What is your level of political involvement?

Thanks, that does give me some comfort. Palin as VP… shudder… I would have then quit my job and volunteered to serve as a body guard for McCain.

I hope the thing giving comfort is the second and not the first :)

We’ve already had like 30 threads bitching about Obama. Can we at least try to keep this one somewhat on topic?

Jason makes a pretty good point about local politics. In terms of our day-to-day lives, a lot of the stuff that actually affects us happens at a local level and it’s much easier for individuals and small groups to influence.

Yes how dare anyone continue to complain about a democratic president. That can not be allowed here anymore.

Since the politicians are owned by Wall Street, what’s the point of voting? I’ll sleep in.

How many threads go off topic to bitch about Republicans? :P

I assumed you were talking about national politics and that is what my answer reflected. I consistently work in local campaigns and have for the last 30 years. You’re right, millionaires and billionaires control the process at the national level.

Plenty! I’m hoping this one doesn’t go in that direction either.

I assumed you were talking about national politics and that is what my answer reflected. I consistently work in local campaigns and have for the last 30 years. You’re right, millionaires and billionaires control the process at the national level.

Mostly I was, though either works. Online political forums tend to be (naturally) nationally focused. Nobody gives a crap about what’s happening in Ocean, NJ who doesn’t live there so I’m not going to post about it. Still, it’s something that most people (including myself much of the time) are guilty of overlooking. I’m going to make a number up now - but I’d guess 75% of the contact people have with government is via state & local governments.

That is why I, as a republican, chose not to vote for McCain…imagine all the volunteers who would have been willing to protect McCain.

I called up Grover Cleveland and asked him if his refrigerator was running.

There should be an option in between ‘I volunteered in a political context’ and ‘[I]I ran for office’.

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In one case, I actually wrote a very polite letter of concern to the Obama campaign during the 2008 election regarding the telecom immunity bill, and never received a reply of any kind.

What about volunteering in a non-political context?

I’ve helped check in voters and count ballots on several occasions over the past few years.

95% voted? I guess there aren’t a lot of x-pats on QT3. I would have figured there would be more …

I ran for, and won, a school board seat in my district. I was a school board member from 2007-2010. VERY interesting experience.

I actually walked into my Senator’s local office, it’s down the street from work, during Juan’s reporting about the situation in Honduras. I suspect phone call was the closest option in the poll? Aside from that I donate money, I vote and I bitch on the internet.

Now that has to be a thankless job…unions?

I’m one of the small number that has written actual snail mail letters to local politicians, as well as emailing, donating to political causes (but not politicians themselves), and bitching about it on the internet. But ironically I haven’t voted, because I’m not a citizen, and therefore I’m ineligible. I wonder if the fact that I’m not eligible to vote, means I shouldn’t be writing letters?

I’ve heard multiple independent confirmations that snail mail counts much more than emails, but its interesting that email always gets you a response (a robo-response, and signup to the representatives mailing list), whereas snail mail never appears to get a response. So its worth doing, but you get no feedback at all.

Awesome Brian. Appreciate it.

That’s a good idea. I too have heard (from people working for politicians collating such things) that actual mail counts more than email, as they’re essentially weighting by how much effort they gauge you’ve put into it. I bet physically walking is given even more weight, provided you don’t do it too often.

I don’t live particularly close to my senators’ offices, but I do drive fairly close by on occasion and it’d be easy to work in a side trip.

I don’t know about shouldn’t write, but when you call politicians they always ask if you’re in their district, and when you write it’s even easier for them to figure out whether you could vote for them via the return address.

I would bet that if you’re aren’t eligible to vote for them most politicians’ staffs will just toss your message in the garbage. Well, unless it was about donating money or time.