barnbwt
member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2011
- Messages
- 7,340
Hey all,
I'm finally getting around to writing my various reps (haven't done so since Boy Scouts to get my Citizenship badge
), and I have a couple questions on the "proper" way to go about contacting them. I'll probably end up printing my little sermon out and mailing it in, since I've got some stamps that aren't doing anything, but to start I was just gonna send an email.
It started off as a bullet-pointed list (tee-hee) and grew into a fairly large, but well written (if I do say so myself) essay that will probably waste a larger portion of the Rep's/aides' time than I am deserving of. Help me shave this thing down a bit in size, so a busy beauracrat won't balk at the sight of it. I figure if I get a rewarding response (i.e. they actually read the thing) I'll send the "unabridged" version at a later date. I suppose feedback on my arguments would also be helpful--I tried to avoid the more "controversial" ideological arguments, since Ralph Hall probably isn't a Libertarian Freedom-Freak like myself, and I don't want to end up the focus of a congressional hearing
.
*I suppose this would be just as happy in the Activism forum, but there's been a lot of activist stuff in the General forum lately, as well*
Summary (my bullet point list):
Opening
-Recently moved to the district
-Praise his current stance against gun regulation
-State my concerns about rapidly progressing gun regulation
Lack of need for new regulation
-lack of past and predicited impact of laws
-lack of real and pressing need for additional protections
-existing laws
-reactionary/emotional nature of likely legislation
-untenable cost and enforcement powers
-impossibility of enforcement/confiscation
-alternatives for school/public safety
-increasing/promoting CCW in public places
-subsidizing/promoting teacher/public CHL
Risks of new legislation
-massive costs and beauracracy growth
-legal limbo and criminalization of lawful citizens
-invitation for additional regulation/confiscation
-large economic impact on manufacturers/jobs/gunowners
-Political backlash from 94 ban
-Destruction of all shooting sports by castigating lawful gunowners
-Hunters are not ultimately protected by persecuting target/tactical shooters
-Erosion of second amendment (I went real easy arguing this one)
-likely lack of impact of any new laws
What you can do for me/us if legislation must transpire
-You are in a strong position to go out on a limb for gunowners
-less risk of electoral defeat than many
-Gun owners MUST gain something in any deal that expands their rights
-It MUST carry sunset clauses like the original AWB
-the only hope for bad legislation is expiration
-it MUST not require mandatory registration, taxation, or confiscation
-such efforts will only lead to future restrictions or data exploitation
-I will no longer support any politician who aids or abides passage of AWB
-not a dig at him so much as his colleagues with whom he holds influence
Closing
-Praise again for past/present gun stance, restate importance of continued support
I won't put up the actual text of the essay just yet*, since it hasn't been proofed and I wouldn't want some cheater looking like a fool to his rep. Each bullet point basically corresponds to a sentence, though. If you think I missed something that absolutely needs to be added to the overlong paper, chime in. Likewise, if you think I don't need to mention some of these items, that's even better. I did some basic research on my rep's past stances, and he's more or less an ultra social conservative with a decent-enough record on gun issues, though they're not his focus. I'm sure he's a safe vote, but I want him doing more for us than simply yelling "NAY!" when the time arises.
I plan on tailoring the message to the various reps I write to--I suggest we all do the same instead of simply letter-bombing them with form responses cribbed off the net like the anti's. I'd think a politician, of all people, would be able to tell a form letter when they see one
TCB
*I'll throw it out there after the first round of editing. It's about two pages at present--way too long for a busy elected official's attention span.
PS-would it help to say I care way more about this than the bogus fiscal cliff stuff
I'm finally getting around to writing my various reps (haven't done so since Boy Scouts to get my Citizenship badge
), and I have a couple questions on the "proper" way to go about contacting them. I'll probably end up printing my little sermon out and mailing it in, since I've got some stamps that aren't doing anything, but to start I was just gonna send an email.It started off as a bullet-pointed list (tee-hee) and grew into a fairly large, but well written (if I do say so myself) essay that will probably waste a larger portion of the Rep's/aides' time than I am deserving of. Help me shave this thing down a bit in size, so a busy beauracrat won't balk at the sight of it. I figure if I get a rewarding response (i.e. they actually read the thing) I'll send the "unabridged" version at a later date. I suppose feedback on my arguments would also be helpful--I tried to avoid the more "controversial" ideological arguments, since Ralph Hall probably isn't a Libertarian Freedom-Freak like myself, and I don't want to end up the focus of a congressional hearing
.*I suppose this would be just as happy in the Activism forum, but there's been a lot of activist stuff in the General forum lately, as well*
Summary (my bullet point list):
Opening
-Recently moved to the district
-Praise his current stance against gun regulation
-State my concerns about rapidly progressing gun regulation
Lack of need for new regulation
-lack of past and predicited impact of laws
-lack of real and pressing need for additional protections
-existing laws
-reactionary/emotional nature of likely legislation
-untenable cost and enforcement powers
-impossibility of enforcement/confiscation
-alternatives for school/public safety
-increasing/promoting CCW in public places
-subsidizing/promoting teacher/public CHL
Risks of new legislation
-massive costs and beauracracy growth
-legal limbo and criminalization of lawful citizens
-invitation for additional regulation/confiscation
-large economic impact on manufacturers/jobs/gunowners
-Political backlash from 94 ban
-Destruction of all shooting sports by castigating lawful gunowners
-Hunters are not ultimately protected by persecuting target/tactical shooters
-Erosion of second amendment (I went real easy arguing this one)
-likely lack of impact of any new laws
What you can do for me/us if legislation must transpire
-You are in a strong position to go out on a limb for gunowners
-less risk of electoral defeat than many
-Gun owners MUST gain something in any deal that expands their rights
-It MUST carry sunset clauses like the original AWB
-the only hope for bad legislation is expiration
-it MUST not require mandatory registration, taxation, or confiscation
-such efforts will only lead to future restrictions or data exploitation
-I will no longer support any politician who aids or abides passage of AWB
-not a dig at him so much as his colleagues with whom he holds influence
Closing
-Praise again for past/present gun stance, restate importance of continued support
I won't put up the actual text of the essay just yet*, since it hasn't been proofed and I wouldn't want some cheater looking like a fool to his rep
. Each bullet point basically corresponds to a sentence, though. If you think I missed something that absolutely needs to be added to the overlong paper, chime in. Likewise, if you think I don't need to mention some of these items, that's even better. I did some basic research on my rep's past stances, and he's more or less an ultra social conservative with a decent-enough record on gun issues, though they're not his focus. I'm sure he's a safe vote, but I want him doing more for us than simply yelling "NAY!" when the time arises.I plan on tailoring the message to the various reps I write to--I suggest we all do the same instead of simply letter-bombing them with form responses cribbed off the net like the anti's. I'd think a politician, of all people, would be able to tell a form letter when they see one
TCB
*I'll throw it out there after the first round of editing. It's about two pages at present--way too long for a busy elected official's attention span.
PS-would it help to say I care way more about this than the bogus fiscal cliff stuff
