Should I divulge my address to a Republican Senator?

[Blue-Jay]

Here's the deal. I wrote letters (emailed) two state reps and a state senator regarding the BBV issue. An aide of Sen Steve Austria replied, thanking me for my interest, but asked for my mailing address before the senator could respond directly to me. Although I appreciate his office getting back to me as quickly as they did, I'd rather not respond with my address.

It's not that I'm afraid of jack-booted thugs showing up on my doorstep and labeling me as an "enemy combatant". I just don't want to get on some damn stupid mailing list. Does not giving my address mean that my letter won't be taken seriously? This is an issue that is near and dear to many of us, and I will do all I can to help give it "legs".

Thoughts?

[Nlighten1]

1. Go ahead.

I mail my Republikkkan Senator all the time. Surprisingly he usually have much better and longer replies than my Democratic Senator.

[salin]

5. Ya know... I read your text before I read the nic

and was thinking... that sounds like MY senators. Then I looked up... of course - because they are my senators! Sad to say the dem senator's (staff's) responses are often not even directly tied to what I wrote - they seem to use very rudimentary form responses and send them whether they fit or not, rather than tailoring the letter to the specific correspondance. I might think - well heck they are too busy to do anything but just use a form response even if it doesn't fit... but then there is the other (repub) senate office that seems to tailor their letters in a responsive and thoughtful way. Nonetheless,while the repub sometimes says thing to the media that I like to hear - he votes the other way, while the dem is a bit more prone to vote the opposite (though not as consistently since bush was elected as the first two years of his term.)

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I'd say go ahead. Not like they don't know who you are

and I think most senators (and law people) prefer sending physical mail so their people have something physical, and so that it's something signed; unlike e-mail, which a recipient might think wasn't really written by the senator/etc.

And also, some older people just aren't into the email thing. I was working for the world's most important management consulting company, and a number of the directors, and even some partners, I worked with had their secretaries print out all their email, they'd handwrite responses, then we'd type 'em in and send 'em off. A generational difference. :-)

And to answer the last question, I've always been under the impression that our government leaders, much like newspapers (e.g., letters to the editor), want (or require) the home address of the sender even in emails. Not that someone couldn't be lying about the address, but it adds a level of seriousness to the thing.

[Blue-Jay]

3. OK, I guess I will.

Thanks for the input. I'll email back with the info requested. I suppose that's the only way for the senator to know that I'm actually speaking as a voter who can affect his re-election bid. (not that I'll vote for him, mind you, but *he* doesn't know that!)

To be honest, the Ohio House bill was originally sponsored by my Repub representitive, Merle Kearns. I've met her, and she's a stand-up person. One of the few truly moderate Republican office-holders that I respect. Her stalwart support of this issue has earned her my support. I might disagree with her on issues, but I think that she does (what she believes) the right thing. That's a rare trait nowadays.

Nlighten1: I'm still planning on coming your direction soon. I'll PM you when I have a better idea of timing. Things have been crazier at work than usual.

Rabrrrr: I refer to my favorite person in the world as "Rab", so your opinion means a lot to me. (I suppose your constant voice of reason at DU has something to do with it as well. ;) )

EDIT: missed two r's (Rabrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)

[flama]

9. Sorry I'm late

But glad you decided to ignore your fears and submit the required information. Now you might get an answer.

Elected officials "haf vays" of finding out where you live. If you don't give them your address, they can find it anyway. Heck, if you own a house, even I can probably find your address as long as I know your name and what county you're in.

I give my mailing address freely since it's a post office box and there are two waste bins between it and the door. Besides, I get campaign mail from every candidate with a bulk mail permit whether I've contacted them or not.

Hope you can push that bill as much as it needs pushing.

[FloridaJudy]

4. Probably not, but I'm too stupid to take my own advice...

I write my elected officials all the time to give them a piece of my mind. Alas, most of them are NOT people I voted for (I live in Florida. Enough said).

I expect that most of them just groan - "That LOL in Gainesville with the computer is at it again...". I suspect that they know better than to sic jack-booted thugs on me. I'm an ACLU member, and just about the most benign-looking senior citizen around. Even Bush and Ashcroft would think twice before allowing the evening news to show their toadies dragging off a frail middle-aged woman by the hair as a "terrorist", and I have no shame about using my age and gender.

I've paid my dues.

[flama]

7. Good for you, Judy!

Like you, I'm becoming rather vocal to my Representatives. Like you, I wear my age and gender as a badge of honor.

Let's see the toadies drag off TWO frail middle-aged women by the hair on the evening news. (Can I use your attorney when it happens?)

Well, we've got half of the left coast of Florida surrounded - or at least Gainesville and Sarasota.

Keep up the good work and let me know if I need to bake you a loaf of bread with a file inside.

Judy (that's me!)

[salin]

6. I have sent email to both of my senators - but have NOT received

mass email (spam) from them, nor have I received unsolicited fundraising letters from the repub senator, nor conservative organization fund raising letters (a sign that his office were selling address lists.) I think - at least for now - this might be 'safe'.

[sendero]

8. My wife....

.... sends emails to Kay Bailey Hutchison on a regular basis on a variety of issues. They like to respond via snail mail, and to develop their mailing lists, after all you are a constituent.

I think you will get form letter responses to your questions and I suppose that come campaign time you will get some spam, but I doubt
if it would be any worse than that.