Dear Senator ______,

I have tried on numerous occasions to contact you personally, requested times to call you where I could have at least 15 minutes of your time. I have asked if I could meet with you in person in regards to problems I see in our government. All of these requests have gone unanswered and I was even told you do not meet with people, or that you are booked for months in advance. I asked if I could set an appointment several months later and was told no. Every time I have emailed you, I receive a form letter with a stamped signiture in the mail. I've actually received the same one twice.

You are refusing to represent me. You have no idea what my message is.

If I was a large donor, or a large corporation, you would meet with me probably this afternoon (yes even on a Sunday).

This is no longer a Democracy, this is a Corporatocracy. If this message does somehow reach you (which I doubt it will), I ask you to make a movement to stop calling the government a Democracy, because we "the people" mean nothing to you and you're friends in Washington.

You debate healthcare when the real question is, of the millions of dollars worth of lobbying and donations that the insurance companies spent, how much influence will they have bought? Because if I can't sway you either way on the bill, you should at least be dignified enough to admit who did sway you and with what.

Democracy died in a court reporters hand written notes in 1886. You and the rest of Washington commit Treason to the American people every day you do not reverse the power of Corporations in our government.

- one of the powerless.......

EDIT: only sent to one senator, the other was appointed and I have not tried to contact him more than once.

When letters fail, go to them personally!

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I have the body of a god! To bad its Buddha!

Just because he was appointed doesn't mean he doesn't have an obligation to represent you.

If I sent it to one Senator, I would send it to both...

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For those who have fought to defend it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know...



If it wasn't for double standards, liberals would have no standards at all...

I think the idea of writing your senator is a good one.

However, it might be more constructive to convey a message other than "Hey, you're ignoring me!".

You should assume your letter is rhetorical, so say what you want to say and don't expect a response. Just like a job application, you can't take it personally if you don't hear back. If some kind of response is what you're after, write your House Rep. They have a few million less constituents. You'll have at least a better chance for 1-on-1 time or some kind of interaction.

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The world could use more Stan Ovshinsky's

ok there are how many million people in Illinois ? do you honestly think you will get time with one of two senators ? the logistics are impossible.

make your case in writing and he gets enough like epistles, it will hit hs radar screen.

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Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

I think you are agreeing with me....?

But I think it's still worth attempting to contact them personally (in addition to a letter) if you have a constructive message. But odds are better with a Rep. than a Sen.

The message in the OP is just a nebulous rhetorical gripe/accusation. I wouldn't expect any politician to respond to it whether it was in a letter or in-person.

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The world could use more Stan Ovshinsky's

pretty much agreeing, yes.

agreed, odds are better with a rep. thats why they had senators elected by the states and not people originally. reps were just that, reps.

and yes, make your point and spare the bile, that just sends stuff to the delete folder. they only look for trends.

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Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

I do understand they are busy, but not too busy to dial for dollars or too busy to talk to lobbying groups.

I am a voter and do deserve his attention, period. The meaning of the letter is quite simple, I've asked for time to speak to him and have been refused, I'm a voter and feel that is unacceptable.

That's ok, my state congress rep is supposed to call this week, and that is when I will ask if she will propose a law for IL stating corporations are not persons.

I thk they should be responsive but they wont be.

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Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

I think they would be more responsive if they didn't spend as much time as they do with large donors and lobbyists.

nature of the game. its all about the money.

more significant, why did being a senator become a full time job ?

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Socialism doesn't create a rising tide that lifts all boats. It drains the lake and teaches the boat riders not to help themselves by rowing.

Jesus loves you, allah wants you dead

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

Not sure, care to shine some light?

Send it to both, the worst they can do is ignore you and that isn't really any different then what they are doing now is it?

Having interned in a Senate office for a short period of time I can tell you what the basic process is (or at least was for the Senator I interned for). The staff will receive it, make a digital copy of it and enter it into their computer system with both the digital copy, a short description of the just of what you are saying and an assigned category code (most senate offices have a large list of categories). The Senator will then have the ability to read either the short description entered by his staff or the digital scanned copy they made of it. The scanned copy is an exact copy of your letter so it won't lost anything but the short description might miss some of the details. The decision is his but from what I saw a personal letter or a personal email (not a form letter or form email mind you, Senate offices tend to just keep tallies of those) is more likely to be read than a lot of other forms of communication. It's even better than a phone call as phone calls often lose some of their value as they are transmitted from staff member to staff member up to the Senator (imagine a game of telephone). You may then receive a response, usually written by a member of the Senator's staff either authorized by the Senator or with the Senator reading it over after wards and approving it. Then they will take it to a machine that signs the Senator's signature to it and mail it to you.

Going in person is not really an option (although I don't know about DC offices as I was in a state office) because the Senator is rarely there. I was an intern for about 5 months and he was only in the state office maybe 3-4 times. It makes some sense as most of the time they are in DC Mon-Fri and then tend to take Sat and Sun off. Also, they have multiple state offices. Although I still wish there was a way for them to keep better touch with the people. I think part of the reason they lose touch is due to the fact that they are completely surrounded by Washington DC almost all the time and are rarely actually amongst the people that voted them in. I'm not justifying them though as I am also upset with many a Senator.

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"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, ... That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,"
-Declaration of Independence

Two truths that many Americans seem to have forgotten:
1. Men are endowed by God with inalienable rights.
2. Government's purpose is to secure man's God-given rights.

Adding to my previous post, one of the ideas I have toyed with to overcome the whole being surrounded by DC thing is this:
We require each Congressman or Congresswoman to work Mon-Thurs for 10 hours so they are still getting in a full 40 hrs. Then we require them to spend Fri in one of their state Senate offices and we can offer people the chance to go and talk with them for say 15 minutes each or something like that. Priority would be given to those representing themselves, not lobbyists, not someone representing some organization, etc.

I don't know how well it would work but I've toyed with the idea.

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"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, ... That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,"
-Declaration of Independence

Two truths that many Americans seem to have forgotten:
1. Men are endowed by God with inalienable rights.
2. Government's purpose is to secure man's God-given rights.

I've sent 2 requests for 15 minutes from Senator Burris. I will send a third in a few weeks and if I get no possitive reply, I will send the one from here.

Thanks for the feedback Eagle88, and the perspective.