Daily Fax

Every day I write a fax to Congress and I have my fax software send it out to the entire House and Senate Commerce Subcommittees on Consumer Protection. Today's fax goes out to all of the above and Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid as well.

The second part of the fax is always cut-and-paste from some interesting news article or blog post on CPSIA, but the first part is always my remarks. Today's second part is this post by Rick Woldenberg, which you should also read. What follows is today's first part.

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Are you a leader or a follower?

That's the question every Democratic member of Congress must ask themselves on April 1 at 10 a.m.

On that day and time, at the Capitol Building, a rally will be held in support of making much-needed amendments to CPSIA. This is a bipartisan event. But guess what-- Democratic leadership has forbidden Democratic Congressmen to speak at the rally! On the one truly bipartisan issue in Washington, will Democrats be silent? On the issue that has brought people of every political stripe together in a grassroots movement, will only one party show up to represent them in Congress?

So, I ask you (and especially if you are a true Democrat): Are you a leader or a follower? Because I for one want LEADERS in Congress. I want people who will listen to their constituents and do what it takes to represent THEM, not represent whoever has the most influence. Your real constituents, the moms and pops who vote for you and place their hope for change in you, want CPSIA to not take away their thrift stores and libraries. The American people do not want their minibikes banned or their school supplies to double in cost. The American people cannot possibly want you to make already-safe children's apparel even more expensive in the middle of a recession. All these things and more are happening because of CPSIA. Will you do nothing just so that you can continue to get invited to all the best Washington parties?

Be a true LEADER. Come to the rally and show your constituents that you hear the voice of the populace, that the 1st Amendment to the Constitution wasn't kidding when it said we could "petition the government for a redress of grievances." Or just be a cowardly FOLLOWER and do as you're told by your betters, exactly as you'd like us who are protesting CPSIA to do.

(By the way, this is still America, where people are born equal. The day Congress poops rainbow Skittles is the day I believe anyone in Congress is anyone's "better.")

Sincerely,
[Wacky Hermit]