Member-only story
An Open Letter to My Senator
Dear Senator:
Ever since I was a child in the 1950’s, I’ve heard that citizens should write to their representatives and senators as a way of helping them do their jobs. If our elected representatives know what voters want, the argument goes, they will know what laws to pass. Clearly that advice is sound, because whenever I write to you, I get a very nice reply reassuring me that my opinion is very important to you.
Nothing ever seems to get done about my issues, but to be fair, just because I want something doesn’t mean that it should happen. Still, I do pay your salary and the salary of your office staff. If I am writing about something of some public interest — the filibuster rule, say — shouldn’t you have a canned response available to tell me why you don’t care that the filibuster is ruining the country and you won’t do anything to fix it? I’m a big boy. I can take “no” for an answer, or at least as a signal to fight harder. Why aren’t you big enough to give “no” as an answer?
I was going to send you a message through your website, but your e-mail form requires constituents to indicate what issue they are addressing. Only— and here’s the reason for this open letter — “Governance” is not on the list. You apparently do not want to…