The bastards want to stop us from e-mailing them!

[_dynamicdems]

This is an outrage. Our e-mails are bothering our senators and representatives. They are using software to block our voices. Damn. Our elected officials consider our opinions SPAM!

Hi XXXX,

Members of Congress are using software to block bulk constituent emails, like those generated from online petitions, from their inbox.

Tell Congress to listen to us.

Take action to ensure your voice is heard.



Online petitions are a main channel for non-profits and their supporters to bring important issues to the attention of our country's leaders.

But last month, Congressional offices began adopting new software that blocks the delivery of bulk constituent email, significantly compromising the ability of nonprofit organizations and their supporters to have their voices heard. Take action to say NO.

This technology requires you to answer a logic puzzle question before you can submit a comment, meaning only those constituents who go directly to the lawmaker's own website can send a message.

Individuals who can find the right webform online will be able to talk to their representatives, but those people trying communicate as part of a movement or through nonprofit organizations may be blocked.

Since the average person doesn't have the money or power to lobby Congress, the Internet has served as a tool to open up communication between millions of Americans and their elected representatives.

Don't let Congress disable this great advancement in democratic communication.
Sign the petition to stop Congress from blocking your emails.

Join Care2, Consumers Union, and a wide array of other non-profit organizations to ensure a future for Internet advocacy. Go to: http://go.care2.com/e/lfa/M1/DzaX

Thanks from all of us at Care2 and ThePetitionSite.

[ixion]

1. if only they'd use software to block corporate lobbyists

but, gee, that'll be the day. :eyes:

[_dynamicdems]

4. Apparently us ordinary folk don't have enough of what it takes to be heard

in this country:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


Ya know?

:(

[KyuzoGator]

2. I've never really liked those auto-petitions anyway.

If you have something to say to your Congressman or Senator, take the extra two minutes to write something personal and from your e-mail address (so they can respond).

[_dynamicdems]

7. This will also block e-mails from other organizations that have been

doing great work in getting average citizens involved in their government. Not everyone knows how or what to write to their officials and these organizations help get people to get their feet wet.

One example is Progressive Secretary:

Progressive Secretary is a wonderful organization that has been doing this for years. It is the sole venture of a handicapped individual who is doing this to further progressive ideas in this country. He should be commended for his work and this action will effectively destroy his organization.
http://www.progsec.org/DynMenu/DynMenu.php

[acmavm]

3. Smarmy bastards. They need to be reminded that we pay

their salaries, that we sent them there, we even pay to have their damn clothes dry cleaned.

[Scribe]

5. Do online petitioners deluge Representative's email accounts?

If so, it might mean that my email to my local Representative will get lost in the flood of messages from petitioning special interests. I'm not sure that is a good thing. The effect might be to cause Congressional offices to ignore their email.

Besides that, a logic test, no matter how simple, will nonetheless stump a number of conservative correspondents.

[_dynamicdems]

9. All e-mail is categorized and counted.

Electronically generated programs use our e-mail addresses and our contact information in order that our mail goes to our own representatives.

I always get snail mail back from my representatives whenever I use on of these programs such as ProgressiveSecretary.org or SaveBiogems.org.

This is not SPAM and I don't think expressing our viewpoints to our representatives amounts to "special interest" e-mail whether we send our mail individually or through an online organization.

[mntleo2]

6. Signed With This Comment:

This is the electronic version of plugging your ears and yelling, "Lalalalalalaaaa!"
Come on people.Don't like what you are hearing? Then let us elect someone who listens!

My 2 cents...

Cat In Seattle

[wisteria]

8. I signed, bur will still contact them individually. n/t

[_dynamicdems]

11. I do that too but sometimes I use congress.org for convenience.

They also have a program where you can have a printed letter hand-delivered for extra impact at reasonable cost.

There are also many issues that we might want to speak out but might otherwise miss were it not for some of these organizations.

ProgressiveSecretary.org is an incredible organization that not only brings a number of issues to light that might have fallen through the cracks otherwise, but it also lets use their program to get letters to our representatives. I used to write for them a few years ago and the service they perform is incredible. First they consider suggested issues of progressive concern. Then they examine the issues for a proposed letter. If the issue is deemed of merit, a letter writer is charged to research the issue, the legislation (if any) and draft a letter. The editors go over the letters. If all goes well, a letter is submitted to the ProgSec e-mail list for consideration.

The way it works is: you can sign up for local issues, national issues, world issues or issues by a variety of other criteria. You can select the number of letters you want to consider each week. When you get a letter, you click to respond or you ignore it. It is as easy as that.

There are so many important issues that I would have missed (while our nations considers such grave matters such as flag burning) were it not for the good work that Progressive Secretary does.

Sure I contact my reps with lengthy letters on a variety of important issues, but I also find ProgSec and other organizations to be valuable communications tools.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. The title of this thread is a little misleading

It should "The bastards want to stop us from sending bulk e-mail them to them!"

I'm not sure why you left out the part about bulk e-mail.

[_dynamicdems]

12. Because they are blocking individual e-mails that only employ bulk

software.

Many letters that are sent from the organizations that use bulk programs also allow for individual comments for for personal letters to replace their form letter. These are as valid as any other e-mails that go to our representatives. Only the delivery method is bulk as it employs software to sent. These are emails that come from individuals with valid e-mail addresses, however. When you use one of these programs, you are required to give your name and address and the e-mail letters go to your specific elected officials. In many cases, for a small charge, you can have snail mail sent too.

Blocking e-mail from constituents is blocking e-mail.

Now if they were to filter out e-mail that does not have any valid constituent e-mail address associated with it, that is a different matter. That is the kind of mail blasting used by spammers to sell viagra, and sure, I can see blocking that.

However, organizations such as SaveBiogems, MoveOn.org, PFAW, Americans Rights At Work and hundreds of other valid organizations that help us reach our representatives are going to be blocked as well.

Whenever I use an organization to get an e-mail out in this manner, I always get a snail mail letter back from my senators and congressmen. That's not bulk. That's an individual response to an individual letter.