URGENT Obamacare Update – ACTION NEEDED NOW!

Over one million, six-hundred thousand Americans have signed the online DO NOT FUND OBAMACARE petition. Last week the House voted to fund the government, but NOT Obamacare, which is what We the People asked them to do.

Now Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Cornyn (R-TX) – the top two Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate have announced they will support “cloture” on the total government funding. This means the government funding bill which INCLUDES funding Obamacare can be passed with only 50 votes. These men who took an oath to uphold the Constitution are turning their backs on the wishes of the American people, their fellow partisan senators and siding with Obamacare. ✧ Call them now and tell them to represent The People, not Washington politicians.

Mitch McConnell - 202-224-2541
John Cornyn - 202-224-2934

Please go to THIS LINK for a list of senators to call and a script to print off so you can add your voice to this swelling cry! Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see who has pledged to not fund Obamacare!

(Hat tip: J.A. Hetterle) Read More......

Tell your Senators to oppose cloture on Judge Hamilton

Action Item: Senator Jeff Sessions is calling on his colleagues to filibuster Judge David Hamilton. Tell your Senator to oppose cloture on David Hamilton and filibuster his nomination to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

• Judge Hamilton, a district court judge, is Barack Obama's nominee to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. That very court has cited Judge Hamilton for abusing his power as a judge.
  
• In 1994, the 7th Circuit rebuked Judge Hamilton for denying a Rabbi the right to display a Menorah as part of an Indianapolis holiday display.
  
• In 2005, Judge Hamilton prohibited the Indiana House of Representatives from praying if Jesus's name was mentioned, but said praying in Allah's name was perfectly fine.
  
• He also is one of the most lenient judges in America when it comes to crime and criminals.
  
• In United States v. Rinehart, 2007 U.S. LEXIS 19498 (S.D. Ind. Feb 2, 2007), Judge Hamilton used his opinion to request clemency for a police officer who pled guilty to two counts of child pornography. The 32 year old officer had engaged in "consensual" sex with two teenagers and videotaped his activities.
  
• In United States v. Woolsey, 535 F.3d 540 (7th Cir. 2008), the Seventh Circuit faulted Judge Hamilton for disregarding an earlier conviction in order to avoid imposing a life sentence on a repeat offender.

Call your Senators. Tell your Senators to oppose cloture on Judge Hamilton and support a filibuster.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) - DC (202) 224-3753, Salem (503) 362-8102
Sen. Ron Wyden (D) - DC (202) 224-5244, Salem (503) 589-4555

(Hat tip: Patricia Anderson) Read More......

Action Item: Oppose Clean Water Restoration Act (S 787)

OREGONIANS IN ACTION: The United States Senate is considering adoption of S 787, also known as the Clean Water Restoration Act, an innocent sounding name for a bill that would have significant impacts on all private property owners across the United States.

If approved, S 787 would amend the Clean Water Act by extending the authority of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency, the two federal agencies charged with enforcing the Act.

Currently, the CWA regulates point source pollution discharges into "waters of the United States." The United States Supreme Court has interpreted the phrase "waters of the United States" to exclude isolated waters, such as ponds, intermittent streams, and wetlands which do not have a "significant nexus" to a navigable waterway. These bodies of water are not regulated by the CWA.

S 787 would change the CWA to significantly broaden the scope of the bill. If S 787 passes, it is hard to conceive of any kind of surface water source that would not be considered a "water of the United States." This could potentially mean that all land use activities near any type of surface water would require a federal permit. It could also be far less draconian than that. But the possibility of the federal control which S 787 could create makes it a very dangerous bill, and one that every property owner, as well as every state and local government that wants to retain control over land use matters in their jurisdiction, should oppose.

This is not the kind of legislation that will help Oregon property owners or Oregon's economy. The bill is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee this Thursday, despite the fact that the Committee has not held one hearing on the bill. Senator Jeff Merkley is on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Please call Senator Merkley's office and tell them that you oppose S 787 and that the federal government has no business regulating land use. That is an area for state, and preferably local, control. Demand that Senator Merkley call for hearings on S 787, and that he work closely with industry and property owners to understand that impacts that S 787 could have on small businesses and property owners.

Senator Merkley's number is (202) 224-3753.

Dave Hunnicutt
President
Oregonians In Action

Hat tip: Linda Weimee Read More......

ORGOP: CALL TO ACTION - HB 2157

From: Andrew Over, Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Dear Supporters,
The Republicans in the Legislature need your help! As we knew would happen, Democrats in the Legislature are trying to raise your taxes! This week, the Senate Democrats have called a special floor session to push Oregon HB 2157 through the Senate with almost no discussion or debate. The vote in the Senate on HB 2157 is scheduled for this Thursday, February 12th. HB 2157 was already rushed through the Oregon House and if passed in the Senate would:

• Disconnect Oregon from the federal tax code and deny Oregonians and Oregon companies the benefits of a federal stimulus package if it is passed by the U.S. Congress;
• Eliminate incentives included in the federal stimulus package to encourage businesses to purchase machinery, equipment, software and other items for sustaining manufacturing and production operations;
• Negatively impact Oregon’s business community and their ability to sustain or create jobs;
• Increase taxes on Oregonians receiving unemployment benefits; and
• Result in nearly $100 million in increased taxes on Oregonians and Oregon businesses.
  

Don’t stand by and watch the Democrats in Salem raise taxes in the middle of the current economic crisis! [Please take action]

Republican proposals for putting more money back in the pockets of taxpayers and giving incentives for businesses to create family-wage jobs have been ignored by the majority Democrats in Salem. But don’t let them ignore you! Please take a moment to call or email Democrats in Oregon Senate and tell them to vote “NO” on HB 2157!

The number for the capital switchboard in Salem is 503-986-1187 or toll-free 800-332-2313. You can also email one of the Democratic Senators below and urge them to vote “NO” on HB 2157.

Senator Alan Bates (Medford): sen.alanbates@state.or.us
Senator Betsy Johnson (Scappose): sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us
Senator Rick Metsger (Welches): sen.rickmetsger@state.or.us
Senator Bill Morrisette (Springfield): sen.billmorrisette@state.or.us
Senator Martha Schrader (Canby): sen.marthaschrader@state.or.us
Senator Joanne Verger (North Bend): sen.joanneverger@state.or.us
Senator Vicki Walker (Eugene): sen.vickiwalker@state.or.us
Senator Richard Devlin (Tualatin): sen.richarddevlin@state.or.us

Read More......

Action Alert: Tax evader for Treasury Secretary? I say "NO!"

MOVED TO TOP: PLEASE CALL EARLY MONDAY MORNING
If you have the time to call or send an e-mail to Senator Merkley or Senator Wyden, or both, that would be great.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, (202) 224-3753
Sen. Ron Wyden, (202) 224-5244

One person cannot change the future, but millions of people, sending millions of e-mails to their senators can make a huge difference.

Jeff Limón

The Senate Finance Committee Thursday (1/22) approved the nomination of Timothy Geithner for treasury secretary by an 18-5 vote (all 'no' votes were cast by Republicans), but his final confirmation before the full Senate has been delayed until next week (probably Monday, Jan. 26). Republicans seek to delve deeper into Mr. Geithner's personal finances and past policy decisions. Geithner failed to pay more than $34,000 in payroll taxes earlier in the decade.

The NY Times is tracking nominees and confirmations at 'The New Team'. Read More......