OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS don’t want to hear us. Oh, sure, go to any Representative’s web site and you’ll read something like this:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Your opinion is invaluable to the members of Congress whose job it is to vote on issues that affect all Americans.

But try to email them and you’ll also read things like this, usually after you’ve filled out the email form:

Unfortunately, the codes of standards and ethical conduct that govern the United States House of Representatives require that people who sign up for email communication with me be residents of < my district >.

In theory, the Write Your Rep email system is designed to “improve communications between constituents and their representatives” by

• Allowing you to find your Representative by filling in his/her Zip Code
• Directing the message to the appropriate representative
• Reducing the heavy burden placed on the House mail servers

In practice, of course, it limits your freedom of speech to three people; your Representative and Senators. If you want to communicate with a number of them, as I did, it’s a nifty way of shutting you up.

Unless, of course, you have a fax machine, which most of us with PCs do. I simply set mine up with the names and fax numbers of all 50 Blue Dog Democrats (none mine), set the machine to repeat as needed, and went to bed. I added this note (from Congress'e "Write your Rep" web site) to each fax:

I also understand that there are limitations to the current system. I know that this may be inconvenient at the moment, but as you know this is a new and evolving technology which [I am] constantly working to improve. Until then, I appreciate your patience and understanding as [I] work to develop this new technology.

I think our Representatives (and Senators) miss an important point – on national issues, like ObamaCare, they are responsible to more than just their districts (or States); they are responsible to all America.

And they need to listen to all America.

UPDATE: more shutting people out.