bills get this special treatment – not bills on taxes, or Social Security, or defense, or transportation, or healthcare. Nothing.
(5) Fast Track applies to trade bills that the Executive Branch hasn’t even released to the public.
(6) None of the “standards” that Fast Track sets for trade agreements is enforceable – not one single standard.

Or you can just say that you’re tired of Middle Class America getting hosed. I sure am.

Or you can say, “Alan Grayson told me to call.” Apparently, a lot of people are saying that. Or so I am told.

And before I forget, here is our list of Democratic undecideds from yesterday:

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) – [phone]
Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) – [phone]
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) – [phone]
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) – [phone]
Rep. John Carney (D-DE) – [phone]
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) – [phone]
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) – [phone]

Look, it’s showtime. Make the call. Get into the action. This is democracy, baby.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

[antigop]

1. I called, did you (members of DU)? nt

[fredamae]

2. Does getting a

"Cauliflower Ear" count?

[antigop]

3. I am not advocating violence. Just a phone call. nt

[fredamae]

5. Me either! I Have

Cauliflower Ear from holding the Phone to my ear for So long.....

[marym625]

4. called and called and called :)

Thanks for the numbers!