Blue America Thanks Some Of The Patriots Who Stood Up For The Constitution... with $$ !

[Breeze54]

Blue America Thanks Some Of The Patriots Who Stood Up For The Constitution

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-klein/blue-america-thanks-some_b_111919.html

Posted July 10, 2008 | 12:45 PM (EST)

Yesterday the http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2008/07/john-barrow-asked-to-account-for-most.html">Blue America PAC started running a series of full page newspaper ads in GA-12, alerting John Barrow's constituents that although he campaigns as a Democrat in Savannah, Vidalia, Augusta, Milledgeville, and Statesboro, when he's back Inside the Beltway, he's been the single most dependable Democrat for George Bush and Dick Cheney and for the big money corporations looking for money-grubbing congressmen who will vote for their special interests. The week before that, the http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2008/06/steny-hoyer-should-be-ashamed-and-so.html">Blue America PAC took out a full page ad in the Washington Post and in every newspaper in Steny Hoyer's Maryland district, making sure his constituents knew about his shameful and decisive role in getting Bush's anti-constitutional FISA bill passed.

But over the last few days the Blue America bloggers, Digby, Jane, John and myself -- plus our colleague Glenn -- were mightily impressed by the courageous battle some members of the House and Senate and some candidates for the House and Senate, have waged against overwhelming odds and a sense of gruesome Insider inevitability. We decided that on behalf of the 5,969 donors who contributed $345,395.81 in the last few weeks we would pick a dozen and make symbolic contributions as tokens of gratitude to their campaign funds.

The first names to pop up, of course, where Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold, the heart, soul and conscience of the Senate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD0HKAEC25Q&feature=user">Listen to Chris Dodd make his last ditch plea to the Senate yesterday.

And take a look at excerpts from Russ Feingold's speech:

"...it could not be clearer that this program broke the law, and this President broke the law. Not only that, but this administration affirmatively misled Congress and the American people about it for years before it finally became public."

...

"If Congress short-circuits these lawsuits, we will have lost a prime opportunity to finally achieve accountability for these years of law-breaking. That's why the administration has been fighting so hard for this immunity. It knows that the cases that have been brought directly against the government face much more difficult procedural barriers, and are unlikely to result in rulings on the merits."

...

"I sit on the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, and I am one of the few members of this body who has been fully briefed on the warrantless wiretapping program. And, based on what I know, I can promise that if more information is declassified about the program in the future, as is likely to happen either due to the Inspector General report, the election of a new President, or simply the passage of time, members of this body will regret that we passed this legislation. I am also familiar with the collection activities that have been conducted under the Protect America Act and will continue under this bill. I invite any of my colleagues who wish to know more about those activities to come speak to me in a classified setting. Publicly, all I can say is that I have serious concerns about how those activities may have impacted the civil liberties of Americans. If we grant these new powers to the government and the effects become known to the American people, we will realize what a mistake it was, of that I am sure."

Many more Thanks...so, Read on.... :D

UPDATE: RUSS FEINGOLD ASKED US TO REDIRECT HIS CHECK

Senator Feingold isn't running for re-election in 2008. He was pleased that we're recognizing his service to the country and he asked us to send the $1,000 check to the http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/patriot-corps/">Patriot Corps. He's been saying for years that a strong grassroots field program is the key to electoral victory. That's why his Progressive Patriots Fund created the Patriot Corps in 2006-- a way to support progressive candidates nationwide. In the lead-up to the 2008 election, the Progressive Patriots Fund will again be hiring, training and sending field staff to key races across the country.

:applause: :applause:

[chill_wind]

1. K & R ! And thanks for this news. Very pleased to see

my own modest little contribution among the 5969 going somewhere good-- :-)

[Breeze54]

2. I wanted you and others to know how they are spending it !

Thanks again!! :patriot:

;)

[chill_wind]

5. I love the reinforcements going to the good guys, starting with Dodd and Feingold! n/t

[chill_wind]

3. Barrow's feeling it- testy AP response (Obama endorsed Barrow?)

(...)
Apparently the only way to persuade some people that I'm not a rubber stamp for George Bush is to become a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi," the Democratic House speaker, Barrow said. "And I refuse to be a rubber stamp for anyone."

Barrow's conservative record proved crucial to his re-election in 2006, when he defeated Republican Max Burns by a scant 864 votes. But they could backfire on him Tuesday in the Democratic primary, particularly with black voters expected to form a solid majority.
(for Thomas)

(...)

Barrow has been playing up his endorsement by Barrack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, in newspaper and radio ads
(...)

http://www.macon.com/220/story/400419.html

PAC Blog response:

"He might want to start by trying to be a rubber stamp for the Constitution"

[Breeze54]

4. Woot! Now he's catching on... 'go to the light to the left, Barrow!!'

:P

Thanks for the update!! :D

[chill_wind]

6. This thread just needs one more rec. Yes we CAN work for change

in many (various) meaningful ways.

[Breeze54]

7. Yes we can.... and have been for a long time!!

:hi:

[Eric J in MN]

8. Good. I'm one of the donors to Blue America PAC.

http://www.actblue.com/page/fisa

[Breeze54]

9. Awesome! and...

Thanks for the link. I was just trying to find it. ;)

[slipslidingaway]

10. Thanks...

it was money well spent :)

[Breeze54]

11. Awe... you rock!!

:yourock:

And they have even more to spend! The total has been steadily increasing! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[slipslidingaway]

12. Thanks, there are certain things we need to come together on

and upholding the Constitution is one of them.

The other big issue for me would be to reduce military spending and the notion of preemptive wars, we can always argue later on how the money should be spent :)


And they have moved forward as well...

http://www.accountabilitynowpac.com/index.php

"August 8, 2008—this is the date for our Strangebedfellows MONEYBOMB on behalf of constitutional rights and civil liberties in America. Let's remove from power the key enablers of the tyrannical and lawless FISA 'compromise;' we can end the Patriot Act—and so much more. Join with us by pledging now—right here at AccountabilityNowPAC.com. Become a part of our transpartisan alliance of freedom lovers! Be a Strangebedfellow!


Who Are The Strangebedfellows?

Strangebedfellows is a unique and diverse left--right coalition which has come together to put a stop to the eradication of civil liberties in America. Modeled on a similar group in Britain, the initial Strangebedfellows group encompasses Ron Paul supporters (BreakTheMatrix.com, Rick Williams and Trevor Lyman), leading bloggers from the left (Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com, Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com) and many more who share the view that warrantless surveillance, telecom immunity and other such outrages of the lawless surveillance state MUST END—AND END NOW. Our group of Strangebedfellows is organizing a moneybomb on behalf of AccountabilityNowPAC, and we’re reaching out to friends and colleagues from across the political spectrum who believe in the Bill of Rights and freedom in America. So join us-- become a Strangebedfellow! Add your name and group to our list of backers, and enter your pledge today to donate to AccountabilityNowPAC. Let’s reverse these police state sellouts by our political leaders—FOREVER..."

[Breeze54]

13. Yup... They are Fired UP!!!!

I saw that in another post the other day. ;)