bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 08:51 AM
Original message |
Anyone on the Hill talking about how BlackBerries on the floor equals |
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lobbyists on the floor? I think of this often, and have never seen anything about it.
Lobbyists are forbidden from being on the House & Senate floors, but with the advent of BlackBerries, they're there.
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goclark
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Tue Jul-26-05 09:00 AM
Response to Original message |
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They say to turn off your phone in the movies,this is clearly not appropriate on the Floor.
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 11:57 AM
Response to Reply #1 |
2. I wrote Barb Mikulski about this last year. |
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I think that if they're honestly interested in lobbying reform (i.e. Abramoff for starters) they must take this into consideration.
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trogdor
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:01 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
4. I'm sure a ringing cell phone would get you a dirty look. |
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But BlackBerrys are also capable of sending out text messages, which don't make any noise.
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MsTryska
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Tue Jul-26-05 11:58 AM
Response to Original message |
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our lobbyists use them to keep track of stuff.
actually now it's treo's.
it enables them to sit in on the house, and patch c-span through to watch what's going on in the senate, and to message back and forth.
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:14 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
5. The only thing that matters is if they're sending messages |
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to representatives and senators while those individuals are on the floor. THAT's what constitutes allowing a lobbyist on the floor and it can't be allowed.
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BurtWorm
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:16 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
6. That's an under-the-radar issue if I ever saw one. |
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It really needs to be on the radar. Excellent points, Bertha! :toast:
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:18 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
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Contact your congresscritters!
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MsTryska
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:36 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
8. hmmm.....i'll have to ask my folks if they do that.... |
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or if they can do that, and/or if others do that....
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:47 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
11. let us know what you learn |
MsTryska
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Tue Jul-26-05 01:27 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
14. Well bertha - here's what my coworker said: |
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"Yes they can, and yes they do. Whether or not the legislators choose to pay attention to the messages they received is, of course, conditional (if it's an issue they care about, if the message is sent by a lobby that they do or don't want to talk to, etc.)"
i asked my coworker is this doesn't violate the "no lobbyists ont he floor" thing. waiting to hear back.
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 01:43 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
15. If it doesn't violate it, I'll be terribly interested to hear how that's |
GreenPartyVoter
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:37 PM
Response to Original message |
9. I remember seeing something about that in the last year or two. Probably |
liveoaktx
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:40 PM
Response to Original message |
10. IF that's so, then the same right ought to be available for constituents |
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Why should a lobbyist get better access than a citizen? When I call my congresspeople, I generally get someone who is a front line clueless person that doesn't know the rep's position, and only wants to send me a letter after the vote is taken.
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bertha katzenengel
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Tue Jul-26-05 12:49 PM
Response to Reply #10 |
12. See, that's just the thing... |
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Even when you and I send email to congress.critter@mail.house.gov, we know that our Representative him/herself is not the first to read it -- if s/he even sees it at all. So, one of my questions is, CAN a lobbyist get an email directly to a congresscritter on the floor?
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DemBones DemBones
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Tue Jul-26-05 01:07 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
13. Sure, if they've got their number for text messaging. |
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I never phone my daughter; I'd just get her voice mail -- I text message her from my laptop.
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Fri Apr 26th 2024, 12:41 PM
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