Dudes, call your congresspersons.

These tax bills are fooked.

Tax Policy Center Analysis

Basically, it hides a bunch of bullshit in a moderate tax break for the middle class that expires over time.

the 1% get's all the real benefit.

It also basically kills the ACA.

and there are provisions to allow tax exempt organizations (churches) to openly support candidates (repeal of the Johnson amendment)

It's turrable. Get after it.

Lol come on Roc. Our representatives don't actually give a shit what their constituents think.

AnomanderRake wrote:Lol come on Roc. Our representatives don't actually give a shit what their constituents think.

They do when they get 1000 calls Rake

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

AnomanderRake wrote:Lol come on Roc. Our representatives don't actually give a shit what their constituents think.

They do when they get 1000 calls Rake

No I'm certain that just results in a bad day for their assistants. It's not like they don't know who wins and loses with this tax bill. Not only are they aware, it's what their donors want. Representatives can deal with pissed off constituents, but they can't fuck with their donors. Money dictates policy, not public opinion.

Shocked to hear that Republicans want to disenfranchise the most vulnerable among us.

AnomanderRake wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

They do when they get 1000 calls Rake

No I'm certain that just results in a bad day for their assistants. It's not like they don't know who wins and loses with this tax bill. Not only are they aware, it's what their donors want. Representatives can deal with pissed off constituents, but they can't fuck with their donors. Money dictates policy, not public opinion.

Sorry Rake that’s just not the case. I don’t know what to tell you. I guess read some of the statements from republicans that voted no on the ACA repeal over the summer regarding getting hundreds of calls telling them not to and 5 telling them to do it. If they got the impression that their constituents didn’t care then they easily could have just voted yes and not pissed off their boys.

AnomanderRake wrote:Lol come on Roc. Our representatives don't actually give a shit what their constituents think.

Fearless Fred Upton rarely lets anyone know how he will vote until the 11th hour and more often than not its the way the major GOP donors want him to vote.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

AnomanderRake wrote:

No I'm certain that just results in a bad day for their assistants. It's not like they don't know who wins and loses with this tax bill. Not only are they aware, it's what their donors want. Representatives can deal with pissed off constituents, but they can't fuck with their donors. Money dictates policy, not public opinion.

Sorry Rake that’s just not the case. I don’t know what to tell you. I guess read some of the statements from republicans that voted no on the ACA repeal over the summer regarding getting hundreds of calls telling them not to and 5 telling them to do it. If they got the impression that their constituents didn’t care then they easily could have just voted yes and not pissed off their boys.

Better to say that reps are interested in what their constituents have to say only if they are of the same political party. They couldn't give two shits what a co stituent from the opposition party thinks. That's my longtime experience which is shared with friends who are also libtards.
All of this means I think you and Rake are each half right. Well, Rake is half right and you are half wrong.

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Sorry Rake that’s just not the case. I don’t know what to tell you. I guess read some of the statements from republicans that voted no on the ACA repeal over the summer regarding getting hundreds of calls telling them not to and 5 telling them to do it. If they got the impression that their constituents didn’t care then they easily could have just voted yes and not pissed off their boys.

Better to say that reps are interested in what their constituents have to say only if they are of the same political party. They couldn't give two shits what a co stituent from the opposition party thinks. That's my longtime experience which is shared with friends who are also libtards.
All of this means I think you and Rake are each half right. Well, Rake is half right and you are half wrong.

Well greenway I do not advise starting your call with “I’m a democrat you’re a republican now do what I say.”

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

tGreenWay wrote:

Better to say that reps are interested in what their constituents have to say only if they are of the same political party. They couldn't give two shits what a co stituent from the opposition party thinks. That's my longtime experience which is shared with friends who are also libtards.
All of this means I think you and Rake are each half right. Well, Rake is half right and you are half wrong.

Well greenway I do not advise starting your call with “I’m a democrat you’re a republican now do what I say.”

Duh. You don't need to tell them that. They sorta figure it out when you oppose any GOP plan, especially if you call whenever republicans are about to do something mean and stupid to America. As often as that happens, they start to remember your name.

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Well greenway I do not advise starting your call with “I’m a democrat you’re a republican now do what I say.”

Duh. You don't need to tell them that. They sorta figure it out when you oppose any GOP plan, especially if you call whenever republicans are about to do something mean and stupid to America. As often as that happens, they start to remember your name.

I forgot to finish the rest of my sentence. I would note that if your senator is ted Cruz it’s not going to matter very much when you call. But if your senator is, say, Lisa Murkowski who would go either way on the tax bill, then a boatload of calls against it vs 3 for it can make a difference.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

tGreenWay wrote:

Duh. You don't need to tell them that. They sorta figure it out when you oppose any GOP plan, especially if you call whenever republicans are about to do something mean and stupid to America. As often as that happens, they start to remember your name.

I forgot to finish the rest of my sentence. I would note that if your senator is ted Cruz it’s not going to matter very much when you call. But if your senator is, say, Lisa Murkowski who would go either way on the tax bill, then a boatload of calls against it vs 3 for it can make a difference.

As I mentioned, my rep is Bishop, as solid a party line vote as there ever was. He's a vote bot.

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

I forgot to finish the rest of my sentence. I would note that if your senator is ted Cruz it’s not going to matter very much when you call. But if your senator is, say, Lisa Murkowski who would go either way on the tax bill, then a boatload of calls against it vs 3 for it can make a difference.

As I mentioned, my rep is Bishop, as solid a party line vote as there ever was. He's a vote bot.

every time I look at him he reminds me of the missing link.

oh - and he's had more than a few girlfriends in Lansing, too - I'm sure he's got a handful in DC, as well.

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

I forgot to finish the rest of my sentence. I would note that if your senator is ted Cruz it’s not going to matter very much when you call. But if your senator is, say, Lisa Murkowski who would go either way on the tax bill, then a boatload of calls against it vs 3 for it can make a difference.

As I mentioned, my rep is Bishop, as solid a party line vote as there ever was. He's a vote bot.

I don’t make it a habit of actually reading your posts.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

tGreenWay wrote:

As I mentioned, my rep is Bishop, as solid a party line vote as there ever was. He's a vote bot.

I don’t make it a habit of actually reading your posts.

Okay then bye

tGreenWay wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

I don’t make it a habit of actually reading your posts.

Okay then bye

I’m just joshin ya :)

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

tGreenWay wrote:

Okay then bye

I’m just joshin ya :)

My name is GreenWay. I don't want to be Josh.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

AnomanderRake wrote:

No I'm certain that just results in a bad day for their assistants. It's not like they don't know who wins and loses with this tax bill. Not only are they aware, it's what their donors want. Representatives can deal with pissed off constituents, but they can't fuck with their donors. Money dictates policy, not public opinion.

Sorry Rake that’s just not the case. I don’t know what to tell you. I guess read some of the statements from republicans that voted no on the ACA repeal over the summer regarding getting hundreds of calls telling them not to and 5 telling them to do it. If they got the impression that their constituents didn’t care then they easily could have just voted yes and not pissed off their boys.

I will admit that there are probably a handful of congressmen that could be influenced by a strong showing from their constituents, and some on their final terms that would rather do what's right than what the party wants, but a vast majority of congress votes consistently along party lines.

This video references an interesting study from Princeton regarding public opinion polls vs legislation. The data overwhelmingly shows that congress doesn't give a fuck what the public thinks, unless said member of the public is in the top 1% of course.

Dude's, I live in Wyoming. You think Mike Enzi and John Barrasso are goign to listen to me? Liz Cheney?? Come on. But I still call them and write them. Don't psychoanalyze them, fucking call them. The amount of work people go through to not do work amazes me.