Senators and Members of Congress

If you are going to insist on plugging your blog at every thread, then please have blog entries that actually have something to do with that thread.

One of the first rules in contacting elected officials is: KEEP IT SHORT!

Long missives tend to put the staffers to sleep, even if the message is quite valid.

My personal rules are: 1) E-mail, no more than 3 sentences; 2) snail-mail, no more than 1 page, double-spaced; 3) No personal remarks unless it's absolutlely germain to the issue; 4) No more than one issue per communication.

I always include my address and phone numbers.

According to news I heard on the radio about an hour ago, it looks like part of your wish may be granted. The Congressional Reps have said they'll bring the immigration issue up again before the Nov elections. That's potentially good news.

Also, if I may: I agree with Celt. I have no problem with someone plugging their blog; he1l, I do it all the time, as do Celt, Flagwaver, Cynewulf, and some others. I think that's simply good marketing. But I agree with Celt that you should only plug it on a column/thread that's directly applicable to your topic. I also agree with DavidM: as the old acting dictum goes, less is more. We're all tempted to really unleash both barrels, and let all our thoughts go into our commumiques. That's a big mistake. It starts to sound like an easily dismissable rant no matter how reasoned, and people will simply only wade through so much before hanging it up.

For what it's worth. Good letter overall, though, as far as the thoughts.