Today we are facing a disaster that hides in plain sight. Nearly 60% of eligible voters stayed home last November. We can only speculate as to their reasoning but if their frustrations are anything similar to my own, there just wasn't a choice last November You voted for either a slow boat to China, or a speed boat. Or if your like myself and wasn't going to play the system, you voted for someone you actually agreed with, but had no hope of even leaving the dock.
What we have then is a government that is representative of only 40% of the population. A minority. This minority control leads to further disenfranchisement by those of us who actually care and want to see a change, and those of us who are so disgusted we have given up on the system.
This message is for every one, disgusted, frustrated, infuriated, or enthralled. Regardless of your voting status last November, you can influence this government, however FUBARed it may be. The way you go about this is to let your congressmen know how you want them to act on issues that matter to you.
For all the people who vote, only a handful ever contact their state and federal public servants. So few people contact them that if a public official gets 50, only 50 e-mails on a particular subject, it is considered
extraordinary. This small amount can influences the officials actions because he knows that for ever 1 person that bothered to e-mail him, (or her) there are thousands of individuals who feel the same way but never say anything.
Back in the day, with no internet, working 9-5, or heck 8-7, I can see the response to outrageous behavior being low. By the time you come home, unwind, listen to the news, read the paper, see what your knuckle headed congressmen is up to, his office is closed. You could leave a message, but you have to find the phone book, see if the number is listed. If it's not your out of luck because city hall is closed to, and it's unlikely any one at the library knows the number.
Today though, it's so simple to contact any public official you want that the only reason response is no better is because they have succeed in so distancing us and disconnecting us from the process that we don't even want to bother.
Remember, they are just people, and stupid ones at that. The vast majority of elected officials, whether in your state legislature or in the US Congress, are just kiss-ass idiots who brown nosed their way to their current position in their respective parties. They have no moral fortitude, and the spine of a jellifish. They live and die by the direction of popular opinion. YOU are part of that popular opinion.
This is so critical to understand. You don't need to be eloquent, you don't need to be verbose. I wouldn't recommend writing anything threatening, however tempting that may be. All you need to do is tell them how to vote, in no uncertain terms. Explain it like they are 12 years old. If the issue is really important, and you want to threaten them, this is the best thing to threaten them with: that if they don't do as you have asked you will vote for their opponent next election. That will scare the crap out of them.
And remember, even if you didn't vote, didn't vote for them, or think the voting system is corrupted, they don't know any of that about you. All they know is some one in their district is expressing an opinion, and it means there are a few hundred to a few thousand other people in the same district who share that opinion but didn't say anything.
When you vote, you are a voice of one. When you email your public servants, you are the voice of a thousand voters. Never forget that. Email is recommended as they tend to actually read your email, where as with a phone call they may only get a note from a secretary.
I'm going to make it even easier for you though. At the top of this bloge you will see a "Take Action" button. That will take you to a page that has links to sites that specialize in helping you contact your state and federal representatives. Just follow the simple instructions.
Don't let them win by keeping you silent. It doesn't matter how you voted, or if you voted. What matters now is emailing the winners and telling them if they don't do as you ask they will be a loser next time around.