Should e-mail be the primary contact with our congresscritters now?

[Jeff White]

For years it's been recognized that snail mail gets the most attention from congrassional staffers. Supposedly handwritten letters were given the most weight.

I have to ask if e-mail isn't going to become the default best method of contact in this age of ricin and anthrax scares. After the ricin scare a few weeks ago, there was talk of cutting snail mail to congress totally off. Does anyone think that our snail mail letters get through in a timely enough manner to make a difference when they are getting ready to vote? I'm not sure anymore. It seems that we'll have to anticipate a vote a month or so out now in order to flood the congressional offices with paper.

Anyone have any thoughts on how to be a more effective lobbyist?

Jeff

 

[CZ 75 BD]

Email ...

to Washington, USPS to local offices in the state.

 

[MicroBalrog]

Three letters: FAX

 

[cheygriz]

Three ways:
Email- not very effective, they get millions of Emails every day.

Fax- A liottle better, but not much.

Snail mail: Hand signed, most effective. I get responses to nearly all snail mail that I send, even to congress critters in other districts.

That's been my experience, yours may vary.

 

[Swamprabbit]

Can you say SPAM? Email has no real significance because anyone can churn out email without any problem. The written letter carries more weight with anyone you are trying to communicate to. Just the perception that you cared enough to take the time to write it out and mail it just means more.

 

[Jeff White]

cheygriz and swamprabbit,
I agree with you for ordinary times. But who knows how long the snail mail is delayed while it's screened for poison? I'm inclined to look at phone and fax these days. If we all send snail mail the week before an important vote, what's the guarantee the staff will see it before the vote? Anyone know how long it's taking them to screen the mail?

Jeff

 

[iapetus]

I tend to think that a letter is a nice, tangible, physical object for them to look at.

Whereas is an MP/congresscritter opens his email client and sees:

U SUK!!!!!
U SUK!!!!!
U SUK!!!!!
U SUK!!!!!
Earrn $$$$!!!!!
Get Free p0rn!
CHEAP VIAGRA 4 U
Objection to restriction of trial by jury
Get A Diploma 4 cash!
U R A LOOZER!
U R A LOOZER!
U R A LOOZER!


their likely to just delete the lot without reading whatever you were trying to say.

(Of course, snail mail could just get lost or swept into the bin by mistake. Sending both might be best).

 

[Hkmp5sd]

I like the old snail mail method. At least someone has to open the envelope and scan the letter in order to send me the correct generic reply letter. With email, they can use software to pick out key words to determine the subject and print the reply with no human intervention.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Actually, I think a phone call is the best compromise... it shows you took some time and money (assuming you didn't call the 1-800 number for the Capitol Hill switchboard) and the response cannot be automated or easily blown off.

There is no doubt that snail mail has a good impact; but the problem is that it simply isn't timely anymore. Things move too fast to rely on snail mail as a means of communication with your representative. I prefer to send snail mail maybe once a year or once every six months and generally try to keep the message more broad when I do.

For specific bills I would like to see passed or shot down in flames, I rely on phone calls and email, with email being my last choice (though with some reps who use it, it is an effective means of communication... with most it is a waste of time though)

 

[Waitone]

Seems this subject comes up every month or so, but it is a goodie to address.

Pick up the telephone and called your rep's DC office, introduce yourself as a constituent, then ask them how they would prefer to receive written communication from the voters back home.

I live in NC and I polled all three of my reps (2 senatorial and 1 congressional) with the following results.

--Snail mail should be sent to district offices where it is opened and checked for unpleasantness. Snail mail going to DC directly will be delayed as it winds its way through the radiation systems.
--FAX's are completely acceptable as long as they contain complete contact information. They can be faxed to either the DC office or to the district office.
--Email is completely acceptable. It is not treated any differently than a FAX or snail mail as long as the email contains complete constituent information like full name, residential address, and phone number. Email sent to a rep may or may not be opened and read in the DC office. I've found out that DC uses district offices to manage communications.

In all cases if the communication goes to the district office it is pouched for delivery the next day to DC.

So how do I use written communication with my elected reps????? My congressional rep wants email which are opened, printed and catalogued in the district office and pouched to DC every day.

Senator One prefers faxes sent to the district office where they are catalogued and pouched to DC.

Senator Two has no preference of fax or snail sent to district office where it get the treatment.

In my handy-dandy Microsoft Word program I now have two templates--one set for senator one and the other for senator two. Outlook express has a signature set up for my congressional rep. I can now fire of letters in the form they want to the destination they requested in a matter of minutes.

Call you reps and ask them what they want to see. Don't make any assumptions based on pre-911 niceties.