TAKE ACTION: Desperately Seeking Senators

[Kevin Spidel]

This is going out in about 15 minuted to 50,000 Progressive Democrats. As always, DU gets first peek:

Desperately Seeking Senators
December 21, 2004

Dear Progressive Democrat,

We all remember that early scene from Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 911", where one African American after another stands up in the well of the House to challenge the Florida vote from 2000, only to be ruled out of order due to the lack of a single signature from a single Senator.

Not this time.
On January 6, 2005, the House and Senate will once again meet to consider the electoral vote count. And once again, that vote count is likely to be challenged by a group of progressive House members, who will make the case that the misallocation of voting machines (especially in Ohio), the abuse of provisional balloting in numerous states, and the refusal and/or inability to conduct the recount in an open and auditable manner in Ohio, in Florida, and in so many other key states, mean that the certified electors should not be seated.
This time, we want several U.S. Senators to join with them, to make a serious voting rights challenge that the entire world will hear. This time, we want so much polite-but-firm grassroots contact from progressive voters beforehand that a whole group of Senators will choose to stand up and fight for the voting rights of African-Americans, Latinos, and youth voters that the Republican Party targeted for disruption and disenfranchisement in the 2004 election.

This time, we want several U.S. Senators to join with them, to make a serious voting rights challenge that the entire world will hear. This time, we want so much polite-but-firm grassroots contact from progressive voters beforehand that a whole group of Senators will choose to stand up and fight for the voting rights of African-Americans, Latinos, and youth voters that the Republican Party targeted for disruption and disenfranchisement in the 2004 election.

Some who need to hear from us are new, such as Barak Obama of Illinois and Ken Salazar of Colorado. These new Senators could use cover from the new leadership of the Senate, especially Dick Durbin, who also hails from Obama's home state.

Some Senators depend on African American and Latino votes to be elected, and thus could be expected to stand up tall when voting rights issues are on the line, including Joe Biden of Delaware, Carl Levin of Michigan, Bill Nelson of Florida, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.

Senator Byrd of West Virginia was once a Klansman; but his eloquent leadership against the Iraq War has inspired us all, and he has the courage and fortitude to cap his career with an outspoken battle on behalf of abused African American voters. Senator Lieberman of Connecticut rightfully brags about his youthful efforts to register voters in the Old South in the 1960s; on 1/6/05, he will have the chance to demonstrate that his youthful idealism still survives.

There are Senators who are safe, and could do the right thing--like Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Charles Schumer of New York, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, and Herb Kohl of Wisconsin.

There is Jim Jeffords of Vermont, an Independent who was brave enough to stand up to the Bush White House once before. There is Senator Lincoln Chafee, a Republican in a solid Democratic state, the namesake of Lincoln, a moderate caught in a far right party.

And, of course, there is John Kerry.

To remind them why they're in Washington, click here (http://www.pdamerica.org). Ask them to stand for every American's right to vote (and have it counted.)

Go to http://www.pdamerica.org to take action.
Thank you for forwarding this action alert to your networks.

Standing tall in solidarity,


Tim Carpenter
Progressive Democrats of America

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

email: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]
web: http://www.pdamerica.org

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Done...not that it will help!! Senators are 'middle-of-road' types.

[StephanieMarie]

2. Done. n/t

[helderheid]

3. Thanks Kevin!

[helderheid]

4. Kick to the top

:kick:

Done did it!

[SueZhope]

5. Done...Thanks n/t

[annabanana]

6. well.. I contacted Schumer & Clinton

(but I'm not under any illusions as they are "entrenched")

[keepthemhonest]

7. done

[joevoter]

8. Lets try to get the local labor unions to distribute

a letter to their members requesting this. Most Senators will only respond to requests from people within their state. I just emailed a bunch of them in NM.

[Helga Scow Stern]

9. Can you do this, or is there something we need to do to help? n/t

[joevoter]

18. this is what I am doing - I googled unions from NM

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=182675&mesg_id=182796>

It might be a good idea to do West Virginia... I am currently working on WA. WA votes were thrown out and people are listening. The Seattle times has posted a list of the names of people who had rejected ballets.

[dzika]

10. Done. Direct link to the Email form...

Here is a direct link to the email form:
http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

[Q3JR4]

11. I don't have any progressive senators...

:(

Even though all that would happen is that congress would get to vote on this issue (which means a republican president and vice president anyway), we would still make sure that everyone in this nation and the world knows that the current regime isn't supported by all of America.


On edit:
Spelling

[peabody71]

12. Done!

[north houston dem]

13. done

[Vidar]

14. Done.

[Kevin Spidel]

15. thank you! please forward n/t

[tommcintyre]

16. Nice job! n/t

[Joe Chi Minh]

17. It would make sense

to me, if I were a senator, to wait until the day.

[joevoter]

20. why

maybe some peer pressure is in order here... Wouldn't a public statement also draw some attention to the issue? Maybe I am wrong on this strategy.

[Radio_Lady]

19. HOW to Send Web Mail to Eight Senators (or more) !

Here's what I sent. I used the format to look up addresses. There is no "www" required!

http://SENATORLASTNAME.senate.gov

Find CONTACT webmail fill in box:

To Ron Wyden, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Dick Durbin, Hillary Clinton, Jim Jeffords, Patrick Leahy:

Subject: Defend Democracy! Please Take Action on Election Violations When Congress Meets to Certify the Vote! All America Will Be Watching!

Will You Make Your Voice Heard on January 6th? We hope so -- for the good of this Democracy. Thanks so much. (YOUR NAME GOES HERE.)

January 6, 2005:
Take Action on Election Violations as Congress Meets to Certify the Vote!

More than a month has passed since voters cast votes for the President and Vice-President of the United States -- but every day, more and more stories surface that call into question the election's integrity.

Machines broke down, counted backwards, eliminated votes, and registered votes for the wrong candidate. Progressive and African-American neighborhoods experienced by far the longest lines on election day, the most vote spoilage, the most elimination of provisional ballots, and the most victimization by precinct manipulation.

Four hundred thousand callers phoned voter protection hotlines, with complaints ranging from absentee ballots lost in the mail, to outright voter intimidation and disenfranchisement. And partisan election officials with conflicts of interest
undermined voting rights in states from Ohio to Florida to New Mexico. Even progressive Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have questioned the election's legitimacy, in a series of rigorous, painstakingly detailed letters documenting the unprecedented extent and scope of vote suppression, available at http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/

How can we have confidence in American democracy when so many questions about this election remain unanswered? In addition to the longstanding issues subtly undermining democracy -- corporate domination
of the two major parties, plurality elections, and corporate media bias - the recent election betrayed democratic principles overtly.

Despite the efforts of a few valiant members of Congress, most of our Senators and Representatives have ignored our pleas for serious investigation into the "irregularities" that surrounded the 2004 election. But one more opportunity remains for these government officials to stand for democracy.

URGE PROGRESSIVE SENATORS TO TAKE A STAND ON JAN. 6, WHEN CONGRESS MEETS TO CERTIFY THE VOTE

On January 6, 2005, Congress will meet in joint session to certify the 2004 presidential election. On that day, if one member of the House and one member of
the Senate object to the certification of the vote, then all members of Congress will finally discuss these issues. On January 6, 2001, not a single Senator would join with the Representatives who demanded an
inquiry into the Florida recount. This year, let's make our Senators take a stand!

*SPREAD THE WORD TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW TO KEEP DOING THE SAME UNTIL JANUARY 6.*