As some of you are aware, for the last 3 months, TestPAC has been working tirelessly to put together a comprehensive campaign to increase awareness about Lamar Smith’s legislative irresponsibility with the ultimate goal of defeating him in the May 29th primary. SOPA may be “dead”, but Lamar Smith is still trying to push through PCIP, another bill which would threaten the privacy of any web user. Think CISPA..but worse.
It’s amazing to see what we have accomplished in the last 3 months. We went from a handful of Redditors passionate in their opposition of SOPA to a membership base of over 1,100 subscribers, we have over 500 followers on Facebook, and almost 600 on Twitter. We have funded a billboard in Lamar’s backyard, produced a professionally done advertisement, and have been featured in some major media outlets like Mashable , BoingBoing and TheNextWeb.
In addition to all of this, today we are proud to announce the launch of our field campaign.
Boots are on the ground, led by Andy Posterick, TestPAC’s Treasurer who drove 12 hours from Phoenix, AZ to Kerrville, TX to lead a group of 10 volunteers to assist with handing out fliers, putting up signs and interacting with the voters in Lamar’s district. We are stepping out from behind our keyboards and monitors and getting out into the streets. We are making it happen, and we are here in TX-21 every weekend for the next 3 weeks.
Signing petitions and emailing your representative is a crucial first step when bills like SOPA, PCIP and CISPA are being discussed in Congress. However, it doesn’t end there. That isn’t enough. It is our responsibility as supporters of net neutrality, freedom and privacy on the internet to follow through and start holding politicians accountable for their bad legislation. TestPAC was formed as a mechanism to allow average citizens like us to do that.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fight for the Future, Center For Democracy and Technology and similar 501 non-profits are groups are worthy of our support and are crucial in leading the fight for our internet rights. However, these groups cannot do anything to make our politicians truly scared…they cannot be involved in elections. TestPAC can, and that’s what makes us different.
Most politicians only pay attention to corporations and special interests, and if that’s how things are done what are we to do?
Test PAC was founded on the premise that if politicians listen to special interest groups and PACs, there was nothing stopping us from starting our own to represent what we all believe.
Lamar Smith knows TestPAC is knocking. Several reporters who wrote about us have contacted him and his staff for comment. They know we are out there working to send him home from Washington. Now it’s time that he sees us in his district, connecting with voters and working to send him packing.
Help us run a successful ground campaign by donating for fliers and signs to distribute in Lamar’s backyard. Help us get our commercial on TV by ensuring we raise enough money to make an impact. We have 3 weeks until the primary- this is our last chance.
This is our last chance to do something about Lamar Smith. We will never have an opportunity like we do now again.
We need you.
- jeromiewhalen, ajpos, masstermind, mike450, bethampetamine, conorbr, Fight_the_Fight
