Make Some Angry, Late Night Phone Calls

by: Chris Bowers

Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 21:27

Did you ever get a little drunk and then make a phone call you wish you hadn't?

Do you ever see action alerts about calling your representatives in the House and Senate, but don't because you are unsure what you would say on the phone?

On an evening three years ago, before the Roberts hearings, at my local Philly for Change meeting we filled up the voicemail of Arlen Specter's local office with pleas to actually grilling Roberts and his position on choice. The next morning, they probably had twenty or thirty messages, all on the same topic.

I bring up these three seemingly unrelated bits of information to suggest a late night action: call your local member of congress and leave an angry voicemail message about the bailout plan. No need to be nice, or to talk to anyone--just vent some spleen over the voicemail. This is one of those topic where I don't think being polite helps. They need to hear the anger.

Go yell at the voicemail of your local member of Congress. You can find office listings for the Senate here, and the House here. Maybe they will listen to the entire message, and maybe they won't. In all likelihood, they won't. However, they will know you are angry, and right now that is a very good thing.

Go get angry. Do it now. Really yell at them. Don't threaten any violence or anything that would get you in trouble, but tell them how you really feel about the proposed bailout.

Chris Bowers :: Make Some Angry, Late Night Phone Calls

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Make Some Angry, Late Night Phone Calls | 18 comments

Thursday (4.00 / 1)

There will be a protest on Wall Street on Thursday.

by: AliceDem @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 20:30:46 PM CDT

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hmmm (0.00 / 0)

4pm - who is organizing this? I'm shocked I've not heard about this through other channels.

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

by: Will @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 20:51:03 PM CDT

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all I know (0.00 / 0)

is what is on the site
I think readers might be interested

by: AliceDem @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 21:06:12 PM CDT

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spoke to a lawyer friend (4.00 / 1)

says they are well organized. ill pump this.

would be nice if there was more than a reprint of a list serve email. eesh.

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

by: Will @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 21:12:04 PM CDT

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Not Around Bummer (0.00 / 0)

I work in Lower Manhattan and would attend but I am traveling for work Thursday.

by: jmnyc @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:40:58 PM CDT

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I sent emails last Friday, I made calls today to (4.00 / 2)

Oregon's Senators and my Representative. I talked a lot. I had to leave a phone message for Wyden but spoke to staff members for Smith and Walden. They really listened longer than usual.

by: cando @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 20:41:05 PM CDT

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Mailbox full (4.00 / 2)

I'm not from New York, but I hear that Sen. Clinton's mailbox is full. That's exciting to me, it means they're getting bombarded. Anyone else call their legislators and get a full mailbox message?

by: ClareD @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 21:08:15 PM CDT

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committee members (0.00 / 0)

I think only constituents should call -
members of the Senate Banking committee

members of the House Finance Committee

by: AliceDem @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:46:59 PM CDT

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Why? Leadership positions represent us all. (4.00 / 1)

I called Pelosi, Schumer, Dodd, Levin and Stabenow and yelled really loud. Before I did that, I also sent yelling emails. While I never quit trying, I don't believe for one minute anybody is going to stop the last big heist.

They're asking for another four years -- in a just world, they'd get 10 to 20. ~~ Dennis Kucinich

by: dkmich @ Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 04:24:54 AM CDT

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I just made my phone calls in PA. (4.00 / 4)

Simon and I just made calls to our congressmen: Bob Brady, Bob Casey, and Arlen Specter. I also called Rep. Patrick Murphy -- but his phone mail was already full (hopefully with our calls).

by: Anne Dicker @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 21:57:59 PM CDT

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Question (4.00 / 1)

...Is it appropriate to fax my democratic congressman detailing the republican trap that is being laid to make democrats "own" the bailout? Would it be "proper" for a constituent to do this, or could it be viewed as a campaign issue and not considered acceptable. Since I am putting my name on this, I want to make sure I follow proper etiquette. I want this to be as effective as possible. I also don't want to get anyone into trouble, especially me.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

by: lord_mike @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:45:37 PM CDT

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It Is Okay For You (4.00 / 1)

to send the advice to the office. They can't control what comes into the Congressional office

It would not be okay for them to send out a campaign based response which means you will probably get a very generic acknowledgement.

by: jmnyc @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:51:45 PM CDT

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Contacted My Electeds (4.00 / 1)

and changed my Facebook page to NO EQUITY, NO BAILOUT which has gotten mostly good responses. My wife cracked up.

I got into a friendly dispute with one friend, who works in the financial sector. What is interesting, is the supporters of the bailout can't provide a good reason for not providing equity. It is the usual public sector owning pvt companies, blah, blah. I say well then don't ask for a taxpayer bailout when you run into trouble which brings no response. They want it both ways and I say HELL NO!

by: jmnyc @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:47:37 PM CDT

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And speaking of Facebook ... (4.00 / 2)

I set up the No blank check for Wall Street group. More in my diary.

by: JonPincus @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 22:57:06 PM CDT

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Excellent (0.00 / 0)

I will be joining.

by: jmnyc @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 23:34:01 PM CDT

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Cool, thanks! (0.00 / 0)

And please say hi in the how did you find out about this group? thread :-)

jon

by: JonPincus @ Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 00:32:32 AM CDT

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Herb; This is a worse than your trading away Ray Allen. (4.00 / 1)

This is a Test of the Emergency Free Speech System. This is only a Test. In an actual Free Speech Emergency, I'll be locked up.

by: Ben Masel @ Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 23:31:50 PM CDT

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Called my senators and reps (4.00 / 1)

after hours. Worked myself into a lather before calling my rep, then left a tirade on his voice mail so lengthy I was only about half way through when I was cut off. I did mention something about privatizing profits and socializing losses. My congressman, Wittman, only recently won his House seat, and I advised that if he wished to keep it for long, it might be in his best interests to oppose any bailout. Was more brief, but no less hostile on poor old senator John Warner's voice mail. Paid my respects to his long service, and then implored him to perform at least one final act of decency before retiring, to oppose, or defeat this measure by any parliamentary device available to him. Jim Webb's office, remarkably, does not take messages. It is best to express your displeasure with a representative in person, so if you can arrange a meeting, do so, they are often taken aback, and made uncomfortable when confronted. I once told an old congressman of mine, Tom Davis, that he should retire before he was indicted, he was speechless.

by: Robert Drake @ Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 03:06:19 AM CDT

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Make Some Angry, Late Night Phone Calls | 18 comments