Important Action Alert And Pretty Vicious Rant
UPDATE: A Concrete Plan

I feel odd doing this -- something I've mocked when the left does it -- but it's time.

Write, call, and fax your Congressmen and Senators -- especially Republican ones -- and let them know you will never vote for them or their party again should the immigration bill actually pass.

And let them know that you don't particularly trust them on national security, spending, or taxes either, so they won't wrongly believe those trump cards will still win the hand for them. Let them know if this isn't scuttled -- if the border isn't secured first, verifiably, before any amnesty legislation passes -- you will no longer vote for, volunteer for, or donate to any Republican candidate for any office ever again.

Not a dime, not a vote.

It's time to let them know they're walking into the abyss. Inform them in no uncertain terms that they are attempting to purchase the votes of new "Americans" who split 5:1 Democratic by losing your reliably conservative vote forever.

The Plan: Inchoate anger and threats don't motivate these people.

Actual evidence that the threat is serious might.

Here's my official Important Action Alert:

Every Republican who considers this a sell-out should, within the next week (the quicker the better) change his party affiliation from "Republican" to anything else.

It can always be changed back in time for the primaries, if that's a worry. But we need a concrete, tanglible demostration of strong disapproval of this deal -- security first, then and only then a pathway to citizenship -- and we need to demonstrate we're quite willing to vote our interests.

Or rather not vote our interests, since so few of us have Representatives or Senators (and certainly not a President) willing to vote our interest.

A tidal wave of Republicans changing their affiliation to Indpendent, Libertarian, Reform, Constitution Party, hell, even Democrats will catch their attention pretty damn quick.

Calls and emails and letters will be ignored.

The sudden decline of registered Republicans by 50% will not be.

Write: ...your Congressman here to let him know you've changed your party affiliation.

This may or may not be the address for contacting your Senator by email -- I can't tell, because the page is down due to a server error. Possibly, hopefully, it's overwhelmed.

This site lets you search for contact information.

Contact the RNC here. The email address seems to be info@gop.com. Here are the digits:

Information: 202.863.8790

Phone: 202.863.8500

Fax: 202.863.8820

It's probably best to do say you've changed your affiliation after you already have. Otherwise, they'll see the promises of affiliation-switching not matched by actual changes in affiliation, and will assume, probably correctly, you're willing to eat yet another sell-out and ask for more.

You can write with the threat of doing this before you do it, but only claim you've done it once you actually have. This way they'll know you're serious, and not just blowing hot air.

Changing party affiliation takes a tiny amout of work -- but the fact that millions of people are willing to do this will let them know we're also pretty serious about not doing any trivial work on election day, or at least not doing the work of pulling a lever for them.

Bonus: A lot of people have Democratic/liberal Congressmen and Senators, so there's hardly anything to be gained by writing to them.

That's the cool thing about simply changing party affiliation -- the results get registered, and are tangible and verifiable, and are noted by the Republican establishment even if you're deep in the blue parts of blue states.

Another Good Idea -- Send Them A Copy Of Your Change of Affiliation Form: That's what Drew did:

My county board of elections lets you download the voter registration form (same form for registering as changing party). I printed and filled it out then scanned a copy. Went and dropped it in the mail.

When I was done with that, I emailed a copy to the RNC and the NYS Republican Party (if there really is such a thing anymore). I told them I would be happy to change back if this doesn't pass but if it does I am done with them.

It's sort of unfair surprise if the GOP is deserted by its base without being notified of the very real possibility that could happen. After all, we've eaten all their bullshit for years and years; why would they think now would be any different?

So let them know that there are consequences coming. And then let them make an informed decision.

posted by Ace at 04:59 PM

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