Citizen lobbying is related to the threat that voters may vote against someone if they cast their legislative vote the wrong way. Too many lobbying campaigns emphasize the call to the legislator, and downgrade the part about educating voters to actually know what legislators are doing and judge them accordingly.

I’d assume that at almost any Obama house party, people would come up with the idea of calling legislators on their own. On the other hand, if you ask people to call their legislators, most of them will not come up with the idea of simultaneously trying to educate their neighbors about the issue.

I get furious with some of my environmental friends because they get all excited about sitting down with some legislator who bullshits them, but then when it comes time to hold them accountable for their policies and actions, they don’t want to hurt the feelings of the legislator they sat down with.

It comes down to voters. The phone call is just a proxy. Inform voters, and legislators will figure it out.

Call every day, until they do it our way.

It is way past time to unleash this horde on Congress in re: the stimulus. Lieberman is ferkin killing us with these cuts. Where the hell is the goddamn horde? Unleash them!

first, I saw a blurb with a story somewhere that says the stimulus bill will be subject to a cloture vote after the conference, if so maybe harry reid really is the worst senate leader in my lifetime …

and I got an update about that slight positive bais in the universe

I never suspected something like this could happen

I still ain’t convinced it’s real …

Start with an infrastructure stimulus, Part 1, if you will, and put in that package everything that has popular support, then roll it out and send it to the Senate. Simultaneously, others in the House should be working on other component packages and rolling them out. (…)

During all of this, Pres. Obama needs to be out in the media day and night, as should members of the House and Senate, explaining the purpose of each package, its contents, and its benefits.

Well said, & I couldn’t agree more.

The House bill was one that truly had Americans’ best interests in mind. What the Senate is doing is an abomination.

It’s not up to Pres. Obama’s supporters to have house parties. We did our part by getting him elected, getting him nearly 800 million dollars and giving him increased majorities in both the House and the Senate. It’s up to him now. It’s up to him to put a stop to this monster of a bill, go back to the House and tell them to take their original bill and break it up into smaller stimulus packages. Start with an infrastructure stimulus, Part 1, if you will, and put in that package everything that has popular support, then roll it out and send it to the Senate. Simultaneously, others in the House should be working on other component packages and rolling them out. It makes it much more difficult for Republicans to nitpick and obstruct. Make the tax cuts a separate stimulus package. Make a relief package, education package, technology package, energy package, state aid package, hybrid/electric auto rebate package, etc. etc. Then let the Republicans fight against each separate and distinct package and let them defend their tax cut package.

During all of this, Pres. Obama needs to be out in the media day and night, as should members of the House and Senate, explaining the purpose of each package, its contents, and its benefits. They need to be out there fighting for us. Republicans have shown that they are not willing to work together so the bi-partisan schtick has to stop being a top priority.

If anything, what people should be doing is protesting in the streets and shutting down the Capitol switchboard with calls, and writing letters to the editor. The netroots needs to be taking it to them too with a focused effort by the most prominent bloggers. Front page stories, many of them, and a strong push back. And now. Yesterday.

All of this can be done very quickly. Some of the packages should get through pretty quickly and at least there would be something passed and starting to work ASAP.

The best thing that could happen would be for the Dems to kill this monster bill right now. 42% of the total in tax cuts is simply ridiculous and the compromises made are beyond reasonable. And even after getting so much, Repubs are still out there lying and smearing and trying to get more. So-called moderate Democrats are empowered even after they have clearly shown that they will sell us out. It’s time to let the real Democrats run this show.

$350b (almost half) to tax cuts a sop for 3 repub votes.

If the bastards wont vote for the damn thing with the tax cuts in I say ef ‘em and pass the damn thing without the tax cuts. $117billion is way too much for one vote.

Personally, I don’t think it’s much of a stimulus at all. It will help some in dire straits, make a couple ripples here and there, and feed (from my last read) now some $350b (almost half) to tax cuts a sop for 3 repub votes.

They’ve cut back green tax credits, research, and more. And they’ve more than doubled nuke power tax credits from original bill. What’s the principle here?

Does anyone in Washington understand the difference between a jobs bill and a stimulus?

From Obama, no specifics, no principles and no real stands declaring a vision for 21st economy. What’s he committing to? Where does his rhetoric back up his claims for grid… their $18b won’t even plant seeds for that thing.

Personally, I find his pleas an insult to my intelligence, same for his calling this thing “change” the voters wanted. I’ve very disappointed.

I’ve contacted both NM Senators expressing so. I hope they torpedo the fucking thing, and telling everyone w/earshot the same thing.

Susan Collins–to ask why they’re opposed to funds that will help states avoid cutting back necessary services, or why they’re opposed to constructing schools.

When I called Ms Collins office in Bangor yesterday I was told that she considered all that she had recommended cutting as “pork”. Asked for her definition of pork the person was unwilling/unable to tell me only saying that everyone should make up their own mind as to what pork is. OFFS!

She was just reelected so she gives not a sweet pidoodee.