Internet Petitions - A Waste of Time and Effort?
Like most of you, I receive many email petitions, usually about gas prices or pending legislation. Even if they eventually get somewhere, the response is always a click on the delete button. They simply don’t work! What does work, or at lest gets attention is a letter on the subject mailed in an envelope that is hand addressed to your Representative and/or Senators, federal or state. If everyone who signed an email petition took the time and effort to send a signed copy of the body of the petition I can guarantee it would get attention. I’ve probably mailed a hundred or more such letters on many subjects during the last dozen or so years.
Results: I have received many responses both positive and negative from Representatives and Senators. I am a registered Republican, have a Republican representative both state and Federal and have one Senator from each party. I notice I have received very different responses (most are extremely critical) from my Democrat Senator (probably from a staffer) than from Republicans. Quite obviously his staff checked voter registration and knows I am a Republican. I’m sure the same would be true for Democrats.
I have no idea the effect of my efforts, but I at least know they have been acknowledged. Should all of those who would add their names and send them off into electronic neverland follow this example and write those they elected, the impact could be staggering. Sure it takes a little time. Sure it costs a little money for stamps and paper. Sure it uses more energy than sending off an email. Believe me, it would get noticed while email petitions, if ever sent, are always ignored.
Example: Petition on Social Security received by me 10-17-06
My mom was a homemaker and dad worked all his life and paid into SS, dad has passed away and now my mom can barely make ends meet. While the possible "illegal" alien in front of her at the grocery store buys the name brands, my mom goes for the generic brands, and day old breads. She doesn't have out of state calling on her phone, because she can't afford it and shops at the thrift shops and dollar stores while the "illegal" aliens go to Macy's, Gap, J.C. Penny, Banana Republic, etc. She considers having a pizza delivered once a week "eating out."
She grew up during the depression, watched her husband go overseas to fight in WW II a year after their marriage, and then they went on to raise, feed and clothe 5 children, scrounging to pay tuition for parochial schools. I'm sorry, but I can't see how the Senate can justify this slap in the face to born and bred, or naturalized citizens.
It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If they give benefits to "illegal" aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave us that have paid into Social Security all our working lives?
The Senate voted this week to allow "illegal" aliens access to Social Security benefits. Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to receive Social services. If you do not wish to sign the petition yourself, please forward on to anyone you think might be interested.
PETITION FOR: President Bush
Mr. President:
The petition below is a protest against the recent vote of the senate which was to allow illegal aliens access to our social security! We demand that you and all congressional representatives require citizenship for anyone to be eligible for social services in the United States.
________________________________
Suggested letter:
Dear Senator/Representative
Today I received a note from a friend that incensed me greatly. Why on earth is such a thing even being considered? These are law-breakers who we will be rewarding for breaking the law. If this goes through, why should I obey any federal law? After all I too should be rewarded for say breaking through the protective fence around the Whitehouse or even stealing a Federal payroll.
This is the note I am speaking about:
"My mom was a homemaker and dad worked all his life and paid into SS, dad has passed away and now my mom can barely make ends meet. While the possible "illegal" alien in front of her at the grocery store buys the name brands, my mom goes for the generic brands, and day old breads. She doesn't have out of state calling on her phone, because she can't afford it and shops at the thrift shops and dollar stores while the "illegal" aliens go to Macy's, Gap, J.C. Penny, Banana Republic, etc. She considers having a pizza delivered once a week "eating out."
"She grew up during the depression, watched her husband go overseas to fight in WW II a year after their marriage, and then they went on to raise, feed and clothe 5 children, scrounging to pay tuition for parochial schools. I'm sorry, but I can't see how the Senate can justify this slap in the face to born and bred, or naturalized citizens.
"It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If they give benefits to "illegal" aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave us that have paid into Social Security all our working lives?"
Is congress doing its best to accelerate the bankruptcy of the Social Security System? Or are you merely "buying" votes from certain voting blocks with money taken from hard working Americans who do obey the law? Or maybe paying off some big campaign contributors? I would really like to know.
One angry constituent,
Howard Johnson (signed)
________________________________
The above letter will be sent to my Senators, my Representative, and the President within the next few days. It will be printed, but will be signed and sent in a hand addressed envelope. If you are serious, I urge you to do the same.
For more on email petitions check out these websites:
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/petition-value.html
http://michaelbluejay.com/main/petitions.html
Like most of you, I receive many email petitions, usually about gas prices or pending legislation. Even if they eventually get somewhere, the response is always a click on the delete button. They simply don’t work! What does work, or at lest gets attention is a letter on the subject mailed in an envelope that is hand addressed to your Representative and/or Senators, federal or state. If everyone who signed an email petition took the time and effort to send a signed copy of the body of the petition I can guarantee it would get attention. I’ve probably mailed a hundred or more such letters on many subjects during the last dozen or so years.
Results: I have received many responses both positive and negative from Representatives and Senators. I am a registered Republican, have a Republican representative both state and Federal and have one Senator from each party. I notice I have received very different responses (most are extremely critical) from my Democrat Senator (probably from a staffer) than from Republicans. Quite obviously his staff checked voter registration and knows I am a Republican. I’m sure the same would be true for Democrats.
I have no idea the effect of my efforts, but I at least know they have been acknowledged. Should all of those who would add their names and send them off into electronic neverland follow this example and write those they elected, the impact could be staggering. Sure it takes a little time. Sure it costs a little money for stamps and paper. Sure it uses more energy than sending off an email. Believe me, it would get noticed while email petitions, if ever sent, are always ignored.
Example: Petition on Social Security received by me 10-17-06
My mom was a homemaker and dad worked all his life and paid into SS, dad has passed away and now my mom can barely make ends meet. While the possible "illegal" alien in front of her at the grocery store buys the name brands, my mom goes for the generic brands, and day old breads. She doesn't have out of state calling on her phone, because she can't afford it and shops at the thrift shops and dollar stores while the "illegal" aliens go to Macy's, Gap, J.C. Penny, Banana Republic, etc. She considers having a pizza delivered once a week "eating out."
She grew up during the depression, watched her husband go overseas to fight in WW II a year after their marriage, and then they went on to raise, feed and clothe 5 children, scrounging to pay tuition for parochial schools. I'm sorry, but I can't see how the Senate can justify this slap in the face to born and bred, or naturalized citizens.
It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If they give benefits to "illegal" aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave us that have paid into Social Security all our working lives?
The Senate voted this week to allow "illegal" aliens access to Social Security benefits. Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to receive Social services. If you do not wish to sign the petition yourself, please forward on to anyone you think might be interested.
PETITION FOR: President Bush
Mr. President:
The petition below is a protest against the recent vote of the senate which was to allow illegal aliens access to our social security! We demand that you and all congressional representatives require citizenship for anyone to be eligible for social services in the United States.
________________________________
Suggested letter:
Dear Senator/Representative
Today I received a note from a friend that incensed me greatly. Why on earth is such a thing even being considered? These are law-breakers who we will be rewarding for breaking the law. If this goes through, why should I obey any federal law? After all I too should be rewarded for say breaking through the protective fence around the Whitehouse or even stealing a Federal payroll.
This is the note I am speaking about:
"My mom was a homemaker and dad worked all his life and paid into SS, dad has passed away and now my mom can barely make ends meet. While the possible "illegal" alien in front of her at the grocery store buys the name brands, my mom goes for the generic brands, and day old breads. She doesn't have out of state calling on her phone, because she can't afford it and shops at the thrift shops and dollar stores while the "illegal" aliens go to Macy's, Gap, J.C. Penny, Banana Republic, etc. She considers having a pizza delivered once a week "eating out."
"She grew up during the depression, watched her husband go overseas to fight in WW II a year after their marriage, and then they went on to raise, feed and clothe 5 children, scrounging to pay tuition for parochial schools. I'm sorry, but I can't see how the Senate can justify this slap in the face to born and bred, or naturalized citizens.
"It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If they give benefits to "illegal" aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave us that have paid into Social Security all our working lives?"
Is congress doing its best to accelerate the bankruptcy of the Social Security System? Or are you merely "buying" votes from certain voting blocks with money taken from hard working Americans who do obey the law? Or maybe paying off some big campaign contributors? I would really like to know.
One angry constituent,
Howard Johnson (signed)
________________________________
The above letter will be sent to my Senators, my Representative, and the President within the next few days. It will be printed, but will be signed and sent in a hand addressed envelope. If you are serious, I urge you to do the same.
For more on email petitions check out these websites:
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/petition-value.html
http://michaelbluejay.com/main/petitions.html
posted by HoJo | 7:18 AM
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