On the eve of what could be the biggest giveaway in the political history of the United States by one political party to another, I got to thinking -- where have all the Democrats gone? Because as surely as Washington is saying "Cut Social Security and Medicare" there can be none left in the three Houses (White, Yellow and Red) in the District of Columbia.
And then the answer came to me.
- They've gone to Wisconsin, to fight in the State Senate recalls and to turn Fitzwalkerstan back into a first-world state.
- They've gone to Ohio, where they gathered 1.3 million signatures to overturn Kaisch's labor law.
- They've gone to Michigan, where they are fighting their own so-called Democratic Party to recall their own version of Scott Walker, Rick Snyder, and give democracy back to its towns and cities.
- They've gone to California, where they are desperately trying to save the state by enacting single-payer health care (e.g., Single Payer Now and California One Care).
- They've gone to Maine, where they've been working hard and long to convince Maine voters to reconsider their ban on marriage equality, and to undo their state's new law forbidding same-day voter registration.
- They've gone to Colorado, where they will be trying to put a marriage equality initiative on the ballot.
Trying to turn back Republican cuts on the poor, the sick and the elderly. Working for labor rights, and the right of people to have a voice in their local affairs. Working against tax cuts for the rich. Working for health care as a right for everyone. Working for voting rights, civil rights and equality for all.
This is where the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party has headed, unable as it is to have its voice heard in Congress -- despite Democrats being in control of the Senate and the White House. Despite campaigns by progressive organizations like Moveon, and other organizations like AARP, Democrats in Washington just don't seem to be listening.
"What's that you're saying? Sorry, I can't hear you... You say you want the rich to pay less taxes -- I'm on it!"
Not only are they not listening, but in doing so they seem intent on cutting their own throats. Are they so blind and deaf as to not understand that Americans do not want Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security cut, and they want taxes on the rich raised (CNN/ORC Poll, July 18-20, 2011), even as they espouse the goal of debt reduction and a balanced budget? Are they really so stupid as to have already forgotten why Kathy Hochul was elected in a Republican-leaning district in a special election in New York just weeks ago? Do they think that Weinergate somehow erased the outrage Americans felt over Paul Ryan's budget proposals?
Not only are they not listening, and cutting their own throats, but there is a huge danger that the debacle-to-be in Washington will all but destroy the state movements I have alluded to. Not in any direct sense but indirectly, as those who might fight come to perceive that it is hopeless (true or not).
When your leaders abandon their principles, willing to hand the keys over to a fanatical dont-tax-me-bro cult, it is hard not to despair.
But we have to make them listen. All you activists out there in the hinterlands trying to make a difference -- stop for one moment and turn your attention back to the Washington swamp.
Below is contact information for all 53 so-called Democratic Senators. Any forty-one of them can stop the Obama-Boehner-megaddon in its tracks if they can only be made to listen to the American people, if not for the people's sake, then at least for their own. Give them a piece of a real progressive's mind.
Democratic Senators
State |
Name |
Phone |
Email |
Alaska |
Mark Begich |
202-224-3004 |
email |
Arkansas |
Mark Pryor |
202-224-2353 |
email |
California |
Barbara Boxer |
202-224-3553 |
email |
California |
Diane Feinstein |
202-224-3841 |
email |
Colorado |
Michael Bennet |
202-224-5852 |
email |
Colorado |
Mark Udall |
202-224-5941 |
email |
Connecticut |
Richard Blumenthal |
202-224-2823 |
email |
Connecticut |
Joe Lieberman |
202-224-4041 |
email |
Delaware |
Tom Carper |
202-224-2441 |
email |
Delaware |
Christopher Coons |
202-224-5042 |
email |
Florida |
Bill Nelson |
202-224-5274 |
email |
Hawaii |
Daniel Akaka |
202-224-6361 |
email |
Hawaii |
Daniel Inouye |
202-224-3934 |
email |
Illinois |
Dick Durbin |
202-224-2152 |
email |
Iowa |
Tom Harkin |
202-224-3254 |
email |
Louisiana |
Mary Landrieu |
202-224-5824 |
email |
Maryland |
Ben Cardin |
202-224-4524 |
email |
Maryland |
Barbara Mikulski |
202-224-4654 |
email |
Massachusetts |
John Kerry |
202-224-2742 |
email |
Michigan |
Debbie Stabenow |
202-224-4822 |
email |
Michigan |
Carl Levin |
202-224-6221 |
email |
Minnesota |
Amy Klobuchar |
202-224-3244 |
email |
Minnesota |
Al Franken |
202-224-5641 |
email |
Missouri |
Claire Mccaskill |
202-224-6154 |
email |
Montana |
Jon Tester |
202-224-3644 |
email |
Montana |
Max Baucus |
202-224-2651 |
email |
New Jersey |
Frank Lautenberg |
202-224-3224 |
email |
New Jersey |
Bob Menendez |
202-224-4744 |
email |
Nebraska |
Ben Nelson |
202-224-6551 |
email |
Nevada |
Harry Reid |
202-224-3542 |
email |
New Hampshire |
Jeanne Shaheen |
202-224-2841 |
email |
New Mexico |
Jeff Bingaman |
202-224-5521 |
email |
New Mexico |
Tom Udall |
202-224-6621 |
email |
New York |
Kirsten Gillibrand |
202-224-4451 |
email |
New York |
Chuck Schumer |
202-224-6542 |
email |
North Carolina |
Kay Hagan |
202-224-6342 |
email |
North Dakota |
Kent Conrad |
202-224-2043 |
email |
Ohio |
Sherrod Brown |
202-224-2315 |
email |
Oregon |
Jeff Merkley |
202-224-3753 |
email |
Oregon |
Ron Wyden |
202-224-5244 |
email |
Pennsylvania |
Bob Casey |
202-224-6324 |
email |
Rhode Island |
Jack Reed |
202-224-4642 |
email |
Rhode Island |
Sheldon Whitehouse |
202-224-2921 |
email |
South Dakota |
Tim Johnson |
202-224-5842 |
email |
Vermont |
Patrick Leahy |
202-224-4242 |
email |
Vermont |
Bernie Sanders |
202-224-5141 |
email |
Virginia |
Mark Warner |
202-224-2023 |
email |
Virginia |
Jim Webb |
202-224-4024 |
email |
Washington |
Maria Cantwell |
202-224-3441 |
email |
Washington |
Patty Murray |
202-224-2621 |
email |
West Virginia |
Joe Manchin |
202-224-3954 |
email |
West Virginia |
Jay Rockefeller |
202-224-6472 |
email |
Wisconsin |
Herb Kohl |
202-224-5653, |
email |
9:54 AM PT: SenGillibrand Kirsten Gillibrand via twitter:
We must reduce spending & our debt, but not on the backs of seniors, veterans & working families. We must protect #Medicare, #SS & #Medicaid
11:44 AM PT: You can use this page to contact your US House of Representatives person.
2:04 PM PT: Letter from BoldProgressives courtesy of cooper888:
We're making progress! Thanks to our grassroots phone calls, the number of House members who signed the Progressive Caucus letter opposing any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits has jumped from 2 to 80!
Tool for contacting reps: http://act.boldprogressives.org/...
(the number was 70 some days ago, so actual progress, if not enough)
Update: Letter from MoveOn. Better late than never, I suppose:
Dear MoveOn member,
If you've been tuning out the fight in Washington over the "debt ceiling," it's time to tune in. Right now.
The New York Times reports that President Obama and Speaker John Boehner are close to reaching a secret agreement that includes deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, but have no immediate plan to make millionaires and corporations pay their fair share.1, 2
This is an absolutely critical moment for MoveOn members to make an impact.
Democratic Leaders in Congressincluding Minority Leader Pelosi and Majority Leader Reidhave consistently said that a lopsided deal like this is a non-starter.3 But if a backroom deal is reached, they'll be under extraordinary pressure to go along. They need to hear loud and clear from their donors, volunteers, and voters that such a deal would be completely unacceptable.
Things are moving very quickly right now, so we're joining other key progressive groups for today's Emergency Call-In Day to Demand They Stand Strong. Democrats in Congress need to hear that if they stand firm against any debt ceiling deal that goes after the elderly and poor, we'll have their backs.
Update: Letter from the SEIU:
Did you hear the breaking news yesterday?
The New York Times reported on a debt ceiling deal that would make deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security benefits without asking for an ounce of sacrifice from corporations and millionaires.
The bill would add millions to the unemployment rolls and deny medical care to the most vulnerable among us - including many of the people SEIU members care for on a daily basis.
It's up to us to stop this bill. You should make an emergency call to your member of Congress RIGHT NOW and tell them to stand strong against these cuts. Use this phone number:
1-877-736-7831
Together we can stop this bill with enough grassroots participation. Today, dozens of member-driven groups are pushing calls to Congress encouraging their representatives to stand strong against these outrageous cuts.
2:23 PM PT: More from BoldProgressives:
We're making progress! Thanks to thousands of calls from PCCC members this week, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) became the 7th senator to support Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's (D-RI) resolution opposing any deal that cuts Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Uh, seven?