Actually contacting an elected official
Sep. 29th, 2009 12:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jcollie719During dinner with my parents on Friday, my dad said Congress is voting on a bill that would extend unemployment benefits for all states EXCEPT Colorado (where I live) since Colorado is the only state with unemployment below the national average. The bill already passed the House (with three Colorado representatives voting for it, the other four against it) and is headed for the Senate. I decided to send this e-mail to my senators, urging them to oppose this bill:
Dear Senator Udall/Bennet:
I understand that a vote on a bill which would extend unemployment benefits for all states except Colorado is coming up for a vote in the Senate. I would appreciate it very much if you would vote against this bill as it would severely harm Colorado citizens who are still unemployed.
I was laid off from my job last October, and I have been unable to secure a new full-time job despite applying at hundreds of businesses. I’ve already cut way back on spending in order to keep my bills paid. Losing the benefits I currently receive would be devastating.
Just because I live in a state with a low unemployment rate does not mean the unemployed taxpayers here do not deserve assistance. The last time I checked, this was the United States of America. The Congress should be doing what it can to represent all citizens. The bill which passed the House (with the help of three representatives from Colorado) does not do that. This bill needs to be rejected and re-written to extend unemployment benefits for all 50 states.
Please encourage the Senate to vote against this bill. Thank you for your time.
I actually had to edit this a few times before sending it to take out some of the hostility I felt. For example, the "three representatives from Colorado" line originally included the word "back-stabbing."
EDIT:
I received what appears to be an automated reply from Sen. Michael Bennet:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your e-mail message. Hearing from Coloradans is important to me. I will respond to your concerns in the near future. In the meantime, I am especially glad you reached out, because it gives me a chance to briefly introduce myself and share with you some of my priorities for Colorado.
Our country faces serious challenges today: rising unemployment, home foreclosures, and companies on the verge of bankruptcy. Congress and the President have set bold goals for our country to address these challenges and lay the foundation for sustainable, long-term economic growth. We must make responsible investments in health care, education, and our new energy economy, while providing much-needed tax cuts to middle-class families. As we do so, however, we must work to reduce the deficit, because economic recovery will be short-lived if we mortgage our children’s future to achieve it.
It will be my mission every day in the Senate to represent all corners of Colorado and do everything in my power to stand up for the natural beauty and Western values that make our state unique. If you need assistance from my office, or if you need help dealing with a federal agency, please use the link below to access our casework form. If you are not a Colorado resident, I encourage you to contact the U.S. Senators from your state directly.
Once again, thank you for contacting me.
http://bennet.senate.gov
Dear Senator Udall/Bennet:
I understand that a vote on a bill which would extend unemployment benefits for all states except Colorado is coming up for a vote in the Senate. I would appreciate it very much if you would vote against this bill as it would severely harm Colorado citizens who are still unemployed.
I was laid off from my job last October, and I have been unable to secure a new full-time job despite applying at hundreds of businesses. I’ve already cut way back on spending in order to keep my bills paid. Losing the benefits I currently receive would be devastating.
Just because I live in a state with a low unemployment rate does not mean the unemployed taxpayers here do not deserve assistance. The last time I checked, this was the United States of America. The Congress should be doing what it can to represent all citizens. The bill which passed the House (with the help of three representatives from Colorado) does not do that. This bill needs to be rejected and re-written to extend unemployment benefits for all 50 states.
Please encourage the Senate to vote against this bill. Thank you for your time.
I actually had to edit this a few times before sending it to take out some of the hostility I felt. For example, the "three representatives from Colorado" line originally included the word "back-stabbing."
EDIT:
I received what appears to be an automated reply from Sen. Michael Bennet:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your e-mail message. Hearing from Coloradans is important to me. I will respond to your concerns in the near future. In the meantime, I am especially glad you reached out, because it gives me a chance to briefly introduce myself and share with you some of my priorities for Colorado.
Our country faces serious challenges today: rising unemployment, home foreclosures, and companies on the verge of bankruptcy. Congress and the President have set bold goals for our country to address these challenges and lay the foundation for sustainable, long-term economic growth. We must make responsible investments in health care, education, and our new energy economy, while providing much-needed tax cuts to middle-class families. As we do so, however, we must work to reduce the deficit, because economic recovery will be short-lived if we mortgage our children’s future to achieve it.
It will be my mission every day in the Senate to represent all corners of Colorado and do everything in my power to stand up for the natural beauty and Western values that make our state unique. If you need assistance from my office, or if you need help dealing with a federal agency, please use the link below to access our casework form. If you are not a Colorado resident, I encourage you to contact the U.S. Senators from your state directly.
Once again, thank you for contacting me.
http://bennet.senate.gov
