Mike Stark didn’t just wring his hands about FISA, he decided to use Obama’s own tools from Obama’s own website to lobby the Senator. Stark realized that, per Obama’s own advice, we are the change that is needed, and it’s our job to create change. In just one week, the Senator Obama – Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity – Get FISA Right community has become the largest group on Obama’s website. Now they have a press release:
Dear Senator Obama,
On October 24, 2007, your campaign spokesman said, “To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”
On June 20, 2008 you said, of retroactive immunity, “I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.”
As the largest grass-roots group on your campaign website, my.BarackObama.com, and in the spirit of your open/responsive government campaign pledges, we wish to share our ideas for how we may work together to further the goal of eliminating retroactive immunity from the FISA legislation scheduled for debate in the Senate next week. Although this is only one of the problems we see with legislation allows the government to wiretap the communications of its citizenry without a warrant, it’s the area we think we can help you the most.
First, Senator Obama, we ask that you make the same tools that we used to call undecided voters in Iowa and New Hampshire available for us to call our fellow citizens in West Virginia, Nebraska, Delaware, Florida and other states that have Senators committed to voting against the amendment that would strip telecom immunity. You have the tools and we have the people power. Together, we are confident we can bring Change; we can make the government listen to the people instead of the telecom lobbyists.
Second, Senator Obama, we ask that you attend the Senate debate and schedule floor time to speak about the violence done to the rule of law when Congress retroactively immunizes the illegal conduct of a special interest. We know you understand that justice should not be sold to the highest special interest bidder; we also know that you can persuade other Senators that are not so clear on the issue. Of course, if you do this, our committed members will surely capture the video of your inspiring oratory, load it to YouTube and spread your words to our friends and family far and wide. We trust in your ability to bring a new way of doing business to Washington and look forward to helping you make that Change a reality.
Senator Obama, the my.BarackObama.com caption reads, “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington… I’m asking you to believe in yours.” We’re ready to put these words into practice.
Thank you.
The 15,000+ (and rapidly growing) members of “Senator Obama – Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity – Get FISA Right”
The 15,000 member strong community is making a reasonable request. If Obama is truly committed to stripping immunity from the FISA bill he will provide the phonebanking tool on his website to activists interested in contacting constituents in key member’s states. It’s Obama’s move.