So, I pick up the phone to make my calls for the Virtual March on Washington I try Feinstein, Boxer, and Tom Daschle's line... all circuits are busy. But are they busy in all of Washington DC? Apparently not... I just tried another government number in Washington, DC and it worked like a charm. "Selective busyness" is the business of our government today, apparently.
When we took to the streets in protest, we were told that we were a bunch of traitorous lackeys of Saddam Hussein, and that if we really believed in democracy, we'd contact our politicians. When we made a effort en masse to contact our politicians, they said that we were "shutting down government for the rest of the people", would be ignored and should vote instead... except I remember what happened when we voted for the President, only to have Republicans play games with the system so that the will of the people was ignored.
What is the point of fighting a war to "bring democracy to Iraq" (at gunpoint, by military rule...) if it deals a harsh blow to democracy in the United States, the UK, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Spain, and every other place in the world where the will of the people are being ignored?
Good thing that we live in a plutocratic republic, because democracy can be so inconvenient for those actually running the show...
Screw that. I'm hitting redial, and I will keep on calling, even if I have to wait until next week to be heard. You can and should call them too.
Senator Feinstein 202-224-3841
Senator Boxer 202-224-3553
The White House 202-456-1414 or 202-456-1111
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist 202-224-3344
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle 202-224-2321
Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell 202-224-2541
Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid 202-224-3542