[bromius]

There is palpable anger coming from voters in every position on the political spectrum. The reason I created this poll is to see whether or not people are being motivated to actually write to their elected officials to voice their dissatisfaction and hopefully to recommend better courses of action. The poll itself is neutral, but in the comments feel free to explain what if anything you wrote about and what tone you took. Happy polling

[timmac]

My opinion about writing to your elected official is most of the time it will be waste of ink, if you lived in a small community and writing to those officials than there may be some good but in a large city or the federal government, forget it, most of the letters don't reach their source, most politicians have their agenda made out for them the moment they entry office and a letter from the little people will be of no importance.

2 cents.

[bromius]

Timmac, I think in some ways you are right, the way a politician will behave in office is in many ways determined at the outset by their party affiliation and to a lesser extent what they say in their campaign. However, nothing is set in stone. Take the recent vote on the health care bill- quite a few democrats voted against it despite the legislation being pushed by their party.

Politics is a game of survival and most of the players, especially at the higher levels, seem willing to do whatever it takes to stick around. Regardless of how much money they are taking from whom, at the end of the day they still have to get elected. Any law will generate winners and losers, so of course lobbyists from both sides line to try and sway the vote. If they're getting offered something by either side, why not pick the side they think will help them stay in office. At the end of the day its still all about votes. Maybe the reason politicians seem to be disregarding the will of the common people is because they feel the common people are no longer holding them accountable.

[MarkJ]

On the local level, we sometimes attend meetings and speak with elected officials since we have leverage through political connections, business connections, law enforcement connections, friendships, favors and due to competition with other local regions competing for our businesses, tax dollars and investment dollars.

On the national level, we have no leverage and no direct links of communication with elected officials, so we don't waste time communicating with the staff of elected officials.

[pablonite]

motivated to actually write to their elected officials to voice their dissatisfaction and hopefully to recommend better courses of action.

I've got to thinking that this "palpable anger" you refer to has been engineered. Take a closer look at the "global" financial crises, the "global" war on terror, "global" climate change (the whole theory beginning to fray around the edges) and any other "global" crises you care to think of off the top of your head and...well, don't you just find it a bit odd they are all being thrown at you at the same time? Stressful isn't it? Pile on peak oil, resource depletion...etc.

Sorry but I have to suspect most elected representatives at all but the highest level will say anything (or have an assistant do it for them) to keep your vote and a simple reply to your "recommendation" is probably enough while accomplishing nothing. In reality they are probably quite helpless to do anything about the "recommendation" even if they want to, which they probably don't. People are selfish and the people at the highest levels of control in our society surely are not politicians but do take advantage of this weakness in politicians.

In the grand scheme of things we are headed towards a predefined solution which is global government. Most people in America are no longer capable of participating in a constitutional republic but are probably ready to be part of a global "democracy". A more precise name is communitarian-ism. Yes, another new and improved ISM. By involving yourself in the artificial debate you are playing a vital part in what can be called the new and improved final solution - helping to bring it about.

Besides, your vote or my vote is hardly equal to the thousands of lobby groups throwing millions at politicians which would have horrified the framers of the constitution.

Beware of the "change" you might find yourself cheer-leading!

I do believe like another commenter mentioned that getting involved with local politicians is great! Taking part in anything bigger might turn you into a what they call a "useful idiot".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Useful_idiot

I am seriously questioning the logic that America "won" the cold war. They are actually on the verge of losing and what a waste of all that work building a constitution that is taken away without even a collective mummer.

Of course after millions upon millions of immigrants helping to spur on the "global" population "problem", outsourcing of jobs to foreign populations and the general globalization brought on by the internationalists populating the highest levels of the US government - we never had a chance. The early 1900's are a most confusing period of American history and it seems to me the old British imperialism won in the end by constantly morphing into something friendly sounding. The founding fathers were obviously running away from this form of colonial slavery - they lost in the end but don't say they didn't warn us the REAL threat of course would come from within.

Good luck!

[Loki]

Zero. Might not hurt to write a few more than that, couldn't be any less mentally masturbatory than posting on the internet. But probably just as likely to affect change. Depends on your congresscritter, maybe.

I think the most powerful vote is the dollar (or Euro, etc). Mindful consumption and all that. I make daily efforts in that regard.

[Outcast_Searcher]

Zero. Might not hurt to write a few more than that, couldn't be any less mentally masturbatory than posting on the internet. But probably just as likely to affect change. Depends on your congresscritter, maybe.

I think the most powerful vote is the dollar (or Euro, etc). Mindful consumption and all that. I make daily efforts in that regard.

+1

When I was younger and more energetic, I used to write letters to my congressfolk. I generally got back a "letter" with their official position on the subject, including their oratory about said subject in a recent congressional session.

I feel certain that their staffs put the responses together, and the MOST input they got was an increment to a tally of those strongly enough for or against said position to actually write. With all the PAC, etc. money, the average citizen is basically ignored.

Once we get to where 50+% of the voters pay little or no income tax, I think we're essentially done, and we seem to be headed there fast.

[bromius]

With all the PAC, etc. money, the average citizen is basically ignored.

Why do they need the PAC money so bad? TV, radio and print ads to help persuade people to vote for them. It still comes down to how individual people vote.

MarkJ> I think your strategy of interacting with your local political establishment makes sense. You'll definitely get the most bang for time and buck, at least concerning matters that local politicians have control over.

Loki> I'm with you 100% on using your money as a vote on how society should proceed. I try to put that belief into practice whenever possible.

Thanks for the thoughtful responses to this poll. Since there are many ways to change where we are headed as a society, I think I'll follow up with one to determine the most effective method for affecting that change.