RE: Help needed on H.R. 2239

["Paul Tiger" <tigerp@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We don't have a *direct democracy*. What we have is a Democratic Republic.
That means representative government. We choose representation to go to
congress and the senate, both in our state and in our nation.

Yeah, I get your moral issue, but I also have been lobbying for a while and
understand that things work a bit differently than intended by design. Sure,
I would like it to change, but I also see that it isn't going to in the next
thirty days.

If you want to tell a congressman (or congresswoman) that you are not from
their district, but feel that this is an issue that needs the attention of
all representatives, go ahead. Perhaps that will sooth your moral dilemma.

Paul Tiger

-----Original Message-----
From: Scotty Allen [mailto:scotty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 1:39 PM
To: bcv@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Help needed on H.R. 2239

> I don't bother to tell them where I am from unless they ask. TMI (too
> much information). I find that the staffers that answer the phones
> generally don't ask, because they assume that you are a constituent.
> If they ask, don't lie. Say that you know what kind of pull Rep. Joe
> Bloe has and you want him to know that s/he needs to save this country
> by voting for the bill. Whatever works for you. The conversation is not
> that important as long as you get the *vote for* message across. Hang up
> and move on.

Yeah, I think I for one will be giving this a miss.  To me, contacting
one's representatives has become an indirect (and highly inefficient and
inaccurate) for of direct democracy.  If enough constituents call in in
favor of or against a particular issue, the representative changes his
or her vote a particular way (or is supposed to).  Calling a
representative which isn't my own, and letting them make the assumption
that I am a constituent, raises a lot of moral issues for me.

Isn't fair voting what we're all here advocating?  This doesn't strike
me as fair...

-Scotty

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