& I hate interesting weeks in the Senate.
From GOA:
"On Tuesday, the Senate is scheduled to begin consideration of legislation to limit class action lawsuits -- a prime candidate for so-called liberal "killer amendments," including the Feinstein amendment to extend the ban on semiautomatic firearms and magazines."
(The bill mentioned above is S. 2602)
More or less we should expect Difi to try to have her "assault weapons" ban renewal amended to S. 2602. & the most certain way we can prevent this is to stop it before it gets a vote on the floor of the Senate.
The GOA alert goes on to include the following advice:
"ACTION: Please contact Senate Majority Leader Frist. Tell him to use whatever parliamentary tools are necessary to block consideration of the Feinstein semi-auto ban -- particularly as an amendment to the class action bill.
You can call Senator Frist at (202) 224-3344, or go to http://www.frist.senate.gov and select 'Contact Senator Frist' under the 'About Senator Frist' heading to send a message similar to the one below. "
Here's a link to the GOA's Legislative Action Center. All you do is put in your zip code in the "Elected Officials" box & it brings up the information for your area. Then you just click on the appropriate congresscritter & find out how to contact him/her.
I would ask you use the following tactic when talking or communicating with the congresscritters in question:
Be very concise & brief. Most of the time a staffer will read your e-mail or letter or talk to you on the phone. They'll then jot down a binary summation of what you tell them. Long rambling benedictions may feel good, but it'll get boiled down to a "support or oppose' by the staffer.
That being said sometimes a little elaboration is helpful - not on why you want a particular action, but on what your intentions are should that action not be accomplished. Staffers will pay a little closer attention if you mention your vote for their boss is on the line.
So simply explain that you wish to see no gun control laws passed. Period. If one, such as the "assault weapons" ban is voted for by your rep then he'll lose your vote. If it is passed regardless of your rep's vote then you will note vote for anyone in his entire party. That will usually get their attention & may (or may not) defray any attempts to pass a bill while making sure those up for re-election aren't forced to vote for it.
Calling is much better than e-mailing simply because it is digested quicker than an e-mail (or snail mail for that matter).
With all this in mind call your Senators & tell them a vote for any gun control will cause you to vote for someone else. A new or renewed gun control law will cause you to vote for another party.
Be ready to really light up the phones should Difi get her AWB renewal to the floor of the Senate. Last time the pressure we put on the Senate (& the NRA) helped to make sure the AWB renewal wasn't passe as part of a larger bill. Hopefully we can do the same again, but don't think it'll be easy.
Posted by Publicola at July 4, 2004 02:56 PMThere's an interesting take on this over at KABA that suggests that Fienstein may recognize that her bill has no chance whatever, but wants to be able to say she fought to the last. In an exercise in symbolism, she may attach it, like a pair of cement overshoes, to a tort reform bill relating to class action lawsuits, thus giving her political cover on the gun issue, and scuttling the tort reform, keeping those checks from the ATLA coming in. She may be crazy, but she's not stupid.
Posted by: Billll at July 4, 2004 08:00 PM