I am with Jim totally on this. I also have worked with Congressional 
offices when I was in the Navy (Speaker of the House and Senators). 
Jim's correspondence pecking order is correct, with hand written letters 
at the top. Think of it as a measure of effort on your part, with the 
most effort getting the most attention. A hand written letter costs you 
something. It is personal. An email costs you nothing and is impersonal.

However, I would qualify Jim's kind response concerning email. Email 
from outside the Senator's State or Representative's district will not 
be read. They have filters that discard them, mainly because they have 
been spammed by bulk emailing and protect themselves against it. So your 
email to a Committee Chair will probably not be read unless you are from 
the State or District.

Another problem with emails is they get a lot of them from portals, 
where you can go and enter some info and the portal will send a scathing 
email to your representative. Problem is it has the same content of 
every one of the emails from that site, all exactly the same. The 
automat at the other end will reply with exactly the same reply to each. 
You may be counted but you may also be discounted because of the source.

Basic to all this is you must identify yourself with a name and address. 
If there is none, your email is likely to be ignored.

One other communications method not mentioned is a call. You can talk to 
staffies and most enjoy the conversation, especially if you know what 
you are talking about and can give the staffie information that 
enlightens him. I spoke to many of them and never had a problem, in 
fact, was thanked for info I gave them. Plus, you get fewer form letters 
back. You do not need to call DC, but it is best. Your Reps have local 
offices that will listen to you. You can even drop in and visit them.

If you are original, you get noticed. If you use the standard form 
letters your group makes up you get a form letter back.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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