I'm in Michigan and left two angry (but not threatening) voicemails for my Democrats in the Senate who have been huge disappointments. It was satisfying. Gotta make the calls, y'all
NH is weird. It is generally a red bastion in all its state-level offices, yet all of its federal congresscritters are Democrats. I wish there was a NH GOP person in Washington I could call, but all I’ve got is a couple decent Dems and a couple weak-ass enabling ones. Who I have expressed my opinions to already, but they may be weak-ass but they aren’t protecting the pedophile warmongering fascist. 🤷
On one trip to D.C., my wife set up a meeting with our (Republican) Representative. He was surprisingly gracious when we met, which I expected to last at most 5 minutes. My wife threw out a question about gun control, which led to a conversation lasting half an hour. I doubt we changed his opinion on anything, but he definitely got an earful.
Sometimes a personal encounter with these characters actually is worth the effort.
Can I chime in? I've had a lot of experience calling my Republican senators and House member. A few things I've learned:
• If at all possible, try to talk to a live human being. Settle for voicemail only as a last resort. If you get a recording, keep calling. If you still can't get through, then call back after hours and leave a VM.
• Call multiple offices. House members usually have an office in their district as well as DC. Senators typically have multiple offices across their states. Hit 'em all.
• Definitely remain civil. But that doesn't mean you can't be strident.
• If you happen to have ANY background that could be presented as a Republican credential, use it to your advantage. If you've ever voted for even Republican in the past, let them know. (And if you're an Independent, mention that, too.) If you come from a family of Republicans, mention that, even if you're not one. Many years ago, early in my career, I worked for a communications firm that had the RNC as a client; I was just about the only non-Republican in the firm, but I still play the card when talking to Republican legislators. They're more likely to listen to you if they think you're a Republican or an Independent.
• If you're dealing with a House member or Senator who is utterly hopeless (which is most of them), once you've delivered your message, make it about the assistant you're talking with. You won't change the senator's mind, but you might rattle the aide. For example, I ask the aide if she's a Christian. (She always is.) When she says yes, I ask if she doesn't worry about what it does to her soul to align herself with a senator who supports (pick your issue) kidnapping people off the street because their skin is brown / imprisoning young children in gulag conditions / cutting food and health benefits for poor children / protecting pedophiles. I tell her that she will have to answer for her actions one day, and as a fellow Christian I'm worried about her soul. I can almost promise you that you will notice a change in the tone of the conversation. If nothing else, it gives them something to think about, and I always ask them to pass my concern on to the whole staff. These people tend not to think of themselves as part of an apparatus that does evil. Don't let them run from what they're part of.
• Finally, if you live in a city where the Congress member has an office, the best option of all is to go in person. They will generally send someone out to meet you in the lobby (if their office is a suite in an office building) or invite you into the office to talk. It's a whole different dynamic when they see you face-to-face, and they have to account for their time. Plus, if you're there in person, it will usually be a much longer conversation than if you're on the phone.
They don’t listen to your specifics, but they are OVERWHELMINGLY motivated by the fear of losing their cushy job. And they have someone in their office who can do math. If the math says that getting voted out is a real possibility, they may change their tune.
They don't listen, but they DO tally comments and approval/disapproval. This is not about changing their minds with one phone call. This is about showing them, one by one, the weight of public disapproval. The goal is slow-building fear, not an instant conversion.
I've got two Dem Senators and a Dem Rep, but Lauren Boebert's district is just to the east. Maybe I could pretend to be one of her farmer constituents and say something like, "I don't get up early, drive my $95,000 pickup truck to town, cash my massive government subsidy check for not farming, and spend the rest of the day at the diner drinking coffee and bitching about government-dependent leeches just so that masked men with guns could demand to see my papers."
We're in the northernmost part of Dist. 7, which, as it turns out, does NOT directly adjoin Bobo's district. Between us and Bobo is a chunk of Dist. 8, currently represented in the House by trumpanzee p.o.s. Gabe Evans.
What if the threat is, "I live 8 minutes from your congressional office on that major highway, & I'm willing to stand in front of it 8 hours a week with a sign telling people to vote you out."
Bonamici, Wyden and Merkley all don't need any convincing. So, I try to pepper algorithm-friendly photos of my cute kids and DIY projects on social media with political stuff I think will make my SC, GA, FL and TN friends really mad. Unfortunately, there's so much enraging stuff happening right now, I have lots to share.
That hed photo…my mentor used to do exactly that when he was State Party Chair and County Leader at the same time, and never crossed the streams. Quite a mind that guy had.
I'm in Michigan and left two angry (but not threatening) voicemails for my Democrats in the Senate who have been huge disappointments. It was satisfying. Gotta make the calls, y'all
NH is weird. It is generally a red bastion in all its state-level offices, yet all of its federal congresscritters are Democrats. I wish there was a NH GOP person in Washington I could call, but all I’ve got is a couple decent Dems and a couple weak-ass enabling ones. Who I have expressed my opinions to already, but they may be weak-ass but they aren’t protecting the pedophile warmongering fascist. 🤷
Thank you for those tips. I'll take your advice, and do my best to refrain from calling Nick Langworthy (NY23). a liar who has no shame.
On one trip to D.C., my wife set up a meeting with our (Republican) Representative. He was surprisingly gracious when we met, which I expected to last at most 5 minutes. My wife threw out a question about gun control, which led to a conversation lasting half an hour. I doubt we changed his opinion on anything, but he definitely got an earful.
Sometimes a personal encounter with these characters actually is worth the effort.
Can I chime in? I've had a lot of experience calling my Republican senators and House member. A few things I've learned:
• If at all possible, try to talk to a live human being. Settle for voicemail only as a last resort. If you get a recording, keep calling. If you still can't get through, then call back after hours and leave a VM.
• Call multiple offices. House members usually have an office in their district as well as DC. Senators typically have multiple offices across their states. Hit 'em all.
• Definitely remain civil. But that doesn't mean you can't be strident.
• If you happen to have ANY background that could be presented as a Republican credential, use it to your advantage. If you've ever voted for even Republican in the past, let them know. (And if you're an Independent, mention that, too.) If you come from a family of Republicans, mention that, even if you're not one. Many years ago, early in my career, I worked for a communications firm that had the RNC as a client; I was just about the only non-Republican in the firm, but I still play the card when talking to Republican legislators. They're more likely to listen to you if they think you're a Republican or an Independent.
• If you're dealing with a House member or Senator who is utterly hopeless (which is most of them), once you've delivered your message, make it about the assistant you're talking with. You won't change the senator's mind, but you might rattle the aide. For example, I ask the aide if she's a Christian. (She always is.) When she says yes, I ask if she doesn't worry about what it does to her soul to align herself with a senator who supports (pick your issue) kidnapping people off the street because their skin is brown / imprisoning young children in gulag conditions / cutting food and health benefits for poor children / protecting pedophiles. I tell her that she will have to answer for her actions one day, and as a fellow Christian I'm worried about her soul. I can almost promise you that you will notice a change in the tone of the conversation. If nothing else, it gives them something to think about, and I always ask them to pass my concern on to the whole staff. These people tend not to think of themselves as part of an apparatus that does evil. Don't let them run from what they're part of.
• Finally, if you live in a city where the Congress member has an office, the best option of all is to go in person. They will generally send someone out to meet you in the lobby (if their office is a suite in an office building) or invite you into the office to talk. It's a whole different dynamic when they see you face-to-face, and they have to account for their time. Plus, if you're there in person, it will usually be a much longer conversation than if you're on the phone.
These are fantastic points.
Uh. Maybe not?
US Energy Secretary deletes X claim on Strait of Hormuz escort
https://aje.news/4oungf?update=4385841
After the navy said 'no way'
So CORNHOLIO and Cruz know I am a DEMONCRAT when I call them??
That explains their ATTITUDE
So now we gotta get burner phones to call our reps??
My rep is Scott “Fuckface” Perry. I could call him every day for the rest of my life and it wouldn’t make him less of a piece of shit.
I’m focusing my energies on unseating him.
Pffffffftttttt ....they don't listen...
They don’t listen to your specifics, but they are OVERWHELMINGLY motivated by the fear of losing their cushy job. And they have someone in their office who can do math. If the math says that getting voted out is a real possibility, they may change their tune.
They don't listen, but they DO tally comments and approval/disapproval. This is not about changing their minds with one phone call. This is about showing them, one by one, the weight of public disapproval. The goal is slow-building fear, not an instant conversion.
I've got two Dem Senators and a Dem Rep, but Lauren Boebert's district is just to the east. Maybe I could pretend to be one of her farmer constituents and say something like, "I don't get up early, drive my $95,000 pickup truck to town, cash my massive government subsidy check for not farming, and spend the rest of the day at the diner drinking coffee and bitching about government-dependent leeches just so that masked men with guns could demand to see my papers."
You from Fort Fun or adjacent?
We're in the northernmost part of Dist. 7, which, as it turns out, does NOT directly adjoin Bobo's district. Between us and Bobo is a chunk of Dist. 8, currently represented in the House by trumpanzee p.o.s. Gabe Evans.
I haven't heard my hometown called Fort Fun in FOREVER!
Since Babe left we are Fort Bereft shoo wop shoo wop
This should be our new theme for the resistance movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhJaASQ19X0&list=RDWhJaASQ19X0&start_radio=1
Tatertown? Tommy Tatertown?
Timmy Tooterpole?
What if the threat is, "I live 8 minutes from your congressional office on that major highway, & I'm willing to stand in front of it 8 hours a week with a sign telling people to vote you out."
?
:P
Do you worst. Anyone who'd vote for me couldn't read your sign anyway.
Bonamici, Wyden and Merkley all don't need any convincing. So, I try to pepper algorithm-friendly photos of my cute kids and DIY projects on social media with political stuff I think will make my SC, GA, FL and TN friends really mad. Unfortunately, there's so much enraging stuff happening right now, I have lots to share.
That hed photo…my mentor used to do exactly that when he was State Party Chair and County Leader at the same time, and never crossed the streams. Quite a mind that guy had.
Dolphin grade bicameral!
Interestingly enough, today marks the 150th anniversary of the first phone call - "Mr Watson, come here, I want to see you!"
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/alexander-graham-bell-first-telephone-call-history/
... in that slinky black dress I bought you for your birthday!
- the unreported second half of the message
And the reply 'new phone who dis?'