Positive News Starting to Come In - Let's hold an attitude of

[JoMama49]

gratitude for a moment because I think our efforts are starting to pay off!

PHONESTORM AT THE U.S. SENATE: THE GRASSROOTS INUNDATE U.S. SENATE
PHONE LINES

There is a phonestorm at the U.S. Senate over Ohio. This afternoon,
while a group of activists met with Senators urging a challenge and
filibuster of the Ohio Electoral Ballots, staff at the Democratic
Senate Offices volunteered information the phones were inundated with
calls. This was the case in office after office after office. While
the group of several activists met in Senate offices, the phones were
ringing "off the hook" with callers raising concerns about Ohio. It
was incredible! You may have never seen anything like it!!!

YOUR CALLS ARE HAVING AN EFFECT!!! YOUR CALLS ARE SWAMPING THE PHONE
LINES OF THE U.S. SENATE!!! KEEP IT UP!!! WE CAN STILL TURN THIS
AROUND!!! CALL EVEN MORE OFTEN (I.E., TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY)!!!
SENATORS ARE BEGINNING TO HEAR THE CONCERNS FROM THE GRASSROOTS!!!
CALL REPUBLICAN MODERATES LINCOLN CHAFFEE, SUSAN COLLINS, AND OLYMPIA
SNOWE!!!

TELL THE SENATORS TO CHALLENGE THE OHIO ELECTORS!!! TELL THE SENATORS
TO FILIBUSTER THE OHIO ELECTORS!!! VISIT THE SENATORS PERSONALLY OVER
THE NEXT THREE DAYS!!! WEAR ORANGE!!! TELL THE SENATORS TO CHALLENGE,
THEN FILIBUSTER, THE OHIO ELECTORS!!!

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL, Rumored to be Senator Likely to Challenge
Electoral Ballots from Ohio (30 minutes after Activists Visit
Office)!!!

According to democrats.com Bob Ferik bLog entry, Florida Sen. Bill
Nelson is ready to challenge electoral ballots. The bLog was posted
approximately ½ hour after activists visited Nelson's office in the
Hart Senate Office Building where Nelson's staff were telling callers
Nelson would not challenge Electoral ballots. However, the citizen
activists arrived and presented a flier regarding challenging - and
filibustering - Ohio Electoral ballots and additional information
regarding how the plaintiffs in the Ohio litigation actually have
Kerry/Edwards leading the vote in the State. bLog entry follows:

Stolen Election 2004: Monday Update
by Bob Fertik (http://blog.democrats.com/user/6) on January 2, 2005,
8:48 p.m. Revised January 3, 2005, 10:03 p.m.

Breaking: Will Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
(http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001094.htm) challenge Ohio's
Electors? (http://blog.democrats.com/node/2287)

A source in Bill Nelson's office has informed The BRAD BLOG that
Nelson is seriously taking a look at the issue, and is currently
amidst meetings and phone calls on the very topic...

The staffer was willing to tell us off the record, in regard to
whether Nelson will join the challenge, that "I am hoping that he
will. And so is he...There are many of us in the office who are
hoping he will do so."

Pressed about the "so is he" comment, the staffer explained that
Nelson has been a long time campaigner for "higher voter
accountability" and is troubled by many of the reports he's seen
concerning the results of Election 2004.

The staffer told The BRAD BLOG that Nelson has been in communication
with Sen. John Kerry, and is currently "waiting to hear back" from
him. He could not, however, tell us what the results of those
communication have been so far.

Sen. Robert Byrd's Office Indicates that Rumor is Spreading Byrd Will
Challenge Ohio Electoral Ballots!!!

According to staff at Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) office, there is a
rumor Byrd will challenge Ohio Electoral Ballots!!! The staff would
not confirm or deny Byrd's position.

Coalition Against Election Fraud (CAEF) Interested in Filibuster
Strategy

Sheila Parks of the Coalition Against Election Fraud (CAEF) contacted
activist on Sunday, January 2, 2005, with questions and interest
regarding the filibuster strategy against Ohio Electoral Ballots.

This strategy would have Senate Democratic leadership challenge, then
filibuster, the Ohio Electoral ballots. The authority for Senate to
do this is under own rule (Rule XXII) on debate. Since the U.S.
Senate would adjourn from the joint meeting with the U.S. House of
Representatives - in the event of a challenge; the U.S. Senate,
therefore, meets as the U.S. Senate itself. Thus, its Rule XXII
governs. Rule XXII applies as opposed to 3 U.S.C. 17; the Federal
statute states debate is limited to two hours. Rule XXII provides for
unlimited debate unless 60 Senators vote to end debate.

The U.S. Senate rules are granted by the U.S. Constitution: Article
I, Section 5, Clause 2. The U.S. Constitution trumps a Federal
statute. In short, 60 votes trumps two hours. Rule XXII applies to
any "...other matter pending before the U.S. Senate...." This
strategy would allow 45 Democratic Senators - if they stand firm - to
block Bush's election on January 6, 2005. Foreseeably, the filibuster
could be in effect for weeks - as long as it takes to resolve the
fiasco fairly in Ohio. This would prevent Bush from being inaugurated
on January 20, 2005. According to the plaintiffs in the case, the
amount of votes in dispute exceeds Bush's so-called "margin of
victory". In addition, the plaintiffs indicate Kerry is actually
leading in Ohio in a true, un-manipulated, un-suppressed, un-
fraudulent vote count.

Note: foreseeably, the only way to stop Bush is with the filibuster
strategy. If the U.S. Senate - and House of Representatives - both
vote on the Ohio Electors, the Republicans control both houses, and
by majority vote would approve the Ohio Electors - and Bush - as
President. The filibuster strategy would allow the U.S. Senate to
block the vote from occurring through unlimited debate - a
filibuster - until the fair resolution of the legal dispute noted
above.

CAEF is reviewing the strategy with its own legal team, and is
considering undertaking this strategy in lobbying efforts with the
U.S. Senate.

Sen. Reid, D-NV, and Sen. Corzine, D-NJ, Staff Reviewing Rule XXII in
Comparison with 3 U.S.C. 17 in Possible Consideration of Filibuster
Strategy

The Senate offices of Senators Reid and Corzine are aware of the
conflict between Rule XXII and 3 U.S.C. 17 when visited by activist
citizen today, January 3, 2005. The comparison of the statute and the
rule is part of the filibuster strategy outlined above. Apparently,
some U.S. Senate offices staff are looking at this comparison; this
could possibly indicate an initial review of the filibuster strategy
by Democratic Senators!!!

REV. JESSE JACKSON LEADING MARCH FROM SAVAGE, MARYLAND, TO
WASHINGTON, D.C., JANUARY 4, 2005

In what is being referred to as a Civil Rights March, Jesse Jackson
is leading a march from Savage, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., from
January 4, 2005, through January 6, 2005.

JOIN THIS MARCH!!! IT STARTS AT 10:00 A.M., January 4, 2005, AT
MARYLAND ROUTE 32 AND U.S. HIGHWAY 1, close to Baltimore/Washington
International Airport. JOIN THE MARCH IN PROGRESS BY DRIVING SOUTH ON
U.S. HIGHWAY 1 UNTIL YOU APPROACH THE MARCHERS AND JOIN IN!!!

SHOW SOLIDARITY!!!

For further details about the issues set forth herein, please contact
Chris Bush <[e-mail]> or Robin Pickering
<[e-mail]> at [phone]

[jn2375]

1. Wow! lets hope!!

[crispini]

2. Kick

Let's keep it up.

Send faxes too!

[vireo]

20. This site is good for fax numbers

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

I found fax #s there which weren't shown at my senators' official sites.

[Gloria]

3. Didn't Nelson say he had to check with Kerry? And hasn't

there been later news that he won't challenge?? Wasn't this up last night sometime?

[Liberty Belle]

14. The poster was discredited elsewhere.

He or she posted erroneous stories in other threads. Probably a freeper.

[BarbinMD]

4. I just got off the phone...

...with Sarbanes office. The person who answered said that Sarbanes had not decided but was "looking into it". Not very encouraging, but at least not a definite no. I've been unable to get through to any of Mikulski's lines, just keep getting a voice saying "all lines are busy", leave a message. I hope that means she's being flooded with calls and not that they just stopped answering (I called her DC, Annapolis and Baltimore lines).

[flyarm]

11. does anyone have sen mulkulski's email address

need help...does anyone have the good senators email address???

thanks ..fly:hi: :loveya:

[Liberty Belle]

15. www.congress.gov Click on "Senate" for the link.

[BarbinMD]

26. Not an e-mail addy...

...but her contact page:

http://mikulski.senate.gov/contactme/mailform.html

And here is Sarbanes:

http://sarbanes.senate.gov/pages/email.html

[ohtransplant]

5. I received an interesting reply from Senator Byrd's office

The staffer I spoke to firmly suggested I call my Ohio Senators also - even though they're Repubs.

I explained I already had but I got the impression she was telling me Repubs need to get these calls too. They're counting them.

BTW, when I called my Ohio Senators' offices they asked my zip code (43065). I guess since my cell phone is based out of the state, their caller Id display raised concerns. Interesting...

[Verve]

7. Good Point! Ohio Republican Senators need to hear from us as well.

Let's get to work!

[m.standridge]

YES--this is an EXCELLENT point--IF you can get several Dem Sens

to stand to block the Ohio Electors, this would put tremendous pressure on the Ohio Congressional delegation in both houses of Congress.
There is also the very real threat to their political careers, implicit in a successful investigation of a fraudulent election,there in Ohio, if they haven't been part of the effort to investigate it.
In other words, if the investigation "proceeds without them" and successfully stops the election and successfully both proves and gets media coverage of fraud, they could be in deep trouble.
Other moderate or liberal GOP Senators, such as Spector, Snowe are possible votes in a filibuster. Also McCain might be a vote.
How many, though, feel they have some "legislative agenda" more important than potentially exposing election fraud?
What I keep seeing in this latter argument, right now, is a quality of unreality. If the kind of fraud that's alleged has been perpetrated, the GOP has no incentive at all to negotiate about any kind of legislation.
They're guaranteed re-election or election, no matter what.

[GardeningGal]

21. I called my republican senator and urged him to read Conyer's

report and to stand with him tomorrow. The woman who answered said she would give him the message. (I'm not terribly hopeful because he's never been responsive in the past, but maybe if enough call him he'll have to pay attention.) By the way, my republican senator is Wayne Allard and we now have a democratic senator in Ken Salazar.

I tried calling Salazar's office and didn't get an answer. Could be because it's lunch time back east, or else maybe they're getting inundated. Don't know, but will try again later.

[hereinmissouri]

6. Where can I find senator phone #'s? n/t

[jasmeel]

8. goto this website

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[jasmeel]

9. Will they care about us if we aren't constituents?

[ohtransplant]

18. "All politics are local."

so constituents come first but I think it's important for them to know it's not just a few kooks like me here in Ohio. If their phones keep ringing and ringing, they MIGHT get the fact that it's a movement.

:bounce: :kick:

[DemReadingDU]

24. I am from Ohio, went to this website

I found the numbers for Senators DeWine & Voinovich.

The numbers were not busy, and both offices said they would pass along my message.

Easy! Go call them too!

[Peace Patriot]

10. Thanks, JoMama49! Fabulous news! Kick!

I knew it! I knew it! I knew that, when Kerry voters (Dem OR Repub) started to get the word, they would be, 1) relieved, so relieved--I'm not alone in thinking something's wrong, my gut feeling was right, now there's evidence, and something that can still be done, wow!; and 2) inspired, activated, grabbing onto process and hope, outraged, calling, faxing, emailing, DO something, Senator, PLEASE!

We're the majority! We WILL win, in the end!

Filibuster! Oh, yeah, oh, man, yes! Oh, go, Democrats! Old Senator Byrd, that shining light, filibustering the goddamned BushCons! Oh, I shall weep for joy!

Kick! Kick! Kick!

[flyarm]

13. please send a message to your local dec offices..

i just emailed a bunch of this info to our fla dem party offices ..they knew nothing about it..they are now going to mass email to get the message out for people to call...and if you hold any email lists from campaign send to all of them and ask them to call...i assumed people here in fla knew all this stuff..don't assume..they knew nothing here..i just sent to all the dem clubs, and dec chair ..who knew nothing of this...i sent to sec chair..again she knew nothing of this campaign..they are thrilled to help and send out to their email lists!! we have chain email groups here in fla we used during campaign..we never gave up the lists to kerry..so we are going to town sending out to everyone to call..if you have similar situation..please..dont assume others know this is all going on...i assumed it and i was wrong...we dont have time for us to be wrong!!

thanks you all..you are great!!

fly:loveya:

[zann725]

19. Maybe if they keep Filibustering, Kerry will be back in the country to

pick up his end of the Filibuster in late January!

I'm gonna keep working on that image! Love it!

[Pithy Cherub]

12. Excellent! Keep smiling & dialing...

[demo dutch]

16. I hope it's not one but that it's several and they they will

stand united. At least that way it will be harder for the repugs to turn this into what they would call "scandalized behaviour"

[zann725]

17. We need to maybe 'kick' the CAEF Filibuster possibility to Front Page?

I DO hope this happens. I had suggested on several threads the other day the possibility of a Filibuster, and someone said it was not possible. But it appears others are considering it as well.

What a great use of the Filibuster...which I consider one of the cornerstones of our Legislative protection. And also a reason to see it at work...so that Repugs later can NOT dismantle it, as they have been discussing.

Just think, if the Filibuster is possible...then the debate would NOT end at 2 hours, or 2 days...but could last well past Jan. 20. Lordie, lordie!

I do hope Mr. Cheney takes his medication before tomorrow, and rests up well. Gonna be a tough day for Dick! 'See Dick run.'

[Sleepless In NY]

23. Thank You JoMama49 ! I'm still making calls!

Nice to hear the update! Lets hope!

[StephanieMarie]

22. I've been pestering my Repug senator too (Chambliss)

Just so he knows ALL his constituensts aren't sheep.

[budkin]

25. This is just great news!

Please let this fraud and corruption come into the light for all to see...

[JoMama49]

27. I talked to my contact in Boxer's office this afternoon --

she promised to take my message to the Senator. then, I followed up with a FAX, but unfortunately the FAX is constantly busy - can't get through - will try all night.