Our latest victory and then some

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Subject: Congress will not authorize a naval blockade of Iran

We've won another victory -- this time in our fight against

H.Con.Res. 362. This House resolution would have urged President Bush

to impose a naval blockade on Iran, bringing the U.S. to a state of

undeclared war with that nation.

The House Democratic leadership has decided to NOT bring the

resolution to a vote.

This looks like it is a final victory. If any resolution comes to the

floor in the next Congress it is unlikely to include the naval

blockade.

This victory is due entirely to public pressure. DC Downsizers were a

major part of that pressure. Massive public protest led five

co-sponsors of the resolution to officially withdraw their names from

the bill, while other co-sponsors flipped and voiced strong opposition

to the naval blockade provision.

Jim Fine, the Legislative Secretary for our coalition partner, the

Friend's Committee, puts it this way, "None of us at FCNL can

remember another time when five members withdrew from a resolution

they had agreed to cosponsor."

H.Con.Res. 362 is also another demonstration of the need for Downsize

DC's "Read the Bills Act." Many of the co-sponsors were unaware of

what they were committing to, because they hadn't read the resolution

before agreeing to support it. Your pressure helped make them aware of

their error.

Pressure works, as long as there's enough of it, applied relentlessly

for a long enough time. We need to keep up the pressure, on all

fronts. Which means . . .

We need to continue to pressure Congress on old issues as we also

prepare for a long fight on the host of government interventions

surrounding the Big Bailout. We must not allow old transgressions to

be forgotten, and become locked in place, because the politicians

have diverted our attention to their latest set of crises.

For instance, let's not lose sight of our fight to repeal the REAL ID

Act. It's been a few weeks since we've pressured Congress on this

issue. They may think we've forgotten about it. Let's show them that

we haven't forgotten, and that we will never relent until we get what

we want. Send a message right now asking Congress to repeal the REAL

ID Act. <http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/30>

Tell Congress that you will not submit to a national identification

card loaded with highly sensitive personal bio-metric information.

You can send your message using our Educate the Powerful System.

<http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/30>

Please also make a contribution or start a monthly pledge so that we

can grow big enough to win more battles more often. You can

contribute instantly at our secure website, or print out the form and

mail a check to the address listed on the page.

<https://secure.downsizedc.org/contribute>

Congratulations on your latest victory, and thanks for being a part

of the growing Downsize DC army.

Jim Babka

President

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

[HKofsesshoumaru 673]

We have to stay on top of these things otherwise they slip past out noses. This is the first I heard of that National ID deal. Thanks for the post.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Don't feel too bad. Most of America is asleep at the wheel >.<