Is writing you congressman time worthy?

[Rogar]

I am from an old school where at one time I thought writing your national politicians was a worthy endevour and have had occasion to compose a letter, stick it in an envelope, and send it snail mail. Any more there is snail mail, email, and probably even tweets and twitters. On a lot of issues, you can even find a pre-composed letter or statement on the internet and just click to send and I might guess there are apps for such a thing?

At best, I picture some computer program or low level clerk who puts yay and nay tallies somewhere with little regard to content. And at worse, that it just gets deleted due to some sort of overwhelming volume. So I've been wondering if there is any sense to a well composed opinion to a congressman. Is there a means that might get more attention, like maybe a letter in snail mail?

In my working days I didn't have much time for this sort of thing, but now have a little more free time. I just don't know if it is worth it.

[iris lily]

Yes, I think that a letter (not some dumb web petition) is useful. Yes, I'm sure there are minions who tally your letter on one side or the other, but it count! Also it gets you on the Congressman's list as a "supporter" and that may suck as you may not support him. I bombarded Todd Aiken with letters to resign and then received from his office communications about supporting the Senatorial candidate. Umm no, Todd. Idiot.

More than once I've received silly communications from local State reps based on communications I've sent to their office. One complete numbskull mailed to me, in an 8.5" x 11" envelope, a "Certificate of Good Citizenship" because I had participated in our democratic governing structure in the past year (I had fired off a letter to her about some issue she was mistaken in supporting.) I can think of fewer things more stupid and insulting to me. I am not in 4th grade. Don't treat me as such.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I've never sent a snail mail letter to a Congressperson. I have emailed, the Congresspeople at least have in their form letter responses mentioned the subject I emailed about. OTOH let's talk about one Senator Barbra Boxer, she always or nearly always responds to EVERYTHING with a generic form letter that could be sent for any possible subject, my letter could have been "please fund an investigation into whether the moon is made of cheese and what type" for all the meaningfulness of the response. Maybe I should just send such an email. Oh I'm bad :) And when you phone these people you definitely get the impression of dealing with a low level clerk tallying yeas and neas.

[freein05]

I wrote my congressmen once. I am a Democrat and he is a Republican. He never answered my letter but I am on his email list. I get his weekly email now that tells me how great he is. I just hit the delete button.

[goldensmom]

I've written, called and e-mailed various politicians over my lifetime and have never gotten anywhere. Usual response: Mr/Mrs. ?? appreciates your concern.....your opinion, comments are very important to me...blah, blah, blah.... end of story. I e-mailed a congressman once and got a generic e-mail reply so I replied to the reply with random key strokes and got the same generic reply again. Local politicians are very responsive as you can connect with them in the community. I my experience it is a waste time, effort and brain power.

[Florence]

I am a letter writer. I have written to everyone from the President to the Mayor. I have always sent it by snail mail but I may switch to email. Responses vary--never heard back from a President except once when I sent a campaign contribution and I am still getting solicitations from that party 10 years later and at a different address. Pete Olson is my representative and I have written, emailed, called, and protested at his office; our antipathy is mutual. The mayor's office did respond in a timely and satisfactory manner. I like to pretend that they are interested in representing me in their various offices.

[Lainey]

I understand that the President reads 10 random letters/communications every night from citizens who write him.

It would be a good practice for our Congressional reps to do the same, provided it's not filtered by their staff. They need to get out of their Washington D.C. bubble.

On a related note, it's fun to go back in history and read the vitriolic letters that people sent to the White House - e.g. people who hated President Roosevelt and weren't shy about venting their feelings in a letter. I wonder today if that same rage-filled letter or e-mail would get you a visit from the Secret Service?

[oldhat]

This is an interesting topic, and I wonder if anyone can point to any serious academic research that's been done on it recently.

It's my understanding that in olden days, if a congressman or senator got a dozen letters on a given topic, he or she would pay attention, since it was fairly time-consuming for a constituent to type and mail a physical letter. The reasoning was that for every person who took the time and trouble to write, many more who cared about the issue had not. With the ease of electronic communications nowadays, that logic may have gone by the boards. Maybe now they pay attention only when they are inundated by emails, tweets, etc. I really don't know.