Emotions are running high right now...there's a lot of justifiable anger out in the blogosphere (or blogtopia, for skippy).  The question now falls to you how you want to manage that anger.  I see a lot of disgust that I fear will result in low voter turnout.  I see a lot of ranting and raving on comment threads.  But rather than throwing up our hands in defeat, Christy at FireDogLake has a suggestion to put our frustration into action:

Dear Elected Members of Congress:  Welcome to the "You Work For Us Summer Tour."  Coming to a public venue near you.  And that is a stone cold promise.

This is your LiLo Don't Drink And Drive Night at the minor leagues accountability moment, members of Congress.  What group am I with when I call to make an appointment for me and a few hundred of my closest friends?  I'm with "people who vote."  We are pissed off and disgusted.  And you work for us, so we'll be discussing your performance evaluation every opportunity that we get.  We'll be calling for an appointment shortly, so make a little space on your calendars.

You thought you were getting the month of August off to head out to friendly little senior centers and county fairs where you get to do your political shuck and gladhand and eat some homemade pie?  Not so fast, slick.

Now that Congress has handed over the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the standard of probable cause as if they were mere wisps of nothingness that weren't hard won from Runnymede through to the American Revolution and beyond, I have to wonder what has become of the fourth amendment in all of this mess?  And, worse, whether Congressional leadership on either side of the aisle cares beyond getting the legislation out of the way so they can head out for vacation?

This is why I love the activism of the netroots.   We've been able to manifest our voices into real change in the past and we'll do it again.  I don't care if your reps are Democrats, Republicans or Joe Lieberman.  Call them.  They're at home this month.  Make an appointment.  Make them answer to you.   And if they voted on the right side of the FISA bill (as mine did), then CONGRATULATE THEM.  Positive reinforcement goes a long way.