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About "Contacting Your Senator"

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thirtydaZe:
Please forgive me on this one.

We have a lot of threads, and opportunities, to make a difference here on this forum.  Personally I'd love to be more involved, however at the same time, I kind of have stage fright because of the unknown.

So can I have the cliff notes version of what actually happens, what to expect sort of speak, when someone actually goes about the duty of contacting their senator?

I mean, i'm at a phase where i'd like to do something, but honestly afraid of the unknown.  Maybe others as well?

Anyhow, just thought i'd ask.

Dave1215:
Don't use a canned script.
Share your own thoughts and experiences
Be positive
Don't attack and Don't accuse
Be professional, but be yourself
Be honest
Share from the heart but back with facts
Thank them for their service
Ask how you can help
Focus:  Stay to the one topic, be brief and don't ramble
Follow-up with a brief written summary and a thank you note
That help?

RLMoeller:
Excellent advice Dave! 

thirtydaZe:
it does.  do people actually make calls also in some instances?  i think, when i read contact sometimes it translates to call.

see, you can see i have no clue what i'm doing...

RLMoeller:
The approach you take may vary based on:

What you feel comfortable doing
How urgent the communication is
The preferred method of communication of whom you are contacting

Maybe you write well but are uncomfortable expressing your thoughts verbally.  For some it's the other way around.

If there is a vote coming up and it's important that you reach out NOW, then a phone call may be better, along with a follow up email.  Sometimes it's good to tie up the phones.

Building a relationship takes time, and meeting in person is the best way to do that.  You may find that in person visits are the most effective.  That isn't always possible, but it's something to think about.  One email or phone call a year doesn't build a relationship.  That may not be your goal, sometimes you just want your voice heard on a specific bill.  But if you have a relationship established, each contact starts to carry more weight.

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