"Congressional courtesy dictates that Representatives be given the opportunity to assist their own constituents, thus I strongly encourage you to contact your Representative in Congress by clicking this link to the House Write Your Representative Service."This is the the message on Rep Sander Levin's website. Other Representatives, like Joe Pitts, say things like "Regrettably, I am unable to reply to any email from constituents outside of the 16th District of Pennsylvania."
In short, Members of Congress don't want to hear from non-constituents. The rationale? YOUR Representative or Senator really cares about your opinions and values, and wants to hear what they are. YOUR opinions really count.
The only problem with that rationale is that members of Congress in "safe districts" couldn't care less about the opinions, values, interests, or needs of anyone who isn't part of their base, or can be easily persuaded to become part of their base. To Republicans in particular, if your opinion indicates that you don't think, vote, or pray the way they want you to, you and anything you say mean nothing.
In short, the rules of Congressional Courtesy leave millions of voters effectively disenfranchised, represented by Representatives who refuse, under ANY circumstances, to represent them. Yet those same Representatives take millions of dollars in campaign contributions from non-constituents, work overtime to mobilize out-of-district activists for rallies, and in every way violate both the letter and the spirit of Congressional Courtesy.
It might be a good idea for Congressional Democrats to acknowledge this reality and stop playing by rules that the Republicans routinely ignore. It might be a good idea for Congressional Democrats to say to voters who are stranded in hostile districts, "If your own Representative refuses to honorably represent you, let me know and I will do what he or she won't."
It might be a good idea for Congressional Democrats to acknowledge this reality and stop playing by rules that the Republicans routinely ignore. It might be a good idea for Congressional Democrats to say to voters who are stranded in hostile districts, "If your own Representative refuses to honorably represent you, let me know and I will do what he or she won't."
