Hey, political aficionados out in 4042 land! Tell me what you think... 1. Which is taken more seriously by my federal representatives? * a handwritten letter * an email * no difference between the two 2. Does it do any good to write to other federal representatives (not my own)? Say, writing to selected committee chairmen? Or to specific bill sponsors?
A letter is definitely taken more seriously than an e-mail, but it doesn't need to be handwritten, just signed by you. Neatly typed is probably better than handwritten these days. A telephone call is next, and e-mail is 3rd in priority. Your telephone call should be taken by a staffer who will take a message; you can let them know if you want an answer to your questions, and somebody will get back to you. Those mass e-mailings that are organized by groups in favor or opposed to certain legislation carry only take a few seconds to respond to, and probably don't count for much unless the numbers are truly impressive. Most members of congress do not pay much attention to communication from people outside their district, but it doesn't hurt to write the chair of a committee about an issue you feel strongly about. I have received responses from NC Leg committee chairs from other districts, so some of them do take notice. I cannot recall the last time I contacted a member of the US House or Senate from somewhere else, so can't relate any personal experience there.
P.S. If you write a member of Congress, use one of their local contact addresses, not the D.C. address. They take so many precautions since the anthrax scares, that your Congressman may not get your letter for weeks. You can also fax your Congressman, and that is probably about as good as a letter.
Thank you for your advice! I have for some time, cynically thought that my representatives care nothing about what I think (except just prior to an election). But I'm becoming so alarmed at what I'm witnessing in Washington, that I feel I must speak out. (Actually, I'm pretty disgusted with the Johnston County commissioners too. But that's a story for another time.)
Thank you for standing up and being an American. It's admirable to see you seeking info on "how to" in lieu of sitting back with the masses and just watching.
Personally, I don't think it makes a difference what media you choose. I would not be surprised it they never even see the letter.
