EMAILS IMPRESS ELECTED OFFICIALS

[mrsmac]

Interesting article......

Latest Christian News Stories....

E-mails Impress Elected Officials

By AFA Journal
September 26, 2005

(AgapePress) - When it comes to communicating to members of Congress, e-mail has become one of the primary methods employed by pro-family groups, among them the American Family Association. And according to a recent study, AFA is not alone.

Over the period from 2000 to 2004, the number of electronic messages -- mostly e-mails but also the use of fax machines -- sent by citizens to the House of Representatives doubled to 99 million and tripled to 83 million in the Senate, according to an article in the Washington Post.

"This is why we encourage our supporters to take the time to e-mail members of Congress when we give them an opportunity to do so," says AFA's director of special projects Randy Sharp. "And it is even better if the voter will add a personal note or two before hitting the 'send' button on the e-mail message. That really gets the attention of those in Congress."

The study was conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation, which noted that the skyrocketing numbers of electronic communications to Congress is often frustrating to congressional staffers. Nevertheless, congressional aides say they believe the increasing use of technology is positive. The Post story said 80 percent of staffers believe that the Internet has made it easier for constituents to get involved in the political process, and 48 percent say they believe that increase in communication has made members of Congress more responsive.

While congressional aides rarely read each e-mail, they do take note of them, usually counting the number of communications to get a sense of where constituents stand on a particular issue.

B.R. McConnon, president of Democracy Data and Communications, a company which helps interest groups communicate with Congress, told the Post that e-mail is here to stay. "The use of e-mails to Congress is going to continue to grow significantly. There isn't a more efficient way to get messages to Congress these days -- and that's just the way it is."


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This article, reprinted with permission, appeared in the September 2005 issue of AFA Journal, a publication of the American Family Association.

[Momoffor]

That is the biggest crock of garbage I have ever heard. I wrote to my congressman via email as well as snail mail about CPS, and got an auto generated response to the email thanking me for concern over same sex marriages. /boggle

And THAT is the best communication method? ROFL

[Dan Sullivan]

That is the biggest crock of garbage I have ever heard. I wrote to my congressman via email as well as snail mail about CPS, and got an auto generated response to the email thanking me for concern over same sex marriages. /boggle

And THAT is the best communication method? ROFL

Shows ya what your congressman thinks is goin on at CPS.

Dan

[Bob_Lynn]

That is the biggest crock of garbage I have ever heard. I wrote to my congressman via email as well as snail mail about CPS, and got an auto generated response to the email thanking me for concern over same sex marriages. /boggle

And THAT is the best communication method? ROFL

I'm glad you brought that up because on the Heads Held High site, I have a link to every representative so that anyone can contact these people. I will eventually have a section for comments on each one. If there's a similar incident as yours that someone can report to us, we will verify it by trying to contact that person as well and the result will be posted on the site for everyone to see.

In any case, we will try to do mass mailings and/or e-mails ourselves when appropriate to these reps and post our results.

There is currently a bill that will change child molestation (up to 13 years old) from a misdemeanor (incredible as it seems) to a felony. We are pushing a petition to change the age to 16 and will send all signed petitions to the reps and note their reaction, if any, and post how each deals with it, including how they vote when that comes up.

The reason this came up in the first place is because a former Monroe County DA then elected judge, pleaded no contest to molesting his own daughter while completely drunk at a public concert, in front of several witnesses. Because it's only a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, he received 10 years' probation, no jail time! and of course, lost his position as judge. He will also be listed for life as a sex offender under Meghan's Law.

Heads Held High is responsible for pressuring the representatives to change the law (see http://www.geocities.com/headsheldhigh2004 the original website.)

[Dazeemay]

Mrs. Mac,

Agape is one of those who belong to the Religious Right.

Anything from them is meaningless to me.

They will support anything that goes on politically and give it a bright shiny star of approval.

[Chaco]

While congressional aides rarely read each e-mail, they do take note of them, usually counting the number of communications to get a sense of where constituents stand on a particular issue.

Did everyone miss this sentence? Maybe I'm reading it wrong? It appears to me these people are COUNTING issues WITHOUT READING EXACTLY WHAT ISSUE THEY ARE COUNTING! Is it just me, or does anyone else find this to be IMPOSSIBLE!?

Dazeemay wrote:
Anything from them is meaningless to me.

And with GOOD REASON!

Chaco

[Dazeemay]

Did everyone miss this sentence? Maybe I'm reading it wrong? It appears to me these people are COUNTING issues WITHOUT READING EXACTLY WHAT ISSUE THEY ARE COUNTING! Is it just me, or does anyone else find this to be IMPOSSIBLE!?

As usual these days I missed it. I find I am just skimming over the articles and not concentrating. Good find.

This is why we did not email our congressman or mail him. We took it in to his office and hand delivered it and talked to the people in the office who assured us they would read everything we put in it and they did.

We have been assured he is going to make a formal inquiry into our case. In fact it is so assured that they asked our lawyer to call them to give them what they can do to stay within the guidelines of not interfering into state issues.

I can say this about our Congressman. He is fair and just as much as one can be in a political position. He is on the side of the poor in many of his issues.