What The 1% Doesn't Want You To Know

I've always stressed, to our kids, and now grandkids, the need to pay attention to the news and events, and then, Vote. The way I see it, if a person doesn't vote, they pretty much give up their right to complain...and I Love to complain. I've nailed our Congress person a couple of times during a town hall meeting, and left her speechless, to some nice applause from the others in the audience. I keep all my politicians e-mail addresses and phone numbers handy, and have no qualms about expressing my feelings to them.
 

Exactly, Don M. There's no point complaining that your elected representatives don't do what you want if you never actually let them know what you value. We are all taught to read and write and this is the first tool of democracy.

I try not to overdo it, but I also write to my local MP and to various ministers up to and including the Prime Minister on issues that I think are of vital importance.
I do get responses which means that somewhere in their office someone is taking note. They say a written letter, as distinct from some online petition, is representative of the opinion of 100 other voters. Enough of them can make a politician sit up and take notice.
 
The Only time I get to see a politician is during one of these town hall meetings, so I always try to attend a couple of times a year, when they come to the area. I know that any mailings or calls I make go to an "aide", but hopefully that staff member is tracking these comments for the politician, and creating a summary. If these politicians only get communications from the Lobbyists, they will certainly "assume" that the rank and file are content. I get a lot of e-mails from my reps, and I keep them in a separate folder, and have had a couple of opportunities to confront the politician with his/her own words. That, Alone, can be Priceless.
 

We had our last federal election in 2013. My MP was first elected three years before that and was standing for re-election. When he was canvassing in a local shopping centre I went up to him and introduced myself. He knew my name already and said "O, you're the one who gives me a hard time". He had been the beneficiary of my missives (missiles?) throughout his first term because I hoped that he was still malleable. I was wrong. He isn't, but at least he knows that his party's policies are not universally popular with his constituents.

He didn't get my vote.
 
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