Yours truly, like many Americans, tends to tune out Federal budget funding cliffhangers as largely theatrics. This is not one of those times. The currently proposed continuing resolution, which the truly horrible Chuck Schumer has just said he will back, is set for a vote in the PM or evening Friday. This is absolutely not a routine short-term funding extension but includes several disastrous provisions which would give Trump the keys to the kingdom in terms of spending and a blank check on tariff powers, which he also has been abusing.
If at all possible, call your Senators at their local office ASAP. A call to the DC number is the next fallback, and then an e-mail if you can’t get through.
As Matt below said:
Tell them to OPPOSE CLOTURE FIRST.
No on Cloture. No on the dirty CR.
Be short since the fact of you being an in-state voter and firmly objecting is more important than a recitation of reasons (one will suffice; you can say you have more but this is more than enough reason to oppose it). I was not able quickly to find a register of Senators’ local (as in in state) phone numbers; the Senate website deters that sort of thing. Rather than providing those details, it only says “Phone numbers are available on each state’s page or on your senator’s website.” If anyone does locate such a guide, please pipe up in comments and I will update the post accordingly.
In the interest of getting this alert out on a timely basis, forgive me for doing a cursory job on the fine points. Please call your Senators this morning or early afternoon to voice your decided objection to this continuing resolution. Be sure to mention Congress otherwise giving up its power over spending via authorizing impounding and over tariffs. Further stress that failure to oppose the continuing resolution will pave the way for gutting critically important programs like Social Security and Medicare.
One reason that it is urgent to oppose the continuing resolution is that it contains a provision that allows the Administration to impound funds, as in refuse to make expenditures voted through by Congress. This would come close to vitiating Congress’ and therefore democratic control of the power of the purse. Think that ever gets rolled back once given away?
The continuing resolution is our Enabling Act of 1933. Congress delegating the power of appropriation to the executive is an unconstitutional breach of our government's fundamental structure. Democrats voting to pass it are consigning the party to the same fate as Zentrum. pic.twitter.com/gceOocyCyc
— Dan Thomas-Commins (@DanTheRulesNerd) March 14, 2025
In particular, this continuing resolution would give Trump and Musk the authority to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid:
To my Democratic Senate colleagues, please vote NO on the Continuing Resolution. The CR gives unprecedented powers to Trump and Musk and gives them a green light to slash Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. It is an affront to our Constitution and will wreck our economy.
— Dave Min (@DaveMinCA) March 12, 2025
2 things on Senate deliberations:
1. The GOP funding bill is NOT a continuing resolution. It is a 100% Republican funding bill that strips funding from veterans, food safety, public safety & gives Musk the keys to do everything DOGE is currently doing & strip Medicaid, Medicare…— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) March 13, 2025
Another reason to oppose the continuing resolution that is sufficient in and of itself is that it would give away Congress’ power to intervene on Trump’s tariffs. Recall that his actions on that front are already an abuse via repeatedly invoking an emergency when there is none to be found.
One of the worst provisions that Republicans slipped into their sham continuing resolution?
They’re taking away the power Congress has to fight back against Trump’s trade war. pic.twitter.com/QylTH45XXs
— Senator Peter Welch (@SenPeterWelch) March 13, 2025
Folks—is NOT a same-as-before “continuing resolution”—it’s a full scale Trump+Musk revamp bill with massive cuts to healthcare, homeless, child programs, environment, and more. Nobody should vote for this “CR” nonsense. pic.twitter.com/6QCBRtH9DU
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) March 13, 2025
Let's be clear: House Republicans' funding bill is Congress rolling over for the billionaire arsonists by rolling out a slush-fund filled, year-long continuing resolution that empowers Trump and Musk to pick winners and losers with YOUR taxpayer dollars. I will vote NO. pic.twitter.com/upphdtriuN
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) March 13, 2025
Let’s debunk this with 2 simple questions.
1. How many votes does it take to pass a Continuing Resolution?
The answer is 60.
2. How many Republicans are in the Senate?
The answer isn’t 53 since some of them are independents but there certainly are not 60.
Are Democrats… https://t.co/EfDNzx1kpq
— The Older Millennial (@teameffujoe) March 13, 2025
So please, get to work!
Secure Payments Powered by Clover
I had already been calling my senators offices — I live in NY State. Unfortunately, the poor interns I spoke to are overwhelmed, have no real response, and just mumble incoherent nonsense that they are told to say.
Melt their phone lines anyway. They’re counting even if they’re not saying much. Even if they were eloquent they are empowered to say little.
I am glad you have been trying but please try again. Say you don’t want mumble mumble excuses, you want the Senator told how many are objecting to the bill and what looks like his plan to vote for it.
I plan on it as soon as they open, and I’m urging all my crowd to do likewise.
Great!!!
Since 9 I have bee trying multiple times to call both NY Senators. Schumer’s lines are overloaded and don’t even pick up. Gilldebrnds sends you to voicemail but the mailboxes are full.
I have tried multiple offices.
I won’t give up.
We are close to our Rep, and we are calling him to get a message to our Senators.
Schumer just said on NPR he will support the bill.
Could AARP start a “Faithless Representatives Primary Challenge Fund?”
If the AARP isn’t all over the place fighting this bill, then they are truly and completely “captured” by the Oligarchy.
And the insurance companies.
Too true.
AARP, now sponsored by Soylent Industries!
i’m in TX so not great senators, but I have tried the various local numbers in different TX cities and either the calls drop or I get “all circuits are busy” or “the number you have dialed..”-type messages. Hope this means others are getting through and are giving them an earful. I’ll keep trying too.
Chuck Schumer’s office:
DC office:
Phone: (202) 224-6542
Fax: (202) 228-3027
NO NO. Calling the DC office is not effective. You will be assumed to be a lobbyist or other paid person who can be bothered only to do the bare minimum. You need to call in-state office to look like a voter in their district, as in Schumer’s New York office.
This is false. Call them all. My wife works for another Senator. I worked for advocacy platforms in the past and have had Dem and R staffers speak to the teams I was on. They count sentiment.
Today everything counts. Some sleepy bill already bought and paid for you can be cynical about.
Today we need to melt the lines, fry the servers.
Calls to the local office do count for more since they are assumed to be from actual voters (I have been told this specifically and recently with respect to my recent Senators. I agree this seems strange since for vast majority of voters have phone plans where local calls cost as much as out of state, but this may be more of a poor state v. affluent state practice (people in poor states more likely to have bare bones phone plans). But I get your point about overloading the switchboards and that calls to DC#s count, even if weighed less by some Senators than calls to the in-state number
I hear that, it isn’t wrong, but right now proximity is time is pressure. Everyone doing the things is here in DC and we’re now counting in hours and minutes.
And I know from direct, first hand telling, and professional experience, that calls to DC matter on a vote like this, it is really about getting the party to do a thing.
Not really picking a fight – call district offices. If you can do that, great. Call the DC office where they are too. I am physically in Dirksen right now. Front office staff getting surrounded by people and the cacophony of phones all makes a psychological impression.
And it was Everett Dirksen who said, “… a
I sent Senator Durbin an email this morning as the office was not open. I will call later this afternoon
I went on my 2 Senators websites and registered my disapproval at any Soc.Sec. cuts, sad part is those that will be hardest hit have the least impact on the political process.
The only upside of all this, is that now those who supported Biden/Dems may be mobilized against sitting Administration, they were asleep for the last 4 years. If only there was a ersatz Bernie Sanders, a leader to energize the opposition. Too many I know are black pilled, some days I feel like I am as well.
Thanks but please call too if you can. It is comparatively easy for one person to submit multiple messages. Calls take more work and have more impact.
Money counts, nothing else. Yves, you are in a time warp.
Then please explain how Trump won in 2016 and 2024 with only half the money of the Democratic contender.
Team Repub has shut down the government to push their agenda numerous times since Newt Gingrich did it in the 1990s. So, just who currently controls the executive, both houses of congress and the judiciary? Golly gee, I can only conclude that shutting down the government has fundamentally hurt Team Repub! [sarc]
If Team Dem can’t fight for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security (among other things), one can only hope this is Team Dem’s last blip in the firmament. Hopefully there are enuf non-coward Team Demmers in the senate to defy Squire Chuck’s capitulation (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/13/schumer-republican-bill-shutdown-trump) and Team Repub to prevent the CR from passing).
If one can’t fight for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, who are you, what are you, and why are you even there? Be gone, I say.
Tell them to OPPOSE CLOTURE FIRST.
No on Cloture. No on the dirty CR.
Fund the government on the basis of a clean CR, or a real bipartisan budget, and reinforcement of checks and balances.
Otherwise, why the fuck even show up?
Do not vote with bullies and racists being bullies and racist.
From a DC resident with no voting representation spending the day lobbying Senators yesterday and again today.
Thank you, Matt! I too am a DC resident of several decades. Yesterday I was concerned about the impact on the District government, but figured that my concerns would be of no importance to any voting Senator. Now that it is apparent that it is 1933 at the Reichstag, I’m going to walk the dog, put on my most respectable duds, and go up to Capitol Hill to do what I can. I am not conventionally religious, but I may also say a nondenominational prayer for a freak lightning bolt to strike down Chuck Schumer in the most cinematic manner possible.
What the billionaires, Wall Street and Israel wants, Shumer delivers:
Schumer Will Clear the Way for G.O.P. Spending Bill, Breaking With His Party NYT archive
Many Democrats had agitated for the party to hang together and block the measure in defiance of President Trump, but the leader said doing so would prompt a shutdown that would only empower Mr. Trump.
Schumer’s Syracuse office line doesn’t have a human answer and voice mail not working. Gillibrand voice-mail only. Scoundrels.
New York Schumer:
https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact#office-locations
Office Locations
Albany
Leo O’Brien Building, Room 827
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: (518) 431-4070
Fax: (518) 431-4076
Binghamton
15 Henry Street, Room. 100 A-F
Binghamton, NY 13901
Phone: (607) 772-6792
Fax: (607) 772-8124
Buffalo
130 South Elmwood Avenue, #660
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: (716) 846-4111
Fax: (716) 846-4113
Melville
145 Pinelawn Road, #300N
Melville, NY 11747
Phone: (631) 753-0978
Fax: (631) 391-9068
New York City
780 Third Avenue, Suite 2301
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 486-4430
Fax: (202) 228-2838
TDD: (212) 486-7803
What Schumer meant to say that doing so would put an even bigger strain on the Stock Market, at a time when it is already shaky.
Perhaps my emotional f-bomb got me moderated out?
Ask them to vote NO on cloture, AND no on the dirty CR.
Here’s the deal: Calling matters. Calling district office matters, but right now, calling DC offices matters.
The “interns” or other staffers may mumble, may be in eloquent, may not say much – but they are counting sentiment of every call and web form and email. (Their software to receive the latter options often has tools built in to categorize as such).
The halls of the Senate complex were flooded with citizens opposing yesterday. Capitol Police even declared a fire hazard made people clear the Hart building atrium. We are going back today.
We need a wall.
Staffers are crying during these unannounced constituent (and in the case of us DC residents also begging for local autonomy over local money, non-constituent) visits.
We can be cynical or precise about how to lobby when its sleepy stuff. Today showing up in every way you can counts. Do not sit still.
I worked in digital advocacy for 15 years, my wife works for a Senator (who is opposed to cloture and voting for this CR). I’ve heard from staffers professionally and colloquially and even gotten to look over their shoulders about how correspondence and calls affect them. They are not the most powerful thing day to day, but they mean something in volume and in moments like this. Even if we fail, people will be affected by your outreach. They will make choices in the future based on understanding we actually care.
From Tennessee. I called both Senators’ D.C. offices this morning. And I left a message on their voicemails–hopefully they will be listened to. Thanks for this heads up.
I just called Marsha Blackburn’s Nashville office — (629) 800-6600 — and Bill Hagerty’s office as well — (615) 736-5129.
Spoke to a live Blackburn staffer, who politely let me say my short piece w/no questions.
Had to leave vm at Hagerty’s number, but might try back later.
I said in an earlier comment that you can find the local numbers by going to each senator’s page and scrolling all the way to the bottom. In my case, the default box was “Memphis,” so I had to select “Nashville.”
And just got through to a person at Hagerty’s Nashville office. Again, very polite, said she’d “pass it along to the Senator” … The politeness is somehow dispiriting, as if the young staffer (like her clone at Blackburn’s office) is patiently indulging an old man even though there’s not a snowball’s chance that either TN senator will break with Trump.
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin stated this morning that she’ll vote NO on both. I imagine her vote will be cancelled out by Ron Johnson.
Wisconsin Ron Johnson
https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/office_locations
Office Locations
Milwaukee
517 East Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 408
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 276-7282
Fax: (414) 276-7284
Madison
5315 Wall Street
Suite 110
Madison, WI 53718
Phone: (608) 240-9629
Fax: (608) 240-9646
Oshkosh
219 Washington Avenue
Suite 100
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Phone: (920) 230-7250
Fax: (920) 230-7262
Washington, D.C.
328 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5323
Fax: (202) 228-6965
Email form
https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/email-the-senator
Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
no office locations listed but here’s the page to the phone number
https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact/contact-tammy
202-224-5653
social media links at the bottom of the page
I read through a version of the bill last week. I really skimmed it, concentrating only on a few sections. I did not see a section on cuts to Social Security, but it is possible I missed it, or that a newer version of the bill came out.
It would be good to read the full text of whatever they’re voting on … why do I suspect that only came out yesterday?
I did see a clause in there extending loan guarantees to Israel. And buried in 99 pages there are lots of numbers that probably add up to mischief.
There are also a lot of sections on rescissions of funds, but I cannot make hide nor hair of them.
Is this the right bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1968
Any advice on parsing it would be welcome. I think I get items like “by substituting “$0” for “$890,788,000”.” but a clear idea of how this would delegate Congress’ authority to the executive branch would help me strengthen my argument and my resolve in calling.
It looks generally the same, but obviously I can’t do a line by line comparison (well, not without taking the rest of the day off.)
one thing you can do is search the whole text for terms like “social security.”
I found this:
And yes, there are lots of sections where some line item is zeroed out, or in other cases, increased, i.e. “substituting $X for $Y”
My approach to parsing is:
Read the “General Provisions” Title I section carefully. This is where I would expect any language on impoundment to be buried. I couldn’t find any, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.
Title II-XIII Spending levels for each of the 12 cabinet level agencies. The social security language seems to be in Title IX.
You’ll need to be pretty familiar with each agencies budget levels from 2024 to make hide nor hair of these sections.
I did find this, which is worrying:
You’ll need an expert to figure all this out, but to me that section appears to be enabling Medicare cuts through sequestration (this authority already exists) and just tweaks the timing/amounts of the cuts. These cuts appear to be in the future, in the year 2032.
Good luck!
Sectin 113 (b) “If a sequestration is ordered by the President under section 254 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, the spending, expenditure, or operating plan required by this section shall reflect such sequestration.”
… with a long list of departments after it.
Minnesota US Senators Local Office Phone Numbers
Senator Amy Klobuchar MN Offices
Twin Cities: 612-727-5220
Rochester: 507-288-5321
Moorhead: 218-287-2219
Virginia: 218-741-9690
Senator Tina Smith MN Office
St. Paul: 651 221 1016
I am from MN and have called Klobuchar’s office in the twin cities but got a recording. My wife talked with the receptionist who stated the senator is “undecided” at this time. I have attempted to call other locations and apparently I get disconnected.
Smith has a statement on the front page of her Senate website saying she’ll vote no on CR. No surprise Klobuchar didn’t follow suit.
North Carolina US Senators Phone Numbers
Ted Budd
Washington, DC: 202-224-3154
Advance, NC: 336-941-4470
Asheville, NC: 828-333-4130
Raleigh, NC: 984-349-5061
Wilmington, NC: 910-218-7600
Thom Tillis
Washington, D.C.: (202) 224-6342
Charlotte: (704) 509-9087
Greensboro: (336) 885-0685
Greenville: (252) 329-0371
Hendersonville: (828) 693-8750
Raleigh: (919) 856-4630
Here are the Senator’s phone numbers for the Raleigh, NC offices:
Thom Tillis : (919) 856-4630
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/office-locations
Ted Budd : 984-349-5061
https://www.budd.senate.gov/contact/
I just tried calling the offices of Bud and Tillis–not that I expect anything from either of them.
I got the same strange phone behavior with both numbers. The phone rings, followed by a click, and then a busy signal. Not sure what that indicates–hopefully that they are receiving a lot of calls. I will try again later.
This is when reverse use of a robocalling program and telephony could be beneficial.
I am so effing mad at Schumer I could spit on him. DC seems intent on unleashing Luigi!
Dems should just not show up, not vote. Or, if compelled to vote, vote no.
It all is laid at Trump and Johnsons’ feet. This is not rocket surgery!
from google:
Contact | Senator Chuck Schumer of New York
New York City. 780 Third Avenue, Suite 2301 New York, NY 10017. Phone: (212) 486-4430. Fax: (202) 228-2838. TDD: (212) 486-7803
I just called five separate local offices for Virginia Senator Time Kaine. Every office had a recorded message in the Senator’s voice stating that “the office was closed today.” He invited callers to send an email. I did.
How’s that for cowardice? Regardless of how he votes today he will never receive my vote if he runs again for this pathetic stunt.
I was on hold for 20 minutes at Kaine’s DC office but eventually an intern picked up.
Warner’s DC office staff say he will vote no on cloture and no on CR. Not to say don’t call, please do. It took two waits of about 15 minutes, first time I got disconnected.
On finding local offices on senate.gov: The page for a state pulls up both senators with the DC number. If you then go to each senator’s individual page, you then have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to the local office numbers.
It appears to default to the largest office (I’m in TN, so the number displayed is for Memphis); you then click on the box for the closest office.
Getting ready to call Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) at (629) 800-6600, and Bill Hagerty (also R, natch — it’s Tennessee), (615) 736-5129.
Voicemail all around, Local and DC numbers for both NY State “family blog” Senators. My favorite was hitting redial the moment my clock turned to 9, since apparently Schumer’s DC Office won’t even take messages out side of office hours, only to immediately get the we can’t take your call message.
I am sure it is a further waste of time with these two, but I am breaking out the fax machine. Might as well make the staff as upset as I am. Perhaps they’ll spit in Chuck’s coffee at least.
Mississippi US Senators Phone Numbers
Roger Wicker (Republican)
Washington, D C: (202) 224-6253
Jackson, MS: (601) 965-4644
Gulfport MS: (228) 871-7017
Hernando, MS: (662) 429-1002
Tupelo, MS: (662) 844-5010
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican)
Washington D C: (202) 224-5054
Jackson MS: (601) 965-4459
Gulfport MS: (228) 867-9710
Oxford, MS: (662) 236-1018
Brookhaven MS: (601) 748-8024 (Only open Tuesday and Wednesday)
All the Senators’ Washington, D C telephone numbers:
https://sengov.com/phone/
Utah:
John Curtis:
Provo, Utah: 801-841-2665
Salt Lake city, Utah: 801-524-4380
DC: 202-224-5251
Mike Lee:
Ogden, Utah: 801-392-9633
Salt Lake city, Utah: 801-524-5933
St. George, Utah: 435-628-5514
Vernal, Utah: 435-503-9335
DC: 202-224-5444
I called the Washington offices and got a recording at Hyde-Smith’s office, but got a live person, a young sounding woman, at Wicker’s office. Both asked my name and e-mail address, but the live person at Wicker’s office said that she would add my call to the list they were keeping of the calls and the trend.
Hyde-Smith is more a Tea Party, MAGA style Republican while Wicker is an older, more Establishment Republican.
I would dearly love to see how the calls are sorting out as the day progresses.
I know not how ‘effective’ it would be, but I told the live person that I was a State resident and that I voted regularly.
Now to see if “representative democracy” truly is ‘representative,’ and, more importantly, who it ‘represents.’
In NC:
Budd (984-349-5061); Tillis (919-856-4630)
Did you get through? I was disconnected.
Is this some kind of joke?
The Democratic Party is the piss which set the Republican dye in the national fabric.
Anyways, should I call Lindsay Graham or Tim Scott?
This sort of passivity is exactly what both parties count on. If you can’t even be bothered to make a phone call, when labor and civil rights activists risked beatings, incarceration, and lynchings, it’s yet more proof that middle class Americans fully deserve the shafting they are about to get at the hands of Trump.
And you can at least try to ruin the days of the phone answerers. I believe in altruistic punishment. The staffers and interns are not in the same category as call center employees. They are taking these jobs out of crass careerist interests.
“This sort of passivity is exactly what both parties count on. If you can’t even be bothered to make a phone call, when labor and civil rights activists risked beatings, incarceration, and lynchings, it’s yet more proof that middle class Americans fully deserve the shafting they are about to get at the hands of Trump.”
And this is exactly why choosing not to vote in lieu of voting for Harris was the WRONG choice. Too many commentators on this site made the wrong choice.
I don’t follow your logic.
If we don sackcloth and ashes and alternate confessions of our sins against Kamala with our calls to our senators would that be okay?
I chose to not support genocide. But you do you.
Seriously? The Republicans can’t do this without Dem Party help. As usual. Where is Harris? And Obama? Why aren’t they up rallying their fellow Dems in Congress? Harris got what, 73 MILLION VOTES? She has some influence, no? She could publicly call out that idiot Schumer, no?
Agreed. Good point.
You know this type of I-told-you-so lecturing is exactly why the Democrat party keeps losing to a bloviating carnival barker, right?
Want my vote? Then how abut a national healthcare system? And maybe stop promoting the wholesale slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people.
THIS. Thank you.
Sometimes our choices are not black and white, or Good vs Evil, but, unhappily, very gray. I choose to make a choice, instead of avoiding the choice.
I’m not “lecturing” you, simply making the same point Yves was making, but in a different context.
If there is only one thing amusing about this entire spectacle – it is this sentiment which I am seeing all over the place today.
“Shame on anyone not voting for Harris. It is all their fault this happens.” And then not even beginning to notice that it is the implosion of the Democratic Party and their complete collapse that has caused this failure to counter Trump. I have to be impressed and amused by the chutzpah.
As a liberal, I can no longer say Democrat, I came to terms with this betrayal long ago. The events of the past 24 hours are as clear a signal as possible that absolutely nothing has been learned. I do not know what else to say. Based on the above feelings by supporters which are all over social media today, they obviously have a lot farther to go down, and many more eyes are going to need to be opened. As a liberal, I am hoping for a complete and total collapse of the DNC. The fact that stuff like what is going on today is happening is absolutely tragic. But it is also a testimony to the complete and total political incompetence of the opposition. It became obvious to me years ago – and is becoming clearer by the day that the buffoons in charge of the opposition now have absolutely zero business being there. This has been obvious for a very long time. Absolutely nothing was done about it. The media and so many supporters just dug their head into the sand and worse lied about it. Maybe people will start paying attention now.
Both
Good luck, but I’m not holding my breath. A mere day after Schumer proclaimed that Republicans don’t have the votes to clear the way for a CR to fund the government through September, he caved and will vote for cloture to allow the recently passed CR a vote in the Senate.
Sad to say, but Democrats when in power fail to resolve important voter issues (reproductive rights, anyone?) and accomplish little other than paving the way for Republicans to take over, and when out of power, are completely useless.
“A mere day after Schumer proclaimed that Republicans don’t have the votes to clear the way for a CR to fund the government through September, he caved…”
As I have been saying for more than 20 years, the difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Republicans just do whatever their big donors want. Democrats whine, publicly wring their hands, and shed copious crocodile tears before doing whatever their big donors want.
As Einstein once famously said, paraphrased, you cannot solve a problem using the same thinking used when you created the problem.
I recently ran across an astonishing little 74 page book “The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity” that has completely vindicated what I’ve intuitively felt for a long time, that stupidity – which crosses party lines – is epidemic, and worse has enabled criminal elements to take power while the helpless take ineffective actions to resist or merely stand by.
I’ve long since come to the conclusion that the problem isn’t really the elites or their politicians.
For example, the Democrat Party gave us Trump TWICE, and even now its supporters are insisting people should have voted for the party that supports genocide and doesn’t want you to have health care.
We need to make his cowardice highly visible and embarrassing this time. They have weaseled this country into a terrible position, and it is long past time to say no to the sleazy games-playing. We cannot give more powers to Trump and Musk artfully buried in a ‘fund the government’ bill. At least without a fight.
It seems like Chucky Schumer has a book tour next week about college students. Hakeem Jeffries has a book tour out too.
Schumer will be in San Francisco on March 22 for a conversation for City Arts and Lectures at 7:30PM.
All remaining tickets are $71, but that includes his book, “Anti-Semitism in America”.
Maybe he will have a welcoming crowd outside that he didn’t expect.
Anyone know VT reps #’s?
Vermont: Bernie Sanders (I)
https://www.sanders.senate.gov/contact/
Burlington
1 Church St.
3rd Floor,
Burlington, VT 05401
Toll-free: 800-339-9834
Phone: 802-862-0697
Fax: 802-860-6370
Washington D.C.
U.S. Senate
332 Dirksen Building,
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5141
Fax: 202-228-0776
Vermont: Peter Welch (D)
https://www.welch.senate.gov/email-peter/
Burlington office at 802-863-2525
Washington office at 202-224-4242
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran
Hays, KS (785) 628-6401
Manhattan, KS (785) 539-8973
Pittsburg, KS (620) 232-2286
Wichita, KS (316) 269-9257
Olathe, KS (913) 393-0711
Garden City, KS (620)-260-3025
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall
Garden City, KS (620)-765-7800
Pittsburg, KS (620)-404-7016
Overland Park, KS (913)-879-7070
Kansas City, KS (913)-549-1570
Salina, KS (785)-829-9000
Topeka, KS (785)-414-7501
Wichita, KS (316)-803-6120
I was able to leave a message for IL Sen Dick Durbin (312-353-4952) but IL Sen Duckworth (312-886-3506) hangs up on me when I attempt to leave a message; I’ll keep calling her today.
Same for me — “due to high call volume” nobody would pick up; Durbin’s automated system sent me straight to voice mail where I was permitted to leave a message, while Duckworth’s had me on hold for a while then gave me some folderol before sending me to the corn field. So that’s where I’m at thus far.
Local office numbers for ILLINOIS senators:
DUCKWORTH
Chicago
Phone (312) 886-3506
Springfield
Phone (217) 528-6124
Carbondale
Phone (618) 677-7000
Rock Island
Phone (309) 606-7060
Belleville
Phone (618) 722-7070
DURBIN
Chicago
p: 312.353.4952
Springfield
p: 217.492.4062
Carbondale
p: 618.351.1122
Rock Island
p: 309.786.5173
I had the exact same result with both Illinois senators. Thanks for the additional phone numbers.
The voice mail was rickety, but I was able to leave her a voice mail
Made my calls to the Knoxville offices of Hagarty and Blackburn, staff answered and thanked me. Neither sounded stressed.
o.m.g. I’m still getting fund raising emails – money begs – from the word salad. Roll over, play dead, beg for money. Good job…. / sheesh
Yeah, I get regular fund raising texts from the D’rats, but never a message about something they might do NOW.
Yeah, same here. They never stand for anything; they just say “we” need to elect more Dems. For what?
I just got another one, this time I replied: Why do don’t you do something NOW?, like mobilize for a clean CR… crickets…
I couldn’t get an answer from Senator Tim Kaine’s intern as to whether Kaine would vote no on cloture. He will vote no on the CR. The intern couldn’t answer whether the CR would give President impoundment authority.
I emailed my two D’rat Senators in Michigan. Gov Track leads to their websites https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/MI
Help me out here. I spent the last 30 minutes trying to find out everything I could on this CR, even reading Common Cause, and other liberal legacy media, etc. I couldn’t find anything on where this CR gives Trump/Musk the power to cut SS and Medicare. Most of the other stuff I found. What am I missing? Also, the alternative seems worse. If it doesn’t pass, then Trump/Musk will have even more leeway to do what they want if the government shuts down. I have read that in numerous spots.
I think the point is a clean CR?
My understanding is that Thune will allow a vote on a 30 day clean CR, but it will fail. Then on to the House CR.
As I (very superficially) understand it, Social Security retirement benefits aren’t not part of the regular budget process.
The first link below has some history. It’s financed through payroll taxes, not appropriations. I’ve seen commentary that caps on social security administrative spending in the Republican continuing resolution may have an impact on people being able to receive their benefits.
The second link is a critique from the Democrats of the Republican 2025 budget proposal, not the current continuing resolution. The proposed cuts would be in raising the retirement age.
https://www.ssa.gov/history/BudgetTreatment.html
https://democrats-budget.house.gov/house-republican-budget-plans-cut-social-security-benefits
That’s my understanding as well. SS benefits are “mandatory spending” and don’t need to be re-authorized every year.
The clause I found in the CR is posted up the thread, in reply to poster Patrick J Morrison, concerns Administrative expenses, not benefits. However, we should keep in mind that if there are significant cuts to the administrative side, like workers to answer phones, the strategy here by DOGE may be the same as the one used against the Post Office. Keep the funding in place but crapify the service to the point that the whole enchilada is seen as rotten, and then use that as a pretext for later privatization.
Thanks for the second link. I’m 58, so I would be affected if that goes into law. I would not be eligible for SS until age 63, I think (my maths could be off.)
I applied for my SS annuity payments when the clock struck 12 + 50, and who knows what will transpire in house of cards masquerading as a country, but you gotta like the idea of being grandfathered in.
You do not get it. This is not a normal CR. Language has been inserted that broadly permits impoundment. That means EVERYTHING. Including Social Security.
Do not undermine this campaign. Several Senators, like Jayapal, have confirmed that this is exactly what this CR with dirty tricks would allow.
I support this campaign and have called my senators. Apologies if it seemed otherwise. I did not understand that the CR had the potential to extend impoundment to SS as well.
“Language has been inserted that broadly permits impoundment. That means EVERYTHING. Including Social Security.”
Thank you for clarifying this, Yves. It’s very helpful to my discussions about this issue. One small note, though; Jayapal is a WA State representative, not Senator.
FWIW, I caught Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s speech before the cloture vote, and he expressly denied that there was any language allowing for or changing the law one iota to allow for impoundment.
Now, whether he was telling the truth or not, is another matter.
How so? The “debt ceiling” is a scam. How does the government shut down help Trump?
How would a shutdown help T? It would make Dems look like the bad guys in most non-Dem eyes, and in a lot of Dem eyes as well, imo. (Having lost the recent election, shutting down the govt now would have a distinct whiff of dog-in-the-manger about it, imo. )
Done.
My Senator also had a webpage dedicated to helping people with government agencies. So, I asked if he could help with the takeover of the OPM by an unelected foreign billionaire nazi citing the security threat to our nation.
Good times.
All of Fetterman’s offices, with talk options and comment voicemails are automatically hanging up when you choose them. Their lines are closed or malfunctioning, or purposely disabled. He’s getting roasted today.
Illinois
Dick Durbin
312-353-4952
Tammy Duckworth
312-886-350
multiple calls, nothing but VMs, left messages on their websites
maddening esp when the recordings blithely say how much my call matters, how ready they are to serve…
Warner’s local office in NOVA says he’s voting against cloture and CR.
Hapless Tim Kaine only gives a busy signal at local offices and silence at DC office. I assume the system is jammed with calls.
Got a staffer at Kaine’s DC office, gave him my reasons for Kaine to vote no, and was told he’s voting no on the CR. Not much luck with 2 local offices I tried.
Called and left a message at one of my 2 CA senators – Alex Padilla, the one for N. Calif where I live – and left a v-mail at the DC number for Adam Schiff + sent an email.
Irritating that it does not seem Schiff has any numbers for local offices in CA – hard to believe? In which case they are hidden well, by design I expect.
Thanks Yves for the call to arms, and to everyone responding!
I couldn’t find phone numbers for Schiff either. Padilla’s Sacto number went straight to voicemail, so I left a message.
I feel weird praising these guys for their stand on an issue, but here I am.
https://www.fountainvalley.gov/600/Local-Legislative-Representatives
According to this link Schiff’s local info is:
245 E Olive Ave #200
Burbank, CA 91502
Phone: 818-450-2900
Sorry, I tried this number and a second one I found ((323) 315-5555) and for both numbers I received a message telling me that my call could not be completed and I should call again later.
Lol. Points for effort!
I went ahead and filled out a bunch of required fields to send Adam an email. Now dreading our future correspondence.
In a government shutdown, would Dogebags have to leave the premises?
I doubt Dogebag would be bothered one bit.
I did see another, contrary opinion yesterday on Youtube. This could be a trap. If the government shuts down, what is to stop Mango Mussolini from declaring an emergency, and ruling by decree ? ? ?
Then President Krasnov could do whatever he wanted ?
Calling senators in New Mexico, left a message for Ray Lujan’s office.
The other, Martin Heinrich, cuts off before allowing a message to be left, then gives a busy signal.
Tried to leave a message, but it’s a long form for data entry of your personal info, clearly just a way to put you on phone and mailing lists.
I’ll keep trying to find actual email addresses.
Earthling, don’t know if this is still true, but today’s Albuquerque Journal said that Heinrich and Lujan are both voting against the bill.
I can’t get through to any of the Montana delegation. It reminded me of a Monty Python skit the cheese shop, with a modern tech twist. Maybe the (family blog) needs to be burned down.
No busy signal, in some cases rings and rings, in some case just immediate disconnect.
Our senior Senator, Steve Daines(tm) is a weasel that has NO phonne number listed- one needs to sign up and hand over data. What a creep.
Montana is lost.
Todd Young’s Indy office, Jim Banks’s Fort Wayne and DC offices phones are busy (huh?). I did leave a message on Young’s DC number.
Todd Young DC 202-224-5623
Indy 317-226-6700
Jim Banks DC 202-224-4814
Fort Wayne 260-321-7130
(no Indy office)
Just called local offices of Washington US Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantrell. Voice mail, as they are ‘experiencing a higher than normal volume of calls (!!). Left short, to the point (I hope) messages.
Thanks Yves!
Same experience for me – left a voice mail. Phone call to the DC offices was not even picked up. Left an email for both.
Senior Senator Patty Murray looks pretty solid (see tweet above; not clear on Cloture) but Junior Senator Maria Cantwell seems to be ducking the public and appears to need a hard shove in the back.
Sen. Maria Cantwell
Seattle
Phone: (206) 220-6400
Fax: (206) 220-6404
Spokane
Phone: (509) 353-2507
Fax: (509) 353-2547
Tacoma
Phone: (253) 572-2281
Fax: (253) 572-5879
Everett
Phone: (425) 303-0114
Fax: (425) 303-8351
Vancouver
Phone: (360) 696-7838
Fax: (360) 696-7844
Richland
Phone: (509) 946-8106
Fax: (509) 946-6937
Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 224-3441
Fax: (202) 228-0514
Sen. Patty Murray:
Everett Office
Phone: (425) 259-6515
Fax: (425) 259-7152
Seattle Office
Phone: (206) 553-5545
Toll Free: (866) 481-9186
Fax: (206) 553-0891
Spokane Office
Phone: (509) 624-9515
Fax: (509) 624-9561
Tacoma Office
Phone: (253) 572-3636
Fax: (253) 572-9488
Vancouver Office
Phone: (360) 696-7797
Richland Office
Phone: (509) 453-7462
Olympia Office
Phone: (360) 205-2878
Washington, D.C. Office
Phone: (202) 224-2621
Toll Free: (866) 481-9186
Thanks, Dave.
My calls to Senator Murray’s offices were immediately cut off earlier this morning. I’m not taking for granted that she won’t switch in spite of her tweet, so I’ll be calling again in a few minutes.
Had to leave voice messages for Senator Cantwell, but based on what you said, I’m going to try to reach a live person.
I called Schumer’s DC office at 8:15 AM CDT since I live in Iowa. It went straight to voicemail. I also called the local office of my senator, Chuck Grassley, at 8:18 AM CDT. The person who answered the phone took my message and said she would send it along to the senator. Well, at 9:47 AM CDT, I received an email from Chuck Grassley addressing my concerns. Included in the email was a list of “notable changes” contained in the CR. Here’s the list:
* Provides $7.6 billion, which is a $500 million increase above FY24 levels, for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);
* Provides the largest pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers in over 40 years;
* Provides an increase of $10.4 billion for the Coast Guard, $10.6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, and $10 billion for Immigration and Custom Enforcement;
* Provides $22.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund to respond to and recover from major disaster declarations and increases funding for the Small Business Administration’s disaster loans;
* Provides increased advanced appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA);
* Provide $3.1 billion from the Unemployment Trust Fund for grants to states to administer state unemployment insurance laws;
* Provides $13.5 billion, which is $800 million above the FY24 enacted levels – $10.1 billion must be used for traffic organization activities;
* Provides level funding for highway, rail, port, and transit infrastructure;
* Authorizes the collection of registration fees from the Organ Procurement and Transportation Network;
* Provide advance funding of $261.1 billion for Medicaid payments to states, $3.6 billion for foster care, and $1.6 billion for child enforcement and family support programs;
* Increases National Park System operations funding to $2.9 billion;
* Increases funding for Environmental Protection Agency environment and management programs to $3.2 billion;
* Increases funding levels for wildfire management accounts and authorizes an increase to the base pay rates and maximum overtime pay for wildland firefighters;
* Provides $14.1 billion for the Social Security Administration and authorizes increased funding for disability reviews;
* Provides $22.1 billion in advance funding for the Supplemental Security Income Benefits;
* Rescinds unobligated funds and reduces certain accounts.
He also included the following with a link:
The bill text, section-by-section summary, and a response to misconceptions about the bill are available on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee website: https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/committee-releases-bill-keep-government-open-working-american-people.
I plan to take some time to look at this later this afternoon.
I was surprised to see his office respond so quickly to my call. His office usually sends out an email that they received comments and will send out a detailed response at a later date. I have the gut feeling he and his office were prepared for the backlash and had this prepared to send out immediately.
At least I received a response.
Thanks. I read through the whole bill. Then I had Claude analyze it. Nowhere could I find anything that referenced cuts to SS or Medicare. We are on both so this is a matter of priority for me and my partner. I had already contacted everyone, I mean every politician that needs my vote to get elected about SS and Medicare. I plainly stated that any cuts to either program, benefits, administrative, whatever, they would lose my vote and I would be sending a check to whoever runs against them. I always send each of them something every election because I am convinced if you aren’t on their donor list they don’t listen to you.
What is Claude? Please tell me it is not yet another gawdawful, trumped up algorithm being dubbed “AI” by marketroids.
If you’re relying on Silicon Valley to save your retirement, may God help you.
There is no substitute for reading, slowly, and exercising your brain.
PS – you will incur the wrath of the mods if you post AI output verbatim here.
Uh Chris, I didn’t post an output from AI. Yes, Claude is an AI. AI is very handy for scanning a large document and have it pull out references to a specific subject. As I said, I read the bill, THEN had it scanned for content and I couldn’t find anything about cutting SS or Medicare or anyone being granted the ability to do so.
Look for impoundment clauses
This article assumes the Dems don’t want the same thing as the Republicans. I don’t believe that for a second. Sure, they don’t want Trump to do it. But they want these things done nonetheless. They will give lip service to “fighting for” what their base wants, then roll over and do what the R’s want anyway. It’s been their MO for at least the last 30 years. Unless you have billions of dollars or a large celebrity following, your congress critter doesn’t give 2 craps what you want.
Yeah, same here. They never stand for anything; they just say “we” need to elect more Dems. For what?
The Bill passed the Senate, averting a shutdown. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/14/nx-s1-5328229/senate-spending-bill-vote-government-shutdown
I’m not sure the language on impoundment is in the Bill itself. Republican budget hawks concerned about the deficits have apparently been told that Trump considers the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 as unconstitutional, and funding levels to be a ceiling not a floor. so he’ll just claw back (impound) spending he doesn’t like.
Maybe Trump and/or Thune gave Schumer private assurances that Trump has no intention of clawing back anything, that it’s just a ploy to give Republicans cover. Clawing back appropriated funds would surely burn bridges with Congressmen in both parties who expect their pork to be disbursed in full.
Also, it appears there’s a sweetener in the Bill for residents of States with high real estate valuations (including New Yorkers): repeal of the $10,000 SALT cap.
Face it, Republicans — and Trump — know what it takes to get Democrats to cave.
Also face it, Republicans are now officially in favor of big deficits. Huge deficits + tariffs = higher inflation, yes? Where is Larry Summers?
Called and left messages with both Arkansas senators. Tom Cotton’s Eldorado number (870-864-8582. Short wait and answering machines only. Senator Boozman especially is Walmart sensitive I assume. Hopelessly red here.
Called Kaine’s DC office and was told he’s voting no on the CR. I originally mentioned to vote no on cloture too but in the end forgot to ask about that and only got the no on the CR. BTW, I called 2 local offices and neither one answered, left a voice mail at one.
For Californians:
U.S. Senate
Senator Alex Padilla (D)
Hart Senate Office Building
Suite 112
Washington D.C. 20510
Tel: (202) 224-3553
Website: http://www.padilla.senate.gov
Senator Adam Schiff (D)
Email – Schiff_California@schiff.senate.gov
SD-B40B, Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3841
fax: (202)228-0026
Website – Home – Senator Schiff
Warner’s DC office staffer says he’s a no on cloture and the CR. Couldn’t reach the local office, wasn’t even able to leave a voice mail.
“This article assumes the Dems don’t want the same thing as the Republicans.”
No, it doesn’t. It’s a call to action in spite of the spineless dems in congress.
“Unless you have billions of dollars or a large celebrity following, your congress critter doesn’t give 2 craps what you want.”
I get it, and I understand where you are coming from; I feel the same way. But I’m not going to roll over like the spineless dems and just take it, and I hope you don’t either.
This is in reply to aj’s comment at 11:33.
You forgot the other option gaining traction in the Public; taking Holy Orders and joining, even if only as a Lay-brother or Sister, the Confraternity of Saint Luigi.
I have the feeling that we are soon to discover if the Social Security Issue really is a “Third Rail” of politics in America.
Frankly, ambrit, I am really scared and I don’t think I will be able to meditate my way out of it. I’m too old to fight in the streets even if I weren’t a non-violent person, but like you, I sense something coming that’s not going to be pretty.
I did see another, contrary opinion yesterday on Youtube. This could be a trap. If the government shuts down, what is to stop Mango Mussolini from declaring an emergency, and ruling by decree ? ? ?
Then Trump could do whatever he wanted ?
Maybe Dear Leader wants the government to shut down ?
All this is a F__king joke. Let’s start with Medicare. I’ve paid over $200k in to Medicare. I’m on it. I haven’t been to a doctor in twenty years. I’ve got sinus infection that is not clearing up with on line meds I got. I’m dealing with Providence of Washington. Just need to see an Ear, Nose Throat doctor also my wife has a shin rash she needs to have looked at. If you have Medicare with no supplement, you are not going to get an appointment. They don’t tell you that just stonewall you. We’ll get back. Why can’t the just say on the website or when you call. “No supplement you shit out of luck” or F-off and die. We working serfs pay over 2-4 million dollars in taxpayer money for every medical degree granted in the US. I have friends with military retirement medical insurance that were turned down by doctors saying it wasn’t worth their time (the money). Know other people where the doctors won’t except their medical insurance. We live medical fascism. Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath? Social Security, I have no real problem with it other than the fraud. You not believe the number of people I met on full physical disability (back injuries) able to through around 200 lbs bales of hay and 80 lbs concrete bags. So how do you fix these systems?
My doctors in big ticket NYC accept Medicare save for one at the fancy Hospital for Special Surgery, and many of his treatments would not be covered (as experimental) even if he were.
I don’t see why Medicare with no supplement is a no. I have no supplement. You give a credit card # to handle the co-pay. If you expect Medicare with no supplement to pay 100%, this is you not understanding its terms, not the fault of the policy.
Looks like they don’t want to do it. I know medicare doesn’t cover a 100%. I have not problem with giving them a credit card. This seems to be happening in Washington and Idaho. Also,government doesn’t seem to care. I’m not against medicare. When growing in southern Idaho (1960’s). The state with the second lowest wages in the US. Everyone had no problem going to the doctor. No one was ever turned away. Medicare and medicaid really helped the doctors that did a lot of free medical care for people who couldn’t afford it. Most of the doctors growing up in the Boise area drove Fords and their kids went to public schools with the rest of us. I spent sometime riding racehorses in Canada in the 1970’s. They had a really good system. To bad the US didn’t copy it. I’ve managed to find physicians that will accept no supplemental. A lot of calling, looks like the big providers are the problem. No direct statements just stonewalling and never get a call back and went I call back they can’t seem to find the information.
Trying to get into see a doctor was a waiting game for me for most of the last two decades of my life before Medicare. That was with good insurance, bad insurance and no insurance, I got the same time frames always needing appointments made months in advance. Well that was except for a brief period I was part of a practice run by Beth Israel, felt sort of like the nostalgic fictional view of doctors from the fifties and sixties. They would even get you in in 24 hours or less if you were really sick. Of course that ended soon after that system merged with Mount Sinai. But the rest of the time it was months away or go to the emergency room.
Now I live in NY and maybe it is different where you are, but as much of a pain as it is, it is still easier for me to see a doctor now on Medicare. I still wait, but not as long.
Medicare w/o supplement–
I’ve managed to get two tumors removed and a third zapped and put on hold without a supplement and without waits. I don’t recommend it, but I believe it’s way better than Medicare Advantage where you have to go through an insurance company. For the most part, it’s been like single payer for me, and that’s four surgeries, two rounds of radiation and three rounds of chemo plus an ER trip to save me from the chemo. Of course, there’s a half dozen MRIs, CTs and PETs each and some exotic tests related to the pheochromocytoma. My outstanding bill stands at a little over $2,500 according to MyChart. No delays beyond trying to figure out what’s going on and a couple of surgeon/professors with busy schedules. Medicare A/B has worked great for me.
Both of my Senators local phones are busy. At ALL of their offices. I don’t even get a busy signal, I get disconnected with a message that the lines are full. I sent both of them emails.
This was just happening with Gillibrand’s New York office but eventually I got a machine after calling over and over again. I suppose it is just luck to actually get a real person on the phone.
While we address this national emergency,
please enter the phone numbers in your cellphone.
This will save time and avoid delays in future emergencies!
ALL the numbers, then you have them on SPEED DIAL.
Lol! Excellent point, and I’m going to do exactly as you suggested. Thank you!
I have called five senators non-Washington offices this morning: Jerry Moran R-KS, Roger Marshall R-KS, Todd Young R-IN whose telephone numbers have been posted above. Gary Peters D-MI Grand Rapids, MI phone # is:
616 233-9150 and Elissa Slotkin D-MI Traverse City, MI phone # 231 929-1031.
I don’t get it. According to a March 11, 2025 press release from the U.S. House of Representatives, HR 1968 was passed that same date (March 11).
Help me. Yes, it passed the House. This is the Senate vote. From The Hill as of 90 minutes ago:
Live updates: Senate faces vote to prevent government shutdown
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/trumps-first-100-days/5194625-live-updates-trump-senate-government-shutdown/
Phew, both my WA senators are “hard no” as just confirmed by their local offices.
It is good that your Senators are hard no. If C passes and then CR passes, having a “Senate” won’t matter anymore. If you agree with that, then do you think it would make sense to not bother voting for either Senator again if C and the CR passes? If you agree with that, then you would not be faking it if you were to tell both your Senators that their hard vote No is not enough. Both measures have to actually fail.
That would encourage your Senators to try pressuring this-time-around’s ” designated rotating villains” to vote No as well.
Its just a thought.
In Oregon I assume our dems Merkley and Wyden will be voting against cloture.
That leaves Republican Cliff Bentz.
Medford office # 541 776 4646
DC office # 202 225 6730.
Voicemail in Medford, in DC a staffer answered the phone.
I put the calls in to Schumer’s DC and local NYC office (i.e. (212) 486-4430), and left a message on an answering machine. What’s going on with Gillibrand? I left a message on her NYC machine ((212) 688-6262). Is she going to vote for it? This was in the NYPost story about her yelling in a meeting the other day:
““She seems to be making the case against allowing the government to shut down,” Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio wrote on X, after easily eavesdropping on the tense meeting, which lasted for over an hour. “
Thank you, Yves, and all the commenters. I live in NY and called my local offices for Schumer and Gillibrand.
Here is the info for Gillibrand’s local offices:
http://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/office-locations/
WASHINGTON D.C. (202) 224-4451
ALBANY 518-431-0120
BUFFALO 716-854-9725
LONG ISLAND 631-249-2825
LOWER HUDSON VALLEY (845) 875-4585
NORTH COUNTRY Tel. (315) 376-6118
NYC 212-688-6262
ROCHESTER (585) 263-6250
SYRACUSE (315) 448-0470
When I get to my place of work where a phone is, I will call my two Michigan Senators. Senator Slotkin in particular is worth a call because she wants to run again.
I will follow the simple rule of No on Cloture and then No on Continuing Resolution.
Because of the ” rotating villains” trick, I will also tell Slotkin’s office ( if i even get through) that it is not enough for her to vote No and No herself. Cloture and Continuing Resolution have to actually be defeated.
Otherwise I will not vote for her next election. I will be holding my vote for her Senatorial re-election hopes and dreams hostage to the actual defeat of Cloture and CR. Just her vote against them is not good enough. ( That may give her an incentive to try recruiting other Democratic Senators against C and CR so as to save her own seat).
I have tried to get through to my senators five times each, so far.
The lines are busy, so I emailed them.
I will continue to try calling them…
Schumer and the gang are clearly deranged as well as stupid if they think this won’t cause…issues.
Big ones.
Oh. I get it. It hasn’t passed the Senate.
We want to thank Yves, her staff and all who have explained how important this Bill is —headed by the Executive Branch of the US.
We’ve phoned both of our Senators and used the script that Matt created, enabling us to send a brief but very important statement.
Unfortunately, where we live, is a very provincial area, whose population likely does not even know that such a Bill, if passed will cause immense pain to them, despite the fact that they are retired and have only SS, Medicare to rely upon.
Called both of my NH senators. Left a voicemail as all lines were busy due to an unusually high volume of calls. I hope people are lighting them up.
I called Sen. Warnock’s office here in Atlanta.
I got through on the first try. I asked the nice lady who answered to pass along my opinion that the Democrats should grow a spine, and fight now because if they don’t, there is no leverage left until September 30 and the next deadline … by which time, D.O.G.E. will have dismantled the Federal Govt.
I also made sure to put in there that I’d read the bill, saw the loan guarantees to Israel, so please take out any further funding for Israel, it’s killing Palestinians and aiding and abetting Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza.
I wouldn’t waste my time on Ossof (the other GA Senator.) He’s an AIPAC marionette.
Here is Warnock’s info:
Sen. Raphael Warnock
201 17th Street NW
Suite 530
Atlanta, GA 30363
(770) 694-7828
Local numbers for California Senator Padilla available here: https://www.padilla.senate.gov/
Fresno
(559) 497-5109
San Francisco
(415) 981-9369
SACRAMENTO
(916) 448-2787
Los Angeles
(310) 231-4494
San Diego
(619) 239-3884
Could not find info for (gag wretch) Schiff
Re: California Senators, per their X-Twitter accounts Senator Schiff and Senator Padilla are both voting NO on cloture and the bill, for whatever that’s worth.
Well, I diddit. Yay me!
I called both my Michigan Senators’s offices and told them I appreciated their hard no on C and CR. I then further told them that it is not enough that my Senators are hard no. C and CR must actually be defeated, C first of all. I told them that if C passes and then CR passes, that I won’t be voting in any more National elections because the Senate won’t even matter anymore, and “having a Senate” won’t even matter anymore.
So if my Senators could get enough other wavering Democratic Senators to vote No on C and then CR so that both actually lose, C first of all, then I will still be voting in future National elections.
I didn’t use any “political hobbyist” terms like “rotating villains” and stuff.
Senator Peters’s office permitted me to reach a real live person, so I offered him my thoughts as above.
Senator Slotkin’s office only had a voicemail, so I left my comment on Sen. Slotkin’s voicemail.
Dems say the Senate CR will give T too much power if it passes. If it passes in a different form than the House it will require reconciliation. I’m reading a lot of talking points, but not the actual CR text. Does anyone have a link to the text?
Call center wage slave here shackled to my headset all day doomscrolling your comments. In FL, land of the lost, currently unelected Senator appointed in lieu of Little Marco, ex-Fed Prosecutor/State Attorney Gen placeholder Ashley Moody (had Pam Bondi’s old job), also Lord Voldemort/Sen Rick Scott of Medicare fraud CEO hall of infamy. We have not seen our democracy since Jeb Bush purged fake felons to get his brother annointed by SCOTUS. I shared this with my Dad, vet who proudly showed his Medicare card to all day he became eligible long ago. Will call after shift but guess they will knock off early to head for champagne rooms watch party to see how many DINO’s get on the floor. We have theme park Dinosaur World does not have any fossilized Dems so obviously fake.
FL Senator Rick Scott local office (813) 225-7040, district office info on local county website
Thanks very much for this Yves. Made calls & sent link to friends including phone numbers.
Mischief managed, I left a sternly worded voicemail for Sen Voldemort/Scott, no local office for nobody voted for this Ms. Moody. Can’t wait to see Status Coup go apoplectic over this today,and anybody else paying attention.
The Senate floor is being live streamed on PBS.
Bernie is speaking right now.
Schumer just finished speaking and the cloture vote is happening soon.
Roll call just done … they’re voting on cloture for HB1968 right now.
Unless I just misheard the announcer, Rand Paul voted “no”.
He was always on record as a “no.” He’s one of the few principled ones left. Of course, his rationale is very different than the ones on the Dem side. He stated that it was ridiculous to have DOGE cuts not part of the bill.
At least w.r.t. USAID, I agree.
Fetterman, Schumer are AYEs.
The Dems are between a rock and a hard place. If they defeat the CR the govt shuts down tomorrow. Not real popular. If they have enough crossover votes to pass the CR after today’s hysteria then today will look like another kayfabe for fund raising, imo. (Carville ranting is a tell for me. / ;) Again, not real popular. Shutting down the govt will be immediately felt and immediately unpopular, imo. I still remember what happened to Rep. Newt’s House majority and to Newt’s leadership position when they shut down the govt.
They’re going to regret this. They’re out of leverage, now. Maybe the debt ceiling will become a crisis, but I think Treasury has all sorts of can-kicking accounting tricks to delay it. It may be late September before they can use the filibuster to extract concessions from the GOP, and they really should be back in school.
D,O.G.E. is going to feast. Yes, a shutdown would have been ugly, but it would have been the only way to force Trump to the table.
Plus, now we have donkey on donkey violence.
I missed the D on D violence. To what are you referring? I think the D vote in both houses goes the way the leadership allows. / imo. Uni-party and all that. / ;)
AOC v. Schumer
Hakeem Jeffries saying “next question” when asked by press jd the Dems news leadership changes in the Senate.
Well, as Senator Chuck Hagel once said, ” you knew this job was dangerous when you took it.
If you want something safe, go sell shoes.”
If the House TrumpenMusk bill passes, I see no further reason to vote in national elections for the foam rubber replica House or the foam rubber replica Senate. Of course if AOC primaries Schumer, loses, and then forms her own party or movement called the Revenge On Schumer ( ROS) in order to get Schumer defeated, I will give her some money for a Revenge On Schumer split-the-vote run.
Klobuchar – No
Gillibrand – Aye
Shaheen – Aye
Of course Shaheen voted for it. Grrrr.
Just announced 2 days ago “Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will not seek reelection in New Hampshire”.
Someone else mentioned “rotating villains”.
It helps that this particular villain is not seeking re-election, does it not?
She’s actually a fairly consistent villain and the democrat bench is fairly week.
I may be one of several. Its a well known concept. That’s why in my calls I said that it wasn’t enough for my Senators to vote against C and CR ( and apparently Peters voted for C anyway).
C would have to be defeated and then CR would have to be defeated in any case in order to get me to vote about a “Senator” in the next “Senatorial” “election”.
62 aye votes, 38 nay.
Cloture passed – 62-38.
At least 10 dems must have voted yes, because we know Rand Paul (R) was a no.
Warnock was a no.
Now four amendments will be considered, none of which will likely pass, and the final vote later tonight will almost certainly pass the CR.
Congrats to Mike Johnson – you “punked” Schumer good.
It looks like these are the 10 democrats who voted “aye”:
Cortez Masto – Nevada
Durbin – Illinois
Fetterman – Pennsylvania
Gillibrand – New York
Hassan – New Hampshire
King – Maine
Peters – Michigan
Schatz – Hawaii
Schumer – New York
Shaheen – New Hampshire
Looks about right. See also:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/14/congress/senate-advances-funding-bill-00231151
First proposed amendment (unsure of the topic) – Fails, 47-53
Second – to restore Veterans who got canned by Musk – Fails 47-53.
Looks like the pace of voting has really picked up … these guys are ready to catch a plane out of town, or grab a liquid dinner. Run for the bus!
Peters? Really? I had thought I had read that he was “no”. Oh well . . .
Very likely no more voting in national elections for me then, unless the next-step CR is somehow defeated.
Peters?
Look up his historic votes, there is only one D’rat to his right.
I haven’t looked up the final roll call, did he vote no after he voted yes?
3rd Amendment fails – 48-52.
Rand Paul speaking now on his amendment.
The circus is about to leave town – peace, out.
Mike Johnson didn’t punk anyone. Schumer did this on purpose with malice aforethought as a perfect expression of everything he stands for. So did the other nine.
What would torture and terrorise them into voting down the CR itself in the little time remaining? Nothing, I suspect.
Governmental legitimacy retreats to the States and smaller jurisdictions.
A $13 billion cut just sounds like noise, though.
I’m utterly disgusted with my state’s senator Durbin. Betcha he’s retiring after this term. Retiring a wealthy man.
Agreed — he might very well be set to traipse off with a jolly, self-satisfied wave. I didn’t think I had any hopes that he might try to use any of the power and position he’s accumulated over the decades for the people he “represents” but I guess I did in some small space somewhere, because when I saw how he voted I felt sick. I guess I have to take what satisfaction I can in that I haven’t voted for him for a long time. I wish I never had.
I recall, a long time ago, that a proposed law permitting the President to veto individual spending lines in Congressional appropriations bills was deemed by constitutional scholars to be contrary to the constitutional order, which required the President to approve or veto entire bills as passed through Congress.
It seems to me that this bill, which gives the President discretion about which Congressional appropriations to act on, is contrary to the constitutionally specified task of the President to enforce the laws passed by Congress.
I would hope that there will be a challenge to this law.
>>>I would hope that there will be a challenge to this law.
Since Congress decades ago gave up the right to declare war, I think that this will not happen especially as the current leadership of the entire Congress is being spineless.
The line-item veto was passed into law in 1996 and struck down two years later in Clinton v. City of New York:
The Continuing Resolution passed on a 54-46 vote.
Angus King and Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor and Rand Paul was the only dissenting Republican vote.
One hopes that every D Senator who voted for cloture but then went on record “against” the bill in the up-or-down vote gets primaried, and in those primaries is pilloried for the consequences that shall unfold.
Had posted Schmuck’s and Gillibrand’s WNY office numbers around 9 am here and then called both Buffalo offices as well as DC around 9:30. In between I was forwarding this post to a number of people. My brother called in by 10.
Both of us got voicemail only. Gillibrand’s DC office claimed full mailbox.
Thank you Yves for the heads up this morning.
Good write-up from Punchbowl News.
Schumer folds and the party explodes
https://punchbowl.news/archive/31425-am/
My senator in Texas 12th district,
Tan Parker has a phone line that no one picks up and a voicemail box that’s full.
Have told all my friends over or near 65 to call or email. One of them promised to visit their office.
I sent him an email.
P.S kind of sad to see most of them didn’t have a clue as to what was going on!
Well, they got the white flag up the pole with a great quickness. Now they can go back to whining about how helpless they are, after refusing to use the only leverage they had
Plus, now they can fundraise off of reversing these cuts for years while never intending to actually do so. Besides, the Democrats gave been after a “Grand Bargain” for years, and now their actually goal is coming to fruition as both parties have been after SS, Medicare, and Medicaid for quite some time since the beginning of the Neoliberal Revolution in the Democratic Party during the late-1980s/early-1990s.
So, my post re the NYT after the final vote was lost in the ether.
The NYT is a quintessential part of the hoax we live under. The congress critters have it all mapped out. Well, actually, they’re just puppets.
Due Dissidence guys talking about the vote. utube, ~24+ minutes.
Democrats TALK TOUGH, Then CAVE in Shutdown Standoff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUpDT5Nt1gk
Some slight gravitas, but?
Find out who betrayed you here: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00135.htm
Your link leads to: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Christopher Landau to be Deputy Secretary of State
Oops?
Cloture vote:
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00128.htm
Passage vote:
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00133.htm
The “other purposes” is maybe a scarlet letter, no?
As I suspected, MI Gary Peters voted yes before he voted no. He is not running for re-election.
This is all a chimera.