"Remember when you see DiFi that she voted in favor of the exclusivity clause -- that there is no law other than FISA that governs surveillance of foreign intelligence, and that she voted for (and proposed) SAmdt.3919 certification of the telecom's authorization in FISC instead of immunity. Her's wasn't as good as the House bill but had some similarity.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/amendment.xpd?session=110&amdt=s3919

And remember that she voted against the Senate bill on February 12. You are asking her to vote for the House bill, please don't chastise her for voting for the Rockefeller bill in February, because she didn't."

Okay, good to know, ondelette. If you got more for me to keep in mind as I wade into the fray in Long Beach, please pass it on!

Here's my email address, in case you wanna contact me that way:

patsburgh (at) yahoo (dot) com

Thanks,

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA

"The reason I've always been so hard on Jane Harman in the past is because she's very smart and exerts a lot of influence in that caucus -- among Blue Dogs especially -- on these issues."

Another good reason to be hard on Jane Harman is that she represents a very liberal district (Venice [!], California... the city in which I lived up 'til just a few months ago) and she's a Blue Dog, center-right Democrat. There were many times I'd read about a vote my congresswoman had cast and I'd feel compelled to look out my window and verify that the congressional district in which I lived wasn't situated in Provo, UT or Camas, WA.

Now I'm represented by Diane Watson. She's unremarkable, to be sure, but at least she's a reliably progressive vote whose voting record actually is in accordance with the general will of the constituency she's been elected to represent. It seems like so little to ask for, but after life with Harman, I'll take it.

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA

Go See DiFi.....

"There may not be a Q&A"....

WHO THE HELL CARES???????!!!!!!!!!!!!

STAND UP AND SCREAM AT THE BITCH!

REMEMBER: You are RIGHT. She is WRONG.

How hard is that?

What ever happened to civil disobedience?

(Uh..... it might affect your credit rating....)"

I just wanna be smart, is all.

I've done my share of screaming at DiFi's staff on this specific issue, and--to all appearances--it hasn't nudged Feinstein's stance on the FISA one iota.

If me calmly asking DiFi a respectful question that puts her in an awkward position in front of hundreds of witnesses puts more constructive leverage on DiFi than me screaming something at her and being hustled out of the room like a homeless guy who just peed on the carpet, then I suppose it'd be smarter for me to do the former rather than the latter.

But, you're right, if she says "No Questions" and bolts for the door, I'll have a decision to make. Damn. Hope it doesn't come to that.

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA

"I hope everyone goes to any town halls or other event their senators are holding during the recess. Especially if they are on the wrong side of this."

This is an excellent idea. It just so happens that Dianne Feinstein (who is, most definitely, on the wrong side of this) will be coming to SoCal during the recess and will be appearing at the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. It's scheduled for Thursday, March 27th at the Hilton Hotel in Long Beach (701 West Ocean Blvd.). Registration is 11am, and the lunch is 11:30.

The bad news is that tix cost $35 apiece, and the other bad news is that there's no guarantee that DiFi will be doing a Q&A (the LB Chamber person told me she probably wouldn't, and DiFi's District Director told me she probably would). So you pays yer money and you takes yer chances.

But for a shot at the opportunity to look my Democratic Senator from California dead in the eye and ask her why she's standing with George W. Bush, the GOP and the telecoms in their fight to illegally spy on Americans without a warrant, it may be worth the $35 gamble.

I think I'm gonna go.

Here's a link to pre-register for the event:

http://www.chamberhub.com/cgi/foxweb.dll/wlx/cal/wlxprofile?caleid=1405&cc=LONGBC

See ya there!

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA

This was well worth fifty bucks of my money.

I understand, strategically, the purpose behind limiting this campaign to congressional targets, but emotionally, I wish I could've cast a vote for (er, against) my senator: Dianne Feinstein.

I can't count the hours I spent last year pleading (PLEADING!) with DiFi (via her staff, of course) to stand against retroactive immunity... and of course she rolled over like the piece of elected garbage we all knew she was and is. Lo, so many times (leading up to her eventual announcement), her legislative aides told me, "The Senator simply hasn't yet determined her position on retroactive immunity," and I was like, "Oh, man, I'm just *dying* from the suspense. Who could possibly guess which way she'll go on this?"

I'm getting all re-angered just thinking about it.

So, anyhoo, my finger just clicked the button next to Heath Shuler, but my heart sent that fifty bucks in DiFi's name.

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA