I frequently send automated e-mail messages to my senators and other policymakers from various activist sites and e-mail alerts. Virtually all the big NGOs and political organizations have these click-to-take-action things in place.
Some people have told me that they don't bother with these actions, because they're virtual "form letters", and they don't believe that they'll be taken seriously since they're so uniform.
As a volunteer leader with Amnesty International, however, I've seen evidence to the contrary. I have met with former prisoners of conscience who have been freed as a result of the political pressure of so many form letters and petitions.
But Rick Santorum, senator from my own state of Pennsylvania, doesn't want to be bothered with our collective points of view. We have to contact him on his own terms, or else he won't listen (and the perhaps he still won't, but that's a whole other post).
Here is a form-letter auto-response I got from Santorum the last three times I used those activist sites to share my opinions with the person whose job it is to represent me:
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Thank you for emailing me. I have detected, however, that your email message was not submitted through my website. Therefore, I am unable to process your email request. Please go to www.santorum.senate.gov and click on the "contact information" link and then select "Email Senator Santorum" at the bottom of the page. If you need further assistance, please feel free to contact my office at:
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Telephone: 202-224-6324
Thank you again for contacting me.
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Apparently it's OK for him to use an automated form letter.
What a wuss.
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