Pink-slipping Congress wipes out paper supplies (with videos)
Nov. 30, 2009
For a second time, the supplies of pink paper have been wiped out across North America by a true grass-roots campaign to send pink slips to members of Congress, warning them against support for the health-care takeover, big spending, hate-crimes legislation and energy taxes.
WND got notification today of the shortage – which already is being resolved – from the printer of pink slips that have been streaming into Capitol Hill by the millions. The latest count was more than 8 million.
"The WND pink slip campaign has wiped out ALL Hammermill pink paper supplies in North America," said a campaign official. "All pink paper resources throughout the country were pooled to ship to our printer for production of pink slips.
"Other than small quantities already in stock at print shops and retail outlets, no other pink paper is available for purchase since it is currently on backorder," the official continued.
"Hammermill's mills are ramping up to manufacture more pink paper, ALL designated for WND."
 |
Pink-slipping Congress wipes out paper supplies
Mills ramping up to make more, all designated for campaign
Posted: November 30, 2009
9:57 pm Eastern
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
For a second time, the supplies of pink paper have been wiped out across North America by a true grass-roots campaign to send pink slips to members of Congress, warning them against support for the health-care takeover, big spending, hate-crimes legislation and energy taxes.
WND got notification today of the shortage – which already is being resolved – from the printer of pink slips that have been streaming into Capitol Hill by the millions. The latest count was more than 8 million.
"The WND pink slip campaign has wiped out ALL Hammermill pink paper supplies in North America," said a campaign official. "All pink paper resources throughout the country were pooled to ship to our printer for production of pink slips.
"Other than small quantities already in stock at print shops and retail outlets, no other pink paper is available for purchase since it is currently on backorder," the official continued.
"Hammermill's mills are ramping up to manufacture more pink paper, ALL designated for WND."
(Story continues below)
The campaign, however, had stockpiled enough paper for the most recent deluge of pink slips, and the new manufacturing efforts are expected in time to meet the next surge, officials confirmed.
"We'll go outside the U.S., if necessary," to get enough supplies, said Joseph Farah, founder and CEO of WND.
Farah, who organized the campaign with WND columnist Janet Porter, says the campaign has been picking up since a half-dozen members of Congress held a press conference recently to announce their support of the effort – an event that was covered widely by television and print reporters.
Reps. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Steve King, R-Iowa, Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and Louis Gohmert, R-Texas, held a press conference with Farah and Porter outside the Capitol. The lawmakers praised the program and said it is producing results – changing the minds of some members who were backing House and Senate leadership initiatives and bolstering the conviction of those who oppose them.
"It's an amazing feat, to get that many slips to Congress," Rep. Steven King, R-Iowa, told WND. "If you look through them, you can index each one back to an individual. That's powerful. There is a person behind each one of the slips."
In addition, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., was interviewed about the campaign by Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren.
"This is putting everyone on notice," he said. "And I think this is what the American people have been doing for months now, saying if you keep spending and borrowing, you're going to get fired."
Reps. Tom Price, R-Ga., and Todd Akin, R-Mo., have also vocally supported the campaign.
Congress members are "talking about it, but they're only talking about it behind closed doors and in the elevators as they go up and down and in very whispered tones," said Price. "Because, what you hear are people saying, 'How many of those did you get or how many people came to your office today? And what are you going to do and how are you going to vote on this?'"
Akin said: "The pink slip campaign serves as a good reminder of the unavoidable fact that every member of Congress answers to their constituents and that they ignore their voices at their own peril."
The program was launched by WND to allow Americans to send pink slips to every member of Congress for a price of just $29.95. It warns members of the U.S. House and Senate that they could be facing a "pink slip" as early as 2010 if they vote for more spending, socialized medicine, cap-and-trade legislation and a hate-crimes measure.
The most recent paper shortage was the second occurrence. In the first week of the campaign, paper suppliers reported the campaign had completely tapped the nation's reserves of 8.5 x 11 inch pink paper. As the last full pallet of pink paper was delivered to the printer, new supplies had to be ordered and manufactured.
The "Send Congress a Pink Slip" campaign ensures that a brief but poignant message will be delivered by Fed Ex to all 535 members of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate – all for a remarkably low price based on economies of scale.
The cost of each message translates to 6 cents per message – shipped by Fed Ex.
"We encourage citizens to take individual actions," said Farah. "But when we act as a group, it's more cost-effective and the results more dramatic. Just try Fed Exing members of Congress yourself and see what it costs. We have learned from past experience that Fed Ex actually ensures delivery to members. What they do with them at that point is their choice."
Voters across the nation and representing every state have joined together to generate the more than 8 million pink slips in the special campaign. Thirteen percent of the slips have come from California.
If all the pink slips Congress has received were stacked, the pile would be more than half a mile tall and tower over the tallest buildings in the world.
 The pink slips, if stacked would be taller than any existing building on earth |
Laid end to end, they would extend over nearly two-thirds of the American continent, from Washington into the Rockies.
And there's no sign the "Send Congress a Pink Slip" is tailing off after two months.
Note: If you're a member of the media and would like to interview Joseph Farah or Janet Porter, e-mail WND.
Send your pink slips to Congress now
