I ran a little poll while I was calling this morning.

[Graykat97]

Well I did a little poll when I was calling this morning:

12 have issued no statement either way
Lois Capps
Diana L DeGette
Doc Hastings
John Fleming
Donna M. Christensen
William Cassidy
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
Carol Shea-Porter
Pedro R. Pierluisi
Frank M. Kratovil Jr.
Nick Joe Rahall II
Donald E. Young

4 co-sponsored but one is claiming to be rethinking it due to all the calls
Neil Abercrombie
Dale E Kildee - this is our "rethinker"
Ronald James Kind
Gregorio Sablan

1 introduced
Madeleine Z Bordallo

1 has supported (whatever that means)
Frank J. Pallone Jr

2 adamantly opposed
Henry Brown
Jason Chaffetz

1 opposed
Robert J Wittman

1 "opposed it last congress so probably will this one too"
Jeff Flake

These numbers do not make me feel comfortable. KEEP CALLING!!!!!

[katiadarling]

Sorry for being ill informed, which are from Colorado?

[kc261]

DeGette and Lamborn are from Colorado.

Diana L. DeGette is a democrat from the 1st district (Denver area).

Douglas L. Lamborn is a republican from the 5th district (Colorado Springs and areas near there).

Even if they aren't your representative, call them and let them know you are from Colorado.

[cinderbird]

DeGette and Lamborn are from Colorado.

Diana L. DeGette is a democrat from the 1st district (Denver area).

Douglas L. Lamborn is a republican from the 5th district (Colorado Springs and areas near there).

Even if they aren't your representative, call them and let them know you are from Colorado.

can we do that?

[katiadarling]

kc261, thanks for the info! off to contact them!!

[ScottyBoa]

I'm not getting my hopes up just yet. I just hope the avalanche of letters/emails/calls has done enough to sway half the voters to vote no. I'll be watching tomorrow morning.

[mainbutter]

can we do that?

He meant even if you're a colorado resident but the rep. isn't from your district, let them know you are from colorado.

[JohnNJ]

Donald Young will oppose, according to a staffer I spoke with.

[kc261]

can we do that?

As a matter of fact, as a US citizen, you are entitled to call any member of congress. They are not obligated to care about what you have to say if you are not from their district, but you can certainly call.

However, this is a slightly different situation. Most of the determination of the exact wording that goes into a bill is done in subcommittees. Does that mean that if your representative doesn't happen to be on the subcommittee for a bill that you are interested in, that you are not allowed to have your say? Of course not! You can call them in their role as members of that subcommittee, which is different then calling them as your representative.

Also, just as a representative is much more likely to listen to someone from their district, they also care a little more about people from their state, even outside their district, than they do people outside their state. This is entirely self-serving on their part, and has nothing to do with what they are supposed to do as representatives. They care because they may some day decide to run for Senator or Governor, and then they'll need the votes of everyone in the state. We can still use that to our advantage.

[cinderbird]

He meant even if you're a colorado resident but the rep. isn't from your district, let them know you are from colorado.

As a matter of fact, as a US citizen, you are entitled to call any member of congress. They are not obligated to care about what you have to say if you are not from their district, but you can certainly call.

However, this is a slightly different situation. Most of the determination of the exact wording that goes into a bill is done in subcommittees. Does that mean that if your representative doesn't happen to be on the subcommittee for a bill that you are interested in, that you are not allowed to have your say? Of course not! You can call them in their role as members of that subcommittee, which is different then calling them as your representative.

Also, just as a representative is much more likely to listen to someone from their district, they also care a little more about people from their state, even outside their district, than they do people outside their state. This is entirely self-serving on their part, and has nothing to do with what they are supposed to do as representatives. They care because they may some day decide to run for Senator or Governor, and then they'll need the votes of everyone in the state. We can still use that to our advantage.

I have addresses in two states right now (college address and "home") and neither of them are in any of the states/territories that the reps are in. I've emailed my home rep but i never received a response. I even had to find out my extra 4 digit zip code (to make it the 9 digit one) before it would let me send an email.

I just feel so useless because none of the reps are from my state(s). Ive sent my letters and my emails and made other phone calls but still.

/now back to your regularly scheduled informative thread.