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--- Begin Message ---Dear MoveOn member, In just days, a massive public outcry has forced a serious debate about the Bush-Paulson bailout. Congress is now negotiating with the White House over the terms of the bailout--there are members of Congress who are trying to put help for regular Americans ahead of help for Wall Street. But Congress is facing mounting pressure from President Bush, an army of Wall Street lobbyists, and the topsy-turvy stock market to rush through a blank check for $700,000,000,000. There's a real risk that they'll agree to water down the protections we need. A deal could be reached as soon as today, and we need to turn the pressure up. Can you call Senator Elizabeth Dole and Senator Richard Burr and Representative Mike McIntyre and tell them to take the time to get this right and put Main Street before Wall Street? Here's where to call: Senator Elizabeth Dole Phone: 202-224-6342 District Offices: Greenville: 252-329-1093 Hendersonville: 828-698-3747 Raleigh: 866-420-6083 Salisbury: 866-420-6084 Senator Richard Burr Phone: 202-224-3154 District Offices: Ashville: 828-350-2437 Gastonia: 704-833-0854 Rocky Mount: 252-977-9522 Wilmington: 888-848-1833 Winston-Salem: 800-685-8916 Representative Mike McIntyre Phone: 202-225-2731 District Offices: Bolivia: 910-253-0158 Fayetteville: 910-323-0260 Lumberton: 910-735-0610 Wilmington: 910-815-4959 Then, please report your call by clicking here: http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNC_1.FSNC_2.FHNC_07&cp_id=819&id=14033-9242917-prmsILx&t=11 Why do we need Congress to take the time to get this right? Because according to Forbes, the Treasury Department admits the $700 billion price tag is "not based on any particular data point. We just wanted to choose a really large number."1 Our phone calls are working. The New York Times reports on members of Congress across the political spectrum hearing from constituents angry about the bailout: The backlash, in phone calls as well as e-mail messages, is putting lawmakers in a quandary as they weigh what many regard as the most consequential decision of their careers: whether to agree to President Bush's request to spend an estimated $700 billion in taxpayer money to rescue the financial services system. Around the country, Republican and Democratic voters are rising up in outright opposition to the White House plan or, at the very least, to express concern that it is being pushed through Congress in haste.2 Last weekend, Barack Obama helped define what it would mean to put Main Street before Wall Street: * No blank check. We must insist on independent accountability and oversight. * Invest in the real economy to avoid recession. We need an emergency economic plan to help working families--a plan that would help folks cope with rising gas and food prices, create infrastructure jobs, etc. * Help homeowners stay in their homes. We cannot have a plan for Wall Street banks that does not help homeowners stay in their homes and help distressed communities. * Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. * Rescue requires mutual responsibility. Institutions that benefit from taxpayer help must help protect American homeowners and the American economy. We cannot underwrite continued irresponsibility. * Build a regulatory structure for the 21st Century. We should commit ourselves to new rules of the road for the 21st Century economy. * A global response. The United States must lead, but we must also insist that other nations, who have a huge stake in the outcome, join us in helping to secure the financial markets.3 Last night's prime time address by President Bush was intended to force Congress to approve his bailout deal for Wall Street without helping Main Street. To keep Congress from caving, we must keep the public pressure up today. Can you call Senator Elizabeth Dole and Senator Richard Burr and Representative Mike McIntyre today? Tell them to take the time to get this right and put Main Street ahead of Wall Street. Here's where to call: Senator Elizabeth Dole Phone: 202-224-6342 District Offices: Greenville: 252-329-1093 Hendersonville: 828-698-3747 Raleigh: 866-420-6083 Salisbury: 866-420-6084 Senator Richard Burr Phone: 202-224-3154 District Offices: Ashville: 828-350-2437 Gastonia: 704-833-0854 Rocky Mount: 252-977-9522 Wilmington: 888-848-1833 Winston-Salem: 800-685-8916 Representative Mike McIntyre Phone: 202-225-2731 District Offices: Bolivia: 910-253-0158 Fayetteville: 910-323-0260 Lumberton: 910-735-0610 Wilmington: 910-815-4959 Then, please report your call by clicking here: http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNC_1.FSNC_2.FHNC_07&cp_id=819&id=14033-9242917-prmsILx&t=12 Thanks for all you do. --Adam G., Noah, Andrea, Wes and the rest of the team Sources: 1. "Bad News For The Bailout," Forbes, September 23, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=30388&id=14033-9242917-prmsILx&t=14 2. "Constituents Make Their Bailout Views Known," New York Times, September 24, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/25voices.html 3. "Senator Obama's Statement of Principles for the Treasury Proposal," September 21, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=30343&id=14033-9242917-prmsILx&t=15 Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 4.2 million members--no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here. ________________ PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to Michael Atkins on September 25, 2008>. To change your email address or update your contact info, visit: http://moveon.org/subscrip/coa.html?id=14033-9242917-prmsILx. To remove yourself (Michael Atkins) from this list, visit: http://moveon.org/s?i=14033-9242917-prmsILx
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