James Fischer wrote:  Clearly, they like paper.

Sorry, but I am going to hold you to the same standard to which you  
hold others.  I asked if you had "any indication" that paper letters  
are more effective than electronic communication.  I, too, could have  
speculated that the non-tech-savvy politicians would be more  
impressed by a traditional postal letter.  But it would have been  
speculation, just like you provided.

Do you really think that the actual politician sees the actual piece  
of paper that you stuff into an envelope?  Their staff processes the  
feedback from their constituency and provides a summary to the  
politician.  So the fact that politicians are "not as hip and kewl as  
you" is not the issue.  The question is whether their staff gives  
more weight to actual paper letters, versus feedback provided via the  
web.

I don't know the answer to that (which is what prompted my original  
post to the list), but my speculation is that a comment delivered  
electronically is just as effective as one delivered in a paper  
envelope.  It's not even speculation to state that a comment  
delivered electronically is more effective than the good intention of  
composing a letter, putting it in an envelope, and sending it.

What I'm saying is that rather than asking people to get out the  
envelope and stamp, it makes more sense to give them the web site  
and  ask them to contact the congresscritters that way.  I believe  
that ten electronic comments are more effective than one paper  
letter, and that it's ten times as likely that people will use the  
web than lick a stamp.  Argue with "ten" if you wish; I still think  
that the potential for getting comments in the hands of our  
representatives is higher using "hip and kewl" methods.

It's easy to find your senators and representative, but harder to  
know who are the other appropriate targets for comment.  I assume  
that the funding decisions for USDA-related projects are essentially  
made by committee(s), but I don't know which one(s).  Perhaps someone  
with more knowledge than I of the workings in DC could suggest  
specific individuals to target.

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