Does anyone know if representatives and senators keep running records of the names of those who have contacted them, and what positions they took? I ask because I've fairly recently contacted my senators, and I wonder if having too many messages in the system will dilute the messages---as in "This person has too many liberal views; we're never going to make them happy anyway."

No congressperson I'm aware of keeps contactee names. Very few congressperson I'm aware of even gives a fart in a high wind what the fuck their constituents think. Calling or writing your congressperson is about as useful as lips on a brick and, given the observable evidence, it would take massive amounts of stunning naivete to believe otherwise.

The VAST majority of letters get shredded unread. The VAST majority of phone messages get deleted un-listened to. Ask any staffer whose been around long enough.

The VAST majority of letters get shredded unread.

Perhaps I've been lucky, but the majority of times that I've sent in a snail-mail letter, I've received back a letter from my representative/Senator discussing their views/actions on the topic that I wrote in on. A form letter, I'm sure, but a form letter with the correct viewpoint and topic, which indicates that someone read the letter.

The defeat of the immigration reform bill gives "observable evidence" that, under some circumstances, congresspeople do give a fart what their constituents think.

The defeat of the immigration reform bill gives "observable evidence" that your representatives know what their big business donors want. That fact that it may have coincided with your own views is completely incidental.

And, no, a form letter proves exactly jack shit. But go ahead and put pen to paper if it makes you feel better.

JimDandy knows the score. Spit in the wind if you like the feel of windy rain on your face. But don't deceive yourself -- it's saliva, not rain.

JimDandy knows the score. Spit in the wind if you like the feel of windy rain on your face. But don't deceive yourself -- it's saliva, not rain.

And, no, a form letter proves exactly jack shit.

Yes, and no. I agree that it doesn't prove that anyone cared about my viewpoint. But the fact that the responses had the correct view and topic proves that your claim that the vast majority of letters are shredded unread was incorrect. Which makes me think that despite the confident claims in your first post, about what you will find if you "ask any staffer," you don't actually have any knowledge of what goes on in a congressional office.

Incidentally, I'm not sure where you get the idea that I wanted the immigration reform bill defeated.

FYI...I'm in CT, and when I call Dodd's office, they don't ask for contact info, but Lieberman's office takes my name and city.