'Truckers for the Constitution' Plan to Slow D.C. Beltway, Arrest Congressmen

Police must detain 'accessories' to 'treason' or truckers will, organizer says

Tractor-trailer drivers will intentionally clog the inner loop of the Washington, D.C., beltway beginning on the morning of Oct. 11, according to a coordinator of the upcoming "Truckers Ride for the Constitution" rally.

Organizers of the three-day ride want to call attention to a litany of trucker frustrations and express their disapproval of national political leaders.

Earl Conlon, a Georgia trucker who is handling logistics for the protest, told U.S. News tractor-trailer drivers will circle the beltway "three lanes deep" as he rides with other participants to Congress to seek the arrest of congressmen for allegedly disregarding the Constitution.

[EARLIER: Truckers Say Their D.C. Shutdown Is Full-Speed Ahead]

The truckers circling I-495 will keep the left lane open for emergency vehicles, Conlon said, but "everybody that doesn't have a supporter sticker on their window, good luck: Nobody in, nobody out." The trucks will be going the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit.

D.C. commuters who wish to be allowed past the convoy must have "T2SDA" – an acronym for the event's original name, "Truckers to Shut Down America" – written on their vehicle, he said.

"It's going to be real fun for anyone who is not a supporter," Conlon said, "[and] if cops decide to give us a hard time, we're going to lock the brakes up, we're going to stop right there, we're going to be a three lane roadblock."

Zeeda Andrews, a former country music singer helping promote the protest, said last week participants would present demands to congressmen – including the impeachment of President Barack Obama – and give the congressmen an opportunity to agree to the demands in exchange for canceling the ride.

Via: US News

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The Phone Lines Melt

And in boxes are inundated, as people urge their congressmen to oppose military action in Syria. 

The phones are ringing off the hook in Congress — and virtually no one is calling in to support military intervention in Syria.

At the office of Representative Chris Gibson (R., N.Y.), who represents a swing district, the number of phone calls and e-mails from constituents regarding military action in Syria has “far exceeded the normal volume,” says Gibson aide Stephanie Valle.

In recent days, Gibson’s office has received “about 850 e-mails on it, and out of those, 840 are opposed to military intervention,” Valle adds.

Gibson opted to go further. Instead of simply waiting for constituents to contact him, his office e-mailed to their list a survey regarding Syria. Of the 5,400 who responded, 85 percent agreed with Gibson: It would be a mistake for the United States to take military action there.

Gibson is hardly alone. Aides to GOP House members consistently say that overwhelmingly the calls and e-mails that their offices are receiving about Syria are against taking any military action there. Many Republicans have heard from no more than a handful of constituents supporting intervention. Several staffers, echoing Valle’s observation, say that, of the hundreds of calls and e-mails they’ve received about Syria, those in support of military intervention can be counted on the fingers of both hands.

Dan Kotman, communications director for Representative Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.), says that Bachmann’s office “has been inundated with phone calls, e-mails, and letters about the situation in Syria.”

Via: National Review Online

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Congress Still Using Commemorative Coins to Get Around Earmark Ban

House and Senate Republicans have introduced legislation that would prevent Congress from using commemorative coins to fund pet projects as a creative workaround to the earmark ban.

In April, The Heritage Foundation’s sister organization, Heritage Action, first wrote about the commemorative coin process. Currently, Congressmen can introduce commemorative coin bills depicting national icons in their districts, such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame or Future Farmers of America. The bills are easily passed by bipartisan majorities, because it’s pretty difficult to vote against a Mother’s Day or March of Dimes commemorative coin.

It is important to note that many of these organizations are non-profits that already receive federal funding and are perfectly capable of raising their own funds through various activities such as souvenir sales or—gasp—even making their own commemorative coins.

The congressionally approved coin is then minted by the Treasury, which is completely reimbursed for the cost of the coins as coin collectors purchase them. Of course, if a coin doesn’t sell very well, the upfront cost of the minting could, in theory, not be recouped. But the Treasury is the first to be repaid upon the sale of the coins. 

Via: The Foundry

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