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Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by djaque on Thursday April 09, 2020 @02:42PM (#22825795)
If you haven't already, please take the time to email your federal representatives. The EFF's tool [1] only takes a few clicks to use.

[1] https://act.eff.org/action/protect-our-speech-and-security-o...

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by ipsin on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:05PM (#22826613)
I was going to contact my senators. One of them is Dianne Feinstein, and... ugh, why is she always on the worst side when it comes to privacy? She's actually a sponsor of this thing.

I've written her enough that I can already write my own reply from her office. Shorter Feinstein: "Thank you for your concerns, but you're wrong."

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by coldpie on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:16PM (#22826736)
> why is she always on the worst side when it comes to privacy

Because she is a terrible Senator. Please, please, please stop voting for her already.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by catalogia on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:54PM (#22827070)
She's 86 now and the next time she'll be up for reelection is in 2024. There's a good chance she won't be around long enough to ever lose reelection.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by smegger001 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @07:00PM (#22828093)
on the other hand the late Senator Strom Thormond didn't leave office until he retired at age 100.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by nocman on Friday April 10, 2020 @04:59PM (#22837306)
I know this is a day old now, but Pelosi was born March 26, 1940, so she is 80 (not 86).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by yesco on Friday April 10, 2020 @06:32PM (#22838000)
This discussion is about Dianne Feinstein, not Pelosi.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by nocman on Friday April 10, 2020 @08:31PM (#22838755)
LOL. Sorry about that. Not sure where I got my wires crossed there. Must have gotten distracted somewhere in the middle while looking it up. I also didn't realize that Feinstein was that old.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by yjftsjthsd-h on Thursday April 09, 2020 @05:46PM (#22827542)
> There's a good chance she won't be around long enough to ever lose reelection.

No need to be so negative. Isn't it nicer to say, "There's a good chance that she won't win reelection*."?

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by catalogia on Thursday April 09, 2020 @07:37PM (#22828386)
I think that phrasing is more ambiguous, not nicer (nor meaner.) "Won't win reelection" is phrasing that's compatible with a 'loses the election' scenario, which I consider implausible (If she's still alive in 2024, she'll undoubtedly win.) Adding ambiguity to my comment doesn't make it nicer; it only increases the chance that I might be misunderstood.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by api on Thursday April 09, 2020 @09:14PM (#22828942)
She's a Democrat from the district including SF. She could eat a baby on live TV and still win. It's like being a Republican from a heavily rural Texas or Utah district. Congressmen and senators from hard single party regions are basically tenured.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by hedora on Thursday April 09, 2020 @10:03PM (#22829236)
She’s basically a moderate republican:

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/

She used to vote with Trump more than any other Democrat. Now she’s number 2 (and she is much further right wing than many republican senators).

I don’t understand how she keeps winning in places like SF. Even a California republican would probably be further to the left than she is.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by SamReidHughes on Friday April 10, 2020 @06:38AM (#22831668)
You aren't sorting by the proper column. She's right in the middle of the Democrats.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by thaumasiotes on Thursday April 09, 2020 @02:46PM (#22825832)
> The EFF's tool [1] only takes a few clicks to use.

Your input is discounted at least in direct proportion to how little you sacrificed in order to provide it. If you really want to make an impression, telephone your representative.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by reaperducer on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:32PM (#22826291)
Your input is discounted at least in direct proportion to how little you sacrificed in order to provide it.

One of my college roommates works for a congresscritter. He says, at least for his guy, written letters still have the most impact, followed by telephone calls. He didn't mention faxes.

E-mail and social media are waaaay down on the list because they take the least effort and can be gamed so easily.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by sailfast on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:57PM (#22826523)
Many of my reps have stopped providing phone numbers on their websites. Kinda cowardly, but it allows them to validate emails with addresses that come via their website from actual constituents.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by pubstik on Friday April 10, 2020 @10:44AM (#22833507)
Yet they all hve phone numbers that can be found with a cursory search. Do the dilligence.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by akeck on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:41PM (#22826384)
I'll probably send certified letters in this case.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by ihaveajob on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:56PM (#22826516)
Hand delivered.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by akeck on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:05PM (#22826606)
I'll break out my calligraphy pen, ink, and sealing wax.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by egl2020 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:21PM (#22826781)
I use my owl.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by thanksforfish on Saturday April 11, 2020 @10:24AM (#22841834)
There's an interesting age bias there. My parents write letters, my generation much less so. I don't know if I currently have stamps. Our votes count the same though.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by thanksforfish on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:09PM (#22826062)
Don't let that discourage you if you've only got time to tap a few buttons. Better to send a weak signal than none.

In either case, contact instructions are here: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by pc86 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:07PM (#22826629)
I take issue with the premise that there is anyone who doesn't have time to send a better signal? It takes all of about 4 minutes to call the Capitol offices of your two representatives in Congress. They'll get your name address and you can make it as quick as "I just wanted to let Rep./Sen. so-and-so know that I am for/against HB/SB 1234." and it's done. You will absolutely spend more time looking up their phone numbers than you will on the phone.

You can do this while walking out of the office to the parking lot or metro station.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by mohaine on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:05PM (#22826609)
I've heard this so many times but I'm not sure it is true.

I helped with processing the results of a large government RFC for a large government aid bill (Farm Bill 201?) and the exact opposite was true. There were too many responses to individually read each one so the responses just got bucketed and counted. You could be fine with a one off response but it would be less likely to be bucketed correctly and would still only be counted once per bucket at most.

To cover your bases I would always do the easy one click option and then write the handwritten letter as well.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by hanniabu on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:15PM (#22826131)
If you really want to make an impression, create a SuperPAC and donate millions to their campaigns.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by pas on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:46PM (#22826422)
No, don't! After you've spent the money they'll do whatever they want. Instead, threaten to donate to their opponent if they don't bow to your will, then after roll call you can wire the money to them.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by StillBored on Thursday April 09, 2020 @05:25PM (#22827374)
Hehe, the only difference between what you and parent said, is that he is wiring it to their _next_ election campaign. Do it preferably in smaller sums so you can strong arm them multiple times before the next election.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by thaumasiotes on Thursday April 09, 2020 @10:44PM (#22829477)
> Do it preferably in smaller sums so you can strong arm them multiple times before the next election.

Really, you want to have a steady stream of payments flowing from you to them. That way, they're accustomed to it, and you always have the implicit threat of suspending the payments. This basically mirrors the structure of an ordinary ongoing personal relationship.

One-time donations, which would reflect an ordinary commercial relationship, don't work well, since the thing that makes them work outside of politics -- conditioning payment on receipt of the good purchased -- is illegal in politics.

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by shadowoflight on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:57PM (#22826531)
> Your input is discounted at least in direct proportion to how little you sacrificed in order to provide it.

If this were true, corporations would be completely ignored when they provided a measly few million dollars in campaign contributions...

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by owenshen24 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:20PM (#22826770)
I attempted to call them today. All of their offices were closed due to COVID-19. I was unable to leave a message.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by lliiffee on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:05PM (#22826612)
I was a little apprehensive, but decided to try this. I called my representative as well as both senators. In all cases (3:30pm on a thursday) I just got a voicemail. I left a short message in each case. Nothing could be easier.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by yingw787 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @02:55PM (#22825933)
I just filled it out! I didn't realize from the previous HN post Signal was threatening to leave the U.S. market altogether! I don't recall if they have ever done that before. So I'm taking this seriously.
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by tasty_freeze on Thursday April 09, 2020 @08:28PM (#22828708)
I tried to use it, but it is very confusing. I added a personalized message at the start of it, hit submit, and it comes back saying "Please check that all required fields are completed and try again." The only thing I hadn't checked was the "Yes I want to join EFF's mailing list". I gritted my teeth, checked it, hit submit, and got the same message.

FF 74.0.1, 64b, windows 10

Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by samanator on Thursday April 09, 2020 @06:05PM (#22827698)
Thanks for the link! I never knew it was that easy. Submitted!
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by SkyMarshal on Thursday April 09, 2020 @03:05PM (#22826021)
For reps that require it, which topic should we select for this - Science/Technology or Communications/Telecommunications/FCC?
Re:Signal threatens to dump US market if EARN IT act passes by pc86 on Thursday April 09, 2020 @04:08PM (#22826643)
It would depend on the representative - if they're on committees related to one or the other, I'd select that one. If it's 50/50 I'd probably choose Telecom/FCC as that seems more technically accurate.