Online Movement Aims to Punish Democrats Who Support Bush Wiretap Bill

[Purveyor]

Online activists from the right and the left announced an unprecedented campaign Tuesday to hold Democratic lawmakers accountable for caving in to the Bush administration on domestic spying.

A group of high-profile progressive bloggers and libertarian Republicans are rolling out a new political action committee called Accountability Now to channel widespread anger over pending legislation that would legalize much of the president's warrantless electronic surveillance of Americans, and grant retroactive legal immunity to telephone companies that cooperated with the spying when it was still illegal.

Progressive author and lawyer Glenn Greenwald, who writes for Salon.com, and blogger Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake, are spearheading the effort. They've hired the political media consultants behind a historic Ron Paul online fundraising drive to organize a similar "moneybomb," set to go off Aug. 8.

"That is the day Richard Nixon resigned, and the idea is that 35 years ago when you did this kind of stuff, you were forced out of office, and now congress drops everything to make your crimes legal," says Hamsher in an interview.

The campaign marks a milestone in the evolution of online grassroots organizing. The PAC is cherry-picking the tactics and tools that proved most successful in the presidential primary campaigns, and is using them to corral online support for the single issue of domestic spying. The PAC's money pay for advertisements in the districts of the House Democrats who voted for the spy bill -- potentially causing problems for those capitulating on the Bush wiretapping program.

MORE...

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/07/online-activist.html

[Selatius]

1. Kick the fuckers out. nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

32. You DO realize, of course, that Obama is one of those fuckers?

He voted for FISA and thus against the Fourth Amendment.

[Purveyor]

2. While I'm totally P-O'd over the votes of many DEM's on the FISA bill

I'm a bit suspicious of this groups true motivations.

[Ian David]

8. What's not to trust when the Paultards are involved?

[robinlynne]

10. started by Glernn Greenwald and Jane Hamsher, you can be sure the motivations

are excellent. They have been working tirelessly against FISA. The "Ron PAul" support is support they got.

[nam78_two]

38. Exactly-I like Greenwald and Hamsher but these "activists from the right" sound suspect to me

Especially since they are saying "targeting Dem lawmakers". I mean wtf? What about holding those loathsome Repukes accountable for something??

[wryter2000]

44. My point exactly

I'm off to send Greenwald a courteous e-mail pointing out how unfair this is. I hope he can be pursuaded to go after everyone who voted yes.

[Joe Fields]

3. glad to see it.

k&r

[Ian David]

Strange bed fellows

August 8, 2008—this is the date for our Strangebedfellows MONEYBOMB on behalf of constitutional rights and civil liberties in America. Let's remove from power the key enablers of the tyrannical and lawless FISA 'compromise;' we can end the Patriot Act—and so much more. Join with us by pledging now—right here at AccountabilityNowPAC.com. Become a part of our transpartisan alliance of freedom lovers! Be a Strangebedfellow!

Who Are The Strangebedfellows?

Strangebedfellows is a unique and diverse left--right coalition which has come together to put a stop to the eradication of civil liberties in America. Modeled on a similar group in Britain, the initial Strangebedfellows group encompasses Ron Paul supporters (BreakTheMatrix.com, Rick Williams and Trevor Lyman), leading bloggers from the left (Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com, Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com) and many more who share the view that warrantless surveillance, telecom immunity and other such outrages of the lawless surveillance state MUST END—AND END NOW. Our group of Strangebedfellows is organizing a moneybomb on behalf of AccountabilityNowPAC, and we’re reaching out to friends and colleagues from across the political spectrum who believe in the Bill of Rights and freedom in America. So join us-- become a Strangebedfellow! Add your name and group to our list of backers, and enter your pledge today to donate to AccountabilityNowPAC. Let’s reverse these police state sellouts by our political leaders—FOREVER.

Here’s What We’re Asking You To Do
Strangebedfellows has retained BreakTheMatrix to serve as our moneybomb organizer and service provider for a massive donations collection effort on behalf of AccountabilityNowPAC. Remember the giant moneybombs from the Ron Paul presidential campaign? Well Trevor Lyman was the man behind those efforts, and he and his BreakTheMatrix colleagues are the leading experts in the world in online moneybomb fundraising. Here’s how it works:

You enter your pledge today—RIGHT NOW-- by clicking the “Pledge” button on the side of this website screen. This pledge becomes your commitment to contribute (maximum donation $5000) to AccountabilityNowPAC on August 8, 2008—the moneybomb collection day. Visit our website often over the next month to watch the pledges mount and to learn about the growing array of supporters and groups who are choosing to become Strangebedfellows with us. Then the key event—you COME BACK on August 8, 2008, and make your actual money contribution through our online collection service right here at www.AccountabilityNowPAC.com. The force and power of a moneybomb is simple and straightforward. We all donate on the SAME DAY, and working together we send our political leaders (Democrat and Republican) a freedom message they will never forget. So help us make it work. Pledge today; then come back and donate on the 8th. Let’s show our leaders once and for all that there is a POWERFUL movement here that will settle for nothing less than constitutional governance in America.

Why August 8th?
That is the day in 1974 when Richard Nixon was forced to resign from office for his lawbreaking and surveillance abuses. That day illustrates how far we have fallen in this country in less than 35 years, as we now not only permit rampant presidential lawbreaking and a limitless surveillance state, but have a bipartisan political class that endorses it and even retroactively protects the lawbreakers.

Become a Strangebedfellow; and we thank you for pledging.

More:
http://www.accountabilitynowpac.com/

[grasswire]

6. interesting list of donors so far

Daniel Ellsberg, David Neiwart, Bob Fertik.....

[Occulus]

21. The immunity legislation hit a common nerve on both the left and the right.

This happens sometimes. When it does, you know you have a winner of an issue.

[liskddksil]

4. thank you

Pelosi and Hoyer should be first on the list.

[chimpymustgo]

17. Dump ALL of them. A fish rots from the head.

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. And replace them with Republicans?

As angry as I am about FISA, I can't see the logic here.

[Tyler Durden]

24. Add REID to that list, if you don't mind...

I'd add Dean too if he was holding elective office right now.

[Eric J in MN]

5. I'd like to see candidates with government experience...

...run in primaries against some of the Democrats behind the FISA bill.

To run against Steny Hoyer, for example.

[The Liberal Thinker]

39. Sure, but once those candidates lose, are you going to let the Republicans beat the incumbents?

[robinlynne]

7. count me in.

[AntiFascist]

9. K&R, #10...

since none of the amendments to the FISA bill were passed, the only option left is to vote NO on the bill. Blanket telecom immunity should be more than enough reason to defeat this bill. If Democrats allow it to pass then WE MUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Kick ('em out) and Rec

[hootinholler]

12. Why only target the DEMS?

Target ALL who vote for this POS.

-Hoot

[Dr.Phool]

26. It goes without saying that republicans should be punished.

If, for nothing else, just being republicans. The Dems to be punished are the DINO's who act like republicans.

[wryter2000]

45. I'm sorry, it's going without being said n/t

n/t

[pollo poco]

43. The site says they are targeting both

I just went there.
This is a direct quote:

"Our message to politicians in Washington is loud and clear: uphold constitutional rights and we will support you; abridge freedom in America and we will not be on your side. Democrat or Republican—it makes no difference to us."

Why do other posters here think it's only dems?
Have I missed something?

[redqueen]

13. Why only punish Democrats?

I'm all for punishing all politicians who voted for this.

If this is associated in any way with any repukes... then goddamnit it should be non-partisan about who's targeted.

[mmonk]

20. Because they are on bush's side.

The Democrats receive the doubt they aren't. So when they are on his side and when they are also in the majority and didn't have to present bush bills he wants in the first place, people get mad.

[Tyler Durden]

37. Because we're supposed to be punishing them all the time....

Plus, FISA was largely their baby, being Bush's baby. Not a single Democrat should have voted for that abortion, hint hint.

In fact, that it was even brought to the FLOOR is grounds for divorce in my book.

[librechik]

46. It's up to us to hold our own people accountable

first--and go after the Republicans second. These so-called Dems are making it impossible for a progressive agenda to go forward. These particular democrats are being supported by Republicans, anyway. even funding-wise. It's the policies we need to attack, and party hasn't got that much to do with opposing lousy policies. If it's us doing it, it's up to us to mount a primary challenge or otherwise fight those policies, which are un-Democratic in the extreme.

[Lifetimedem]

14. When the left and the right

see this is a perversion of our constitution Washington better watch out.

The only ones they have left are the inattentive middle, and the only thing in the middle of the road is road kill.

PS
I joined

[redqueen]

15. No... they only need to watch out when republicans are targeted too.

If only Dems are targeted... well then that just furthers the neo-cons' & war profiteers' aims.

[Lifetimedem]

19. agreed

[bluesmail]

16. Because it sounds promising and I already recommended it:

:kick: FWIW. I'm feeling a bit under the weather excuse me

[mmonk]

18. When they begin to fear us, we will have democracy.

[Pastiche423]

22. Strangebedfellow #1516!

[biermeister]

23. kick

[Tyler Durden]

25. Strangebedfellow #1680!

And if Obama is NOT elected President, THEN add him to the list for HIS FISA vote.

[Dr.Phool]

27. Strange Bedfellow #1685 reporting for duty!

[MessiahRp]

28. And those who voted for it should expect this.

I am a very strong Democrat but the whole point of being a big tent party is that a wide array of opinions must be heard and that we don't march in lockstep. So when Democrats sell out their constituents and act like Republicans it is our duty as Americans as well as good Democrats to call them on it and sometimes that means primary challenges, not contributing to someone you might have before... any means necessary to get the point across.

Of course nobody would rather a Republican fill these seats but Democrats who feel safe in acting like Republicans are definitely a bigger threat to our values than the Republicans are because they're very blatant about their views. Democratic elected officials who act this way push away party members who are disillusioned by what they thought was a difference in the parties and as a whole our party is branded as spineless which makes winning elections very difficult. After all, why vote for the spineless panderer who claims to be for one thing when he's for the same thing as the straight forward guy who tells you he is for that? That straight forward guy might be an asshole but at least he's not lying about how he'll vote most of the time like our guy is.

Rp

[Gman]

29. Elect Republicans!! Yeah, that's the ticket!!

What a stroke of brilliance! Why didn't I think of that?

[mopinko]

30. just who are they going to hit with this moneybomb?

leave it to democrats to start this shit before we even get to the convention. sigh.

[DireStrike]

31. #1704 here

Saw the 1699 and hoped I would be 1700. Damn.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. So they are raising money to defeat Democrats?

Wouldn't it be smarter to focus on finding progressive candidates to run against the Democrats in primaries in 2010??

[Politicub]

35. I think holding people accountable is important but

are we only "punishing" ourselves by creating an environment where the GOP can win seats?

[nam78_two]

36. "activists from the right "? Why only Dem lawmakers?

Why aren't these "activists from the right" targeting their own disgusting Republicans?
Or is this tacit consent that one expects nothing from Repuke fucks?


I am not happy with the way the Dems voted on this bill, but honestly this sounds shady.
Given that not one Republican voted "Nay", why aren't these asshats (referring to the right wingers involved) targeting their own repulsive Repugs?

And I would trust those Ron Paul people about as much as I would trust Ann Coulter.

[wryter2000]

40. Hey wait a minute

Why pick on the Dems and not the Repubs? I sent DiFi a note about my disapproval because she's my Senator, but I'm not going to start a campaign against the Dems. If I were going to start a campaign, it'd be against the Repigs who voted for this crap in lockstep, like the little BushBots they are.

WTF is this? I swear, it'll send me back to DiFi with candy and flowers with an apology. This sucks.

[guidod]

41. Anyone that falls for this crap...

deserves to LOSE in November. Wake-up and smell what they're shoveling.

[Kermitt Gribble]

42. "Online activists from the right and the left

announced an unprecedented campaign Tuesday to hold Democratic lawmakers accountable..."

We Democrats would like to punish all who voted for FISA, but the pukes target only Dems? This smells like a right wing ploy.

[warren pease]

47. Great start. And now a little direct action...

While ad campaigns can be effective and they're a part of the mix, there are other, more direct and satisfying ways to express outrage. The best retaliatory action I can think of is launching a direct, coordinated attack on their own personal and professional privacy -- exactly as they've done to us.

I'd like to see the millions of furious Americans who want a little payback for this outrage contribute maybe $20 apiece to an organization that's been set up specifically to collect money and spend it to hire a small army of private investigators who would dog every move that every last one of these rat bastards makes.

They'll be watched at their houses, their offices, their second homes around DC. They'll be followed anytime they drive a car or take a cab. They'll be under surveillance at bars or restaurants, attending a play or concert, seeing a movie, or just going shopping. That way they, too, can experience first hand the joys of Stalinism recycled, right along with the rest of us. But that's not nearly enough.

There are plenty of laid-off telecom and cable techs who could always use an extra $50 or $100 for installing splitters on these quislings' phone and internet access lines. Which is the exact kind of electronic invasion of privacy they OKed -- as long as it only applies to the peasants. Their own private conversations and email correspondence? Off limits. Well, not any more, assholes.

And here's why such a program is even necessary, when you'd think a little applied logic and self-interest would be sufficient to cause the voter backlash needed to sink their careers.

Incumbents are damn near impossible to get rid of. No matter how much they've pissed their constituents off, incumbents still win more than 90 percent of the time.

That's due to several factors -- short voter attention spans, name ID, party support, existing campaign infrastructure and experienced staff from previous elections -- but because this is America, where wealth is next to godliness, it all comes back to money.

Incumbents, on average, pocket six to seven times as much in campaign bribes as do their challengers. No matter how furious we are and no matter how richly they deserve to be fired and probably prosecuted, history says we're going to be stuck with nearly all of these miserable swine for as long as they choose to stay in politics.

So ads are OK, but even if they contribute to defeating a few of them, so what. They'll just enter the corporatocracy through the revolving door and emerge with a low seven-figure salary for a consulting job that doesn't actually exist.

That's really insufficient and inappropriate to the crimes they've committed against the people they're supposed to represent. They need to learn that there are increasingly severe consequences for this kind of outrageous behavior. If they keep getting a free pass for all this shit, they'll just keep it up because that's what their corporate sugar daddies are paying them to do.

They'll probably keep it up anyway, but there's a lot to be said for exacting revenge because it's the right way to react in some extreme cases. Hell, it's only the Constitution they're destroying; who could care less.


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