Home Ideas Why You Shouldn’t Call Members of Congress Don’t Represent You

Why You Shouldn’t Call Members of Congress Don’t Represent You

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A hand holds up a cardboard sign displaying a telephone receiver speech bubble with the word "Hello?"

Photo: NurPhoto / Contributor (Getty Images)

Calling your elected officials at the federal, state, or local level is a quick and effective way to advocate for issues you care about. But what you don’t need to (and shouldn’t) do is contact members of Congress—whether senators or House representatives—who don’t actually represent you.

When it comes to high-profile national issues (like Supreme Court nominations), there’s often a handful of lawmakers who are initially undecided or are considered swing votes. Because the votes of these MoCs (members of congress) could be swayed by public opinion, you’ll often see campaigns on social media encouraging everyone to call their offices to share said opinions.

Unfortunately, while doing so might make you feel better, it’s likely counterproductive when it comes to advocating for the position you’re calling about. As Indivisible points out, MoCs represent the interests of their own constituents—the people who actually elected them—and they care a whole lot less about what those outside of their district or state think.

Plus, if thousands of people from all over the country are calling a single senator, clogging up phone lines and filling voicemail boxes, constituents from that state may be unable to get through. It’s also possible that MoCs may use these calls to justify voting the opposite way—essentially dismissing those concerns as purely out-of-district problems.

According to Indivisible, there are no exceptions to this rule, not even if the MoC holds a leadership position, sits on a particular committee, or represents a different district in your home state.

All of that said, that doesn’t mean you can’t make your voice heard. Here’s what you can do:

  • Call your own reps. Even if your MoC has a publicly stated position that you agree with, you can and should still contact them with your support. Emailing works too.
  • Support advocacy groups that lobby on specific issues. As an individual, you have little influence over other MoCs, but larger organizations act as a collective voice. They may also have specific actions you can take or campaigns you can join.
  • Coordinate calls. You can gather a group to flood your own MoC’s office with calls on a specific day over a specific issue—or you could help coordinate people who live in another district or state where there is a swing vote in play. Indivisible offers suggestions for coordinating calls in its advocacy guide.

If you’re not sure who represents you, head over to 5Calls.org and enter your location info. You can also use this tool to select a popular issue and find out which MoC is the best contact for you (some issues are only relevant in the Senate, for example). The site gives you contact information and a script to use when you call.

Source: gizmodo.com