OCR Text |
Show small price to pay Nothing can refresh the soul like a hot, spicy debate with associates over a political issue. But how often do we go beyond that and w rite our opinion to our Congressmen? Unfortunately, the answer is "seldom or never." Too many of us fear that one opinion is barely audible in the hubbub of current events. Yet, as one legislator has said, "The mail box is nearly as important as the ballot box to a member of Congress." A short, factual letter limited to one topic could be just what a Congressman needs to chart his course in the right direction, and you will never know unless you write. A major .industry association gives some suggestions: "If you are writing about legislative proposals, explain how it affects you. . .Try to refer to a bill by number and subject. . .Make sure your views get to your Congressman early in deliberation of the. bill. If you wait for a crisis stage or try to change the legislator's mind later in the development of an issue, you are not apt to achieve your goals. Finally, if the reply to your letter comes from an assistant, don't be upset. Public officials have staffs so that requests can be dealt with effectively." It's easy to rationalize your way out of writing to your Congressman, but the plain fact is that our democratic republic could not function without citizen input. Remember: "An official wants and needs to hear from every point of view on an issue." An eight-cent stamp is a small price to pay for freedom. |