Today I am as proud of my USA birthplace and the “…republic for which it stands…” that the founders of the Republic envisioned and created as I have been for a very long time and have a new appreciation for the democratic ideals we enjoy - so far.

Why - because it is a reminder and a challenge to congress of course BUT also to me and you and there is no way I can say it as clearly as Congressman Schiff does. 

Riding the wave of prosperity, opportunity, education, travel, and abundance I lured myself into accepting the notion that since all was great for me, it must be for all great for others as well.  I did not accept that anything could go wrong - then 2016 . . . . .

I said, "there is nothing for me to do." Sure I bitched and moaned about this tax or that, the steadily increasing gap in income equality, deterioration of education, forever wars that did not involve me in any way.

It is not guaranteed.

We are at a historic turning point in our country today. 

The President of the United States is being tried by the Senate on whether or not to abolish the Impeachment Clause of the Constitution. If a president can categorically deny Congress all witnesses and all documents whenever he feels like it, there is no Impeachment Clause anymore. One of the first steps to ending a democracy and erecting an autocracy is making it legally impossible to remove the head-of-state. 

A vote to acquit on Contempt of Congress pushes us toward autocracy. By the same token, a vote to acquit on this particular Abuse of Power allegation is a vote in favor of foreign governments getting a say in our elections. So if the Senate GOP votes to acquit on Abuse of Power, your vote just lost 75% of its power. Please understand that.

Why are we supporting impeachment? And why do many of you? Because we want to live in a “democracy”. We want our votes to matter. And when a president acts like an autocrat, upends rule of law and destroys our electoral process, that president doesn't get to stay in office.

As Members of Democrats Abroad, we are asking each of you receiving this letter to please

IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE A CALL TO YOUR SENATOR OR ANY SENATOR YET 

TODAY WOULD BE A PERFECT DAY TO START.

Every day "45" remains in office he poses a threat to national and global security.

The Senate switchboard number is 202 224 3121. Please find below scripts you can follow if you call. ALSO: Resistbot.com is a great way to send a message. You can use Twitter, look up Resistbot and type Resist and you will be ready to send your message. Type Done when you are finished and your message will be sent.

Talking points courtesy of Seth Abramson, Sandra Odem Dowd, and Indivisible:

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS: My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], State [zip code]. I am calling because I want to thank the Senator for supporting the impeachment process and speaking out for a fair Senate Impeachment trial. But I’m worried about a cover-up with the Senate trial. I ask that he/she please push for:

1. Reject the Senate resolution as it’s currently written.

2. Support witnesses, depositions, and the public release of testimony.

3. Reject McConnell’s attempt to have this play out in the middle of the night, as it prevents the American people from watching the trial.

Make sure to tell them that to go forward with the proposed rules is to be complicit in a cover-up more appalling than Watergate, not to mention a violation of the oath they took to protect our democracy and the constitution.

A SECOND SAMPLE SCRIPT:

• A fair and just Senate impeachment trial that is held during the light of day, with witnesses and documents.

• the press to have full access to report on the Senate impeachment trial.

• If you want a DEMOCRACY, and if you want FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS, your vote on impeachment must be to convict.

• If you want AUTOCRACY and FOREIGN-RUN ELECTIONS, vote to acquit.

• The president & enablers extorted a foreign nation for the president's personal gain

• The president withheld crucial, congressionally mandated military aid from a vulnerable burgeoning democracy as a bargaining chip - demanding that nation publicly spread conspiracy theories and manufacture false claims against a competitor in an upcoming US election

• Please take a principled stand, put yourself on the right side of history and speak out against the crimes committed by this President.

If you are inclined, here are the numbers to call McConnell, in Kentucky. The message is to demand he allow TV cameras to cover the impeachment trial, and reporters are allowed in the Senate. Remind him he is supposed to represent all Americans, as this is an issue of national importance. If he can "coordinate" with 45, then he should recuse himself. If we all call, all of these numbers, it may move the needle toward transparency. He has no right to prevent us from seeing what will go in in this trial. We The People demand our representatives represent us, not their own self-interest, or the interests of a possible dictator.

502-582-6304

859-224-8286

859-578-0188

606-864-2026

270-781-1673

270-442-4554

202-224-2499

Note. He NEVER answers his DC number.

Here's the list of moderates, etc....

SPREAD WIDELY! DEMOCRACY REQUIRES PARTICIPATION. LET’S SPEAK OUT WHILE WE STILL CAN!

Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/

https://twitter.com/SenAlexander

Phone: (202) 224-4944

Fax: (202) 228-3398

Chattanooga Office

Joel E. Soloman Federal Building

900 Georgia Avenue, #260

Chattanooga, TN 37402

Phone: (423) 752-5337

Fax: (423) 752-5342

Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri

https://www.blunt.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/RoyBlunt

Phone: (202) 224-5721

Springfield Office

2740 B East Sunshine

Springfield, MO 65804

P: (417) 877-7814

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine

https://www.collins.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/senatorcollins

Main: (202)224-2523

Fax: (202)224-2693

Augusta Office

68 Sewall Street, Room 507

Augusta, ME 04330

Main: (207) 622-8414

Sen. Mike Lee of Utah

https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/

https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee

Phone: 202-224-5444

Fax: 801-524-5730

Salt Lake City

Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building

125 South State, Suite 4225

Salt Lake City, UT 84138

Phone: 801-524-5933

Fax: 801-524-5730

Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas

https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/

https://twitter.com/jerrymoran

Phone: (202) 224-6521

Fax: (202) 228-6966

Wichita Office

100 North Broadway

Suite 210

Wichita, KS 67202

Phone: (316) 269-9257

Fax: (316) 269-9259

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska

https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/lisamurkowski

Phone: (202)-224-6665

Fax: (202)-224-5301

Anchorage Office

510 L Street

Suite 600

Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone: (907) 271-3735

Fax: (877) 857-0322

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky

https://www.paul.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/RandPaul

Phone: 202-224-4343

Bowling Green

Main State Office

1029 State Street

Bowling Green, KY 42101

Phone: 270-782-8303

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio

https://www.portman.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/senrobportman

Phone: 202-224-3353

Columbus Office

37 West Broad Street , Room 300

Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-469-6774

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah

https://www.romney.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/SenatorRomney

Phone: (202) 224-5251

Fax: (202) 228-0836

Salt Lake City Office

125 S. State Stree Suite 8402

Salt Lake City, UT 84138

Phone: (801) 524-4380

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida

https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/

https://twitter.com/SenRubioPress

Phone: 202-224-3041

Fax: 305-596-4345

Orlando Office

201 South Orange Avenue

Suite 350

Orlando, FL 32801

Phone: (407) 254-2573 or toll free in Florida 1-866-630-7106

Sen. Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania

https://www.toomey.senate.gov/

https://twitter.com/SenToomey

Phone: (202) 224-4254

Fax: (202) 228-0284

Erie Office

United States Federal Building

17 South Park Row

Suite B-120

Erie, PA 16501

Phone: (814) 453-3010

Fax: (814) 455-9925

Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi

https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/

https://twitter.com/SenatorWicker

Phone: (202) 224-6253

Gulfport Office

2909 13th Street

3rd Floor, Suite 303

Gulfport, MS 39501

Main: (228) 871-701

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry

Mac Thornberry Press (@MacTXPress) | Twitter

Mac Thornberry Press (@MacTXPress) | Twitter The latest Tweets from Mac Thornberry Press (@MacTXPress). Tweets from the press shop of US Rep. Mac Thornberry. Mac serves the 13th District of TX, which spans from Amarillo to Wichita Falls & is larger than 13 states. United States Capitol

Phone: (202) 225-3706

Fax: (202) 225-3486

Amarillo Office

620 South Taylor Street

Suite 200

Amarillo, Texas 79101

T: (806) 371-8844

F: (806) 371-7044

Senator Ben Sasse

Senator Ben Sasse (@SenSasse) | Twitter

Senator Ben Sasse (@SenSasse) | Twitter The latest Tweets from Senator Ben Sasse (@SenSasse). The press office account of U.S. Sen. Sasse. His (less political/hopefully more interesting) personal account is @ BenSasse

Phone: 202-224-4224

Lincoln Office

1128 Lincoln Mall, Suite 305

Lincoln, NE 68508

Phone: 402-476-1400

Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado

Home | U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado

Home | U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Cory Gardner Of Colorado

Cory Gardner (@SenCory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) | Twitter

The latest Tweets from Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner). Proudly serving the state of Colorado in the United States Senate. This is my official Senate Twitter account. ColoradoCoryGardner) | Twitter

Phone: (202) 224-5941

Fax: (202) 224-6524

Denver Office

1961 Stout St., Ste. 12-300

Denver, CO 80294

Phone: (303) 391-5777

From FiveThirtyEight Article: https://fivethirtyeight.com/…/if-republicans-ever-turn-on-…/

Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana

Home | U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana

Home | U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) | Twitter

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) | Twitter

The latest Tweets from U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy). Treated uninsured patients as a doctor in Louisiana’s charity hospital system, now serving the people of my state in the US Senate. Proud LSU grad! #GeauxTigers. Baton Rouge, LA

Phone: (202) 224-5824

Baton Rouge Office

5555 Hilton Ave.

Suite 100

Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Phone: (225) 929-7711

Fax: (225) 929-7688

Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) | Twitter

Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) | Twitter

Los Tweets más recientes de Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander). 7th generation Tennessean born and raised in Maryville #LowerHealthCareCosts #MakingCollegeWorthIt #OpioidCrisisResponse #RestoreOurParks #TitanUp. Maryville, TN