Congressman’s Office Says Constituent Calls Are ‘Harassment’

[Addendum]

I know you don't care about that impact, but it doesn't make it less of an impact, just makes you more apathetic.

So where is the problem

 

[Kelly]

I agree but I am just saying one district may not care about the concerns of another districts. Yes they represent the state but they also represent the people that voted or can vote for them.

In a state with a considerable number of Federal reps I can see their rationale

So what you are saying is, only Gene Green's vote on Health Care Reform impacts me, Sheila Jackson Lee's vote doesn't impact me because she is in the district next door? really?


Your thought process works more in the area of State specific issues, or issues only impacting that district. MOST ISSUES are not issues that just impact a specific area of a state. Most issues at the National level impact the State as a whole.

 

[Kelly]

So where is the problem

With you there isn't one....your world has no problems...that's cool.


With me, knowing how the other 31 reps are voting on this health care reform is important to me, it may not change anything, but that knowledge is important to me. In the state of Texas the count is 20 no's and 12 yes....its a straight party line vote, which isn't surprising, but at least I know that they heard from me. For me that is important, maybe not to you, but to me it is. I don't see that as a problem, just a different point of view.

 

[Addendum]

It can affect you, but the representatives are answerable to the people in their districts. Their concerns outweigh those who don't live in the district

 

[Kelly]

It can affect you, but the representatives are answerable to the people in their districts. Their concerns outweigh those who don't live in the district

And I certainly understand that...I have yet to have any personnel for the representative or the representative themselves say to me that they did not appreciate my input or find it important, EVER....they remember me, they know where I stand on most issues, and they appreciate the time that I take to let them know how I feel on major issues. NOW, when it is a district specific issue, they aren't going to hear from me...and most of the time, the ONLY reason I would call someone in another state might be because they are on a certain committee that a bill is stuck in, that I feel is important. But, I can count on one hand how many times I've called an out of state Representative for something. And in all of those they have been nothing but appreciative.

Most of my input is through email, I only call on things I see as major issues...TARP, Cap and Trade, and Health Care the most recent. IN FACT, Kay Bailey now knows that if she runs for re-election in the Senate, for the first time she will not be getting my vote, money or help in her campaign. She lied to me on the phone, and that is something you don't do. She told me on the phone that she was not voting for TARP, and turned around and voted for it. She also did not get my vote for governor....and I let her know why. That is important to me...

 

[Addendum]

Of course it is impossible to see the eye rolls through a phone, or after one hangs up

 

[Kelly]

Of course it is impossible to see the eye rolls through a phone...

Sure...but I've been on both sides, and I've been the one taking those calls....we were appreciative of the input, and the time taken, we had our regulars that called far more than me, and the email is a much appreciated form of communication today, but we were respectful of people's input, and I will choose to think that those taking the phone calls today are as well.

 

[AG1973]

So what you are saying is, only Gene Green's vote on Health Care Reform impacts me, Sheila Jackson Lee's vote doesn't impact me because she is in the district next door? really?

Your thought process works more in the area of State specific issues, or issues only impacting that district. MOST ISSUES are not issues that just impact a specific area of a state. Most issues at the National level impact the State as a whole.

I am not disagreeing with you by any means, but considering the state you are in and the way your state leans politically I see why they may have changed the way that residents get in touch with their congressional representatives.

I am sure Representative Lee has gotten some of the most hostile inflammatory and hateful phone calls regarding healthcare reform from people that live outside of her district have made.

When you have Rush asserting that healthcare is reparations for slavery I am sure there are a considerable number of Texans that agree with his view. Some mechanism had to be adopted to limit hostile calls.

The same is true in my state I live in Mississippi I have been privvy to severe hostility regarding this issue.

Kel it is apparent that you call and approach speaking with your states representatives with a level of civility, others do not.

 

[Kelly]

I am not disagreeing with you by any means, but considering the state you are in and the way your state leans politically I see why they may have changed the way that residents get in touch with their congressional representatives.

I am sure Representative Lee has gotten some of the most hostile inflammatory and hateful phone calls regarding healthcare reform from people that live outside of her district have made.

When you have Rush asserting that healthcare is reparations for slavery I am sure there are a considerable number of Texans that agree with his view. Some mechanism had to be adopted to limit hostile calls.

The same is true in my state I live in Mississippi I have been privvy to severe hostility regarding this issue.

Kel it is apparent that you call and approach speaking with your states representatives with a level of civility, others do not.

I'm not saying AT ALL, that it was wrong of those Representatives to change the way people get in touch with them....not at all, that is their choice to do that, and I respect that....I just thought it was interesting, more than anything else. Actually Sheila Jackson Lee has had tough phone calls since her town hall meetings....they did not go well, and it had nothing to do with the attack dogs of the right, it had everything to do with her answering a phone call smack in the middle of a woman asking a question...lol

And of course there is always going to be those that are less than civil, unfortunately, that is something that the reps and their volunteers and office staff have to contend with, it goes with the territory. BUT, I will say that the civil phone calls outweigh the uncivil by a long shot.

 

[AG1973]

BUT, I will say that the civil phone calls outweigh the uncivil by a long shot.

I work for my city government and you are 100% right

 

[metr0man]

Without knowing the real content and tone of those phone calls, that sounds like it could be borderline. Repeatedly calling back over and over again and being hostile (maybe dont know enough about the calls) is the definition of harrassment.

If the fact that its a constituent means you can do whatever you want and act in any way.... excuse me while I go break into my congressman's office and piss and **** all over the desks in there. Hey its my tax dollars i can do what i want!

 

[metr0man]

Without knowing the real content and tone of those phone calls, that sounds like it could be borderline. Repeatedly calling back over and over again and being hostile (maybe dont know enough about the calls) is the definition of harrassment.

If the fact that its a constituent means you can do whatever you want and act in any way.... excuse me while I go break into my congressman's office and piss and **** all over the desks in there. Hey its my tax dollars i can do what i want!

 

[dnno1]

Wait a minute. The guy obviously got his point accross after the first call and should have left it at that. Why did he need to call again? I thought everyone had one vote.

 

[Kelly]

Wait a minute. The guy obviously got his point accross after the first call and should have left it at that. Why did he need to call again? I thought everyone had one vote.

What does that have to do with a phone call....

As was just stated, we don't know the entire story...we don't know if the people he was talking to brushed him off in the first phone calls, or that they listened to what he had to say.

 

[Bathead]

And we also only have his side of the story.. how do we know he wasn't behaving like a total jerk the whole time?