I wrote in support of a specific bill that was important to me. It is best to narrow it down to a single issue per call or message, IMO.

There is so much to chose from though. Makes it hard to narrow it down.

for the NEA, NEH, PBS, NPR, since those cuts will effect my job.

I felt like today I needed to call. I'll try to formulate a focused message.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply!

But if the phone is ever answered it's only so Schumer's voice can say we're busy, call back. And that's at a number of his locations. What a disgrace.

And don't feel any inclination to vote for him again, not just for this, for several reasons, but this just adds to it. Seriously hope a good dem contender would go up against him.

Said flat out that I'm a Dem and disagree with many of the policies. However, I'm reasonable and frankly that's how Democracy works. But that the new Admin is the most scary thing I've ever seen. They are getting on television and lying, using Twitter to conduct domestic and foreign policy, and are making all of us (Ds and Rs) like like fools on a global level.

ACA, Medicare, and, in calls to the senators, a couple of political appointees (most time spent on DeVos -- yeah, know she's not the only one of concern; choosing my issues one at a time).

* * *
Before I go further describing my own experiences: Write down what you want to say/ask, first. Also, one thing that worked for me was to "intro" my thought saying I had questions about what the senate had voted on (if a call to the senator call, esp.). That's a question about the senate, not the senator. I decided to ask that b/c I was really wanted their direct feedback on all that was happening in the senate on the ACA. So, before even asking how the senator voted or senator's stance, I asked what it was the senate had voted on in regard to the ACA. Then, after the staffer described that (in the cases where I got an answer), the conversation/exchange naturally blended into the senator's stance (except they conveniently seem to have no stances on nominees).

By the way, I my goal of being neutral is not to be nice, not because I'm afraid to blunt or rude. I was being neutral to be heard. And I listened to the staffer, too. I know not to assume I was given the truth; maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. But I wanted to maximize my changes of being heard.

* * *

The results have been mixed. Some contacts, especially at one senator's office, listened to my concerns and requests for not cutting ACA, not changing Medicare, and not voting for DeVos or xyz nominee. They told me (and I hope they followed through) that they would pass along my concerns to the senator. They described generally (though one contact was more informative than others) the senator's stance on most things, though all contacts were wishy-washy about support for nominees.

The other senator's staff seems to have no idea what the senate as a whole has even voted on. They tell me they do not know where the senator stands on any issue I have asked about. ?! One of them tried acting like she couldn't hear me early on in the conversation, then finally heard me and responded with "I don't know" to everything. Then, when I asked how I could find out answers to these questions, she said she didn't understand my question and asked "what questions" I was wanting answers to. ?! ???!!! I persisted until she acknowledged and even reflected back my questions. (This ridiculous phone conversation was just yesterday.) She or someone will supposedly get answers. It think some news organizations need some calls soon.

My rep and his office are in the middle of the spectrum on willingness to listen/answer and amount of knowledge the contact/office staffer seems to have.

All three are repubs.

I forgot to say that. One office was described (through social media) to be impossible to reach by phone. Based on the source I received that from, I think that concern was true at the time of social-media posting and probably has been true intermittently.

I called that office anyway, and I got through on the first try.

So, if you learn from others that the phone conveniently isn't working or you just can't get through, give it some time and try again.

"Hi there, I'm calling to encourage the senator to vote against Sessions' nomination."

"Hi there, I'm calling to encourage the senator to support Senator X's efforts to investigate Trump's taxes."

One sentence. It's not your job to convince the senator or the nice young intern who answers the phone.