Letter to Congress about Family Separation
Dear _____,
I’m writing today because I’m deeply disturbed by recent news reports about immigrant parents being separated from their children when they illegally cross the U.S. southern border. Read More
Blog Posts
November 2015: Laws, Bills, & Hearings
Links to all of the laws, bills, and interesting hearings from from November 2015.
October 2015: Laws, Bills, & Hearings
Links to all of the laws, bills, and interesting hearings from October 2015. Read More
September 2015: Laws, Bills, & Hearings
Links to all of the laws, bills, and interesting hearings from September 2015.
Here’s How CISA Helps the NSA Scrape the Internet Backbone to Read Your Emails at Will
By Donny Shaw
The National Security Agency is sitting on a new surveillance apparatus, awaiting congressional action to help them begin collecting a massive amount of new data on people in the U.S. that they can view and share without a warrant. Read More
Representatives who voted for fast track have taken 91% more money from corporations backing the trade deals
By Donny Shaw
The House of Representatives this afternoon rejected the Senate’s fast track package for the Obama administration’s trade proposals, but they also voted in favor of the fast track portion of the package itself, 219-211. Though largely symbolic, the vote shows that fast track does have the votes to pass in the House, and that will be an important factor in determining how Congress moves forward with giving the administration the fast track authority in the coming weeks. Read More
Top 5 Congressional Dish Episodes for Newbies
Excellent question by @theIanMcNeny:
@JenBriney Great things you're doing with @CongressDish! Lots of info I had no idea about! What 5 eps would be "must listens" for newbies?
— Ian McNeny (@theIanMcNeny) February 4, 2015
Thank you for asking!
Here's five episodes I highly recommend and why:
CD083: The Story of the 113th Congress
This episode is a summary of everything that happened during the 113th Congress (the 114th Congress began in January 2015). During the 113th Congress, Congressional Dish focused on the House of Representatives, which was controlled by the Republican Party at the time. Now, the Republican Party controls the entire Congress for the 114th Congress. This episode will give you an idea of how they will govern for the next two years.
CD052: The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
This is one piece of legislation that did not die with the 113th Congress. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is huge new package of international laws that is being created right now with eleven other countries. It’s the one thing that President Obama and the Republicans who now control all of Congress agree on. You should know about this.
CD003: The Free Market vs. US
"Free Market" is a term used often in Congress. It refers to two things: Economic theories that have been tested in countries around the world during the last 60 years and it's a label that is often applied to economic laws that don't follow those theories but rig the laws to benefit multi-national corporations. This episode, one of the first Congressional Dish episodes, explores the results of how the economic theories and label "free market" have been used around the world.
CD041: Why Attack Syria?
In 2013, the President of the United States went on television and announced to the world that he planned to bomb Syria. A year and half later, the United States is bombing Syria regularly. In this episode, we fact check a list posted on Twitter by a Syrian after the President's announcement which contained twelve things the Syrian wanted us to know about her country. There were some true things on her list that we all should know.
CD067: What Do We Want in Ukraine?
In early 2014, our government began giving Ukraine billions of our tax money in the forms of cash, military equipment, and military "trainers". This continues in the 114th Congress. This episode provides some information about how and why we got involved in Ukraine. This is a likely real time example adding to the pattern you'll learn about in CD003.
Thank you for listening to Congressional Dish! Please let us know what you think.
Email Script for Anti-Fast Track Message to Congress
Title: Vote No on Fast Track Authority
Dear (Insert Your Rep Here),
I would like you to oppose the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014, which would give the President fast-track authority for trade agreements. The Constitution gave this power to Congress; I hope that as my Representative, you will not give our power away freely to the Executive Branch.
Thank you.
(Insert Your Name)
Congressional Dish: Nominee for the 2013 Podcast Awards!
I’m thrilled to announce that Congressional Dish has been nominated in the Politics/News category for the 2013 Podcast Awards! Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate the show!
Public Law 113-6: Monsanto Protection Act
The nicknamed “Monsanto Protection Act” was part of the government funding bill that President Obama signed into law on March 26, 2013; it forces permits to be issued for new plants – like genetically modified plants grown by Monsanto – while the Department of Agriculture investigates whether the plant is harmful and should be regulated. Read More