How many members here have atempted to engage your representatives in dialog?

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


A few years ago I was introduced to the local rep at a neighbors birthday party. He was very outspoken and passionate about the region he was representing, and personally he was very approachable and listened intently to what people had to say.

Sadly he retired from his office not long afterwards, i think he was tired of being stonewalled by the other MP's, which is not surprising considering the company he kept. The other members don't lift a finger unless there's an election campaign.

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


Back when we were about to go to war with Syria, I wrote some messages to my representative Mike Crapo (R) and put in a lot of facts and details about why it would be a bad decision - I did get an informed response back, plus a personal note tagged on the end, and we didn't end up going to war - which I think was a good call.

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


For those of us in the UK, there is an old law which allows us to walk up to the front desk of parliament, and demand to see our MP, by law they have to do all they can to try and arrange it.

I have a buddy who works in parliament and it helps to learn the ins and outs from his side of the fence. (The free visitor passes are pretty damn cool as well!)

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


Not long ago I met Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel here in Afghanistan.

He's like any other politician. Evasive, vapid, and condescending to us, the very people whose opinion should matter to him.

Before I was in the Army I was a barista at city hall in my home town while I awaited shipping off to basic. There I met the mayor, the governor of the the state and several others. All of them sounded exactly alike. All of them evasive, vapid, and condescending.

Trying to genuinely engage politicians in a real discussion is an exercise in futility.

I've run across a few members of CONgress from my area, and local gov't officials, too.

After deciphering the two distinctly different conversations, I came to a conclusion. Local people don't know what national leaders know. They only think they do and act like they are on some sort of higher level. That is until you inform them of the laws they voted for, against or anything else along their lines. Once these locals see there is someone who is paying attention, they change their tune somewhat. Then the "don't forget to vote for me" attitude kicks in. That is just the local yahoos.

The national leaders...well, let's just say that even the most "humble" ones on TV act like kings and queens. They have all allowed the money and power get to them. They are most definitely snobs, even the ones I thought would be nice to talk to push me aside for someone who has radio access or networking capabilities. All to bolster their fake persona and image. It is truly disgusting how much different they believe they are.

There is one time I was snuffed by a Representative and too offense to it. Then I told him plain to his face "You know...we all bleed red blood." I was then escorted out expeditiously.

Needless to say, it made him uncomfortable. Now I don't even waste my breath. I don't put them on pedestals. I won't even respect what they say. I refuse to give in to their lies and deceit.

I've called my states office many times and engaged with their staff. The governor and senators come to events in my small town quite a bit and I found out why; They are into real estate deals with the local millionaires. I asked senator Manchin right to his face how he could walk around my town and look people in the eye after what he allowed 'them' to do to the coal industry. He got away from me like I was the plague without engaging me. lol

Nick Rahall participated in one of our town festivals. He rode standing up ion a convertible waving like a clueless moron. I stepped out of the crowd and asked him some hard questions. He looked at me like he wanted to kill me. He had nothing to say.

So, now when these millionaires(Manchin, Rahall, etc.) come to the events in my small town, I make it a mission to ask them to their face this question: What have you done since you've been in office that makes the life of a West Virginian any better?

I've asked this question countless times and still have not received a valid answer. I will keep confronting them every time they come here to celebrate with their little rich friends and I will continue asking hard questions.

reply to post by Thecakeisalie


I don't know if its different in the USA to the UK but I went to see my local MP and initially he listened but when I questioned him on a party policy I thought, as a member of that party, was unfair, it was as though a shutter suddenly came down over his eyes and I might have well left the room. It was fascinating to watch because I was then dealing with an autobot. He was purely programmed to think in one way only and any deviation or discussion was totally off limits. I had always viewed him as one of the reasonable ones, especially as he was one of the few that hadn't fiddled his expenses, but now I do see him differently sadly as a limited man capable of only working within a limited framework - in short a party stalwart and nothing else.

reply to post by darkbake


I also emailed my Congressman, Representative, and state legislators about that while the media was sounding the drums of war. I don't think I as an individual had much of an effect on their policy decision but, I think that collectively the overwhelming opposition to open war with yet another middle east nation had an effect and like you said we didn't end up going to war openly.

Individually we must continue to impose our wills on our representatives, encouraging others who are like minded to do the same. We might not have the money to stand up to the special interest groups and lobbyists but we have the numbers. Tens of millions of us if not a hundred of million of us that feel disenfranchised and unrepresented, it might seem laughable to some but to quote Shakespeare, "The pen is mightier than the sword." We should be flooding their in-boxes with our thoughts, opinions, and demands.

Keep it up as I will, also glad to hear from you guys and gals doing your part and engaging your Reps.

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


I have tried to engage my representative, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R), through every medium she accepts. She rarely appears to the public, when she isn't pregnant or collecting her farm subsidies. She presides over the poorest county in the state. The east side around Spokane needs job and a new freeway system north and south. Complete deafness. I just get emails slamming Obama. All she cares about is big agriculture, the system that hires illegals for cheap labor. Wouldn't want those subsidies to trickle down to the american taxpayer (sarcasm intended).

projectvxn
reply to post by MonkeyMentat

 

Not long ago I met Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel here in Afghanistan.

He's like any other politician. Evasive, vapid, and condescending to us, the very people whose opinion should matter to him.

I agree wholeheartedly, the brush off is the thing that motivates me to keep going. I now like to attempt to make personal contact Before these people are elected. If I can look them in the eye at some point and see how they respond to me I can generally get a good idea of how they will be when elected. On more than one occasion I have made it clear that I will not be supporting them in their run and I will do my very best to inform the public just how evasive the candidate in question was.

Penny

reply to post by MonkeyMentat


Yup. Done it. At various levels.

While the local level is the easiest to get face to face time, little changes. It is unnerving how detached and unconcerned many elected types are. That is of course they are trying to get elected or re-elected or have you vote for their ballot initiative.

Simply, you do not exist unless they need you for something which progresses their agenda. Their staff's are usually a little more talkative but then you are really wasting your time. You are not making it through the strainer. But show up with a s***load of cash and amazing thing happen.