Doing Your Reps

What I Learned from a Year of Calling my Representatives

In 2016, only 19% of the total U.S. population actually voted for Donald Trump. I'm part of the majority of Americans who did not support him. Many of us disapprove of and actively oppose his policies and the politicians who enable him. One thing I decided to do was to call my federal representatives every week. I hope that what I learned by picking up the phone and talking with congressional staffers will inspire you to do the same.

When I woke up and heard the news on November 9, 2016, although I glad to hear that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, I was shocked and dismayed by the electoral college results.

But I was determined to move beyond the initial disappointment and turn to the question of what to do about this.

I saw this as our generation's chance to step up and show that we are on the side of democracy, civil rights, due process, freedom of the press, and responsible governance, as other generations have risen to the challenge in the past.

Although I could not attend the massive Women's March in Washingt on January 21, 2017, I went to the sister march at Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza and was heartened by the crowds and signs of solidarity.

But a few marches and rallies, while satisfying, did not seem enough. I wondered what else I could do to oppose this administration.

I saw an article by Emily Ellsworth, a former congressional staffer who wrote, "I thought people might like to know how you mobilize and activate individual communities to reach each member of Congress." She continues, "the most effective thing is to actually call them on the phone." In the past I have called my senators once or twice when I had an issue I felt strongly about, but calling every week was new. But decisive times call for decisive action, so decided that I would start there.

Getting started

There were several websites that helped me get started. One was The65.com, with the tagline

Over 65 million Americans rejected Donald Trump on Election Day. Together, we can use our voices to remind congress they work for all of us.

It had a rotating list of issues to talk about, as well as suggested scripts to follow. 5calls.org is a similar source. I'd pick the issues I cared about the most, and use the scripts as a starting point.

I also pick topics on my own. I check Facebook, Twitter, and my senators' websites for items that are in the news or currently being decided. I set up a Google News alert that tracks each senator's mentions in the media. Like with giving speeches in Toastmasters, my weekly call is always in the back of my mind. If I find I feel strongly about a particular event, law, or topic that week, I’ll make a note to call and comment.

I learned a lot by calling my senators every week

By researching, I learned about issues before they hit the mainstream media, and I also learned about the abilities and limits of my senators and the political system.

For example, in April, the White House proposed privatizing the US Postal Service. I think this is a terrible idea. If anything, the government should fully fund the postal system. Mazie Hirono voted against privatizing, so I called to thank j, and I added, I think Senator Elizabeth Warren's proposal to add banking services to post offices goes farther and is an excellent idea. This is an example of legislation that passed under the media radar, but I have an opinion about it, and it felt good to be able to cheerlead my senator and keep up with less-spectacular but impactful developments.

It's fun to talk to congressional staffers

Most of my friends agree with my political views, but most people don't like to talk about politics much. Now when I call my senators' offices, I'm usually talking with someone who IS interested in politics, or whose job is to listen and be polite to constituents. Bonus: It’s like getting more than your share of the vote. Voting is such a small part of the democratic process. Imagine if the only feedback your boss gave you was once every couple of years, you got a thumbs up or a thumbs down. When you call the senators' offices, you literally can air your opinion about any number of issues. Your vote is not nearly as eloquent and specific and personal as your voice.

Being a senator is a hard job

These days, being a politician is a hard and often disrespected job. After thirty years of pummeling from Republicans, the government generally has gotten a bad reputation. Congress hasn’t broken above a 50% approval rating for the past fifteen years.

It's hard to sound authoritative and not flub your speeches. Imagine if your every word at work was broadcast on CNN and everything you said in public was fact-checked for the nightly news.

Senators have to weigh policy on many different fronts, domestic and foreign, and many bills are complex and lengthy. You might like one part of a bill but have problems with a rider that gets attached to it. Do you still vote for it, or not? Having to be informed on issues, bills, and news is a never-ending job. Each issue comes with constituents who care more about this one issue than any other. Any decision or statement is scrutinized and often harshly. No wonder they end up sounding less like humans and more like robots.

In short, it's a job consisting of meetings and asking for money and long days of travel. Doesn't sound like a great job to me.

Online anonymity kind of sucks

As a web designer, I thought I knew about the vitriol and bad manners evident on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. \

I thought that Hawaii, being a solidly blue state, and famous for its laid back, friendly character, would champion its two Democratic senators, but that wasn't the case. On Facebook the insults and bad manners flew thick and often on Senator Schatz's and Senator Hirono's posts.

Regrettably, the viciousness overwhelmed the positive commentary. Here's just a sampling of the nasty comments on Senator Brian Schatz’s Facebook account:

“Such a liar”
“Stupid fool”
“Nobody cared when Obama did it” (about separating asylum-seeking parents from children)

Senator Mazie Hirono came in for even worse criticism:

“Hirono is the enemy of America” (The ENEMY of AMERICA! WTF!)
“Crazy Mazie, a disgrace and embarrassment”
“Oh blah blah blah you confused old lady” (from a Facebook user, who, from her profile photo, looks like an old lady herself)

Are these really people from Hawaii? What happened to the Aloha Spirit?

The most important thing I learned: Vote!

We're entering into an election that will determine the direction of healthcare, immigration, civil rights, voter rights, the federal judiciary, and whether the corruption and scandals of this Presidency will be allowed to continue. But voting is only a part of your civic rights and pleasures. Try calling your senators, if not weekly, then as often as you like. You might find it feels good to exercise your body politic.

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