How much do constituent phone calls actually figure into congresspersons decision making?

[More Than A Feeling]

Do they make any difference at all?

[alteredstate]

1. I think constituent phone calls have a great impact on decision making

I work for a grassroots conservation organization, and we've won many battles by hammering away at our legislators.

It works, folks.

[Justitia]

2. See THIS thread, happened just moments ago.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x960946

Looks like our friends in CT are getting it done!

[Red Knight]

3. Depends

My congressman is a Bush rethug all the way, so me complaining about the Iraq funding bill and urging him to oppose it would go as well as me sticking a kazoo up my a@# and blowing out the Star Spangled Banner in an attempt to win American Idol.

On the other hand, I can probably get him to go along with my opposition to the immigration bill---because he already opposses it. He has to. Still, adding my voice to the MANY others he's receiving on that issue can't hurt(as long as he doesn't remember my name from the letters to the editor blasting him in the past).

On the other hand my senator is the newly elected Bob Casey Jr., who knocked out Santorum in large part due to the Iraq war. I have to believe my call to him on that issue means at the very least, support for opposing a worthless bill.

I guess I'm saying that one call won't change much, but LOTS will have some effect. And if they lean your way on an issue it doesn't take lots.


Still, you gotta try.

[WCGreen]

4. I think it depends on the issue and the fervor....

It's a s simple as that...

And, as the great Tip O'Niel always stressed....

ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL....

[ClassWarrior]

5. At a measly 30 seconds of my time, it sure can't hurt. See below for toll-free numbers...

...to Congress.

NGU.

[Totally Committed]

6. This Congress?

0%, obviously.

Overwhelming mandates don't seem to work, either.

I think a lot of them need to be retired unceremoniously for the next few elections. That might get their attention.

TC

[ElizabethDC]

7. Well, having worked in a Congressional office

I know that a tally was kept of how many people called in for each bill and how many called to support and how many called to oppose. In general, I don't think it would change the Rep's mind, because s/he probably wouldn't be aware of what people were calling about, unless there was a nonstop flood of calls (which rarely happened). But, in the short time that I worked on Capitol Hill, I didn't know that phone calls made any difference at all.