I am so freaking pissed and I need your help

[never_get_over_it]

Ok I am so pissed right now my head is about to explode. And I need your help. I have been worrying about Joe LIEberman caucusing with the Repunks and changing the chairmanships of the Senate Committees. I found the following: http://politicalinsider.com/2007/02/liebermans_switch_wouldnt_flip.html

which states: "If Lieberman were to caucus with the Republicans, they would still not take full control of the Senate, despite Vice President Dick Cheney's ability to break 50-50 ties. This is because of a little-known Senate organizing resolution, passed in January, which gives Democrats control of the Senate and committee chairmanships until the beginning of the 111th Congress."

SO I called Harry Reid's office and was told that if Holy Joe did change control of the Senate would change. I asked are you sure and then told him about the article. He said he knew nothing about it and I said could you please try to find out. He said he would and then I said could someone get back to me. HE SAID NO we can not get back to you because you are not from Nevada. I said are you kidding me Harry Reid isn't just the Senator from Nevada he is the MAJORITY LEADER and I am a life long Democrat. He said I could call back later to see if they have found out if it were true or not. Then I asked can you give me an email address and I'll mail you the url - and he said go to Reid's website and you know that message will get lost among the zillions he gets.

So how can you help?

1. Has this info in the Political Insider been confirmed
2. If your from Nevada would you call Reid's office and ask them to confirm or deny this article and get back to you as a person from Nevada - and please get back to me if you get an answer.

I live in Florida - I have one right wing Repunk Senator and a almost right wing Dem Senator who actually said he believed the idiot in chief when he said Iraq had drones that could reach the east coast of the US - HELLO THAT IS 6,000 miles are there any drones anywhere that can travel freaking 6,000 miles - IDIOT or maybe he thinks we're idiots. Also Nelson's office will NEVER return my phone calls and the only thing I can do is leave a message with whatever person answers his phone....oh and my Congressman - vote stealing Feeney - LORD HELP ME.....

THANKS!

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

[Nite Owl]

2. Reid's office didn't know

about this? And here I thought that they were wise and did this on purpose. So much for thinking that Reid would actually do something to keep us in the majority.

[never_get_over_it]

7. Well at least the guy answering the phone

didn't know about it - but frightening isn't it. But I heard some woman on a call in show think it was Hartmann's but not entirely sure and she call a boat load of Congress critters about posse comitatus and NONE of them knew what she was talking about - we're friggin doomed

[helderheid]

3. on the greatest with a 5

[AndyA]

4. I think that's ridiculous.

A also hate the "as a courtesy to your representative, we will forward your message to their office." BULLSHIT.

I have Jim Inhofe, Tom Coburn, John Sullivan, etc. I DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION. IT WILL DO NO GOOD TO FORWARD ANYTHING TO THESE PEOPLE. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT ME OR MY PEERS.

As Majority Leader, I would expect Reid to be more representative of people from other states. But what the hell do I know.

I know a couple of people in Nevada, if no one else comes forward to help, I'll give them a call and ask them to do it and get back with me. I'll bookmark this thread.

[lyonn]

37. I feel your pain AndyA, those are also my congresscritters

Absolutely wasting our time with them. I too have gotten those patronizing answers to my e-mail.

But, for Reid's people to respond in that way does scare me. Have we lost our Congress and don't even know it? Bought and paid for?

Our House and Senate have all kinds of people on their staff to do research if they don't know the answers. Not knowing the answers makes all of us, a bit in the know, wonder what the hell they are doing up there.

I am not a Hillary fan, but, during Bill Clinton's reign so many things went right. He had years of republican devious deeds to undo. He did a damn good job considering how he was hammered from day one. Think of the Democratic Presidents we have had since Kennedy. Best I can remember is Johnson, Carter and Clinton!!??

Hillary may be too close to the corporate world. Still trying to keep an open mind. Reid doesn't instill me with much hope for a better representation by our Democratic Leaders. It worries me that the Dems in Congress are working for another term in office, not us. Tell me I'm wrong.

[helderheid]

5. SOMEONE IN NEVADA CALL!!

Please!

[wicket]

6. How about printing it out and faxing it to his office?

n/t

[helderheid]

10. EXCELLENT Idea! We should all do this!

[wicket]

48. Flood his fax machine!!!

:D

[never_get_over_it]

19. You know that is a good idea

but since I'm not from Nevada they won't get back to me but at least they will have the url

[helderheid]

20. DC Fax for Reid: Fax: [phone]

[Sammy Pepys]

8. Honestly...

You're a non-constituent asking one offce about the business of another. That's going to end up being the last of their priorities.

[never_get_over_it]

18. No not entirely true

I am not from Nevada but Reid is the majority leader - he is the leader of the Senate and I was asking about control of the Senate - who better to call about control of the Senate than the majority leader? Really I thought his office was the most logical place to call

Actually after I called his office I called Russ Feingold's office and begged them to help me - and they at least let me leave a message for the appropriate staff member - we'll see if he calls me back. For God's sake I have had a Kerry staff member who handle's Iraq issue return a call to me....and I'm sure as hec not from MA. BTW the guy at Bill Nelson's office who handles Iraq war issues NEVER called me back and I left multiple messages and btw I am his constituent.

[robinlynne]

21. Reid's office has always responded this way. It is not a new thing.

[Sammy Pepys]

22. "Who better to call than the majority leader?"

The Secretary of the Senate.

[lyonn]

42. Maybe Reid's reply explains our party's dilemma

Does he not realize he is Our Great Leader, Senate that is? Nancy Pelosi speaks for us but Reid is holding out. Why?

[renate]

9. you make an excellent point

As majority leader, shouldn't he have at least a tiny subset of his staff who can respond to people who aren't from Nevada?

I'll second your request for somebody from Nevada to contact his office. (About 15 years ago, while I was living in Texas, I wrote to Senator Paul Simon :loveya: of Illinois to ask for help for an overseas friend who was having trouble with the paperwork needed to move to Illinois to go to the U of I. I actually don't remember whether he could help me, because everything worked out fine after all, but I do remember that his office wrote back.)

[geiger]

14. I agree

when i was in high school and federal funding was cut off for summer employment programs, I wrote President Nixon, and not only did he write me back in a week, he had his staff contact the local administrative office and make sure I had a job.

Someone in that office needs to get a clue.

[SaveElmer]

11. Practical suggestion...

Harry Reid as majority leader I believe has his staff as a Senator from Nevada, and a seperate staff in his role as Majority leader...

You called his Nevada staff...and it is usually customary to only respond to constitutent requests...

You might try getting in touch somehow with majority staff...

[never_get_over_it]

25. Well I did mention to him

that I was not from Nevada and was calling because of his role as Majority Leader - if there was someone who handled Majority Leader stuff wouldn't he direct me there? Well one would think he would....

[MH1]

27. If that is true, his Senate staff should KNOW and properly direct the call.

I hope that staffer was the least competent one he has.

[oldtimecanuk]

12. I think a bunch of us not from Nevada should bombard his office...

and not be so nice about our approach either. This A...holes work for us, not the other way around...

Do we have contact phone numbers for the office?

ww

[aikoaiko]

13. I noticed something similar when I tried to email a rep from another district WITHIN my state

It wouldn't accept and said something along the lines of "because your zip code is outside the congressman's district, we cannot reply"

I wonder if there are new rules in play, or are they just following old rules better now.

[geiger]

17. they try to make it next to impossible

and it may be an attempt to cut down on frivilous emails, since they are so easy to send. I send faxes sometimes, but usually a hand-written letter is the most effective way of getting them to take you seriously.

[KellyW]

15. you should email Political insider

see if they are standing by their story. And see if the have a copy of the organizing resolution.

[helderheid]

16. WASHINGTON DC CONTACT INFORMATION

Washington
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone] / Fax: [phone]
Toll Free for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343) -Restricted to calls originating from area codes 775 and 702

[JacksonWest]

23. This is sort of a meaningless article.

The votes of the Senate are still going to be effected....but the Republicans won't be able to change chairs and all that jazz. Yeah, that's well known. Control is a relative term in this article. Control can be interpreted as the party that has the majority of votes, not the party that appoints to committees. So, even if Joe changes parties, it will have no effect until after the next election wave...it sort of protocol. Codified a few years ago.

The voting majority is still a problem, of course.

Sorry Reid wasn't more helpful.

[never_get_over_it]

29. Votes won't be effected by Holy Joe's change

no matter he will still vote against the Dems on the Iraq issues and any other war issues I'm sure. Control of the Committees and the Senate IS vitally important as the majority controls the agenda and what even gets to the Senate floor.

[lyonn]

44. Jackson, If I'm not mistaken, that is the question

If Joe turns how does that affect control of the Senate. You are saying you know that it won't. Hummmm?

[robinlynne]

24. I would recommend contacting Randi Rhodes, or one of the liberal news

people. they would be interested and can find out.

[DURHAM D]

26. Why are you all worked up?

If the resolution exists (and several sources have reported that it does) then Senator Reid is the one who wrote it. Good grief - stop and think.

What is the big deal. The people who answer the phones never know anything - they are trained to receive not provide information.

[Bitwit1234]

Even tho she is Speaker of the House ask Pelosi for help

Go to the website, that Nancy Pelosi has to inform people and give her the answer you got. I am sure they will make info more readily if enough complain.

[Bitwit1234]

28. Even tho she is Speaker of the House ask Pelosi for help

Go to the website, that Nancy Pelosi has to inform people and give her the answer you got. I am sure they will make info more readily if enough complain.

[napi21]

30. How about contacting the DNC?

Here's a link to the email contact info about issues. Howard seems to have put together a good team, and THEY have as much or more reason to want confirmation on this as YOU do!

http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues

[helderheid]

31. What I am sending to his DC fax right now:

Facsimile Cover Sheet

Pages (including cover sheet): 2
To: Majority Senate Leader Senator Harry Reid
Washington
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

From:me, my address and phone

RE: Senate Majority Status

Please take a look at this article found at:

http://politicalinsider.com/2007/02/liebermans_switch_wouldnt_flip.html

Which states that if Senator Lieberman chooses to switch to the Republican party, that the Senate Majority for the Democrats would remain until the 111th congress.

I have printed the article for your convenience which will follow this cover sheet.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[helderheid]

32. My fax confirmed it was sent

[helderheid]

41. It didn't ACTUALLY say sincerely, ooga booga smooga wooga. It was my name.

;)

[never_get_over_it]

33. OK I found this

http://hnn.us/articles/34708.html

which basically states the norm is to have the party that holds control at the beginning of the session holds it for the remainder of the session - and gives two exceptions. The organizing resolution for this session makes no provision for changing control as the two exceptions did and therefore I now believe that Holy Joe's switch won't flip the Senate control.... so the next question is why the hell are the Dems coddling this fool

Anyway I'm calling back Reid's office and educate them - shouldn't THEY KNOW THIS....


I should have googled before I posted but I needed to vent and I thank all of you who have responded...

[RiverStone]

35. more here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=293609&mesg_id=293609

I raised the exact same question 2 days ago. Both Media Matters and KOS have also said the same thing. The most complete story I found - stating the case for the DEMS retaining majority status is from KOS last month:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/18/211259/764

Best wishes getting a definitive answer on this question! :)

[helderheid]

38. see post 31

[never_get_over_it]

39. OK just called Reid's office back

and they are maintaining that LIEberman's switch will give committee control to the Repunks and then I explained the article and the apparent history of the Senate and he told me I was wrong and was actually quite nasty. I asked him if he wanted the url to this article http://hnn.us/articles/34708.html and he said NO and I said are you freaking kidding me you won't even look at this and possibly entertain this information you don't want to educate yourself. And then he took the url

And by the way he said they are gettin A LOT of calls you guys ROCK!!!!!

[Nite Owl]

43. I'm faxing them right now

It almost seems from the way that a lot of the Senate dems have been acting that they don't like that we did some research and have sort of blown their cover. Are they just using ol' Lieberman as their excuse? They seem committed to not listening to the dem base at all, this 'we will lose the chairs' looks like an excuse to keep us quiet.

[rosesaylavee]

34. Maybe post a link in the DU Nevada forum???

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=165

:shrug:

[BenDavid]

36. Are you happy Harry Reid?

Yes I can see how Joe would use that threat and he will use it too for the next 18 months. The saving grace will be that after the first Tuesday in November the Senate democrats will pick up from 5 to 8 seats and then hopefully the Dems will tell Harry Reid to strip JOEMO of his chairmanship and tell him to run along now and go and vote with the losers...

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[helderheid]

45. Thanks to everyone who is calling and/or faxing!

:hi:

[never_get_over_it]

46. Well as of two days ago the NY Times seems to agree

that Holy Joe's switch would not automatically change control of the Senate. Current organizing resoution would have to be changed.

http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/02/26/cq_2326.html

Why the HELL is Harry Reid's office saying their position is that LIEberman's switch would flip control? This is way too strange.

[helderheid]

47. THIS should be the article to fax - I'll get on it