Clearly, Obama just isn’t hearing us. So, we are taking the “townhall” to Washington and we won’t leave until we are heard. Following is a link to a townhall blog that describes this program. Anyone who can participate is encouraged to do so. We must take the fight to them and give them ALL WE CAN because this fight is not just against healthcare, this is for State Rights, for Freedom and for our AMERICA!
We learned a couple of hours ago that the “Blue Dog” Dems or “lap dogs” are caving on the health care deal. Pelosi will call this bill to the floor for a vote as soon as she has the votes. This could happen as soon as tomorrow. We must fight for our freedom with everything we have. Don’t think this communist regime will stop at health care. This is just another freedom we are losing. It is NOT about health care at all.
Please GO to your Congressman’s office and look them in the eye and tell them to vote NO. Then begin making calls. The list below represents targeted Reps who are sitting on the fence or undecided. We realize that people have jobs and are busy but NOTHING is more important than our freedom. None of us will have jobs much longer if Obama and his operatives have their way. This is all be design.
Targeted Congressmen
The best intelligence we have is that we must have the original people who voted No on the bill vote no again. They are:
Bobby Bright (Ala. 2)
Parker Griffith (Ala. 5)
Artur Davis (Ala. 7)
Mike Ross (Ark. 4)
Betsy Markey (Colo. 4)
Allen Boyd (Fla. 2)
Suzanne Kosmas (Fla. 24)
Jim Marshall (Ga. 
John Barrow (Ga. 12)
Walt Minnick (Idaho 1)
Ben Chandler (Ky. 6)
Charlie Melancon (La. 3)
Frank Kratovil Jr. (Md. 1)
Travis Childers (Miss. 1)
Gene Taylor (Miss. 4)
Collin C. Peterson (Minn. 7)
Ike Skelton (Mo. 4)
Mike McIntyre (N.C. 7)
Larry Kissell (N.C.
Heath Shuler (N.C. 11)
Harry Teague (N.M. 2)
Michael E. McMahon (N.Y. 13)
Scott Murphy (N.Y. 20)
Eric Massa (N.Y. 29)
John Boccieri (Ohio 16)
Dennis J. Kucinich (Ohio 10)
Dan Boren (Okla. 2)
Jason Altmire (Pa. 4)
Tim Holden (Pa. 17)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.)
Lincoln Davis (Tenn. 4)
Bart Gordon (Tenn. 6)
John Tanner (Tenn.
Chet Edwards (Tex. 17)
Jim Matheson (Utah 2)
Glenn Nye (Va. 2)
Rick Boucher (Va. 9)
Brian Baird (Wash. 3)
Then we need to focus on the following Congressmen to turn their Yes votes to No votes:
Congressman Marion Berry (AR)
Congressman Harry Mitchell (AZ)
Congressman Gabrielle Giffords (AZ)
Congressman Dennis Cardoza (CA)
Congressman Jim Costa (CA)
Congressman Paul Hodes (NH)
Congressman Michael Arcuri (NY)
Congressman Tim Bishop (NY)
Congressman Dan Maffei (NY)
Congressman Bill Owens (NY)
Congressman Brad Ellsworth (IN)
Congressman Joe Donnelly (IN)
Congressman Baron Hill (IN)
Congressman Mark Schauer (MI)
Congressman Earl Pomeroy (ND)
Congressman Dina Titus (NV)
Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR)
Congressman Steve Driehaus (OH)
Congressman Zach Space (OH)
Congressman Charlie Wilson (OH)
Congressman Chris Carney (PA)
Contact information for as many of these as we possibly can have is below. If we do not have all the contact information, we will work on getting that updated tonight and tomorrow.
TARGETS BY STATE
ALABAMA
Rep. Bobby Bright, Alabama 2nd
http://www.bright.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2901, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-8913
Local Office Number: (334) 794-9680, Local Fax Number: (334) 671-1480
Chief of Staff: Jason Buckner email: jason.buckner@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
ARIZONA
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona, 1st
http://kirkpatrick.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2315, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-9739
Local Office Number: (928) 226-6914, Local Fax Number: (928) 226-2876
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Harry Mitchell, Arizona 5th
http://mitchell.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2190
Local Office Number: (480) 946-2411
Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona, 8th
http://giffords.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2542, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-0378
Local Office Number: (520) 881-3588, Local Fax Number: (520) 322-9490
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
ARKANSAS
Rep. Marion Berry, Arkansas 1st
http://www.house.gov/berry/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4076, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5602
Local Office Number: (870) 972-4600, Local Fax Number: (870) 972-4605
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Mike Ross, Arkansas 4th
http://ross.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3772, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1314
Local Office Number: (870) 881-0681, Local Fax Number: (870) 881-0683
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
CALIFORNIA
Rep. Dennis Cardoza, California 18th
http://www.house.gov/cardoza/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6131, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-0819
Local Office Number: (209) 383-4455, Local Fax Number: (209) 726-1065
Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Jim Costa, California 20th
http://www.house.gov/costa/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3341, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-9308
Local Office Number: (559) 495-1620, Local Fax Number: (559) 495-1027
Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Laura Richardson, California, 37th
http://richardson.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-7924, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-7926
District Office Number: (202) 225-7924, District Fax Number: (202) 225-7926
Rep. Linda Sanchez, California, 39th
http://lindasanchez.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6676
Local Office Number: (562) 860-5050
COLORADO
Rep. Markey, Colorado 4th
http://betsymarkey.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-4676, DC Fax Number: 202-225-5870
Local Office Number: 970-221-7110, Local Fax Number: 970-221-7240
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
FLORIDA
Rep. Allen Boyd, Florida, 2nd
http://boyd.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5235, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5615
Local Office Number: (850) 561-3979, Local Fax Number: (850) 681-2902
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Ron Klein, Florida, 22nd
http://www.klein.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225.3026, DC Fax Number: (202) 225.8398
Local Office Number: (561) 544-6910, Local Fax Number: (561) 544-2864
Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, Florida, 24th
http://www.kosmas.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2706, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-6299
Local Office Number: (407) 208-1106, Local Fax Number: (407) 208-1108
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
GEORGIA
Rep. Jim Marshall, Georgia 8th
http://jimmarshall.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6531, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3013
Local Office Number: (478) 464-0255, Local Fax Number: (478) 464-0277
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. John Barrow, Georgia 12th
http://www.barrow.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2823, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3377
Local Office Number: (706) 722-4494, Local Fax Number: (706) 722-4496
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
IDAHO
Rep. Walt Minnick, Idaho 1st
http://minnick.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6611, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3029
Local Office Number: (208) 888-3188, Local Fax Number: (208) 888-0894
Chief of Staff: Kare Haas email: kate.haas@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently No on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
ILLINOIS
Rep. Daniel Lipinski, Illinois 3rd
http://www.lipinski.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5701, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1012
Local Office Number: (312) 886-0481, Local Fax Number: (773) 767-9395
Rep. Melissa Bean, Illinois 8th
http://www.house.gov/bean/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3711, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-7830
Local Office Number: (847) 517-2927, Local Fax Number: (847) 517-2931
Rep. Deborah “Debbie” Halvorson, Illinois, 11th
http://halvorson.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3635, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3521
Local Office Number: (815) 726-4998, Local Fax Number: (815) 726-8024
INDIANA
Rep. Peter Visclosky, Indiana, 1st
http://www.house.gov/visclosky/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2461, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2493
Local Office Number: (219) 795-1844, DC Fax Number: (219) 795-1850
Rep. Joe Donnelly, Indiana 2nd
http://donnelly.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3915, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-6798
Local Office Number: (574) 288-2780, Local Fax Number: (574) 288-2825
Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Brad Ellsworth, Indiana, 8th
http://www.ellsworth.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4636, DC Office Fax: (202) 225-3284
Local Office Number: (812) 465-6484, Local Fax Number: (812) 422-4761
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Baron Hill, Indiana 9th
http://baronhill.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5315, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-6866
Local Office Number: (812) 288-3999, Local Fax Number: (812) 288-3873
Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
KENTUCKY
Rep. Ben Chandler, Kentucky 6th
http://chandler.house.gov/contact/index.shtml
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4706, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2122
Local Office Number: (859) 219-1366, Local Fax Number: (859) 219-3437
Chief of Staff: Denis Fleming email: denis.fleming@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
LOUSIANA
Rep. Charlie Melancon, Lousiana
http://www.melancon.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4031, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-3944
Local Office Number: (985) 876-3033, Local Fax Number:
Chief of Staff: Joe Bonfiglio email: joe.bonfiglio@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently No on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
MAINE
Rep. Michael Michaud, Maine 2nd
http://michaud.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6306, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2943
Local Office Number: (207) 942-6935, Local Fax Number: (207) 942-5907
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
MARYLAND
Rep. Frank Kratovil, Maryland 1st
http://kratovil.house.gov
DC Office Number: 202-225-5311, DC Fax Number: 202-225-0254
Local Office Number: (410) 420-8822, Local Fax Number: (443) 262 – 9713
Chief of Staff: Tim McCann email: tim.mccann@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, Maryland, 2nd
http://dutch.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-3061, DC Fax Number: 202-225-3094
Local Office Number: 410-628-2701, Local Fax Number: 410-628-2708
MASSACHUSETTS
Rep. Ed Markey, Massachusetts, 7th
http://markey.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-2836
Local Office Number: 781-396-2900
Rep. Stephen Lynch, Massachusetts, 9th
http://www.house.gov/lynch/
DC Office Number: 202-225-8273, DC Fax Number: 202-225-3984
Local Office Number: 617-428-2000, Local Office Fax: 617-428-2011
MICHIGAN
Rep. Bart Stupak, Michigan 1st
http://www.house.gov/stupak/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4735, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-4744
Local Office Number: (906) 786-4504, Local Fax Number: (906) 786-4534
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted Yes on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Mark Schauer Michigan 7th
http://schauer.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6276, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-6281
Local Office Number: (517) 780-9075, Local Fax Number: (517) 780-9081
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. Gary Peters, Michigan, 9th
http://peters.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5802, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-2356
Local Office Number: (248) 273-4227, Local Fax Number: (248) 273-4704
MINNESOTA
Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Minnesota 7th
http://collinpeterson.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2165, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1593
Local Office Number: (218) 847-5056
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
MISSISSIPPI
Rep. Travis Childers, Mississippi 1st
http://childers.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4306, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3549
Local Office Number: (662) 841-8808, Local Fax Number: (662) 841-8845
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Gene Taylor, Mississippi 4th
http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5772, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-7074
Local Office Number: (228) 864-7670, Local Fax Number: (228) 864-3099
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
MISSOURI
Rep. Ike Skelton, Missouri 4th
http://www.house.gov/skelton/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2876
Local Office Number: (816) 228-4242
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
NEW JERSEY
Rep. John Adler, New Jersey 3rd
http://adler.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4765, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-0778
Local Office Number: (732) 608-7235, Local Fax Number: (732) 608-7268
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote high priority
NEW MEXICO
Rep. Martin Heinrich, New Mexico 1st
http://heinrich.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6316, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-4975
Local Office Number: (505) 346-6781, Local Fax Number: (505) 346-6723
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. Harry Teague, New Mexico 2nd
http://teague.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2365, DC Fax Number:
Local Office Number: (575) 393-0510, Local Fax Number:
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
NEW YORK
Rep. Tim Bishop, New York 1st
http://timbishop.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3826, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3143
Local Office Number: (631) 696-6500, Local Fax Number: (631) 696-4520
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. Michael E. McMahon, New York 13th
http://mcmahon.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3371, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-1272
Local Office Number: (718) 351-1062, Local Fax Number: (718) 980-0768
Voted Yes on Stupak, Voted No on Health Care, Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Scott Murphy, New York 20th
http://scottmurphy.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5614, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1168
Local Office Number: (518) 828-3109, Local Fax Number: (518) 828-3985
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Bill Owens, New York 23rd
https://owens.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4611, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-0621
Local Office Number: (315) 782-3150, Local Fax Number: (315) 782-1291
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Michael Arcuri, New York 24th
http://arcuri.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3665, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1891
Local Office Number: (315) 252-2777/2778, Local Fax Number: (315) 252-2779
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently No Vote on Health Care
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Daniel B. Maffei, New York, 25th
http://maffei.house.gov/
DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3701, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-4042
Local Office Number: (315) 423-5657, Local Fax Number: (315) 423-5669
NEVADA
Rep. Dina Titus, Nevada 3rd
http://titus.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3252, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2185
Local Office Number: (702) 387-4941, Local Fax Number: (702) 837-0728
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire, 2nd
http://hodes.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5206, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2946
Local Office Phone: (603) 223-9814, Local Fax Number: (603) 223-9819
NORTH CAROLINA
Rep. Bob Etheridge, North Carolina, 2nd
http://etheridge.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4531
Local Office Number: (919) 829-9122
Rep. Mike McIntyre, North Carolina 7th
http://www.house.gov/mcintyre
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2731, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5773
Local Office Number: (910) 323-0260, Local Fax Number: (910) 323-0069
Chief of Staff: Dean Mitchell email: dean.mitchell@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Larry Kissell, North Carolina 8th
http://kissell.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3715, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-4036
Local Office Number: (704) 786-1612, Local Fax Number: (704) 782-1004
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently No on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Heath Shuler, North Carolina 11th
http://shuler.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6401, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-6422
Local Office Number: (828) 252-1651, Local Fax Number: (828) 252-8734
Chief of Staff: Hayden Rogers email: hayden.rogers@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
NORTH DAKOTA
OKLAHOMA
Rep. Dan Boren, Oklahoma 2nd
http://www.boren.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2701, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3038
Local Office Number: (918) 687-2533, Local Fax Number: (918) 686-0128
Chief of Staff: Jason Buckner email: jason.buckner@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
OHIO
Rep. Steve Driehaus, Ohio, 1st
http://driehaus.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2216, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3012
Local Office Number: (513) 684-2723, Local Fax Number: (513) 421-8722
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Charlie Wilson, Ohio 6th
http://www.charliewilson.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5705, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5907
Local Office Number: (330) 533-7250, Local Fax Number: (330) 533-7136
Chief of Staff: Candace Abbey email: candace.abbey@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio, 9th
http://www.kaptur.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4146, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-7711
Local Office Number: (419) 259-7500, Local Fax Number: (419) 255-9623
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio 10th
http://kucinich.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5871
Local Office Number: (216) 228-8850
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently NO vote on Health Care (http://rawstory.com/2010/03/defiant-kucinich-rips-health-bill-insurance-industry-bailout/)
Rep. Betty Sutton, Ohio 13th
http://sutton.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3401, DC Fax Number:
Local Office Number: (330) 865-8450, Local Fax Number:
Chief of Staff: Nichole Reynolds email: nichole.reynold@mail.house.gov or nichole.reynolds@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. John Boccieri, Ohio, 16th
http://boccieri.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3876, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3059
Local Office Number: (330) 489-4414, Local Fax Number: (330) 489-4448
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Zack Space, Ohio 18th
http://space.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6265, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3394
Local Office Number: (330) 364-4300, Local Fax Number: (330) 364-4330
Chief of Staff: Stuart Chapman email: stuart.chapman@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
OREGON
Rep. David Wu, Oregon, 1st
http://www.house.gov/wu/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-0855, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-9497
Local Office Number: (503) 326-2901, Local Fax Number: (503) 326-5066
Rep. Kurt Schrader, Oregon, 5th
http://schrader.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5711, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5699
Local Office Number: (503) 588-9100, Local Fax Number: (503) 588-5517
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
PENNSYLVANIA
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Pennsylvania 3rd
http://www.dahlkemper.house.gov
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5406, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3103
Local Office Number: (814) 456-2038, Local Fax Number: (814) 454-0163
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania 4th
http://www.altmire.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2565, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-2274
Local Office Number: (724) 378-0928, Local Fax Number: (724) 378-6171
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Paul Kanjorski, Pennsylvania, 11th
http://kanjorski.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-6511, DC Fax Number: 202-225-0764
Local Office Number: 570-825-2200, Local Fax Number: 570-825-8685
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Christopher Carney, Pennsylvania, 16th
http://carney.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3731, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-9594
Local Office Number: (570) 585-9988, Local Fax Number: (570) 585-9977
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
Rep. Tim Holden, Pennsylvania 17th
http://holden.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5546, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-0996
Local Office Number: (610) 921-3502, Local Fax Number: (610) 921-3504
Chief of Staff: Trish Reilly email: trish.reilly@mail.house.gov
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
RHODE ISLAND
Rep. Jim Langevin, Rhode Island, 2nd
http://langevin.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2735, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5976
Local Office Number: (401) 732-9400, Local Fax Number: (401) 737-2982
SOUTH CAROLINA
Rep. John Spratt, South Carolina 5th
http://spratt.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-5501, DC Fax Number: 202-225-0464
Local Office Number: 803-327-1114, Local Fax Number: 803-327-4330
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
SOUTH DAKOTA
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
http://hersethsandlin.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2801, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5823
Local Office Number: (605) 367-8371, Local Fax Number: (605) 367-8373
Chief of Staff: Tessa Gould email: tessa.gould@mail.house.gov
Voted No on Health Care
Currently No on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
TENNESSEE
Rep. Lincoln Davis, Tennessee 4th
http://www.house.gov/lincolndavis
DC Office Number: 202-225-6831, DC Fax Number: 202-226-5172
Local Office Number: 931-490-8699, Local Fax Number: 931-490-8675
Chief of Staff: Beecher Fraiser email: beecher.frasier@mail.house.gov
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Bart Gordon, Tennessee 6th
http://gordon.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4231, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-6887
Local Office Number: (615) 896-1986, Local Fax Number:
Chief of Staff: Donna Pignatelli email: donna.pignatelli@mail.house.gov
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Yes on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. John Tanner, Tennessee 8th
http://tanner.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4714, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-1765
Local Office Number: (731) 885-7070, Local Fax Number: (731) 885-7094
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition
TEXAS
Rep. Chet Edwards, Texas, 17th
http://edwards.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-6105, DC Fax Number: Fax: 202-225-0350
Local Office Number: (979) 691-8797, Local Fax Number: (979) 691-8939
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, Texas 23rd
http://www.rodriguez.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4511, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2237
Local Office Number: (830) 757-8398, Local Fax Number: (830) 752-1893
Rep. Henry Cuellar, Texas 28th
http://cuellar.house.gov/
DC Office Number: 202-225-1640, DC Fax Number: 202-225-1641
Local Office Number: (210) 271-2851, Local Fax Number: (210) 277-6671
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership
UTAH
VIRGINIA
Rep. Glenn C. Nye III, Virginia, 2nd
http://nye.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4215, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-4218
Local Office Number: (757) 326-6201, Fax: (757) 326-6209
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Listed on Blue Dog Coalition Membership high priority
Rep. Tom Perriello, Virginia, 5th
http://perriello.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4711, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5681
Local Office Number: (434) 293-9631, Local Fax Number: (434) 293-9632
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Rick Boucher, Virginia 9th
http://www.boucher.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3861, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-0442
Local Office Number: (276) 628-1145
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, Virginia, 11th
http://connolly.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-1492 DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3071
Local Office Number: (703) 256-3071, Local Fax Number: (703) 354-1284
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
WASHINGTON STATE
Rep. Jay Inslee, Washington, 1st
http://www.house.gov/inslee/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-6311, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-1606
Local Office Number: (360) 598-2342, Local Fax Number: (360) 598-3650
Rep. Brian Baird, Washington 3rd
http://www.baird.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3536, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2478
Local Office Number: (360) 695-6292, Local Fax Number: (360) 695-6197
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Adam Smith, Washington, 9th
http://adamsmith.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-8901
Local Office Number: (253) 593-6600, Local Fax Number: (253) 593-6776
WEST VIRGINIA
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, West Virginia, 1st
http://www.mollohan.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4172, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-7564
Local Office Number: (304) 292-3019, Local Fax Number: (304) 292-3027
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Yes on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
Rep. Nick Rahall, West Virginia, 3rd
http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.html
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3452
Local Office Number: (304) 325-6222
Voted Yes on health Care
Currently Yes on Next Health Care Takeover Vote
WISCONSIN
Rep. Dave Obey, Wisconsin 7th
http://www.obey.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3365, DC Fax Number:
Local Office Number: (715) 842-5606, Local Fax Number:
Voted Yes on Health Care
Currently Undecided
Rep. Steve Kagen, Wisconsin 8th
http://kagen.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-5655, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-5729
Local Office Number: (920) 437-1954, Local Fax Number: (920) 437-1978
Dear Patriots,
Our battle to Audit the Fed, one of the programs we support has reached a
crisis, and your Fed-loving Senator, Richard Shelby, is leading the opposition.
Right now, he’s working with Bob Corker (R-TN), Judd Gregg (R-NH) and
Chris Dodd (D-CT) to strip Audit the Fed from the Financial Reform Bill and
actually EXPAND the Fed’s power over banks, lending and money.
I need you to contact Richard Shelby today with an urgent
message: Audit the Fed and STOP trying to increase the Fed’s power!
As you know, Audit the Fed is currently in H.R. 4173, a financial “reform”
package that has passed the House.
The Senate will unveil its version soon, which means you and I have to work
fast.
In addition to stripping out transparency and accountability, the Senate
version is set to grant the Fed broad NEW powers over our economy by putting
the Consumer Financial Protection Agency under the Fed’s purview.
Seriously? The same Fed that won’t tell us where our trillions of dollars
went is going to be put in charge of “consumer protection?”
It would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous.
You and I must turn up the heat on Senator Shelby TODAY.
Please contact him at (202) 224-5744 at once!
Of course, as you know, over two thirds of the House of Representatives, almost
a third of the Senate and nearly 80% of the American people support a FULL
Audit of the Federal Reserve.
So the establishment has no choice but to attempt to fight us in secret.
That’s why they’re trying every trick in the book to make sure they kill a
full-scale Audit of the Fed.
And that’s why it has never been more important that you call
Senator Shelby at (202) 224-5744 and DEMAND he CEASE AND DESIST
any effort to strip the bill of the Audit or grant the Fed more power under the
guise of so-called “reform.”
It’s clear that passage of this bill would pretty much guarantee that the Fed
is never audited, these banksters to continue to rob and loot the American
people.
And this sounds like something taken directly out of the Ben Bernanke playbook.
You see, Ben Bernanke and his buddies have been claiming the need for Fed
“independence” for some time now.
But what they’re really talking about is independence from accountability…
…Independence to keep printing money out of thin air without any oversight
from the American people, further destroying our savings and wiping out the
middle class.
That’s why it’s vital you take action IMMEDIATELY.
Please call Senator Shelby at (202) 224-5744 and demand that he stand
with the nearly 80% of Americans who support a FULL audit of the Federal
Reserve.
You and I are now very close to allowing the American people to have the first
ever COMPLETE audit of the Federal Reserve, and without your efforts, Ben
Bernanke and his cronies would have nothing to worry about.
But I’m afraid if you and I don’t act right away, all of our efforts up
until now will be rendered useless.
And that’s something I’m not going to sit idly by and allow to happen. We are
all so consumed with stopping the Health Care bill, other things are being
ignored, don’t ignore this.
If we’re going to stop this attempt to gut Audit the Fed, we must act before
it’s too late.
So please, right now, call Senator Shelby at (202) 224-5744 and demand
he support a FULL audit of the Fed and OPPOSE all attempts to broaden the Fed’s
power.
REMEMBER, SHELBY CAN BE VOTED OUT AND MOST ALABAMIAN PATRIOTS WANT HIM GONE. DON’T FORGET THESE KINDS OF STUNTS ON HIS PART WHEN WE CAN GET SOMEONE TO RUN AGAINST THE RINO.
Dear President Obama,
We the people have stated resolutely that we reject your vision for America. You claim you have not heard us. We the People have assembled across America, resisting your efforts to subvert our constitution and undermine our liberty. You claim you have not seen us. Since you have not acknowledged our message, let us here present it once more.
For if, as President Wilson said, “a leader’s ear must ring with the voices of the people”, the time has come. Our greatest treasure is freedom-the absence of restraints on our ability to think and to act. The corollary of freedom is individual responsibility. We believe in the power of the individual. A few years ago, President Bush said, “History moves toward freedom because the desire for freedom is written in every human heart.”
Let us add that we will preserve it only as long as devotion to freedom is expressed in the heart of our actions. When President Lincoln dedicated Gettysburg National Cemetery, he declared, “It is for us, the living to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus so nobly advanced.” That unfinished cause for which our soldiers willingly go to battle and for which so many given their lives is a free United States of America.
It has been nearly one hundred fifty years and the work President Lincoln spoke of is not finished. In fact, that work will never be finished. Freedom is the capacity for self-determination. It is not an entity but a condition, and conditions change. Freedom can expand, yet so can it contract. You promised change when you took office, Mr. President but subjugatiion is not change we want or will accept. You have expanded government, violated our constitution, confounded laws, seized private industry, destroyed jobs, perverted our economy, curtailed free speech, corrupted our currency, weakened our national security, and endangered our sovereignty.
By compromising our nation’s cultural, legal, and economic institutions you are ensuring that our children will never achieve the same quality of life as we’ve enjoyed in the past. Through generational theft, you are robbing the unborn of opportunity. This is not acceptable. Not in America. We did not become a strong nation through hope, but rather through self-reliance. No one better understands the relationship between individual achievement, dignity and strength than our armed forces.
Through every war, these soldiers have held this nation’s destiny in their hands. They have not failed us. They cherish freedom enough that they are willing to die for it. Our duty to them and to ourselves is to treasure freedom enough to live up to it.
We accept the challenge, Mr. President. That is why we are assembling across the land to deliver our message to you as often and in every way we can. Dismiss us at your political peril. Our great nation is a Republic. We will not accept tyranny, under any guise. Your policy to redistribute the fruits of our labor is Statism, and will not be tolerated.
By our honor, Mr. President, we vow forever to resist coercive government in America. Patriots willl not stand silent as you attempt to dismantle the greatest nation on earth. “We the People” will defend our liberty, we will protect our beloved country, and America’s exceptionalism will prevail.
God Bless the United States of America!
Sincerely,
We the People
Recognizing the ULTIMATE price our brave soldiers have paid for our freedom, the very freedom for which we stand today. Let us never forget!
American Revolution(1775-1783)
War of 1812(1812-1918)
Mexican War(1846-1898)
Spanish-American War(1898-1902)
World War I(1917-1918)
World War II(1941-1945)
Korean War(1950-1953)
Vietnam War(1964-1975)
Desert Shield/Desert Storm(1990-1991)
Global War on Terror Deployed 1,384,968 (Worldwide)
Iraq and Afghanistan 165,000
Total American Lives Lost 684,394
These 684,394 have paid for our freedom and we intend for their sacrifice not to be in vain.
There are only two people who hold positions within the state government of Alabama that allow those who hold those positions to leave Alabama and represent it, as well as obligate it for millions of dollars. Would anyone care to guess which two seats hold this power? If you guessed Governor, you’re right about one. The other one is the position of Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries. And, let this sink in; the Governor can’t do much without legislature approval, but the Agriculture Commissioner doesn’t have that problem. It is a very powerful job that isn’t generally recognized as such. Should the wrong person be in that job, abuse of power and the job could cause problems.
There are several candidates running for this job in Alabama. We interviewed one of them today and learned a great deal about the importance of this job. Dale Peterson of Shelby County, Alabama is running for this job because, as he said, “I’ve created and operated successful businesses and along the way gained a wealth of negotiation and marketing experience. My 40 years of successful experience, combined with my total lack of political experience, make me well suited to serve the people of Alabama as their Commissioner, especially understanding that Alabama is now a player in a global market. This state has been good to me, and I want to give back at a time when our state and nation need more and more business minded men and women to step up to the political plate.”
Mr. Peterson is dead serious about this job, and he knows exactly what needs to be done and how he plans to accomplish it. “I attended the greatest leadership institution in the world, Paris Island in South Carolina,” as he proudly points out that he served our country as a United States Marine during The Vietnam War.
“The status quo needs to change within politics here in Alabama, and that includes the Commissioner of Agriculture as well. In the past, we’ve had people holding that position who had no business experience and who didn’t realize the importance of principles of management. Had we, Alabama agriculture would not be in the mess it finds itself in today. Whether we like it or not, Alabama is now competing in a global economy, and old ways of doing business have to change.”
Peterson echoes feelings that are commonly heard these days about our state, country and the federal government. Said Peterson, “…over the years, we’ve let things go. It hasn’t been just one particular thing or situation but a combination, and we must get control and get government out of the way and out of our lives. When we do that, we can fix anything.” Mr. Peterson stated something that many people don’t often think of, which is, “John Q. Public needs to be made aware of the necessity for the Alabama family farms to remain strong and to be a buffer to imported foods. Without this farm buffer, food safety will be stretched to the breaking point, and the cost of food will skyrocket. Therefore, the more we import, the more it costs the citizens of our state and our country. We have enormous amounts of natural resources here in Alabama that are not being utilized effectively.”
We asked him what he planned to do in order to begin to implement change in Alabama’s Agriculture Industry, “My team and I will develop and implement a customized, cohesive agribusiness marketing program that will educate Alabamians about the importance of agriculture and will help Alabama farmers and ranchers. For example, Alabama doesn’t have a large commercial meat processing plant. Such a facility would bring jobs to our state as well as create an immediate market for our ranchers. The Commissioner of Agriculture should facilitate negotiations with local retail companies to buy locally processed meat produced by Alabama ranchers. That would have an immediate impact on agriculture, commerce, jobs and help rural communities.”
Mr. Peterson is down-to-earth and straight forward. “In 2005 Alabama became a net importer of food. We’re exporting the very same products we are importing, and that’s just stupid! We so often see stickers on products that say ‘made in China,’ and I would love to see products in our grocery stores that show a product is Alabama-grown. Alabama must become more self-sufficient. In some cases, we may have to rethink what products we grow here in Alabama, but we certainly have some of the richest farmland in the United States. We can use it and at the same time not harm the environment.”
Peterson made a good point about crop subsidies when we discussed that subject, “Although crop subsidies are steadily diminishing, these programs implemented by the federal government are the only programs the federal government has ever been a part of that hane been successful. Some who do not understand may disagree, but when a farmer comes up short on profit in a bad year, which is more and more often these days, these subsidy programs help to keep the farmers viable. They help maintain level pricing for consumers as well.” He has a good point.
We asked Mr. Peterson how he planned to make the job more effective, “This is an important position to the people of Alabama and the United States of America. I would like to partner with Agriculture Commissioners in other states within our region. We could pool our resources to get more done and be cost effective in doing it. For example, it might be possible to facilitate a program with seed producers to sell at better pricing levels and immediately lower overhead for those who raise crops within our region. This is just one example of how this position can help commerce.”
He was quick to point out that in January, 2010, our state reached two milestones. One was another national championship for the Crimson Tide, and the other was the fact that Alabama had the worst rate of rural unemployment in the nation. “Large corporations are not going to move into a rural area without adequate infrastructure. Economic development in this industry is so very important and has largely been overlooked for many years.”
He went on, “Alabama’s Black Belt counties have some of the most fertile land in the nation. There’s a great water supply available. We need to use these resources and still maintain responsible environmental standards.” Certainly those counties are in dire need of more jobs.
“Someone must tackle these issues, and I’m willing to. We have to do it together, think outside the box and bring fresh ideas to the table that will help make a better life for our farmers, ranchers and all Alabamians. It is essential a communication path from the Commissioner’s office to the people is created. For instance, we might have a website that lists the top five priorities at the Agriculture and Industries Department. It would be updated weekly so people can see what this department does and how we’re developing and spending the people’s money. We might also add long-term goals as well. This communication is vital in order to inform our public not only of what we are doing but also of how their hard-earned money is working for them. Heretofore, progress has been impeded by career politicians and the good old boy network. People need to be informed. After all, it’s about the people.”
Peterson is a supporter of the idea of mentoring individuals and training in order to assure that jobs within the agriculture industry are filled with people who know exactly what they’re doing and what must be done. He believes in term limits. “Eight and out,” says Peterson.
“My country needed me in 1963 when I joined the Marine Corps, and in 2010 my state and my country need me again. Hopefully the people of Alabama will understand the business and leadership qualifications needed for this job and give me the nod. When I leave this earth, I’d like to leave behind something good for the next generation. That is what is important.”
After an informative talk with Dale Peterson, it is amazing at the innovative ideas he has that could help our economy. This man who has served his country, has built many successful businesses and who intimately knows agriculture through his own involvement with farming makes it evident that he loves our state and understands the issues we face today. So, when you vote, remember just how important the Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries is to your family and to our well-being.
Bamabelle
NOTE: Dale Peterson has put signs up all over the State of Alabama. Most of these are 4×8 signs and he has had the permission of the owner of each piece of property on which he placed these. He recently put many in Baldwin County, AL. On a trip to Baldwin County this week, he was shocked to find that these large signs had been CUT DOWN. Destroyed. I made a comment on this blog and it was subsequently removed. I am adding this addendum to my blog that this occurred and am personally adding the following comment. There is a candidate who is running against Dale who has a home in Baldwin County, and family in Baldwin County. He also has a home in Montgomery. This seems more than a coincidence. Could be one, but it’s worth pointing out that this HAPPENED to happen in that county and NO WHERE ELSE.
| PLEASE CALL! | DC OFFICE | LOCAL OFFICE | State | Disctrict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Mitchell | (202) 225-2190 | (480) 946-2411 | AZ | 5th District |
| Gabrielle Giffords | (202) 225-2542 | (520) 881-3588 | AZ | 8th District |
| Ann Kirkpatrick | (202) 225-2315 | (928) 226-6914 | AZ | 1st District |
| Jerry McNerney | (202) 225-1947 | 925-833-0643 | CA | 11th District |
| John Salazar | 202-225-4761 | 970-245-7107 | CO | 3rd District |
| Jim Himes | (202) 225-5541 | (866) 453-0028 | CT | 4th District |
| Alan Grayson | (202) 225-2176 | (407) 841-1757 | FL | 8th District |
| Bill Foster | (202) 225-2976 | 630-406-1114 | IL | 14th District |
| Baron Hill | 202 225 5315 | 812 288 3999 | IN | 9th District |
| Mark Schauer | (202) 225-6276 | (517) 780-9075 | MI | 7th District |
| Gary Peters | (202) 225-5802 | (248) 273-4227 | MI | 9th District |
| Dina Titus | (202) 225-3252 | 702-256-DINA (3462) | NV | 3rd District |
| Carol Shea-Porter | (202) 225-5456 | (603) 743-4813 | NH | 1st District |
| Tim Bishop | (202) 225-3826 | (631) 696-6500 | NY | 1st District |
| John Hall | (202) 225-5441 | (845) 225-3641 x49371 | NY | 19th District |
| Bill Owens | (202) 225-4611 | (315) 782-3150 | NY | 23rd District |
| Mike Arcuri | (202)225-3665 | (315)793-8146 | NY | 24th District |
| Dan Maffei | (202) 225-3701 | (315) 423-5657 | NY | 25th District |
| Earl Pomeroy | (202) 225-2611 | (701) 224-0355 | ND | At-Large District |
| Steven Driehaus | (202) 225-2216 | (513) 684-2723 | OH | 1st District |
| Mary Jo Kilroy | (202) 225-2015 | (614) 294-2196 | OH | 15th District |
| Zach Space | (202) 225-6265 | (330) 364-4300 | OH | 18th District |
| Kathy Dahlkemper | (202) 225-5406 | (814) 456-2038 | PA | 3rd District |
| Patrick Murphy | (202) 225-4276 | (215) 826-1963 | PA | 8th District |
| Christopher Carney | (202) 225-3731 | (570) 585-9988 | PA | 10th District |
| Paul Kanjorski | (202) 225-6511 | (570) 825-2200 | PA | 11th District |
| John Spratt | (202) 225-5501 | (803)327-1114 | SC | 5th District |
| Tom Perriello | (202) 225-4711 | (276) 656-2291 | VA | 5th District |
| Alan Mollohan | (202) 225-4172 | (304) 623-4422 | WVA | 1st District |
| Nick Rahall | (202) 225-3452 | (304) 252-5000 | WVA | 3rd District |
| Steve Kagen | (202) 225-5665 | (920) 437-1954 | WI | 8th District |
The lengths to which the Democratic Party will go in order to push their ever-growing Socialist agenda on the American people are boundless. Rigging an election is nice work if you can pull it off. With the help of ACORN and others, many believe they managed to do that in 2008. And Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives appears to be trying to do it again as it votes next week on the misleadingly named Puerto Rico Democracy Act, which is designed to confer statehood on the island commonwealth by sheer deception. The bill is wrongheaded on so many levels that opponents in the Senate ought to filibuster it to death if it passes the House, as expected.
Puerto Rico has enjoyed a special status with a degree of autonomy since it became a commonwealth of the United States of America in 1950. Puerto Rico is under a self-drafted constitution. It enjoys advantages such as offering tax-free profits to American companies that do business there. There have been a few “token” attempts to seem as if they are interested in becoming a state but voters there have always rejected this proposal. Personally, I’m certainly not against Puerto Rico becoming a state. I’m not against them choosing their form of government. What most of us are against is having something rammed down our throats or, in this case, outright deception.
Because Puerto Rico leans heavily toward the Democratic Party, our congressional Democrats are looking for two new senators and maybe six new House Members who would be added to their caucus if statehood were to pass. Oh my! The things that make us go hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm.
Traditionally, Puerto Ricans have preferred being a commonwealth over statehood because of the independence they enjoy. So, the Democrats have come up with a BRILLIANT scheme to first hold a vote with just two options:
1. Commonweath of one side, anything else on the other. If supporters of all three other options ban together, they might vote to rule out the commonwealth without knowing what would replace it.
2. IF and ONLY IF that first vote succeeds would a second vote be held to determine which of the other three options would apply – with commonwealth status off the table.
In order to further their agenda, the (Democrats) House bill would explicitly allow people to vote in this election who were born in Puerto Rico but no longer live there. Nothing appears to bar somebody from voting on statehood while being a registered voter of, say, New York or Rhode Island or even the District of Columbia. If Congress passes this bill and if Puerto Rican voters decide to choose the statehood option, Congress still controls the decision to make the island a state. But, it is thought that if Puerto Rico sends a full delegation claiming OFFICIAL STATUS and the (false) legitimacy of a (tainted) popular vote, a Democratic Majority would seat the delegation instantly.
This scenario (which is real) poses problems for American citizens. First, Puerto Rico does not consider English its first language. Most residents of Puerto Rico speak Spanish. No non-official-English state has ever joined the union. Canada’s experience with official bilingualism has proven to cause discord and balkanization. Don’t get me wrong here, there’s nothing wrong with allowing free people to decide or reanalyze their governing status. It is quite another thing to rig the very process that statehood is meant to celebrate.
As I write this and as you read it, Congress is planning a stealth move which would pass legislation THIS MONTH (remember to always watch what the other hand is doing….we have learned this!!!) that is rigged to allow Puerto Rico to become the nation’s 51st state. Oh, I forgot to mention that Artur Davis, Congressional Representative from Alabama is a Co-Sponsor of this legislation. You know, the one who is running for Governor. His office and his press secretary were contacted to give a statement regarding this bill and they didn’t bother to bother. What does that say? Volumes. Congressman Bobby Bright was not listed as a co-sponsor but this writer can find no evidence that he has taken a stance against it, either. His office was contacted for a statement as well as that of Parker Griffith. No one cared enough to make statements.
“H.R. 2499 Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 is rigged to guarantee a vote in favor of statehood in Puerto Rico without much debate and without considering the impacts,” said CONLAMIC Chairman Rev. Miguel Rivera. “Every Member of Congress needs to sit up urgently and pay attention to this deceptive bill. There are massive costs and economic and social impacts of admitting Puerto Rico as our 51st State. These questions must be answered in a fair, open process before any this process goes forward.”
Here is an excerpt from the Bill:
In the 1990s, debate over Puerto Rico statehood, studies showed that the cost to the US Treasury of admitting Puerto Rico as a state would be more than $25.9 billion a year. “But those numbers were before unemployment hit 16% and Puerto Rico’s public debt reached almost $50 billion. The costs of extending all Federal benefits to Puerto Rico’s population today would be astronomical,” Rev. Rivera added. “How can congressional leaders be focusing on this when we have unmet needs, high unemployment and budget pressures right here in the 50 United States?”
The Washington Times said the bill would establish an “underhanded” process to achieve statehood “by hook or crook,” creating “major problems.”
An article addressing this issue from The Washington Examiner adds, “statehood has traditionally been granted only to territories whose residents show, in referendum or otherwise, overwhelming support for statehood. There is no such support in Puerto Rico. Status—whether Puerto Rico should become a state, should become independent or should retain in current terms or somewhat modified terms the current status which in English is called commonwealth but in Spanish the more descriptive estado liberado asociado—has been the single most important issue in Puerto Rican politics since the 1940s.”
The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) calls on Congress to put an end to closed-door deals that affect our future.
“This legislation is reportedly going to be voted on in just a few weeks, yet nobody has heard about it. It’s time to open the process and to have an honest debate about Puerto Rican statehood,” Rev. Rivera concluded.
CONLAMIC represents over 16,000 Churches across 34 states within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Each of these churches represents hundreds of individuals who attend church services and related activities every week. They are the largest Latino Christian advocacy organization in the United States of America.
Hector J. Ferrer Rios, President of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, in a letter to House Speaker Pelosi dated February 2, 2010 stated, “…HR2499, the so-called ‘Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009′…which provides for ’self-determination’ process for the people of Puerto Rico, is not only wrong, but is unfair and undemocratic.”
“I want to take this opportunity to explain why HR2499 is a filthy trick…HR2499 is actually a statehood bill. HR 2499’s aim is to set forth a twisted, predisposed and disturbing process designed to get rid of Commonwealth in order to steer the people of Puerto Rico towards a predetermined outcome…it stacks the deck against the Commonwealth option.”
“The bill is exclusionary and divisive…it endangers the principles that are the foundation of America and does not take into account the will of the majority of the people of Puerto Rico.” Hmmm, sounds familiar.
I advise each Tea Party Member within our state to call your friends, family, neighbors and contact your Representative (and all of them if you have time) and express your “displeasure” and further deception by this majority who obviously will do ANYTHING to get their way and care nothing about the U.S. Constitution nor the American people. It seems they are trying to also pull a fast one on the people of Puerto Rico, who may want statehood, but have historically voted against it. We seem irrelevant to Congress, they seem to only care about pushing their agenda. It’s time to stop them.
We attempted to contact Congressman Parker Griffith, Congressman Bobby Bright, and Congressman Artur Davis for a statement on this. No statements or comments from any were forthcoming. They were told if they did not give statements, this would be noted.
*Source Washington Times February 26, 2010, “The Deck is Stacked for statehood” (Editorial)
*Source The Washington Examiner, Beltway Confidential, “Puerto Statehood Bill”,February 2010
*Source National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders
Special thanks to Ed for the heads up.
Bamabelle
At a place called Blair House, the President’s official guest quarters across the street from the White House, Barack Obama played host to a select small group of legislators to find “common ground” for passage of a healthcare reform bill. Well, that was the White House’s version, anyway.
As we now know, that’s not what happened. In reality, the so-called “summit” was an elaborate magic show, complete with sleight of hand, illusion and elaborate misdirection,all designed to resuscitate the once-thought-dead ObamaCare bill. Did you really think they’d cave so “easily”? Certainly they will not. We’ve held the line this long, we can’t let them win now!
This political theater took place in the space of seven and a half hours. The President had already destroyed the credibility of the meeting on Monday by publishing his Trillion Dollar plan that looks, coincidentally, a whole lot like the discredited Senate version of ObamaCare -including abortion funding!
We were expected to believe that legislators could deal with over two thousand pages of a bill that amounts to a government takeover of an estimated 16% of our economy in just a few hours! Unbelievable!
Of course, the President never had any intention of finding “common ground.” In fact, the invitation to the summit came with a PS: If you don’t go along with me, I have “reconciliation” ready in the wings!
In other words, “the fix was in.” And from what we can see, this eleventh-hour attempt to ram socialized medicine down the throats of the American people is more dangerous than
any that has gone before.
There was more to this “Hail Mary” than met the eye. There was an even more telling activity going on behind the scenes this week. Utilizing the same technologies and strategies that propelled him into office, Obama’s cohorts launched “One Million Voices for Healthcare Reform: A Virtual March on Washington.”
This scheme was almost as elaborate as its title. Here are statements from its organizers:
“The nation’s leading progressive [read, radical left] organizations are joining forces for A Virtual March on
Washington” to send Congress one million messages urging action on health care reform. This is designed to be the single largest action yet in the health care fight.”
“The Virtual March on Washington: A Million Voices for Change” campaign is bringing together some of the largest progressive organizations in the nation including, MoveOn.org Political Action, Progressive Congress Action Fund, Health Care for America Now (HCAN), and Service Employees International
Union (SEIU)….
President Obama, who has failed to effectively govern throughout his first year in office, has re-hired his
campaign staff to try to regain the popularity he enjoyed while running for office!
The highly orchestrated political theater we witnessed on Thursday would be merely pathetic if it wasn’t such a dangerous and dishonest abuse of presidential power.
We must NOT cave in to this manipulation!
We must act NOW to counter this outlandish strategy. The next few weeks will be crucial as members of Congress are being pressured to accept the Obama/Reid/Pelosi reconciliation plan. We cannot allow the only messages Congress hears to be from the “Obama for President 2012″ crowd!
The pressure is mounting as ultra-liberal activists redouble the use of corrupt “Chicago-Style” politics of coercion and bribery that have so dramatically overshadowed Capitol Hill for the last year.
Here’s just one measure of their audacity: When the American people cried, “Foul!” over the Cornhusker Kickback, the President then decided to extend the exorbitant bribe that bought Senator Ben Nelson to the ENTIRE SENATE!
Now, we have a sort of “Omnibus Kickback” on the table – all of it paid for by you and me, the hapless American taxpayers!
Amazingly, when Obama’s team heard the uproar over certain Senators getting bribes, they thought it was because all the other Senators wanted one, too! What a low view of our nation this administration must have. This is outrageous!
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM NO GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE! Tell your family, your friends and anyone else who may still have their head in the sand that they need to get off of the fence and take action NOW!
If anyone ever WONDERED WHY Tea Party Chapters MUST ENDORSE CANDIDATES and MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS, READING THIS SHOULD MAKE YOUR EYES BLEED AND THE LIGHT BULBS COME ON! Time to take action, now.
Bamabelle
In the Statehouse Today…
The House of Representatives has again passed approved legislation to ban money transfers between political action committees that make campaign contributions hard to transfer money from one PAC to another PAC.The House approved the bill 101-0. Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, D-Guntersville, has been proposing the PAC transfer ban in every legislative session since 2002. The House usually approves the bill without dissent, but it has never passed the Alabama Senate.
Events dating back to 2009 when contributions to Givhan’s ($8,100) was traced back to a PAC run by Steve Raby (now a candidate for the 5th Congressional seat in North Alabama), the Senate Majority PAC, may have helped push this legislation forward. The incident mentioned has proven to be non-lethal to some as it was reported on February 2, 2010 in the Daily Home of Sylcacauga that the grand jury indicted BOE member (misdeanor charges stemming from failure to file campaign forms). City Schools Board Member Troy “Skip” Smithwick was indicated on two counts relating to campaign contributions by a Talladega County Grand Jury.
A spokesperson for the Talladega County Sheriff’s Department said Smithwick was charged on the previous Friday and released on a $5k bond. The two charges were failure to file annual reports and improper reporting of contributions. Both charges are Class B Misdemeanors under state law. Under state law, all candidates are required to submit their annual contribution reports no later than Jan. 31 of the following year. Smithwick’s final report was dated as received October 6, 2009 by the Secretary of State. Said Smithwick, “I made an honest mistake. All of the other things were reported on time.” Donations totalling approximately $52k had not been reported until October 6, 2009. The previous report filed in May, 2008 by Smithwick showed donations totally $253k.
The second charge stated Smithwick failed to report a contribution from a group named The Real Democrat Political Action Committee. The group claimed a $100,000 contribution was made to “Smithwick for School Board” in their annual report received January 2009.
Jyles Machem, head of the Huntsville-based PAC, said in October that his group did not contribute any funds to Smithwick’s campaign. “I had my folks go back and talk to the staff of Smithwick,” he said. “They were puzzled as we were. It turns out that what happened was the accountant reported it improperly. He’s correct in saying that he didn’t get any money from The Real Democrat PAC.”
Smithwick also denied receiving any money from the PAC.“The $100,000 was a clerical error,” Smithwick said. “As far as I know, I’m the first one to be prosecuting for not filling out the papers on time.” Smithwick had claimed on his reports a $100,000 contribution from another Huntsville-based group, called the Tennessee Valley PAC.
Both groups reported contributing $100,000 to the Smithwick campaign in May 2008, according to their annual reports. But an amended 2008 annual report from The Real Democrat, received Oct. 19, 2009, did not report any contribution to Smithwick.
Another apparent error appeared as both PACs claimed an $85,000 contribution to them in May from a group called the Senate Majority PAC. Senate Majority’s annual report showed only one $85,000 contribution being made, to The Real Democrat. Both Tennessee Valley and Senate Majority PAC reports have the signature of Steve Raby as the “Chairperson or Treasurer of Political Committee.” Both groups are also listed at the same address.
Reports submitted by Tennessee Valley and Senate Majority had the signature of Wilma Henson as the notary public. Wilma Henson’s name also appeared on reports from The Real Democrat PAC, as the chairperson or treasurer.
Smithwick said he believed the investigation was a “witch hunt.” He said he had spoken with someone from the Attorney General’s office about the matter in November.“He had the bank statements, the receipts and disbursements, the contributions and they were all tallied up,” he said. “The only thing, the law says you have got to file by the end of the year that the election was. I forgot about it, didn’t realize it. I filed the 10-day report, the 45-day report, the other report and then [missed] the final one.”
Betty Peters, the District 2 representative for the state BOE, made the official complaint regarding Smithwick to Attorney General Troy King.“This should be an example for all future candidates that the law has teeth and it will be enforced,” Peters said. “If somebody is going to be on the state school board making decisions affecting children and teachers, everybody makes mistakes but this is beyond a mistake.”
Questions had also been raised about a recent purchase of Smithwick’s, a recreational vehicle. Smithwick said he had paperwork that proved the purchase was made using his own funds.“It was paid for with my money,” he said. “I have the cancelled checks and everything. It doesn’t have a thing to do with this, not one thing. The only thing I didn’t do right was not filing that last report.”
Steve Raby, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 5th District of Alabama, managed the Senate Majority PAC, a big-money Democrat PAC in Huntsville. The latest Annual Report (dated 01-31-2009) at the time this issue broke, showed contributions from A-VOTE ($50,000) and TN Valley Citizens PAC ($24,000).
It is interesting to note here that when the Don Siegelman administration’s handling of state contracts came under scrutiny by lawmakers and prosecutors questioning why firms with ties to his friends and supporters received millions from no-bid state projects, the investigation revealed that three firms were involved; Tech Providers Inc. and COLSA Corp., hired Siegelman’s political consultants. A third, Digital One Services Inc., owned by a former lobbying colleague of state Finance Director Henry Mabry, state records show. COLSA Corp. of Huntsville received contracts totaling more than $2 million from DHR, state records show. COLSA hired as a consultant Stephen Raby, who was a top aide to former U.S. Sen. Howell Heflin.
Raby traveled with Siegelman for public appearances and was considered a top prospect to have helped run Siegelman’s campaign. COLSA contributed $10,000 to the lottery campaign in April 1999, campaign finance records show.COLSA’s Pat Dixon, who handled the company’s contracts never discussed the project. Efforts to reach consultant Raby for comment by news reporters about his work for COLSA when the story broke failed.
The much-touted Gambling Legislation never came up last week in the State Legislature. As Tim James pointed out in an interview last week with us, he felt the issue only had so much momentum. Evidently there weren’t enough votes to push it through the Senate, so it was delayed. Some say this could come up again this week. We shall see. On the agenda for Tuesday, February 23, the House will take up the Sunset legislation sponsored by Sunset Committee Vice-Chairman Howard Sanderford (Huntsville) These 14 bills must be dealt with Tuesday, under state statute. The matter should be handled rather quickly and attention will be turned to a backup special order calendar that was approved by the House Rules Committee last week.
