We must also keep the heat on the Republican in order to end the war

[Heath Hatcher]

Yes the spending bill did get passed but our team did good, team liberal. Here's some stuff you be proud of. 226 Democrats voted in the bill 140 were against while 86 voted for it that's at whopping 61% of our party caucus thought that was a bad bill and the majority of the Dems that voted for it were moderate Blue Dog(33/44) and New Democrat Coalition members(19/43) while every single member of the liberal progressive caucus(68) and liberals unaffiliated members like Nancy Pelosi voted against this bill including 6 Blue Dog and 17 New Coalition members.

From here till September not only must we put the pressure on our fellow elected Democrats but moderate Republicans as well because until we get enough Republican on board to override a veto it will be much harder to get out of Iraq and they will turn because there all waiting till September to see what happens and those in swing districts see that the war hasn't changed at all they will be shaking in there boots and would be willing to buck the party to crossover and vote with us.

Here are the numbers (DC and District) of the GOP members of the Republican Main Street Partnership(the caucus of centrist Republicans) if any House member will crack it will be them.


* Judy Biggert, Illinois
DC- 202-225-3515
Willowbrook, IL- 630-655-2032

* Mary Bono, California
DC- 202-225-5330
Palm Springs, CA- 760-320-1076
Hemet, CA- 951-658-2562

* Ginny Brown-Waite, Florida
DC- 202-225-1002
Dade City, FL- 352-567-6707
Brooksville, FL [phone]

* Ken Calvert, California
DC- [phone]
Riverside [phone]
Las Flores [phone]
San Clemente [phone]

* Dave Camp, Michigan
DC [phone]
Midland [phone]
Traverse City [phone]

* Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
DC [phone]
Charleston [phone]
Martinsburg [phone]

* Michael N. Castle, Delaware
DC [phone]
Wilmington [phone]
Dover [phone]

* Thomas M. Davis, Virginia
DC [phone]
Annandale [phone]
Woodbridge [phone]

* Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania
DC [phone]
Bethlehem [phone]
East Greenville [phone]

* David Dreier, California
DC [phone]
Glendora Phone: [phone]

* Vern Ehlers, Michigan
DC [phone]
Grand Rapids [phone]

* Rodney Frelinghuysen, New Jersey
DC [phone]
Morristown [phone]

* Jim Gerlach, Pennsylvania
DC [phone]
Exton [phone]
Wyomissing [phone]
Trappe Phone: [phone]

* Wayne Gilchrest, Maryland
DC [phone]
Chestertown [phone]
Salisbury [phone]
Bel Air [phone]

* Paul Gillmor, Ohio
DC [phone]
Tiffin [phone]
Defiance [phone]
Norwalk [phone]

* Kay Granger, Texas
DC [phone]
Ft.Worth [phone]

* David Hobson, Ohio
DC [phone]
Springfield [phone]
Lancaster [phone]

* Timothy V. Johnson, Illinois
DC [phone]
Bloomington [phone]
Champaign [phone]
Mt. Carmel(618) 262-8719
Charleston [phone]

* Randy Kuhl, New York
DC [phone]
Bath [phone]
Fairport [phone]
Olean [phone]

* Mark Kirk, Illinois
DC [phone]
Northbrook [phone]
Waukegan [phone]

* Ray LaHood, Illinois
DC [phone]
Peoria [phone]
Jacksonville [phone]
Springfield [phone]

* Steve LaTourette, Ohio
DC [phone]
Painesville [phone]

* Jerry Lewis, California
DC [phone]
Redlands [phone]

* Frank LoBiondo, New Jersey
DC [phone]
Mays Landing [phone]

* Jim McCrery, Louisiana
DC [phone]
Shreveport [phone]
Leesville [phone]

* Thomas Petri, Wisconsin
DC [phone]
Oshkosh [phone]
Fond Du Lac [phone]

* Todd Platts, Pennsylvania
DC [phone]
York [phone]
Gettysburg [phone]
Carlisle [phone]

* Jon Porter, Nevada
DC [phone]
Henderson [phone]

* Deborah Pryce, Ohio
DC [phone]
Columbus [phone]

* Jim Ramstad, Minnesota
DC [phone]
Minnetonka [phone]

* Ralph Regula, Ohio
DC [phone]
Canton [phone]
Medina [phone]
* Christopher Shays, Connecticut
DC [phone]
Bridgeport [phone]
Stamford [phone]

* Mike Turner, Ohio
DC [phone]
Dayton [phone]
Wilmington [phone]

* Fred Upton, Michigan
DC [phone]
Kalamazoo [phone]

* Greg Walden, Oregon
DC [phone]
Medford [phone]
Bend [phone]

* James T. Walsh, New York
DC [phone]
Syracuse [phone]
Palmyra [phone]

* Jerry Weller, Illinois
DC [phone]
Joliet [phone]

* Heather Wilson, New Mexico
DC [phone]
Albuquerque [phone]


Now i'm not saying that you can't call other Republicans (including your own Republican Congresscritter that's not on the list) to keep the pressure that's cool and go ahead and do so but my good guess the first to crack are the moderates, the one who face tough re-election bids (like Dent, Shays, Wilson and Walsh) those are the ones who could be more sympathetic to our cause. But also while we do that, still keep the heat the Democrats espically the 86 who voted for it.

Remember we didn't get anywhere by sitting on our hands and doing nothing no sire, we got ahead because we got active, we called, we write, we got involved and that what we can do to end this occupation.

Remember be patience and keep the faith and by September we will have the edge, i'm very optimistic about it

Sincerely,
Heath Hatcher
DU Member

[poverlay]

1. Finally, a positive, forward looking, and practical post. Thanks Heath Hatcher. You should

be proud. I pledge to call at least 2 of these Congresspeople a week until Sep..


K & R

[Heath Hatcher]

2. Hey what can I say

But i'm a young optimistic 19 year old Democrat that's trying to put heat on Republicans to buck the party. I think when the House comes back from break i'll give Fred Upton's people a call I heard his staff are real nice to deal with so i'll start off there

[Heath Hatcher]

3. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

4. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

5. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

6. Kick

[calimary]

11. I think this is a GREAT thread! I'd recommend it, but I found it too late.

Thank you for posting, though, Heath!

:yourock:

This IS EXACTLY what we should be doing. Fomenting discontent and destabilization among the enemy. Make 'em start shakin'. The sooner we drive them to those bottles of Maalox, the sooner they may well be willing to jump ship. They need to get a really strong sense of how increasingly thin the ice is upon which they stand, and how close the walls are now, as they continue closing in. Might encourage some defections, just to get a decent night's sleep with no acid reflux. I want to see them all getting ulcers as they try to rationalize their cockeyed justifications for staying with this war and this so-called president, against the rising floodwaters of anti-war majorities that have them surrounded.

They who stay with this war deserve no peace.

[Grandrose]

7. Great post!

Admire your energy and forward looking attitude, thanks for the uplift after all of the anger and despair.:applause: :kick:

[Heath Hatcher]

8. What can I say

I'm a optimist, I believe that the worst is over. Now with this spending bill passed we can move on to September to plan our battleplan. From now to September we must start to put the heat on Republicans as well as our 86 dems that voted for this bad bill to end this occupation, they are the key. We must not give up, remember we didn't get anywhere by just sitting on our hands and doing nothing no, us progressive Democrats we got active, we parrisipated in rallies, we write and we call our elected officals every day on every bill and thats how where going to end this by getting active and putting more pressure of centrist Democrats and Republicans (GOP espically) to get this done but we can't give up.

Sincerely,
Heath Hatcher
DU Member

[Forkboy]

9. I'm not an optimist,but this is an excellent post.

Deserves the K&R I'm giving it.

On edit...it's too late for the Rec...but I can still give it a Kick!

[Heath Hatcher]

10. Thank You and Kick

[Forkboy]

12. Another kick.

:kick:

[Heath Hatcher]

13. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

14. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

15. Kick

[Heath Hatcher]

16. Kick