Other kinds of messages take longer. Emails have to be manually read and sorted. Faxes have to be digitized and emailed. Letters and postcards take time to arrive and get processed. By contrast, congressional staffers tally phone calls right away.
5Calls makes it easy for you to call your Senators and Congress People. You first enter your location. 5 Calls shows you the phone numbers of your delegation, and takes you through a very easy process in order. Prior to dialing, you will be asked to choose an issue, and then given a short script which you can read or adapt as you wish when your call is connected. You may speak to a real person or be asked to leave your message via voicemail. In my case, calling my three Vermont representatives, I talked to two real people, and got voicemail for Bernie Sanders. My message today was about Trump’s aggression against Gaza, and his threats against Canada, making it clear that I was a dual citizen. One of the call-takers said that my congresswoman especially appreciated personal stories, such as my witness to the anxiety of my Canadian neighbors and friends.
I will call again in a few days and choose another issue to speak about.
If you need more convincing, watch the video of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in this post on Chop Wood, Carry Water. She explains why calling is one of the most important things you need to be doing, EVEN IF you have Republican representatives, and why Republicans are so much more consistent and committed to doing this than Democrats — a behavior that has to change.
If you’ve never done this sort of thing, it can feel intimidating, but it really isn’t. The script helps you from hemming and hawing; it’s a short, effective way of registering your complaint or outrage. And I guarantee you — once you’ve done it, you’ll feel better, and making the next call will be much easier. Bravo to you!
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