Does anyone else feel like it's a complete waste of time to contact

[Ladyhawk]

representatives? Both Republicans and Democrats are going to do what they're going to do because most of them are in the pocket of lobbyists (corporations). The rest (the few) do what's right because it's right.

Radanovich will vote for his corporate interests. Feinstein will continue to do the same (DINO!!!!). Boxer will usually vote her conscience.

Why bother?

[AllyCat]

1. Because if enough of them hear from enough of us...

they will have to take that into consideration when they meet with their big money friends/lobbyists. It's always important for them to know where we stand. Indeed, I think part of the reason lobbyists have gained so much power is because the people have been asleep and DON'T contact our reps. Then we forget about all that in the voting booth. If nothing else, it keeps US honest!!

[Vanje]

2. Its like voting

Its frustrating, feels useless, but democracy requires it.

[ananda]

3. I make the emails and sign the petitions..

.. but I also wonder if they do any good.

Sue

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. because you can tell how things are affecting them

I call my repuke conman regularly, even though I know he's in the pocket of Wal-Mart, which is his largest contributor. There have been times when I've called and his aides have been their smug self. But at certain key times recently, when I've called about things, like the fact that he took money from DeLay's PAC, the aides have been edgy, jumpy, even a bit scared! So I can judge the effect of a particular issue on the conman.

[AlinPA]

5. I feel that way about Santorum and our House rep. Its a waste of time.

When I write about an issue, I get a letter back that tells me what I already know about the bill or issue. They never say where they stand. Just "Thank you for your input..etc".

I would go further: Why do they even "debate" so much on the House and Senate floor? Nobody can change the mind of anyone on the other side. A total waste. I know they like to hear themselves talk, but seriously, what good does it do(on either side)?

[William769]

6. It makes me feel better to bitch at them

Then constantly bitching here.

[EFerrari]

7. Dianne may be a war profiteering Republican in drag

but that doesn't mean I'm going to make it easy for her to screw California. :evilgrin:

[Ladyhawk]

12. I've bitched at her, too.

:shrug:

I told her she could be replaced, but she probably knows that's mostly the act of a powerless voter letting off steam.

OT: One thing I've recently learned is that my county has ES&S scanners. During the 2004 election there were some major "problems" that cropped up, but I didn't think my little county would already have the evil voting machines and scanners. Now I want to find out exactly what happened. If we are indeed being screwed by these machines, my county could easily be an entryway into California. It's rural and Republican and, to be frank, it isn't getting any smarter out there. :( It's the perfect foothold.

[EFerrari]

15. I know. And believe me, they are trying to turn CA.

They started with the recall, and then moved on to Shelley.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. What happened to the DU Activist Corps? I don't think an individual

letter does any good at all. Hell, I get responses on topics I never even mentioned.

What I REALLY do think would be effective is a unified approach. If we don't like something, having a couple thousand faxes show up in a senator's office might have an impact.

[SheilaT]

9. What apparently does the most good

is an actual snail-mail letter. I've heard tales that it's all too easy for staffers to just delete email, although I have no idea how accurate that is, or how often it happens. But regular mail, from what I gather, is typically logged in, and unless you present yourself as a complete nut case, you should eventually get some kind of reply, even if it's not exactly cognizant of what you originally wrote.

Phone calls, so long as you are polite and state your position firmly, also may help.

Eventually our Senators and Representatives are answerable to the electorate, although if you live in a district or state that supports ones who are wildly out of sync with your views, it's permanently frustrating.

I'm not as certain of email and on-line petitions, and don't always sign them myself.

[Ladyhawk]

13. Many years ago, I wrote a snail-mail to Orrin Hatch.

I was a Republican at the time and I was opposing a bill I would probably support today. Orrin Hatch was supporting the bill (which he would probably oppose today).

I got a form letter thanking me for supporting the bill. :wtf:

It made me wonder if the letters are even logged correctly. I think lazy staffers just send everyone the same damn form letter.

[bluethruandthru]

10. It may feel useless

But we need to let our reps know that we're paying attention. I think that's part of the reason things get totally out of control. Our lawmakers feel like we have no idea what they're doing and we don't care. I think it's especially effective if we comment on something that hasn't gotten alot of play in the MSM.

[calimary]

18. YES INDEEDY! And Welcome to DU, btw!

You HAVE to weigh in. You just HAVE TO.

DO IT ANYWAY. Even if you're doubtful. Consider the testimony of an earlier poster here who said it is possible to detect when their sphincters are tight about something.

MANY OF THESE TYPES serve by the hair of their chinny-chin-chins. Their constituencies are divided, and for some of them, it's divided to such an extent that they know it might go either way next time. Maybe even a few of votes from our side, if they toady to US enough, might make the difference between their continued employment in the Chambers of Power and Influence, or UNEMPLOYMENT and public humiliation as a LOSER. Besides, YOU CAN BET that with conditions deteriorating for them as conditions now are, and Harry Reid showing spine, and bush on the ropes, and Democrats gaining ground, and the indictments with MORE from Fitzgerald yet to come, AND THE MEDIA STARTING TO WAKE UP (some of them are now openly admitting they were duped), these people in the enemy camp know they are INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE. They ignore these present conditions at their peril, AND THEY KNOW IT. They know they're entering into a situation where they are NOT negotiating from strength. There are, among the enemy camp, some soldiers whose support is soft, and getting softer. These could be picked off one by one, and eventually tilted back our way. These wavering "loyalists" are among those who might be dragged into the light a little more easily, since they already may have been reluctant to go along but were muscled by tom delay or frist or lott or mcconnell or some other attack dog to go along even though they smelled something bad. THESE are the ones who are the most susceptible to calls from people like us.

It just might be enough to turn 'em. Hey, Fitzgerald found a way. Why can't we? If nothing else, those who are more rotten could still be turned if they realize it's in their political best interests to do so. Hypocritical, YES. But hey, I'll take any vote of support I can get.

And for those who will, justifiably and reasonably so, doubt whether this does any good because of the Diebold factor - all I can say is - is it REALLY better to just sit there and do nothing? Nobody thought little puny squirt David could out-do the fearsome, invincible colossus Goliath either, and look what happened.

Doing SOMETHING, even if it just feels like a futile gesture, is a LOT better than doing NOTHING. And your conscience will thank you for it. So will we.

[jobycom]

11. Depends on why we are doing it. The fantasies of "shutting them down"

by filling their inboxes with our rage do nothing, but on a lot of issues Congress really doesn't know what people think. Their main contact with the world is through the media (which is stupid) or lobbyists, who may or may not be on our side (Our side does have lobbyists). By writing, we let them know how we feel, and that helps some of them make their decisions.

It used to be that the House was more responsive. Since each Rep was from a smaller district and had to be elected each two years, they in theory had to listen to the voters more. But because redistricting and gerrymandering creates "safe" seats, meaning seats where the electorate is all of one thought, and usually an extremist thought (on both sides), there are few moderates who actually have to care what their voters want.

So the Senate, which isn't gerrymandered, is more responsive, but they got a lot more letters, so each letter is less relevant. They go off numbers. It is best to write them a short letter expressing your opinion on a single issue, so they can tally it with the others. Profanity and really angry letters letting them know that you will never ever again vote for anyone in their #$%&@ party and will do everything in your power to make sure their sorry @*(&(^ never win again is counterproductive, since they are less likely to count those letters.

Also, Senators and Representatives use letters to show lobbyists and even their party leaders that their constituents require them to vote a certain way.

So it's good to write, just don't spend a lot of time on it, and don't think they will care if everyone at DU sends very angry profanity-laced emails with tons of misspelled words to flood their inboxes and force them to listen to us. It's possible that a major initiative coordinated by Move-on would get their attention, but a DU bonfire won't do much for them. For one thing, they probably have staffers watching us for our opinions, anyway, so they probably know when we get in those moods.

Of course, if you're really angry, or really happy, write. It never does any harm, and it might do some good, and it's certainly better than watching "My Name is Earl" for getting something done. Though "My Name is Earl" is pretty darned funny.

[gratuitous]

14. I counsel the Brethren Volunteer Service advice

Do the right thing, and let go of the result.

Is it a complete waste of time? Maybe. If the only result you're looking at is whether or not your one-time contact with a representative's office is going to change their vote on a piece of legislation that's important to you.

But if you're looking longer term, there are all sorts of benefits that might inure to contacting your representative's office. If your rep hears from you often enough, someone in the office is going to say, "You know, I know the boss is going to vote 'no' on this bill, but maybe it would be good if we put out a press release acknowledging what a tough choice it was."

Or maybe, after your rep isn't being very representative of your views, you work for (or maybe run yourself?) someone to unseat the unrepresentative representative, with a long list of constituent wishes that have been ignored.

There's lots of ways to measure "impact." But there's really only one way to act, and that's the right way, in accordance with your principles and beliefs.

[melody]

16. not true at all

Representatives have staff to do nothing but keep track of the opinions of their constituents.

[crispini]

21. Yep, I have met several State Senators

who attested to this.

Lobbying is fun too! I really enjoyed Planned Parenthood Lobby Day down at the State Lege. I felt like such an "operative" trotting around offering them my thoughts. They were mostly nice, too, although I noticed the only State Rep who bothered to meet with us personally was somebody from -- surprise -- a very competitive district who nearly got tossed out last election. Mwahahahahaha!

[applegrove]

17. You gotta back up yours! You gotta show them support. Especially

now that they are really doing their jobs and help them along.

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. then they will only hear from the right wing

I might be true that sometimes it doesn't produce results. But, this is one of the few things we can do that will send a message.

Why do you think right wing groups push their people to write letters?

This post is defeatism.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Becuase democracy is NOT a spectator sport

and if I take your logic to the end, why bother voting?

[Blue_In_AK]

22. I write to Lisa Murkowski

even though she's a pub because she's relatively new and at least tends to think about things. Ted Stevens and Don Young are too full of themselves and beyond all hope, IMO.

[AZBlue]

23. Absolutely NOT a waste of time - we put them in office or keep them out &

this is still a government for the people, by the people (despite how much the Republicans have tried to do away with it).