Trabisnikof posted:

Yes why don't states override federal law?

My Imaginary GF posted:

Everyone has enough money to influence regulation; not all individuals are willing to part with it and buy some access to their local electeds. You'd be surprised at just how far $1,000, or even $100 can take you.

My Imaginary GF posted:

That's for the judicial branch to sort out. Would the Supreme Court really rule that its illegal to save your state money on prescription drugs?

quote:

#1 This week we learned that for the first time ever recorded, middle class Americans make up a minority of the population. But back in 1971, 61 percent of all Americans lived in middle class households.

#2 According to the Pew Research Center, the median income of middle class households declined by 4 percent from 2000 to 2014.

#3 The Pew Research Center has also found that median wealth for middle class households dropped by an astounding 28 percent between 2001 and 2013.

#4 In 1970, the middle class took home approximately 62 percent of all income. Today, that number has plummeted to just 43 percent.

#5 There are still 900,000 fewer middle class jobs in America than there were when the last recession began, but our population has gotten significantly larger since that time.

#6 According to the Social Security Administration, 51 percent of all American workers make less than $30,000 a year.

#7 For the poorest 20 percent of all Americans, median household wealth declined from negative 905 dollars in 2000 to negative 6,029 dollars in 2011.

#8 A recent nationwide survey discovered that 48 percent of all U.S. adults under the age of 30 believe that “the American Dream is dead”.

#9 At this point, the U.S. only ranks 19th in the world when it comes to median wealth per adult.

#10 Traditionally, entrepreneurship has been one of the engines that has fueled the growth of the middle class in the United States, but today the level of entrepreneurship in this country is sitting at an all-time low.

#11 If you can believe it, the 20 wealthiest people in this country now have more money than the poorest 152 million Americans combined.

#12 The top 0.1 percent of all American families have about as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent of all American families combined.

#13 If you have no debt and you also have ten dollars in your pocket, that gives you a greater net worth than about 25 percent of all Americans.

#14 The number of Americans that are living in concentrated areas of high poverty has doubled since the year 2000.

#15 An astounding 48.8 percent of all 25-year-old Americans still live at home with their parents.

#16 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 49 percent of all Americans now live in a home that receives money from the government each month, and nearly 47 million Americans are living in poverty right now.

#17 In 2007, about one out of every eight children in America was on food stamps. Today, that number is one out of every five.

#18 According to Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, the authors of a new book entitled “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America“, there are 1.5 million “ultrapoor” households in the United States that live on less than two dollars a day. That number has doubled since 1996.

#19 46 million Americans use food banks each year, and lines start forming at some U.S. food banks as early as 6:30 in the morning because people want to get something before the food supplies run out.

#20 The number of homeless children in the U.S. has increased by 60 percent over the past six years.

#21 According to Poverty USA, 1.6 million American children slept in a homeless shelter or some other form of emergency housing last year.

#22 The median net worth of families in the United States was $137, 955 in 2007. Today, it is just $82,756.

Sydin posted:

They would if it directly contradicts existing Federal laws, yes.

My Imaginary GF posted:

You're wrong, DemeaninDemon. Congressmen pay people to win votes. The United States Treasury, supported by taxpayers like yourself, pays staffers to respond to your correspondance.

If you include a personal story with your correspondance, you're more likely to get a better response.

You may also have it read on the House floor.

JT Jag posted:

I've said it before but I like your lovely Chicago insider technocrat gimmick more than your rear end in a top hat populist gimmick. The latter really just doesn't suit you.

My Imaginary GF posted:

It seems clear to me by the way Rahm is throwing CPD under the bus that he's angling for a C- or ticket-level inclusion in the Clinton administration.

Question is, if hizzoner goes to Washington, who come next? Lisa really wants Mayor, and while some folk would rather she her run Gubernatorially, she polled first for Mayoral ambition; not to mention all the daddy issues which arise.

Who, then, for Governor? Quinn is so loving disorganized that he actually thinks he'd be good at running again; alas, its time Illinois had someone more Senatorial for Governor. I think Cullerton would make a great Governor, and that Toi could easily succeed him as the next Senate President.

Either way, ya gotta throw Alvarez under the bus to the Feds and try to pin as much as you can on Toni & Berrios.

The Warszawa posted:

lol if you think rahm is anywhere near a ticket discussion with his toxic coverup hanging over him

Sir Tonk posted:

I've found my favorite headline of the year.

http://www.chron.com/about/article/ut-austin-texas-dildos-mass-farting-fart-protest-6694231.php

quote:

Thank you for contacting me about the resettlement of Syrian refugees. Your opinion is very important to me and my priority is to provide Iowa's Second District with the best representation possible.

America has long been a beacon for those throughout the world seeking refuge. We are a nation of immigrants that enjoys great opportunity, and I believe we have a sacred responsibility to help those fleeing war, terrorism, and violence. I fully support bringing refugees from Syria, Iraq, and other war torn countries into the United States. I have even called on the administration to do more for Syrian refugees, and I support admitting even more to our country.

I absolutely reject the hateful rhetoric and fear mongering that many have expressed toward Muslims following the recent deadly terrorist attack in Paris. Suggesting that we create religious litmus tests or special databases or ID cards for Muslims is un-American, and has absolutely no place in our political discourse. It is abhorrent to use the suffering of a civilian population for political gain, and sowing the seeds of Islamophobia only strengthens the ability of those like ISIS to spread fear and distrust throughout the world.

At the same time, the Administration must provide reasonable security assurances to the American people that in admitting those in need, we do not admit anyone seeking to do us harm. That is simply what the American SAFE Act does, and why I voted in favor of it. It requires our intelligence and homeland security leaders, who themselves have recently stated that there are gaps in our screening process, to determine that each refugee does not pose a threat to American security, and certify to Congress that there is no threat before a refugee is granted admission to the United States. I have been briefed by Administration officials at the highest levels, and I have not been presented with sufficient evidence that this legislation would be unworkable or would further delay what I understand is already a robust screening process.

A vote for this bill was not a vote to block Syrian refugees, or to stop or delay the admission process. And it was most certainly not an accusation that all those seeking refuge in our country are terrorists. Rather, it is a simple request that the administration do its duty to the American people by certifying that among those seeking asylum, no one slips through who aims to do us harm.

I also understand that there are gaps to our security outside of the refugee admission process that must be addressed. I support common sense proposals to close dangerous loopholes in the visa waiver program, and to restrict gun sales to those on the terrorist watch list. These are practical and sensible solutions that should have bipartisan support.

I urge the Obama Administration to do everything it can for victims of conflict who wish to come to the United States, and I will continue to support making sure that our intelligence and homeland security agencies have the resources necessary to keep Americans safe. I recognize that this is a watershed moment for our country, and we will not turn our backs on those in need.

Thank you again for reaching out to me with your thoughts on this important issue. My office is here to assist you with any and all concerns you have, so please do not hesitate to contact me whenever you feel that I can be of assistance. I encourage you to visit my website at https://www.loebsack.house.gov and sign up for email updates to stay informed of the work I am doing for you. I am proud to serve the Second District, and I am committed to working hard for Iowans.

DemeaninDemon posted:

The logical option is to send deep dishes to people until they do what you want or die of heart disease.

My Imaginary GF posted:

Washington didn't drown in pizza without his back to an open window, DemeaninDemon.

He was also wearing women's underwear when he died.

My Imaginary GF posted:

If you want to influence regulation more than that, buy some loving access and speak to them in person.

If you want to merely express your opinion, then call their official office. How many times have you called your Congresscritter this year?

any answer that's more than 3 is likely to be ignored


I dare you to send this to your rep via mail with your real name and address attached, and post the response. So long as you're in-district, most Reps will respond with the politest gently caress you they can muster.

JT Jag posted:

Rahm doesn't win votes or pull a donorbase unique to Hillary's, so there's a zero percent chance at all that he's on the ticket

And he infamously didn't play nice with everyone else as Chief of Staff so if he does end up in the cabinet it'll be off to the side running his own department. I don't think it's likely and wouldn't like it but he's in the Clinton circle of friends so there's a non-zero chance of it happening.

FlamingLiberal posted:

Vice talked to one of the parents of a victim of the Sandy Hook Massacre and dove into the tire-fire that is the Sandy Hook Truther Movement.

http://www.vice.com/read/sandy-hook-truthers-what-kind-of-person-calls-a-mass-shooting-a-hoax

FlamingLiberal posted:

I find it hard to believe Clinton is going to involve herself in the mess that is his current administration in Chicago by bringing him onboard.

Your Dunkle Sans posted:

Hahaha, no you're definitely talking out of your rear end on this one.

Letters to your congresscritter are read by unpaid interns (who may or may not be from your state), responded to by a pre-drafted form letter, and are then filed in a congressional database with countless other letters in the same category.

These letters are never personally read by the congresscritter. If you go to your state Capitol/Washington DC in person, you will meet with a paid legislative assistant who have a few years experience previously interning for said congresscritter who might or might not pass on your concerns in a batch advisement.

Your best bet is to represent an influential major company or think tank and hire the services of an insider lobbying group with a particular ex-congresscritter to use their social/political connections to speak with a congresscritter on the alternate legislative house (ie former rep able to talk to current senator and vice versa) to avoid breaking lobbying laws on recent departure from congress. This costs a lot of money which even your average Joe Middleclassman alone can't part with.

Tl;dr you're making poo poo up, stop while you're ahead.

Source: I was a former DC intern at both a lobbying firm and a congressional office, did lobbying work in my state Capitol on behalf of a non-profit, also did local canvassing

Your Dunkle Sans posted:

Hahaha, no you're definitely talking out of your rear end on this one.

Letters to your congresscritter are read by unpaid interns (who may or may not be from your state), responded to by a pre-drafted form letter, and are then filed in a congressional database with countless other letters in the same category.

These letters are never personally read by the congresscritter. If you go to your state Capitol/Washington DC in person, you will meet with a paid legislative assistant who have a few years experience previously interning for said congresscritter who might or might not pass on your concerns in a batch advisement. Essentially, said LA is an expert on that area and how the congressperson would or wouldn't vote on an issue the concerned constituent brings up (eg healthcare, foreign policy, etc).

Your best bet is to represent an influential major company or think tank and hire the services of an insider lobbying group with a particular ex-congresscritter to use their social/political connections to speak with a congresscritter on the alternate legislative house (ie former rep able to talk to current senator and vice versa) to avoid breaking lobbying laws on recent departure from congress. This costs a lot of money which even your average Joe Middleclassman alone can't part with.

Tl;dr you're making poo poo up, stop while you're ahead.

Source: I was a former DC intern at both a lobbying firm and a congressional office, did lobbying work in my state Capitol on behalf of a non-profit, also did local canvassing for the 2012 election.

shrike82 posted:

FlamingLiberal posted:

I find it hard to believe Clinton is going to involve herself in the mess that is his current administration in Chicago by bringing him onboard.

My Imaginary GF posted:

They are then put into a monthly report given to the Member which shows any trends. If a Member receives an increasing amount of letters on a topic over a period of time, they are likely to respond.

JT Jag posted:

I don't think she will either, but I also believe there's a possibility of it.

Your Dunkle Sans posted:

En masse, not to you personally. Don't move goalposts.

My Imaginary GF posted:

Once again, have you considered registering your complaints with your local Member's constituent services? That is, after all, what they exist for. To hear the banalities of average citizens like yourself and send politely worded letters in response.

STAC Goat posted:

God, that's heartbreaking. A grieving father who feels he's trapped forever in this lovely circle of having to prove that his son was real and murdered to a bunch of people who are openly antagonizing him, at least in part out of petty revenge. I wish somehow that father could walk away. I understand why he doesn't want to, and with other children I probably even agree with him since its terrible that Noah's twin sister will one day have to discover all this poo poo. But still, I wish he could just walk away and find peace.

My Imaginary GF posted:

Source: Interns in DC are a dime a dozen. Do you know how the rest of the staff talked about you? You were eyecandy, that's the only reason you existed.

My Imaginary GF posted:

They respond to you individually if you include a sufficient check with your correspondence.

Without the check, all you can hope for is for them to respond to trends.

So please, as the end of the quarter approaches, won't you spread holiday cheer while its still allocatable to the primary by making a contribution to your Member's campaign? I know I have, and so should you.

KirbyKhan posted:

This was unnecessarily mean.

Your Dunkle Sans posted:

Lobbying 101 involves not directly bribing your congressperson. You're supposed to take them out to a nice upscale restaurant like Smith and Wollensky or another steakhouse with a nice view of Georgetown and the Potomac followed up by sharing some fine scotch at your K Street office all for a nice intimate chat together.

If you're going to troll us, at least come up with something more original than a punchline from a Strong Bad email. I recommend sticking to anime waifus instead. Props to whoever bought you the redtext.

KirbyKhan posted:

This was unnecessarily mean.

DeusExMachinima posted:

I'll never understand the hoaxers. If it was a conspiracy, wouldn't a more airtight one be the government brainwashing the shooter or getting a true believer in the cause to go do it for real?

Your Dunkle Sans posted:

Also demonstrably false. Campaign flyers don't package and address themselves, you know.

My Imaginary GF posted:

You're funny. Let guess, next you're gonna tell me how field has value beyond moving 3-4 points for 40-80k.

On Terra Firma posted:

Christ will you people stop responding to him.