| Member Name |
DC Phone |
DC FAX |
| Senator Dianne Feinstein (D- CA) |
202-224-3841 |
202-228-3954 |
| Senator Barbara Boxer (D- CA) |
202-224-3553 |
202-224-0454 |
| Representative Mike Thompson (D - 01) |
202-225-3311 |
202-225-4335 |
| Representative Wally Herger (R - 02) |
202-225-3076 |
202-226-0852 |
| Representative Dan Lungren (R - 03) |
202-225-5716 |
202-226-1298 |
| Representative John T. Doolittle (R - 04) |
202-225-2511 |
202-225-5444 |
| Representative Doris Matsui (D - 05) |
202-225-7163 |
202-225-0566 |
| Representative Lynn C. Woolsey (D - 06) |
202-225-5161 |
202-225-5163 |
| Representative George Miller (D - 07) |
202-225-2095 |
202-225-5609 |
| Representative Nancy Pelosi (D - 08) |
202-225-4965 |
202-225-4188 |
| Representative Barbara Lee (D - 09) |
202-225-2661 |
202-225-9817 |
| Representative Ellen O. Tauscher (D - 10) |
202-225-1880 |
202-225-5914 |
| Representative Jerry McNerney (D - 11) |
202-225-1947 |
202-225-4060 |
| Representative Jackie Speier (D - 12) |
202-225-3531 |
202-226-4183 |
| Representative Fortney (Pete) Stark (D - 13) |
202-225-5065 |
202-226-3805 |
| Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D - 14) |
202-225-8104 |
202-225-8890 |
| Representative Mike Honda (D - 15) |
202-225-2631 |
202-225-2699 |
| Representative Zoe Lofgren (D - 16) |
202-225-3072 |
202-225-3336 |
| Representative Sam Farr (D - 17) |
202-225-2861 |
202-225-6791 |
| Representative Dennis Cardoza (D - 18) |
202-225-6131 |
202-225-0819 |
| Representative George P. Radanovich (R - 19) |
202-225-4540 |
202-225-3402 |
| Representative Jim Costa (D - 20) |
202-225-3341 |
202-225-9308 |
| Representative Devin Nunes (R - 21) |
202-225-2523 |
202-225-3404 |
| Representative Kevin McCarthy (R - 22) |
202-225-2915 |
202-225-2908 |
| Representative Lois Capps (D - 23) |
202-225-3601 |
202-225-5632 |
| Representative Elton Gallegly (R - 24) |
202-225-5811 |
202-225-1100 |
| Representative Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R - 25) |
202-225-1956 |
202-226-0683 |
| Representative David Dreier (R - 26) |
202-225-2305 |
202-225-7018 |
| Representative Brad Sherman (D - 27) |
202-225-5911 |
202-225-5879 |
| Representative Howard L. Berman (D - 28) |
202-225-4695 |
202-225-3196 |
| Representative Adam Schiff (D - 29) |
202-225-4176 |
202-225-5828 |
| Representative Henry A. Waxman (D - 30) |
202-225-3976 |
202-225-4099 |
| Representative Xavier Becerra (D - 31) |
202-225-6235 |
202-225-2202 |
| Representative Hilda A. Solis (D - 32) |
202-225-5464 |
202-225-5467 |
| Representative Diane E. Watson (D - 33) |
202-225-7084 |
202-225-2422 |
| Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D - 34) |
202-225-1766 |
202-226-0350 |
| Representative Maxine Waters (D - 35) |
202-225-2201 |
202-225-7854 |
| Representative Jane Harman (D - 36) |
202-225-8220 |
202-226-7290 |
| Representative Laura Richardson (D - 37) |
202-225-7924 |
202-225-7926 |
| Representative Grace Napolitano (D - 38) |
202-225-5256 |
202-225-0027 |
| Representative Linda T. Sanchez (D - 39) |
202-225-6676 |
202-226-1012 |
| Representative Edward R. Royce (R - 40) |
202-225-4111 |
202-226-0335 |
| Representative Jerry Lewis (R - 41) |
202-225-5861 |
202-225-6498 |
| Representative Gary Miller (R - 42) |
202-225-3201 |
202-226-6962 |
| Representative Joe Baca (D - 43) |
202-225-6161 |
202-225-8671 |
| Representative Ken Calvert (R - 44) |
202-225-1986 |
202-225-2004 |
| Representative Mary Bono Mack (R - 45) |
202-225-5330 |
202-225-2961 |
| Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R - 46) |
202-225-2415 |
202-225-0145 |
| Representative Loretta Sanchez (D - 47) |
202-225-2965 |
202-225-5859 |
| Representative John Campbell (R - 48) |
202-225-5611 |
202-225-9177 |
| Representative Darrell Issa (R - 49) |
202-225-3906 |
202-225-3303 |
| Representative Brian Bilbray (R - 50) |
202-225-0508 |
202-225-2558 |
| Representative Bob Filner (D - 51) |
202-225-8045 |
202-225-9073 |
| Representative Duncan Hunter (R - 52) |
202-225-5672 |
202-225-0235 |
| Representative Susan A. Davis (D - 53) |
202-225-2040 |
202-225-2948 |
I called "Buck" McKeons's (R-25) local office, (661)254-2111, his staff said he was not in. I asked what his stance was on the "Bailout", they said " he was not really for it and not really against it"
I ask myself why I even bother?
Posted by: desmo | September 22, 2008 at 04:31 PM
Seriously, if we are going to go through with handing out $700,000,000,000 to the banking and financial industry, why aren't we, the taxpayers going to get a piece of these companies in return?
I know Mr. Paulson doesn't want to "dissuade" any financial company from participating by requiring an equity stake in their company in return for a piece of the $700,000,000,000, but if we are indeed facing "financial Armageddon", why would any financial company say "no"? If we are really facing the threat portrayed, companies would even require their CEOs and their boards to lick squirrels, if that's what it took to solve things!
Or are we not really facing financial Armageddon?
Can some of you use the contact information Peter's provided to ask our Senators and Congresspeople this question? Are we staring at the brink of the financial abyss? And if so, how could a financial company refuse to participate in a partial government ownership in exchange for a chunk of the $700B in taxpayer dollars?
Otherwise, we are NOT facing financial Armageddon, and should NOT be handing out $700B for "toxic assets".
Posted by: arroyogrande | September 22, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Why call?
They are probably out playing golf.
Posted by: E | September 22, 2008 at 04:51 PM
R-25 now knows to vote against it since you called and told him so and since he represents you. Amazing neither for nor against, then who needs him.
My rep is D-30. I know if I call I'm just going to start yelling. I've been trying to calm myself down before I call.
Posted by: annoyed | September 22, 2008 at 05:04 PM
I called Boxer's LA office and no one there would even own reading the legislation. They certainly would not comment on the Senator's position on the issue.
When are people going to wake up and vote these lackeys out of office?
Posted by: Michael Snyder | September 22, 2008 at 05:46 PM
I emailed and called my Rep (Schiff) and both Senators.
All said they had not issued a statement yet. Optimistically, that tells me they are listening to their constituents before they decide. So call!
Pessimistically, that tells me they haven't even looked into it, and when they do, might listen to their constituents, if we are lucky. So call!
Posted by: The End Is Noir | September 22, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Last time I wrote to our "representatives" asking them not to support bailouts, I got a form letter response about how they are helping people by supporting bailouts. That these people are still referred to as "representatives" is as laughable as the $700 billion payout to crooks being necessary or beneficial for our economy.
Great post, though, Peter. It's nice to remind people that the country was once a representative democracy, even as the people clamor for their populist overloads to bring about socialism and save them from the evils of freedom.
Posted by: Nick | September 22, 2008 at 06:14 PM
Bottom line is simple; doing nothing in the face of this outrage is capitulation and that's just not something Cowboys do. So once again I climbed the stump and sent this letter to my Senators & Congressman:
Congressman,
Although I'm glad to see the Congress "become aware" of our country's financial difficulties I must confess to my complete disgust at the obvious lack of competence on the part of Congress. If one more "expert" tells me, "The fundamentals are strong." I'm gonna use my head for a hammer. That's like telling me gravity works and that's your solution to getting up the mountain.
It's not the "subprime borrowers" that are the real culprits in this boondoggle. It's the "creative" way these mortgage backed securities were leveraged beyond Archimedes wildest dreams and the spin off derivatives that have "blossomed" into a multi trillion dollar international Ponzi scheme that's the problem. Everybody has millions if not billions of dollars "invested" in bets on whether or not the other guy's going to default on their end of this scheme and then they've been "hedging" by investing on bets on their own demise. This BS has got to stop. Investment vehicles like Credit Default Swaps brought AIG to the brink of ruin by keeping liabilities on the books disguised as assets. And there are trillions of dollars in CDSs alone. Add that to the rest of the alphabet soup in the derivatives market, SIVs, CDOs and the alike and I’ll bet you’ll be checking your own portfolio when you’re done with this letter.
Everything about the timing and presentation of this situation to Congress smacks of Iraq and WMDs again. Only this time Paulson himself manufactured over $132 billion worth of toxic investment vehicles during his tenure at Goldman Sachs. You'll also note "shorting in the financial sector was fair game until Sachs was shorted and lost over 20% in a day. Now this “financial genius wants unfettered access to the Federal checkbook and by all indications you’re going to give it to him.
Please tell me you're connecting the dots because with my GED in my pocket I've clearly got a better understanding of what ails our economy than the Harvard MBA who's been asleep at the switch for the last eight years.
Until transparency is returned to the financial sector no amount of money will solve this crisis. Conversely, if transparency is returned to the financial sector, no money will be required to solve this crisis.
Here's the "rub": To stand up to the "Goldman Sachs School of Finance" (Please note Bernanke & Paulson are alumni) will make a ninety point ride look easy, but you just might save a country for our children; or you can follow the herd. It's the kind of decision Cowboys like me have to make every day. So, like we say, “Cowboy up or get in the truck.”
Respectfully
Michael Snyder
Although it often feels futile, elected folks do take our cards & letters seriously. They figure a single written communication represents the views of over a hundred people. Now that's my kind of leverage!
Posted by: Michael Snyder | September 22, 2008 at 06:21 PM
As for "Why call?"
For every phone call or letter, elected representatives assume that view represents 100 people. Some congressional reps have online forms with which to send them email. It is generally better to write a letter or call, but the online form will do in a pinch. Right now, every hour and day matters.
I'm jaded and cynical, but I still think that if enough people complain, the reps have to listen.
Posted by: Silverfern | September 22, 2008 at 06:33 PM
I just called congressman Becerra's office and told them how i felt. Apparently he hasn't decided how he's voting yet but they did say that he would not vote for a bill that does not have any oversight on the Treas. dept.'s powers. I like the way that sounds.
Posted by: eprobert | September 23, 2008 at 09:40 AM
For what is worth, I sent my e-mail to Adam Schift from Pasadena. Telling him HELL NO to this bailouts. No more we are being ripped off!
Posted by: Bill | September 23, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Done.
Sent to my 2 Senators, 1 Rep.
Now they know what I think. (I realize their staffers will just count yeas and nays, but I believe the tally will send a message).
Posted by: Giacomo | September 23, 2008 at 09:18 PM
I've emailed my Senators and Congressman several times. It looks like the bailout is going to pass no matter how their constituents feel. They will try to pacify the masses by saying they made compromises. They are financially secure, have health insurance and had to work over the weekend.
Finger pointing and blame for everyone including Bush, (Charlie McCarthy). Bush wouldn't know economics from engineering.
Posted by: K | September 29, 2008 at 05:50 AM