Remember What We Voted For (Mary Lyon)

[Tace]

By Mary Lyon, From The Left -- World News Trust

Jan. 4, 2006 -- The new year, the new Congress, the new Senate, and the new Democratic majorities have but one watch-phrase as they take over power: The watch-phrase is REMEMBER WHAT WE VOTED FOR.

I was busy all morning, starting the moment my daughter shut the front door behind her to head off to school for the day. I called my congressman (Waxman). I called my senators (Boxer, Feinstein). And I called other people’s congress members and senators. The glow that comes from sitting on a large pile of laurels doesn’t last long. Celebrations and victory laps notwithstanding, it’s time to get to work. For anyone on the other side who is still trying to ignore the facts, it’s high time they were reminded: The Democrats won. The Democrats control both houses of Congress, AND the agendas therein. And it appears as though some Democrats are going to need reminders of that, also. Mainly, they need to be nudged, and frequently so, about WHAT WE VOTED FOR.

I shot across the room to my phone to call Michigan Senator Carl Levin’s office as soon as I heard the TV pundits talking about Levin’s sending recent signals about the troop surge that George Bush wants to send to Iraq. The incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, an opponent of the war since he voted in 2002 against the use of military force in Iraq. But now, is he capitulating? On TV they talked about how Levin has now indicated he MIGHT support the surge, at least conditionally. I couldn’t dial the number fast enough. When I got through to his office, I couldn’t express my opinion ardently enough -– “NO!!! NO surge!!! NO war! The war must stop NOW!!!” And the clincher: “REMEMBER WHAT WE VOTED FOR!”

I have no shame. I will call republi-CONS as well as Democrats. Mitch McConnell, Chuck Hagel, Gordon Smith and John McCain got a piece of my mind on this morning. Did THEY remember what we voted for? The war? A big fat NO. The surge? Not on your life! The GOP remaining in power? You tell me, now that the Pelosi era has begun. Continuing mindlessly to do Bush’s bidding? Hardly. Two more years of republi-CON rubberstamps? I don’t think so. That’s not why we went to the polls in droves, in numbers that overwhelmed any Rovian attempts to game the system. Clearly, the staffers in these offices didn’t want to hear such talk (except for Hagel’s -- they were surprisingly congenial). Perhaps on an opening day like this one, the reminders were painfully obvious enough, as they watched their colleagues get up and move out of the seats at the heads of all the tables and the House gavel relinquished from republi-CON hands. But a few more nudges can’t hurt. In fact, they’re essential. Moreso now than ever before.

more

http://www.worldnewstrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=788

[calimary]

1. Kick!

Thanks, Tace!

[Sapphire Blue]

2. I remember. I'm calling. I'm also nudging others ;)

:hi: K&R


(btw - I was just called a nudge yesterday ;).)

[calimary]

3. Excellent! Hey, I've been called a LOT worse!

;)

Cheers!

[Sapphire Blue]

4. In my case, it was well deserved ;)

[Radio_Lady]

10. Used in a sentence, "She was a noodge, but she gave us a nudge!"

[puebloknot]

14. I feel nudged. I think I'll call! :) nt

[Sapphire Blue]

18. At your service ;) The toll-free number is 1-800-459-1887 :)

Call: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3043259

And sign: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3044895

:hi:

[hashibabba]

5. Great post! Yes, we all need to continually remind our

representatives why they're there and what their people expect.

[calimary]

6. Thanks! And I think we need to remind OURSELVES that this is

possible. I'm literally filled with a sense of the possible today. And it's because WE made it so.

But now is NOT the time to get complacent.

[brer cat]

8. ...filled with a sense of the possible...

What a great feeling!

The last paragraph is so powerful it needs to be in this thread:

"...That makes it all the more critical that the accountability lost as 2006 faded to black be resurrected, and diligently pursued in this new year. The first week of 2007 ends on a far more hopeful note than the one before it did. We’re owed. We’re owed answers. Lots of them. We’re owed reparations, remedies, radical course changes, and fiends brought to justice, not just more slick talk and spin. We’re owed an end to the war and the looting of our treasury and the raping of our Constitution and the flagrant violation of our laws and the ruining of our reputation in the eyes of the world. We’re owed it, and so are the now three-thousand-plus American soldiers who’ve died -– in vain. They gave their all for it. The rest of us voted for it last November -– in unmistakable majorities. And ALL of Capitol Hill, Democrats AND the GOP alike, had better remember that. "


:applause:

[calimary]

20. Thank you!

Glad you liked it.

:toast:

Sometimes I feel like I'm grabbing shirt collars and shaking til I'm ready to collapse. But we're OWED. We put them there. Now they MUST do our bidding.

BTW, any time any of us calls our reps - if they're Dems - BE SURE to mention that YOU are one of the MILLIONS who worked our butts off all last year to get them where they are now: IN THE MAJORITY. Make SURE you do that. They're there for one reason: BECAUSE WE PUT THEM THERE, and in greater numbers than the vote hackers/stealers/fuckers could anticipate or handle. They owe us BIGTIME. A thoughtful reminder of that WHENEVER you call will be helpful.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Very strong piece -- you go, girl! nt

[calimary]

23. Thanks! I SO much want to see our Dems remember who brought

them to the dance. It is VITAL that they not forget how they got there. We've got a huge mess to clean up and a LOT of accountability to demand.

AND it's just as important to remind the surviving republi-CONS that the same thing can happen to THEM in two years. I think maybe that's what's motivating people like Gordon Smith and smarmy normy coleman to start backing away from the damned war.

[Radio_Lady]

9. DUer Calimary is my guest next Monday 1/08 on OPB's "Golden Hours"

We talked politics for more than 1/2 hour! I pre-recorded this great guest on Friday... thanks Mary.

How do you hear my show? Oregon Public Broadcasting offers a 24/7 secondary program service called "Golden Hours" on a local TV subchannel and as well as streaming it on the internet.

My program is on each Monday afternoon, and starts a few minutes after 1 PM Pacific Time on the Internet. (Please adjust for your time zone!)

To hear my show on the Internet, go to:
http://www.opb.org/programs/streams

In the SECOND PARAGRAPH, choose a "Golden Hours" media player. You will be connected to the 24/7 "Golden Hours" feed. Be patient through the station breaks and news at the top of the hour.

If you have any problems or wish to contact me directly, kindly send me a private message on the Democratic Underground.

In peace,

Radio Lady

[calimary]

12. And DANG but that was fun! I enjoyed every second of it.

You do a great hosting job! And thanks for the plugs!

:hug:

[puebloknot]

15. Confused. Please clarify.

Mary is on your show on Monday, but you have "pre-recorded this great guest."

Is the show with Mary live on Monday, so we can call in and comment, or is this already done, and will be streaming?

I have two neurons firing. With four, imagine what I could accomplish! :)

[calimary]

16. We taped it this morning. She's re-running it on Monday.

Wouldn't it be fun, though, sometime, to get a DU radio network together? LOTTA, LOTTA, LOTTA intelligent people here to keep the needle moving!

[puebloknot]

17. Oh, let's do it! Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nt

[ClassWarrior]

22. I second those three yeses and all those exclamation points.

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

25. .

[calimary]

26. Yeah, me, too!

:headbang:

[Radio_Lady]

21. My show with Mary was pre-recorded on Friday. There are no breaks or call-ins.

It is a straight interview show of 50 minutes in length. Mary and I spoke for just over 30 minutes at the top of the show. The rest of the program is devoted to film reviews.

It will be broadcast on Monday 1/08/07 afternoon at 1 PM Pacific Time. (Please adjust for your time zone!)

You need to go to my journal and read the right column for more details on how to hear/record the program.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Radio_Lady (The RIGHT COLUMN contains the instructions.)

If you're still confused, please PM me.

Thanks... RL

[nam78_two]

11. K&R

Excellent and much needed reminder.

[calimary]

24. Indeed. Merci beaucoup!

Hugs!

[puebloknot]

13. A passionate piece, my patriotic phrend! :) K&R

Yes, yes, yes, it feels good to have a new start. And you are just so spot on when you say we are owed.

I worked with a woman from Israel who became a very good friend. We were selling medical insurance at the time. She said to me one day, "It is ridiculous that a country as rich as the U.S. cannot organize itself to take care of the medical needs of its people. Having good medical care is a basic right."

I have never forgotten what her saying that did to me. It woke me up that I didn't need to play small and feel guilt that I had some health problems and not much money. I was and am *owed* good medical care, shelter from the storm, food to eat. And so is everyone else.

We the People have to get hold of that concept in our minds and run with it. We don't call or write letters asking "pretty please." We remind our representatives that we are owed!

Thanks, Mary, for that new mantra! "I am owed; I am owed; I am owed; we all are owed"!

Oh, yes, one more thing: *Impeachment* is our right; we are owed that under our Constitution, when impeachable crimes are documented and brought to light!

Cheers,

Judy B.

[ClassWarrior]

19. Remember. And visualize.

NGU.