Write One letter a month   Committee for Correspondence      Send copies of your letters to Mary or Scott

Here is some modern assistance that you may use to Speak Out!

National Priorities Project "Take Action" Page
This is a great introduction to how to write, email, fax and or meet with congress. Lots of good detailed how tos.

The People's Email Network (the PEN)
They offer a list of current issues and give support to you on speaking out on them. You may opt in to an email service, download a desktop action program (for windows) and locate you representatives and local newpapers and start an electronic petition through this site.

Congress.org
Information on what is happening in congress and how to contact your reps there.
This non-partisan site lists issues and offers many services to help you write letters. You can subscribe to an email service called megavote which tells you how your reps voted and also gives information on up-coming votes.

Gainesville Sun
Letters to the editor:
* Should be 300 words or less.
* May be edited for clarity, length, taste and libel.
* Should contain the writer's full name, address and telephone number.

Only original letters written directly to The Sun* will be considered. Generally, only one letter per writer will be published each month. Letters can be sent to:

E-Mail: voice@gvillesun.com
Mail: Voice of the People, The Gainesville Sun, 2700 SW 13th St., Gainesville, Fl., 32608-2015
Fax: 352-338-3128

*If you use the Pen or Congrss.org (see links above) and type in a Gainesville zip code your letter will be sent automatically to the Gainesville Sun

The Independent Florida Alligator Editorial page online
Student run weekly
If you would like to submit a letter to the editor to be considered for publication, please e-mail letters@alligator.org . Be sure to include your name and classification or title.

The Satellite Magazine Contacts page
Monthly Music, local culture and politics
The editorial submission deadline is the second Friday of every month.
email: editor@satellitemag.com

Updates on what congress and the whitehouse are planning, voting on, etc. available from Megavote, a service of Congress.org that you can sign up to have mailed to you weekly when congress is in session. They include suggestion for letters. Here is my email from January 24, 2007:

CONGRESS.ORG WEEKLY UPDATE       January 24, 2007

THE PRESIDENT PROPOSES
President Bush outlined some new proposals in the State of the Union address. Tell him and your Members of Congress your views on the proposals below. We will report the results of your messages.

TWENTY IN TEN
President Bush proposes reducing gasoline usage by 20% in 10 years by raising the amount of renewable fuels used and by increasing the fuel efficiency standard for cars and light trucks. Read the White House proposal. Do you support this proposal?
- Yes, we need to reduce our gasoline consumption and this plan is will help
- No, this plan is not workable or it doesn't go far enough

AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND FLEXIBLE HEALTH COVERAGE
Under the President's plan, health insurance costs would be tax deductible, but the health insurance provided by employers would be taxed as income. Read the White House proposal. Do you support this proposal?
- Yes, Congress should focus on making changes in the tax code to make health insurance more affordable for everyone
- No, Congress should focus on other ways to provide universal health care to everyone

SENATE VOTES ON MINIMUM WAGE BILL THIS WEEK
Write Your Senators and let them know what you think of raising the minimum wage.
Your Vote Count Thus Far: 18,112 messages
- I support raising the minimum wage (65%)
- I oppose raising the minimum wage (35%)

100 HOUR SCORECARD
The new Democratic House leadership spent the first "100 hours" of the legislative session voting on legislation the Democrats believe was important to the voters. Weigh in with your views on the results and see the results of the messages sent.

H.R. 6 - OIL COMPANY SUBSIDIES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS
PASSED 264-163: VOTE RESULTS Reduces or rolls back tax breaks for oil companies to fund renewable energy projects.
Your Vote Count: - SUPPORTED(83%) - OPPOSED(17%)

H.R. 5 - REDUCING STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES
PASSED 356-71 VOTE RESULTS House cuts subsidies to student loan providers to reduce interest rates by 50%.
Your Vote Count: SUPPORTED (91%) OPPOSED(9%)

LOWER MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES
PASSED 255-170 VOTE RESULTS House repealed laws that prevent the government from negotiating discount drug purchases from drug companies.
Your Vote Count: 19,648 messages - SUPPORTED (84%) - OPPOSED(16%)

FUND STEM CELL RESEARCH Passed 253-174 VOTE RESULTS House approves funding for stem cell research.
Your Vote Count: - SUPPORTED (54%) - OPPOSED (46%)

PAY AS YOU GO RULES Passed 232-200 VOTE RESULTS House requires spending cuts or tax hikes to offset any new spending or tax cuts.
Your Vote Count: 9785 messages - SUPPORTED (74%) - OPPOSED (26%)

ETHICS OF CONGRESS Passed House and Senate HOUSE VOTE RESULTS House bans gifts from lobbyists and requires full disclosure of earmarks.
Your Vote Count: 19,112 messages - SUPPORTED (92%) - OPPOSED (8%)

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE Passed 315-116 VOTE RESULTS House votes to increase it to $7.25 an hour.
Your Vote Count: 18,112 messages - SUPPORTED (65%) - OPPOSED (35%)

9/11 COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS Passed 299-128 VOTE RESULTS House approves implementing the 9/11 Commission security proposals.
Your Vote Count: 10,037 messages - SUPPORTED (84%) - OPPOSED (16%)

SHARE YOUR VIEWS OF SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: Add your commentary on Nancy Pelosi's performance since the midterm election on her biography page. When people go to write her a message they will see your comments. See what people are saying about her now.

SHOW YOUR CONGRESS.ORG PRIDE

Get your official Congress.org hat for our ever-growing Web site that gives you a voice in democracy. Our users are never slow to say what moves them – so spread the word to help Congress.org make a difference in the new Congress!  Order your hat online

The Congress.org Weekly Update Editors

___________________________________________________________________

TO ALL YOU NEW SUBSCRIBERS OUT THERE
If you're new to this newsletter or haven't been to Congress.org for awhile, here is a reminder of the things you can do to make an impact on your elected officials.

HOW POWERFUL ARE YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS?
We ranked Congress from the most powerful and effective members to the least.  Where do your Senators and your Representative rank in the Power Rankings ?

WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE?
You can now personalize your e-mail to Congress by adding a picture of you or your issue and a bit about yourself.  Use the "See Me" option when you send a message to Congress.  Look at the gallery of activists

HAVE IT HAND DELIVERED
You can have your message personally delivered to the Capitol offices of your members of Congress for $8.95 each message by using the "Extra Impact" option when composing your message.

LET OTHERS READ WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY
You can post that letter you wrote to your elected officials for everyone to see by using the "Letters to Leaders" option.  Read letters from others.   Or, you can create a Soapbox Alert that will allow you to raise an issue and allow others to write to the elected officials you target. You can see for yourself how many people read your views and how many took action on them.  ( Click here for details )

Also post your own Soapbox Commentary on the bio page of any elected official. Think they are saying one thing and doing another? Call them on it. Do you know something about an official everyone should know?  Post that as well for up to 30 days.  Visit the biography page of any elected official for details.

There's more to see on Congress.org.  Stop by if you haven't been there for awhile.

Don't forget to add Congress.org@Capwiz.com to your address book to ensure prompt delivery of this newsletter each week.