Post your congressmen/senator's replies here (on bailout)

matthylland

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2007
Messages
694
Here is my first reply I got, from (R) Virginia Foxx of 5th district, NC
Dear Mr. Hylland:

Late last week, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke recommended that the federal government allocate $700 billion to provide liquidity in the financial market by purchasing unspecified items from various Wall Street firms. They justified their recommendation by saying that the financial markets are in a crisis because banks no longer have faith in each other and that it is very difficult to obtain credit.



This recommendation comes on the heels of two other bail outs which have passed Congress this year. We have seen no bill in the House of Representatives to this point although the White House has submitted a 3 page bill that basically gives the Treasury Secretary the authority to use $700 billion with no oversight and no accountability. The Democrats in the Senate have countered with a 42 page bill that adds bailing out individuals who have defaulted on their mortgages, has the government control executive compensation, will allow judges to change the amount a person owes a bank on a loan if the person declares bankruptcy and many, many other items.



I'm not convinced that the proposal that has been made is the appropriate way to deal with the problem. The current crisis is a matter of a failure of government and rushing to provide a government-based solution may do more long-term damage than good. There's one common sense idea that I can't help but agree with: the federal government should not be bailing out people on Wall Street who made bad decisions. We need to protect American citizens who have played by the rules.



We have received many calls in the office asking for details on "the bill" we are considering. We have always worked hard to keep constituents informed of what is happening in Washington and what my position on issues is. Because there is no bill and only speculation, we can pass along only what we learn from meetings or what is published. Please know that I am working very hard on this issue by discussing this with experts in the subject, especially those in North Carolina, reading the latest materials we receive, attending relevant meetings and speaking up on your behalf whenever appropriate. Please understand that this is a very fluid situation, with dramatic developments coming throughout every day. To help you understand the situation as it stands at this particular hour, I've enclosed some articles that have been published about this situation. We will continue to put items on our website and will be happy to keep sending you information as it becomes available.



You may be interested in visiting my website, www.foxx.house.gov. We update our site daily and it is a great resource to learn about constituent services, legislative updates and my work in Congress. I hope you will utilize the website and let me know what you think about it.



Sincerely,

Virginia Foxx

Member of Congress

post yours here too!
 
Dear Mr. Donegan:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about Treasury
Secretary Henry Paulson's proposal to bring stability to our financial
system.

I take my responsibility to represent the views of my constituents
very seriously, and I have heard from hundreds of Tennesseans on
this issue. In the coming days Congress will consider a series of
revisions to the Treasury's proposal, being sure to include protections
for American taxpayers and increased oversight of the program's
activities.

The stakes are very high. Allowing the collapse of our banking
system would cripple our already weak economy. Credit card rates
would skyrocket, new small business loans and mortgages would be
nearly impossible to attain, and jobs would be lost. Simply put, it
would be a dereliction of my duties as an elected representative to
not consider the extreme conditions that brought about this situation
and all potential solutions to the current crisis.

I will keep in touch as this situation unfolds. Thank you again for
getting in touch with me to share your concerns.

JIM COOPER, TN
 
Looks like I got the same 1 you did Matt.
I called today and told the lady who answered the phone that I would be removing her sign from my yard if she voted for any form of bailout.

September 24, 2008





Dear Mr. Brown:

Late last week, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke recommended that the federal government allocate $700 billion to provide liquidity in the financial market by purchasing unspecified items from various Wall Street firms. They justified their recommendation by saying that the financial markets are in a crisis because banks no longer have faith in each other and that it is very difficult to obtain credit.



This recommendation comes on the heels of two other bail outs which have passed Congress this year. We have seen no bill in the House of Representatives to this point although the White House has submitted a 3 page bill that basically gives the Treasury Secretary the authority to use $700 billion with no oversight and no accountability. The Democrats in the Senate have countered with a 42 page bill that adds bailing out individuals who have defaulted on their mortgages, has the government control executive compensation, will allow judges to change the amount a person owes a bank on a loan if the person declares bankruptcy and many, many other items.



I'm not convinced that the proposal that has been made is the appropriate way to deal with the problem. The current crisis is a matter of a failure of government and rushing to provide a government-based solution may do more long-term damage than good. There's one common sense idea that I can't help but agree with: the federal government should not be bailing out people on Wall Street who made bad decisions. We need to protect American citizens who have played by the rules.



We have received many calls in the office asking for details on "the bill" we are considering. We have always worked hard to keep constituents informed of what is happening in Washington and what my position on issues is. Because there is no bill and only speculation, we can pass along only what we learn from meetings or what is published. Please know that I am working very hard on this issue by discussing this with experts in the subject, especially those in North Carolina, reading the latest materials we receive, attending relevant meetings and speaking up on your behalf whenever appropriate. Please understand that this is a very fluid situation, with dramatic developments coming throughout every day. To help you understand the situation as it stands at this particular hour, I've enclosed some articles that have been published about this situation. We will continue to put items on our website and will be happy to keep sending you information as it becomes available.



You may be interested in visiting my website, www.foxx.house.gov. We update our site daily and it is a great resource to learn about constituent services, legislative updates and my work in Congress. I hope you will utilize the website and let me know what you think about it.



Sincerely,

Virginia Foxx

Member of Congress



VF/rc
 
My Congresspeople have never replied to any of my emails. Then again, I've never asked for one.
 
Rodney Alexander I strongly oppose and I respectfully suggest you and others start taking economic lessons from Ron Paul, he's been right while others have been dead wrong!
 
nothing from Congressman Reichert, Senators Murray or Cantwell :(
 
Sherrod Brown, D-OH:

Dear Mr. :(:

Thank you for expressing your concerns with the problems in the financial sector and proposals to address them.

A lot of Ohioans, including me, are angry at the thought of bailing out people who made a lot of money making bad business decisions that created problems in neighborhoods across Ohio.
I agree that we need to avoid rewarding excessive risk taking. These institutions made unwise decisions, and taxpayers should not be expected to simply cover their losses.

Treasury Secretary Paulson this weekend sent a proposal to Congress that would give him almost unfettered authority to spend $700 billion purchasing troubled assets from financial institutions. On Tuesday, my colleagues on the Banking Committee and I held a hearing at which Secretary Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, and others testified.

They made a strong case for the need to act quickly to prevent further damage to our economy. The turmoil in the credit markets has the potential to do great damage to a lot of innocent bystanders. I am afraid that if we do not act, the economic instability could affect thousands of American jobs and the savings of countless middle class families.

But Secretary Paulson’s proposal is not the right answer. No Secretary should be given a $700 billion blank check. Taxpayers must be given an opportunity to recover their money, and assurances their tax dollars will not fund lavish pay and golden parachutes. We need strong rules to guard against abuse, and to ensure all types of institutions and regions are helped.

In the days ahead, we need to focus on containing the damage to middle class families and local businesses as much as possible. In the months ahead, we need to take a hard look at how financial markets are regulated so we never find ourselves in this situation again.

Thank you again for contacting me. I will certainly keep your views in mind as the Senate debates ways to help restore strength to our economy.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
 
Haha Pete beat me...Sherrod Brown:

Thank you for expressing your concerns with the problems in the financial sector and proposals to address them.

A lot of Ohioans, including me, are angry at the thought of bailing out people who made a lot of money making bad business decisions that created problems in neighborhoods across Ohio.
I agree that we need to avoid rewarding excessive risk taking. These institutions made unwise decisions, and taxpayers should not be expected to simply cover their losses.

Treasury Secretary Paulson this weekend sent a proposal to Congress that would give him almost unfettered authority to spend $700 billion purchasing troubled assets from financial institutions. On Tuesday, my colleagues on the Banking Committee and I held a hearing at which Secretary Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, and others testified.

They made a strong case for the need to act quickly to prevent further damage to our economy. The turmoil in the credit markets has the potential to do great damage to a lot of innocent bystanders. I am afraid that if we do not act, the economic instability could affect thousands of American jobs and the savings of countless middle class families.

But Secretary Paulson’s proposal is not the right answer. No Secretary should be given a $700 billion blank check. Taxpayers must be given an opportunity to recover their money, and assurances their tax dollars will not fund lavish pay and golden parachutes. We need strong rules to guard against abuse, and to ensure all types of institutions and regions are helped.

In the days ahead, we need to focus on containing the damage to middle class families and local businesses as much as possible. In the months ahead, we need to take a hard look at how financial markets are regulated so we never find ourselves in this situation again.

Thank you again for contacting me. I will certainly keep your views in mind as the Senate debates ways to help restore strength to our economy.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
 
"Dear Mr. Snowtala,



Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on the administration's proposal to purchase up to $700 billion of bad mortgage debt. I very much appreciated hearing from you.



The Administration has sent its proposed plan to Congress for consideration. Before I decide whether or not to support it, I want to know how the taxpayers' interests will be protected, what the real cost of the plan could be, if the plan will be funded or just piled on top of our already mountainous debt, if it will include protections to prevent something like this in the future, and if the executives of the companies that are rescued by taxpayers will continue to receive multimillion dollar compensation packages. I recognize that Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chairman Bernanke have a tough job, but the administration is asking Congress to provide nearly one-third of the total federal budget to the Treasury Department for this rescue plan.



Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to do so again on this or any other issue."




this was from Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin


i haven't gotten a response from Senator Kohl or my congressman Paul Ryan of WI-D1
 
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My Congressman, Jim Matheson (D-UTah) Yeah a D from Utah what is the world coming to?

Anyway, he sent out an email this morning asking for input and saying he has GRAVE misigivings about the bailout. I filled out his survey and agreed with him that the bailout is out of control, it is being pushed thru too fast, is completely lacking in oversight, etc etc.
 
Dear Kotin:



Thanks for voicing your most appropriate objections to the sudden demand of President Bush that Congress immediately approve near unlimited authority for his Administration to bail out Wall Street. Certainly, all of us want to avoid further deterioration of our economy, but I am appalled by the manner and nature of his request. I have been raising our shared concerns in meetings with colleagues.



In addition, I had the opportunity to question Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake on the Administration's proposed bailout plan today. I highlighted the fact that the President has not explained how he would pay for his Wall Street bailout and has relied instead on his mantra of "borrow more money." You can view my questioning of Chairman Bernake here.



As I continue to question the rush to approve this complex plan, I am seeking to include as many safeguards for taxpayers as possible. While the formal floor debate over this proposal has not yet gotten underway, I also delivered the attached brief remarks yesterday. An excellent enumeration of some of these safeguards from Dr. James Galbraith of the LBJ School of Public Affairs is attached as well.



As this fast moving process continues, I will remain mindful of your views and will attempt to update you on my work. Please keep me advised of any other federal mattes on which I may be of assistance.



Also, by visiting my website at http://www.house.gov/doggett, you can also sign up for "Lloyd's List." By signing up for "Lloyd's List," you are authorizing me to send regular e-mail updates on issues important to you from my office to your e-mail account. Help me work for you by signing up today.



"Wall Street got drunk-Mr. President, you gave them the keys to liquor cabinet."

Rep. Lloyd Doggett

September 23, 2008
 
Stabenow - (D-MI)

September 24, 2008


Thank you . . .



. . for contacting me about the current crisis in our economy. I wanted to share with you the statement I released on Monday:



After eight years of deregulation and lack of accountability, this Administration has created the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression - a crisis that will hurt hardworking American families across the country because credit markets are drying up and pension assets are at risk.

I am currently reviewing various proposals to address this emergency and will work with my colleagues to act quickly. I believe any proposal must put American families first by ensuring the American taxpayer is protected, strengthening oversight and accountability, limiting executive compensation, and most importantly, helping families stay in their homes.

As Michigan faces an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent, record foreclosures and skyrocketing household costs, we must also work together to ensure that we are providing relief to struggling families and creating good-paying jobs across the country. I urge President Bush to support our efforts to extend unemployment insurance benefits to help hardworking families and support our retooling program to create jobs here at home.

Now is the time to come together and do what is right for the American people.



Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.



Sincerely,

Debbie Stabenow

United States Senator

Firmly in the middle. :eek: Looks like she's a go if they'll cough up money for the automakers.
 
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