[blindlaw] Setting up an automated NFB email advocacy service with action alerts

[Bruce E. Naccari]

 Most organizations that offer members an easy service on their website for sending advocacy or opposition emails to representatives or other  officials use software that permits personalization and  editing of the offered form or model message. However unless a staffer  calls  a particular email to the attention of a public official on the federal level a particular email –which probably never happens except in the case  of an email with extraordinary information not otherwise known or  an eamail from a VIP, a person very important to that official such as a local elected  official , party leader, major organization leader or contributor, most emails will never be seen by the elected official or other high official. As with letters from most writers all the Congresspersons or others will likely get is a tally of total emails categorized according to  time period and position taken. Any Congressperson who read all her emails and mail herself would  be able to do nothing else. Therefore I think such automated systems that make it very easy with one click to send an email are indeed useful for generating high pro or con tallies. The best systems allow one simply after pre-registration to send all subsequent emails by entering one’ semail address and clicking send; the other information about the sender is included automaticallly  in the message.

 That is my opinion and  experience in emailing/writing/calling  federal, state executive and Congressional officers. In the case of local government or  small agencies  and also state representatives in smaller states however an individual who is not a “VIP” can often expect personal attention from the targeted officer and should avoid form emails or letters.