The Last Push

There seems to be some dishonesty going on in the Senate, if you can believe it. Senator Cochran, for example, who finally bowed to pressure to vote against re-opening debate on amnesty, is now said to be considering voting for cloture. It's possible some of these Senators may have struck deals -- You vote yes to re-open but no on cloture; I'll vote no to re-open but yes on cloture; that way we can both claim we voted against it (and for it) at various critical points, but whatever happens, we make sure we've still got 60 for each vote.

What on earth could possibly have convinced Cochran to vote yes on cloture now, given the fact that the amendment that even Lindsay Graham said was necessary for his support of the bill cannot even be voted on now and hence will not become part of the amnesty?

If you call -- and please do, especially for your home-state senators; though Ensign, as head of the NRSC, can and should be called by anyone -- be polite but be firm: A Yes on Cloture is a Yes on Amnesty, and that vote will never be forgiven or forgotten.

I've put especially critical undecided/wavering votes in bold.

Is pressure useful at this point? Yes, "Colonel Y" says. Many of these people will not make up their minds until the last possible moment; pressure from voters can swing that. You can bet they'll be getting pressure the other way from the leadership and corporate lobbyists.

Baucus, Max (D - MT)
(202) 224-2651
Web Form: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

Bayh, Evan (D - IN)
(202) 224-5623
Web Form: bayh.senate.gov/WebMail1.htm

Bennett, Robert F. (R-Utah)
(202) 224-5444
Web Form: bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html
(Call him to let him know you know he traded his vote for a pissant federal office in Utah.)

Bingaman, Jeff (D - NM)
(202) 224-5521
E-mail: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov
(Both sides think he's with them. Push him towards the No on cloture side. Especially if you're in NM.)

Boxer, Barbara (D - CA)
(202) 224-3553
Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/contact
(Almost certainly a lost cause with this hyperpartisan, but supposedly she worries so much about the depressing effect on wages of the poor. California voters, give her a try. Imitate a liberal by talking like a condescending dweeb.)

Brown, Sherrod (D - OH)
(202) 224-2315
Web Form: brown.senate.gov/contact.cfm
(Again, supposedly on the fence. Fun for Ohio residents.)

Brownback, Sam (R - KS)
(202) 224-6521
Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm
(A total tool who will probably vote for cloture as a way to differentiate himself from the front-runners, who are almost all anti-amnesty. He's such an idiot he doesn't realize that hasn't worked out too well for John McCain, but try anyway... hey, pretend to be one of his nine supporters for President. Then you'll have pull.)

Byrd, Robert C
(202) 224-3954
Web Form: byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html
(Remind him that while Mexicans aren't quite black, they're definitely not white, and we no longer have brave Kleagle nightriders like him to protect us against the mongrel hordes.)

Chambliss, Saxby (R - GA)
(202) 224-3521
Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...
(Should be on our side... maybe just want to confirm on this one... he's been a bit shifty.)

Cochran, Thad (R - MS)
(202) 224-5054
Web Form: cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm
(Ask him what on earth has improved the bill since he last voted against it -- what was supposed to be a critical amendment proving this wasn't amnesty failed due to a procedural glitch.)

Coleman, Norm (R - MN)
(202) 224-5641
Web Form: coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
(Very important undecided -- why is he undecided? He may be on our side now that his amendments to end sanctuary cities will not be voted on; then again, he's making a sanctuary oountry, so who cares? He hasn't gotten much attention or pressure during this process; it's time he did.)

Collins, Susan M. (R-Maine)
(202) 224-2523
Web Form: collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...
(Probably the best way to get her to listen to you is to pose as a member of her party, the Democrats.)

Craig, Larry E.- (R-Idaho)
(202) 224-2752
Web Form: craig.senate.gov/email/
(A useless cocksucker who should be informed of that.)

Dorgan, Byron L.- (D - ND)
(202) 224-2551
E-mail: senator@dorgan.senate.gov
(A real longshot, but North Dakota residents, why not? Push the labor/wage angle.)

Ensign, John (R - NV)
(202) 224-6244
Web Form: ensign.senate.gov/forms/email_form.cfm
(Call this stupid prick and let him know none of his Senate candidates will be getting a dime if he permits this to go through.)

Gregg, Judd (R - NH)
(202) 224-3324
Web Form: gregg.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.cfm
(Might be on our side now -- but I think he slipped under the radar and didn't get a lot of calls before now. Make sure he knows where the party is on this.)

hosta, Orrin G.- (R - UT)
(202) 224-5251
Web Form: hosta.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Offices.Contact
(Who knows. He's a flake and he knows his seat is secure.)

Isakson, Johnny- (R - GA)
(202) 224-3643
Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm
(Probably solid for us, but let's reinforce that. A little. Politely.)

Kennedy, Edward M. (D - MA)
(202) 224-4543
Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm
(I just heard he killed some girl. Have any of you heard anything like this? Can't we use that against him or something? Sure seems like a murder could serve as a pressure point.)

Klobuchar, Amy(D - MN)
(202) 224-3244
Web Form: klobuchar.senate.gov/contact.cfm
(No point calling. I just can't get over the fact we have a "Senator Klobuchar." Whinny.)

McConnell, Mitch (R - KY)
(202) 224-2541
Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
(Isn't it the duty of the conference leader to support the conference on procedural votes? This guy is wavering big-time. He plainly doesn't like the bill much. Why he's helping Reid ram it down his fellow Republicans' throats is something you'll have to ask him about yourselves.)

Murkowski, Lisa (R - Alaska)
(202) 224-6665
Web Form: murkowski.senate.gov/contact.cfm
(Said to be wavering, inclined to vote against cloture.)

Stevens, Ted (R - Alaska)
(202) 224-3004
Web Form: stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Em...
(Also said to be leaning against cloture now, despite the super-important Alaska Border Enforcement office he's been promised. Don't bother writing an email to him; the Internets are a series of tubes that often get clogged.)

Webb, Jim (D - VA)
(202) 224-4024
Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact/
(Claims to be leaning against amnesty. He did make promises to that effect in the campaign. Don't Marines keep their promises?)

Not One Dime: If you send an email, you might want to include this Not One Dime gif, a not-dime stamped with a rhino.

A lot of the emails look glitchy above. The hyperlinked addresses are here.

Can't Get In Touch With Ensign? Call the NRSC: The National Republican Senatorial Committee is tasked with getting Republicans elected, and Ensign heads it. The number: 202 675-6000.

And now about the NRC itself:

Phone Numbers: Comment Line & General Information: 202.863.8790 Phone: 202.863.8500 Fax: 202.863.8820

Update: Burr and Nelson were removed from the list, as they are confirmed as solid no's.

Thank them some other day. Not today.

posted by Ace at 07:47 AM

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