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[jedinemesis]

A couple of things. I work for a senator dealing with just this sort of mail that comes in from constituents.

First of all, don't even waste your time calling or writing a Senator or Representative who doesn't represent you. Your mail will either be disregarded or sent to your own Senator/Representative who may very well disregard it becuase it wasn't sent to him/her.

Also, don't be a jerk. It really pisses the staffers off when you threaten. If you want, you can say something about their stance on this issue having a large effect on how you decide to vote, but don't be stupid about it. Keep it civil or you may be ignored.

If you get a very non-committal response or a response that simply restates the facts without actually saying anything, it probably means that the Sen/Rep disagrees with your position. Don't be surprised if this happens. It's fairly common. Sometimes it means that they actually don't have a position yet, but that's not typical.

Many Senators don't answer all of their mail. The office I work for tries to, but we get roughly 7000 pieces of e-mail & regular mail each week. If you want a response, respectfully request one, and give the office a good two months to get back to you before you write again. Unless, of course, the bill is actually scheduled for debate & a vote.

Don't confuse House and Senate bills. Don't ask a Senator to vote against H.R. 9999. They can't they don't vote on House bills. You can ask them not to support a Senate version of H.R. 9999.

Finally, actually go vote in your primary and in November. Find a candidate who you can support and vote. It's way more useful than letter writing.

Will