Grassroots Activists Under Attack
Dear Fellow Grassroots Activist,
Under the smokescreen of cleaning up politics, members of Congress are using "lobbying reform" legislation to silence what they consider to be pesky grassroots groups on the right and the left.
The grassroots are the people, and we need to take urgent action!
S. 2128 by Senator John McCain and 6 cosponsors has already been reported out of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and will be considered by the full Senate at any time!
The onerous legislation would require groups to notify Congress in advance of the details of their grassroots communications and file costly and burdensome quarterly reports showing the costs and other details of those communications.
The dangers of these regulations are not only that they are unconstitutional, but would be an effective means to silence many grassroots causes who cannot afford the costly compliance requirements, as well as provide Congress, the institutional media and grassroots opponents of grassroots activities.
My article in Monday's Washington Times explains why incumbents fear the grassroots. It is on-line at http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060305-093316-4503r.htm .
The grassroots are not the cause of Congressmen taking money and gifts for political favors and appropriations earmarks. It is not only hypocrisy for incumbents to use their own ethics scandals to regulate the grassroots - it is an unconstitutional grab for more power by silencing many groups that expose government corruption and greed.
Action must be taken today. Please call your two U.S. Senators right now through the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and tell them to leave grassroots groups alone!
Thank you for your immediate action in this critical matter.
Richard A. Viguerie
rviguerie@conservativehq.com
Dear Fellow Grassroots Activist,
Under the smokescreen of cleaning up politics, members of Congress are using "lobbying reform" legislation to silence what they consider to be pesky grassroots groups on the right and the left.
The grassroots are the people, and we need to take urgent action!
S. 2128 by Senator John McCain and 6 cosponsors has already been reported out of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and will be considered by the full Senate at any time!
The onerous legislation would require groups to notify Congress in advance of the details of their grassroots communications and file costly and burdensome quarterly reports showing the costs and other details of those communications.
The dangers of these regulations are not only that they are unconstitutional, but would be an effective means to silence many grassroots causes who cannot afford the costly compliance requirements, as well as provide Congress, the institutional media and grassroots opponents of grassroots activities.
My article in Monday's Washington Times explains why incumbents fear the grassroots. It is on-line at http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060305-093316-4503r.htm .
The grassroots are not the cause of Congressmen taking money and gifts for political favors and appropriations earmarks. It is not only hypocrisy for incumbents to use their own ethics scandals to regulate the grassroots - it is an unconstitutional grab for more power by silencing many groups that expose government corruption and greed.
Action must be taken today. Please call your two U.S. Senators right now through the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and tell them to leave grassroots groups alone!
Thank you for your immediate action in this critical matter.
Richard A. Viguerie
rviguerie@conservativehq.com
Message Board by American Patriot Friends Network [APFN]
