Updated with New Information: Stop the Nuclear Option - CALL These Senators NOW!
Reported by Marie Therese - May 18, 2005
Sen. Bill Frist is ready to call for a vote on the nuclear option, undoubtedly believing he has strong-armed enough moderate Republicans into getting rid of the filibuster. Now is the time to get out of your chair and do something. There are five Senators who might still be persuaded to put the long-term future of the country ahead of short-term gain for their party - who might still be convinced that the filibuster is an honorable tradition that has served for 200 years as a last refuge for the minority voice. 49 million of us did not vote for their candidate. That's a lot of voting power. Let's remind these Senators that we are Americans, too. E-mails won't work. A personal phone call from you - even if you are not a constitutent - might turn the tide.
When you call be respectful and succinct. Give them your name and the state you are calling from. If you are not a constitutent, you might want to say that you are calling as an American citizen to let the Senator know that you consider this vote on the filibuster so important that you have taken the time to contact his/her office to let him/her know that you are opposed to altering the rules of the Senate merely over the question of six judicial nominees. It is best to be yourself. (I usually jot down a few key words so I remember to say exactly what I meant to say. Some people actually write out their entire speech! Do whatever works best for you. You are an American citizen and your opinion does count.) If you need some help, go to Save the Filibuster. They have a long list of talking points you can use to help you frame your statement.
You will not be able to speak directly to your Senator but will be speaking with a member of his/her staff. Despite your fears that they will "throw away" your statement if you are not one of that Senator's constituents, Senators' offices do not usually write down everything you say. However, they do keep a running log of the number of calls that have come in, noting how many are from consitutents, how many are from out-of-state and what the prevailing opinion is.
This has impact, especially when the opinion of the constitutents begin to go against the Senator's stated position. Ideologically rigid Senators will ignore input that counters what they believe. However, most of these guys want to get re-elected (and some like Hagel want to be President), so they do pay attention to feedback from the general populace as well.
Don't worry about form, however. It's the content that matters. These Senators need to know that this vote is the vote of their lives. It is the vote that will go down in the history books. It is the vote that will be their legacy to future generations.
Here's the contact information. I've provided as many phone numbers as possible. If one office is busy, try another. Don't give up until you talk to someone!
Toll-free number to the Capitol switchboard
(This line may be busy, especially if volume gets heavy.) 1(877)762-8762
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Washington: 202-224-6665
Anchorage Office: 907-271-3735
Fairbanks Office: 907-456-0233
Juneau Delegation Office: 907-586-7400
Kenai Delegation Office: 907-283-5808
Ketchikan Delegation Office: 907-225-6880
MatSu Delegation Office: 907-376-7665
Bethel Delegation Office: 907-543-1639
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Washington: (202) 224-2523
Augusta Office: (207) 622-8414
Bangor Office: (207) 945-0417
Biddeford Office: (207) 283-1101
Caribou Office: (207) 493-7873
Lewiston Office: (207) 784-6969
Portland Office: (207) 780-3575
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Washington (202) 224-5344
Toll free within Maine: (800) 432-1599
TDD - Maine Relay Service: 1-955-3323
Auburn Office: (207) 786-2451
Augusta Office: (207) 622-8292
Bangor Office: (207) 945-0432
Biddeford Office: (207) 282-4144
Portland Office: (207) 874-0883
Presque Isle Office: (207) 764-5124
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Washington: (202) 224-4224
Kearney Office: (308) 236-7602
Lincoln Office: (402) 476-1400
Omaha Office: (402) 758-8981
Scottsbluff Office: (308) 632-6032
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Washington: (202) 224-4254
Allentown Office: 610-434-1444
Erie Office: 814-453-3010
Harrisburg Office: 717-782-3951
Philadelphia Office: 215-597-7200
Pittsburgh Office: 412-644-3400
Scranton Office: 570-346-2006
Wilkes-Barre Office: 570-826-6265
Sen. John Warner (R-VA)
Washington: (202) 224-2023
Abingdon Office: (276) 628-8158
Midlothian Office: (804) 739-0247
Norfolk Office: (757) 441-3079
Roanoke Office: (540) 857-2676
Also, if your Senator is a Republican who plans to vote in favor of the "nuclear option," call him/her as well and express your disapproval. Let them know they represent not one party in your state, but TWO parties. If you have Republican friends or co-workers who are not happy about overturning the filibuister, get them to call.
You can find ALL Senators' contact information by going to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
If you do not know the details of your Senator's voting record, you can go to Project Vote Smart and enter the last name of your Senator into their search box and get a LOT of information. However, so far I've had no luck finding a site that lists all of the Senators and what their positions on the filibuster are. I'll post that information when I find it.
Addendum 5/17/05 4:20 PM EDT
Link to funny cartoon about the nuclear option from the Village Voice (Thanks to Kim Pb.D. for this one!)
Addendum 5/18/05 m11:50 AM
I've updated this post thanks again to our wonderful News Hounds Irregulars, our readers, who constantly amaze me with their knowledge.
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has been added to the list (thanks for this tip from "Hitman").
Also, I've added a link to a site where those of you who are new to activism can learn about your Senator's voting record and his/her positions on various issues and I expanded on the instructions for calling Senators to help those like our reader "SeeThroughIt" who are new to this whole process.
