a question of accountability

[Judy1]

The other day I was watching a news show. The host was interviewing a republican member of the house about the refusal of congress to raise the debt ceiling. Some of what this representative said was appalling. I went to the House's website thinking I could at least send an email to him to tell him how I felt about what he said. Now, it used to be that you could send an email to any member of congress, but if you were out of their contituancy, you would be informed that you might not get a reply. Apparently that has all changed. It appears that the only way you can email a member of congress is to go to their website and send email thru a web link, there are no regular email addresss that you can send thru regular email. Does anyone know when this changed? I get that representatives have a duty to their constituants, but the laws they enact affect more than those they represent back home, they affect all of us. why would they shut out input from the rest of the country? Obviously this policy contributes to keeping congress encased in a tea party bubble, and likely contributes to nothing getting done.

 

[Jen]

I didn't realize that it had changed. I recently sent e-mails to those who represent me and I'm trying to remember if it was direct e-mail or to some web site .......and I'm thinking it was the web site. Maybe they wanted to create some distance between us and them. Not good.

 

[Judy1]

I didn't realize that it had changed. I recently sent e-mails to those who represent me and I'm trying to remember if it was direct e-mail or to some web site .......and I'm thinking it was the web site. Maybe they wanted to create some distance between us and them. Not good.

It's definitely not good, and I'm wondering how long its been that way. While I do think reps have to pay attention to their constituants, they're making law (or abdicating from making laws) that affects us all, to limit their contact to just those they represent goes a long way to explain why we have the problems we're experiencing today.

 

[UnleashedInTheEast]

The other day I was watching a news show. The host was interviewing a republican member of the house about the refusal of congress to raise the debt ceiling. Some of what this representative said was appalling. I went to the House's website thinking I could at least send an email to him to tell him how I felt about what he said. Now, it used to be that you could send an email to any member of congress, but if you were out of their contituancy, you would be informed that you might not get a reply. Apparently that has all changed. It appears that the only way you can email a member of congress is to go to their website and send email thru a web link, there are no regular email addresss that you can send thru regular email. Does anyone know when this changed? I get that representatives have a duty to their constituants, but the laws they enact affect more than those they represent back home, they affect all of us. why would they shut out input from the rest of the country? Obviously this policy contributes to keeping congress encased in a tea party bubble, and likely contributes to nothing getting done.

What is a tea party bubble, and how does it differ from other political bubbles?

 

[Dawg]

 

[Judy1]

well, right now republicans in the house want to destroy our economy by forcing us to default on our debts. The ones in congress pushing this are mainly tea party republicans who admittably got into office with the help of their tea party constituents. But my point is that caving to that one small group's wishes will affect the country as a whole. they are only paying attention to the group who got them elected. hence tea party bubble. They are impervious to any idea from outside their limited ideological view.

 

[UnleashedInTheEast]

well, right now republicans in the house want to destroy our economy by forcing us to default on our debts. The ones in congress pushing this are mainly tea party republicans who admittably got into office with the help of their tea party constituents. But my point is that caving to that one small group's wishes will affect the country as a whole. they are only paying attention to the group who got them elected. hence tea party bubble. They are impervious to any idea from outside their limited ideological view.

So in other words, it is just like any other political bubble. Got it.