Over the congressional vacation, they only work something like 171 days out of the year and get paid $174,000.00 a year according to friend-of-the-blog, Tubularsock, I’m hoping many of your called your senators and told them that you support a fair impeachment trial in the Senate with witnesses and documents just like Chuck Schumer called for.

I’m also hoping that you have and you will continue to go to protests, meet your senator at their office, write letters to the editor, and social media you senators, too.

The vacation drags to an end on Monday 6 January, so you have until then to catch them in state unless they are sequestered somewhere celebrating Christmas and New Years with family and friends.

If you haven’t been to a protest look for events on Monday 6 January near you. You can visit Remove45.org for information about the Swarm the Senate protests they are planning. Indivisible chapters are also planning protests at various senate offices around the country. Otherwise, continue following the advice from Indivisible and 5Calls also appearing in last week’s notice:

Indivisible

When calling your senators use these helpful ideas depending on their party affiliation.

• democratic senators: Tell them to be loud and proud in making their demands for witnesses at the trial.
• republican senators: Tell them that you expect them to be impartial and to demand witnesses be called. Tell them to support the Chuck Schumer compromise on the way the trial is run.

The good folks over at Five Calls have this handy dandy transcript for making your call.

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [PLACE YOU LIVE].

I’m calling to urge Senator [NAME OF SENATOR] to push for thorough impeachment proceedings, to include the calling of key witnesses. The allegations against Trump are far too serious to be pushed aside in favor of partisan politics. Can I count on Senator [NAME OF SENATOR] to commit to a complete and comprehensive impeachment trial?

Thank you for your time and attention.

IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.

Tips for Calling

When you call your representative’s office, please remember the following:

• Ask for the aide working on the policy-related issues.
• Be polite! No matter whose office you’re calling. No matter what their positions are. No matter how inflamed you are about the issue — and you should be very passionate — be polite.
• Remember that the people you are talking to are people! So, be nice.
• Call during business hours of the area code their office is in. Typically, that is 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Have a script or notes to follow so you don’t forget anything.
• Maybe call with friends. You know like a party.

Contacting Your MoC

Find out how to contact your MoC using these links!

• Common Cause will give you the names, party affiliation, direct phone number, website link, and social media platforms of all of your federal, state, and local elected officials.
• Call My Congress: Uses your zip code to locate your Congressional Representative and your Senators. And, it returns phone numbers, tweeter handle, party affiliation, voting record, and link to C-Span appearances!
• 5 Calls: Sign-up for 5 Calls because they help you contact your member of Congress and keep you abreast of on going issues that are important to you! Now, that is a good deal.
• The Capital Hill Switch Board: (202) 224-3121.
• MassacreMitch and #MoscowMitch: (202) 224-2541. Call him throughout the recess!
• Nancy Pelosi: Her DC office, (202) 225-4965; her California office, (415) 556-4862

Join Indivisible

Follow the link to Indivisible to find a group near you, their campaigns, events in your neighborhood, and download their handy-dandy booklet!

Join Swarm the Senate

A general call for citizens to meet at the Hart Senate Building — that’s the building senators have their offices in and is located on Constitution Ave, NE and 2nd Ave — starting on Monday 6 January and continuing every day after that. More information at remove45.org.

They have suggestions for what to do if you go and if can’t make it. I know there are other protests planned around the country for that day.