Slashdot Mirror
Is Your Elected Official Really Listening?
Oliver Wendell Jones asks: "In the past few weeks, since the Sept. 11 incident, I have tried to become much more involved with what's going on politically. It started with my sending e-mails to the members of the senate committee discussing H.R. 2500 (secure encryption) and received very polite e-mails from almost eveyone stating one of two (or sometimes both) generic messages. Not one of their e-mail responses included anything stating their feelings for or against H.R. 2500, so I have no idea if my e-mails had any effect." While I'm all for automated responses to take off the pressure in terms of response time, I'd at least expect aides to take care of these things. Autoresponses aren't enough, and when someone takes the time to write a Representative, whether it be snail mail or email, someone should respond. Of course, if they don't respond to written messages, try calling them directly and make sure an aide knows why you are calling. How many of you have tried and failed when attempting to ping your Rep on government issues that were important to you?
I also sent e-mails (and one fax) to the Representatives and Senators of my state (Indiana) on this same topic and received responses similar to those I had received from the others (terrorists are bad, mmmkay?)
Last week, in response to another request from the EFF, I sent snail-mail letters to my Senators and Representative concerning the SSSCA. This time I received a two page, snail-mail form letter reiterating that terrorists are still bad, which doesn't seem to have anything to do with the SSSCA.
Has anyone had any luck actually getting their point across to an elected official, and if so, what's the secret?" I think we can all agree that terrorists are bad, but so are bad laws that interfere with our rights. Several of these are trying to progress their way through the House and the Senate and it would be nice to know how the Representatives stand, one way or the other. How can one cut thru the rhetoric and get concrete information out of those who are supposed to be your duly elected representatives in government?
"The two responses I was able to receive were:
- They agreed that terrorists are bad.
- If I was a constituent of their state (i.e., I could vote for them) to please respond with my mailing address in their state (I did include my snail-mail address and I do not live in their states) and they would get back to me.
I also sent e-mails (and one fax) to the Representatives and Senators of my state (Indiana) on this same topic and received responses similar to those I had received from the others (terrorists are bad, mmmkay?)
Last week, in response to another request from the EFF, I sent snail-mail letters to my Senators and Representative concerning the SSSCA. This time I received a two page, snail-mail form letter reiterating that terrorists are still bad, which doesn't seem to have anything to do with the SSSCA.
Has anyone had any luck actually getting their point across to an elected official, and if so, what's the secret?" I think we can all agree that terrorists are bad, but so are bad laws that interfere with our rights. Several of these are trying to progress their way through the House and the Senate and it would be nice to know how the Representatives stand, one way or the other. How can one cut thru the rhetoric and get concrete information out of those who are supposed to be your duly elected representatives in government?
Of course, the impression I got after all of this, was that if I couldn't vote against them in an upcoming election, they didn't care about my opinion.
This is perfectly reasonable considering that the responsibily of all senators and representatives is to protect the interest of the people who live in their state/district. This is outdated considering we live in a much different country than we did 200 years ago, however his response is exactly what the founders of the country were aiming to have happen.
Slashdot left-wing politics really shouldn't be the focus of this site. If i want pseudo-intellectual discussion, i'd hit kuro5hin instead.
Please editors, cut this and the anime shit out PLEASE!! i beg of you!! This site is turning to a bigger and bigger turd every day.
Well, I hate to break it to you, but if you DON'T live in their states, then it isn't their job to listen to you. You are wasting their time.
They were voted into place to represent the people who could have voted for them. What is best for the people in their state has little to do with your opinion on any matter.
On the other hand, YOUR representatives shoud be listening to you. Keep after them.
--T
http://www.theMediaBunker.com
Generally, the more effort one puts in to contacting a politician (within the bounds of reason, of course) the more likely one of their staffers is to actually present your opinion to that politician.
Handwriten letters on good stationary (prefably with a company letterhead, if you have the right to present your companies' opinion) from an address in their district will attract a lot more notice than an email ever will.
If you're going to go down to their district office, then be sure to be well dressed and clean cut.
Given the current focus on terrorism, going somewhere in person and presenting your views on non-terrorist acitivities that way will get alot more attention than any form of mail.
Attending one of the $(lots of money)/plate dinners is also a very good way to actually *meet* the congress people, as well as to get in to the political loop.
Finally, make sure that your opinions are very well thought out. Simply saying that something is bad will get you nowhere. Explaining why something is bad while offering an idea for alternative legislation should be much more productive.
Actually, I haven't tried for two reasons. One is the natural inclination of mine that since it's "wartime" most people really won't care (heck, most representatives only listen with one ear open during peacetime). But it goes beyond that.
Personally, I think "nerds" should step back and ask themselves whether it's really necessary to have what they consider "freedom". I'm all for freedom of speech, but in day-to-day life do with really need to encrypt everything? Further, given that people are dying, can there at least be a temporary moratorium on personal freedom to prevent further killings.
Nerds like conspiracies. They like the X-Files and love to think there's some higher "man" out there trying to dictate how they should act. Truth of the matter is: every wartime provision ever made negatively affecting personal freedom has either been mitigated or repealed over time. Find me one negatory personal freedom provision the US made in WWII or Vietnam that has stuck through to this day? If anything, these occasional provisions make us value our personal freedoms more.
I for one believe in logic, and my statement still stands to this day. People on these boards continually say "I'd rather be dead that lose my freedom of speech". I say, "What's the point of freedom of speech if you're already dead?"
What I've learned: the government doesn't have to listen to the citizens or acknowledge them. All they have to do is grease the right wheels to get into an election, then spend enough to get their name out. The less voters know about each candidate, the better for both sides, because then the race becomes about personality and party affilitation rather than having to deal with voters.
Even starting somewhat locally (in terms of the Federal Govt.), I've never gotten very far. In the 5 years I've lived where I do, I have snail-mailed my U.S. representative exactly 2xs (note: Before I moved here, I never mailed anyone at all). After the 1st, I got no response. After the 2nd, I got a form response 4 months after the fact which basically said that 'issues are important to this office'. The letter did not mention the bill I was protesting, and arrived months after votes had been cast.
I snail-mailed my State govt. rep. on one bill, too, and have since received occasional mailers from the state govt., but no response to the issue that concerned me.
"The girl makes Godot look punctual." -- Buffy
Maybe it should, but it doesn't.
Your best bet is to contact your representatives and make it clear an issue is important, and ask for them to contact members of the committee on your behalf.
There is also still some value in writing to members of the committee, but making it clear you're addressing them as such, and not as your local representative.
A better argument would be the DMCA or SSSCA; a bill that really supports maybe on the order of 100's of "people" (given that corporations are considered 'persons' under the law) that would benefit compared to the thousands or millions of constituents that would recieve no benefit and most likely 'penalties' from higher costs, etc, when these bills may pass. At this point, I would question how representation is really supposed to work.
(And yes, I've tried submitting the passage story too, denied.)
"Pinky, you've left the lens cap of your mind on again." - P&TB
"I can see my house from here!" - ST:
From my experience in the legislature, they don't read hand-written or typed letters, either. They get bags of letters every day, which are read by his office aides. Then the aides tell them what their constituencies think about particular matters.
When you elect someone, you're electing their whole staff, not just the point man.
Go to any State Party headquarters. Ask to speak with the Executive Director because you've got $25,000 to donate to the state party, if only you could speak to Sen. Y or Rep. X.. They can't and won't guarantee you'll speek to them, but they can get you tickets to fund raising dinners where you'll sit at a table with Sen. Y or Rep. X. The tickets to the dinner/fund raiser may cost you another $15k, but they'll feign listening to you for at least one meal.
Don't beleive me????? Ask the same Executive director what their operating budget is for the year and where did they get allllll that $$$$$$$$.
In October 2000 I started getting e-mails from the Idaho Democratic Party about electing Craig Williams to the Idaho's 2nd district of U.S. House of Representatives.
I had no idea how they got my name or address so I sent them a fairly nasty e-mail about how that I felt like voting against them because they spammed me.
Later that day, Craig Williams e-mailed me back personally and explained that one of my friends (and gave me her name) had provided my information because I may be interested in their platform. He went on to explain how he felt that it is wrong to buy e-mail addresses for that purpose.
I replied and asked some questions about his platform and beliefs. He replied with a lengthy personally-typed e-mail that specifically answered my concerns.
Because of the personal and timely responses I received from Mr. Williams I chose to vote for him in the election. Some politicians seem to care more than others when it comes to their constituants.
Adversive
My cat's breath smells like cat food.
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
As Steve Jobs has often said, people don't necessarily know what's best for them. Elected officials should always act in the best interests of their constituents, but this isn't alway the same as giving them exactly what they want.
In this case, those elected officials should realise that knee-jerk proposals that don't actually address the real problem but do involve giving up certain freedoms should not make it into law, even if that's what people claim they want.
Unfortunately...
I have sent emails to my Governor before (incidentally about that video game bill in CT) and I, too, immediately received an automated response back, but then a couple of days later I received a personalized email from one of his aides, thanking me and telling me that they passed on my message to the Governor (because he asked to be informed about praise or slander from the younger generation).
Then several days later they even sent me a copy of the Governor's veto and ANOTHER personalized letter thanking me for my insight. Nothing too big, but it should at least show that politicians, or at least their aides, read their email.
Now I would bet (trying not to sound like a rant) that email from Joe Schmoe who's not from a politician's district was probably read, but not given the attention that you might have wanted.
Try this:
Since your representative is supposed to be REPRESENTING your interests, and you want to speak out against another politician. Why not send a letter to the Rep from YOUR district and urge them to speak out against and/or inform the other politician or perhaps even (what the heck) the whole house?
Who knows? It might just all come together and work the way you'd like it to?
Don't send a couple of emails to the wrong person, and then whine about it when they don't call you up personally.
After all, how does it go?
"Learn the system and THEN f**k the system?"
That's just my 2%
Lather, rinse, repeat.
"Whadda'ya watchin'?"
"Angry Monkey."
"That HORRIBLE monkey."
If a law infringes on rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, or Amendments to it, the number of people who support it is unimportant.
Reps that actually use email.
Reps that actually use email.
Reps that live in the 21st century.
Reps that actually use email.
Reps that don't value a 20th century way of communicating over a 21st century way of communicating because they don't understand the 'new-fangled' variety.
Reps that actually use email.
Reps that live in the 21st century.
Vote for people who live in this world, and not the one they grew up in.
Thank you.
Max
My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?
To paraphrase: "better that 99 guilty men go free than one innocent man be punished."
But then, the person who said this was just a silly idealist without any concept of how the 'real world' works, so we shouldn't give him any credence....
Max
My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?