Get Your Voice Heard in 15 mins per day- Here's How

How the 99% Can Make Their Voice Heard

Commit 15 Minutes a Day: Here’s how with Crucial Contact Info
By: Guy Falks

October 25, 2011- Jacksonville, FL: One common theme being seen across all cities is that the people involved feel like lobbyists and corporate money are keeping their voices from being heard, and more importantly acted on, by their elected representatives. Most people so busy just trying to keep their jobs that they don’t have time to go to Washington DC, the State Capital, or even their local City hall. The sad part is I’m sitting here in an “OccupyJAX” working group, and one common theme I’m hearing from people who are encouraging people to come out to public demonstrations is that they are afraid to get involved. They are concerned that voicing discontentment can jeopardize their jobs if they have one, or hurt their chances of getting hired if they’re in the final stages of the interview process. These concerns are valid, but let’s put things in perspective.

Free speech, and the right to assembly are protected by the 1st Ammendment of the US Constitution, and the American public needs to turn off their TV's and be exercising that right on a weekly basis if you feel unheard. If you feel like this is too inconvenient for you, consider the sacrifices citizens of other countries have to make just to protest. As the US Embassy in Syria pointed out on its Facebook page last week,

"Some Occupy Wall Street organizers have been arrested for disturbing public order (blocking traffic) but they won't be tortured, and no family will receive the body of a protester bearing torture marks,"

Make no mistake that multi-national corporations are spending hundreds of dollars an hour on lobbyists that help write legislation, and influence the votes of the officials you elect that may conflict with your own best interest, so your silence is hurting you and your family. The good news is that the 99% have more people behind them that can make their voices heard at no cost, and with minimal sacrifice.

More than 80% of the public disapprove of the job Congressional representatives are doing and it’s time to say “no more” to partisan politics. Regardless of whether you agree with the Occupy movement or not, if you feel like your voice isn’t being heard, here are some basic tactical steps you can take in 15 minutes a day to change the way government works.

1. Commit to contact a Federal, State, and Local representative every day. Use the method that works best for you whether it’s email, phone, or fax, but make it a point to reach out to one representative from each level of government each and every day. A list of all names and contact information for the Occupy Jacksonville Movement is at the end of this post.

2. Pick Your Issue: Decide what you care about the most, and research 3 key points that makes your case, and commit them to memory.

3. Create a 30 Second Voicemail/Email: Draft an email that can be read in 30 seconds, or script a voicemail you can leave in 20-30 seconds if you don’t get a live person when you call.

4. Research the other side: For those same 3 points that make your case, know what objections you are likely to get, and craft a counter-argument is so you can speak intelligently about it.

5. Be Relentless: Don’t stop when you’ve run through the list of Federal, State, and Local Reps. Start over and go back to the top of your list.

6. Stay on point: If you change your issue every time you go through the list, you run the risk of being dismissed as a “chronic complainer”. This is why choosing well on point #2 is so important.

Need some incentive or inspiration? If everyone who supports the Occupy Wall Street movement would do this for just 15 minutes a day, the phone lines, staff, and the representative themselves will be so busy, they won’t have nearly as much time to meet with lobbyists. Consider it your way, and your obligation, to talk over them because the only thing they care about is generating more revenue for themselves, and the large corporations they represent.

Stand up for yourself, and be the megaphone for the cause you care about most. The people are the power, so invest the time to contact one representative at each level on a daily basis, and speak up for what matters to you. Here is how to get in touch with your local elected officials.

About the Author: Guy Falks is the pen name of a former Fortune 500 executive, who is an entrepreneur, and author who has recently become a political activist. His blog is published at http://guyfalks.com. Follow him on Twitter by going to http://twitter.com/@WeOccupyJAX or friend and like him on Facebook by searching for “Guy Falks” of Jacksonville, FL. Guy is well aware of the correct spelling of the historical Guy Fawkes, but there are good reasons these days for being unconventional.

Here’s How to Contact Your Elected Officials at All Levels

NOTE: This list has been confirmed as of the publishing of this article, but is not guaranteed to be complete. Please comment back with corrections or missing information that should be posted. PS: If you think how this information is presented is ugly, try compiling it yourself without the benefits of a staff on hand. It's the information that matters, so please use it. -Guy

Federal Level OfficialsTitle /
Name
Phone #
Contact Pages
Website

President Barak Obama
If you get it, let me know
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama

Congresswoman Corrine Brown- 3rd District
(904) 354-1652
https://writerep/
http://corrinebrown/

Congressman A. Crenshaw- 4th District
904-598-0481
https://writerep/
http://crenshaw/

Congressman Cliff Sterns. – 6th District
904-269-3203
http://stearns.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=4&sectiontree=4
http://stearns.house.gov/

Senator Bill Nelson
407-872-7161
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/appt.cfm
http://billnelson.senate.gov/

State Level Officials

Title / Name
Phone #
Email
Website

Governor Rick Scott
(850) 488-7146
http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/
http://www.flgov.com/

Representative Janet Adkins- 12th District
904.491.3664
Janet.atkins@myfloridahouse.gov
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4439&SessionId=70

Representative Daniel Davis- 13th District
904.573.4994
Daniel.davis@myfloridahouse.gov
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4495&SessionId=70

Reggie Fullwoood – 15th District
(904) 353-2180
Reggie.fullwood@myfloridahouse.gov
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4496&SessionId=70

Representative Charles McBurney – 16th District
(904) 359-6090
Charles.mcburney@myfloridahouse.gov
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4418&SessionId=70

Senator Audrey Gibson- District 1
850.487.5024
Gibson.audry.web@flsenate.gov
http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s1

Senator Stephen Wise- District 5
904.381.6000
Wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov
http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s5

Senator John Thrasher- District 8
904.727.3600
Thrasher.john.web@flsenate.gov
http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s8

Local Elected Officials
City Council District 1: Clay Yarborough
Phone: (904) 630-1389
Email: Clay@coj.net

City Council District 2: William Bishop
Phone: (904) 630-1392
Email: WBishop@coj.net

City Council District 3: Richard Clark
Phone: (904) 630-1386
Email: RClark@coj.net

City Council District 4: Don Redman
Phone: (904) 630-1394
Email: Redman@coj.net

City Council District 5: Lori N. Boyer
Phone: (904) 630-1382
Email: LBoyer@coj.net

City Council District 6: Matt Schellenberg
Phone: (904) 630-1388
Email: MattS@coj.net

City Council District 7: Dr. Johnny Gaffney
Phone: (904) 630-1384
Email: Gaffney@coj.net

City Council District 8: E. Denise Lee
Phone: (904) 630-1385
Email: EDLee@coj.net

City Council District 9: Warren A. Jones
Phone: (904) 630-1395
Email: WAJones@coj.net

City Council District 10: Reginald L. Brown
Phone: (904) 630-1684
Email: RBrown@coj.net

City Council District 11: Ray Holt
Phone: (904) 630-1383
Email: Holt@coj.net

City Council District 12: Doyle Carter
Phone: (904) 630-1380
Email: doylec@coj.net

City Council District 13: Bill Gulliford
Phone: (904) 630-1397
Email: Gulliford@coj.net

City Council District 14: Jim Love
Phone: (904) 630-1390
Email: JimLove@coj.net

City Council Group 1: Kimberly Daniels
Phone: (904) 630-1393
Email: KimDaniels@coj.net

City Council Group 2: John R. Crescimbeni
Phone: (904) 630-1381
Email: JRC@coj.net

City Council Group 3: Stephen C. Joost
Phone: (904) 630-1396
Email: Joost@coj.net

City Council Group 4: Greg Anderson
Phone: (904) 630-1398
Email: GAnderson@coj.net

City Council Group 5: Robin Lumb
Phone: (904) 630-1387
Email: RLumb@coj.net

Who from this list has been contact?? Lots of us have contacts.

Please answer. Which on the list provided do we have meetings scheduled with the local (city and state) yet? Any of us may be connected. We have connections ... we want to respect your position in our organization. We are NOT Anonymous. We are the 99%! Please reply. Thanks for your help, Media!!!