Stuck in an elevator with my Congressman

Imagine you and your Congressperson are stuck in an elevator.

What are the key constructive things you'd want to say? And what are the essential blog posts or other content you'd follow up with, once you're sprung by the rescue workers?

Below is additional context about why I'm asking. What I'm asking is what are the most important things we know and care about that our Reps and Senators don't?

With such a list in hand, we should commit ourselves to sharing that information with those who would listen. Why shouldn't we?

* * *

On Tuesday, I had the chance to meet with one of my Rep's assistants at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

I understood it was unlikely that the Rep would be there, so I wasn't put off that I was meeting with a staff member, instead of the Congressman himself.

The young man gave me ample time to discuss not only the specific piece of legislation I came in about, but other matters of concern, as well. He asked good questions and took notes, so I left feeling that my perspective as a constituent was being heard.

I would have liked to have done a little better job summarizing progressives' frustrations with the 110th Congress and what we'd have our Reps start doing today to make things better. Hence the request atop this post.

He cited the public's unfulfilled mandate for the Iraq War to end as the essential reason why survey results show Congress being several percentage points more unpopular than our extraordinarily unpopular president.

He acknowledged that fear of the media portraying Democrats as "not supporting the troops" was a real factor in how they vote, but he saw the major problems in this Congress being the Repubs' procedural gamesmanship and refusal to support essential legislation.

One post I'd like him to check out is Shystee's "The Democratic Party and the Process Dodge." Even if he doesn't agree with it, it would be instructive to understand that the progressive base is seriously unimpressed and disappointed by the Congress we voted in a year ago. Other posts, like this one might help him understand that the Iraq War is just one of several key issues about which we feel crushingly let down as Americans dedicated to Constitutional democracy.

Though I genuinely appreciated the meeting and his approach to it, I felt some of that disappointment when he validated the idea that, at the end of the day, the Dems had to cave and give Bush war appropriations bills he would sign, else the troops would be left unarmed and unfed in the desert. That it would be Bush's fault for not signing a bill that funded the troops in order to get them out, that point of view just didn't register. Thus, the Democrats blinked.

He holds out hope that benchmarks (perhaps) included in future bills will help end the war. Someday.

When he proudly pointed to a photo of the Rep (a Democrat) buddying it up with General Petraeus, I noted that progressives like Glenn Greenwald were troubled by the way Petraeus's words were treated as sacred, given that he's done a lot of political spin over the course of the war.

The assistant wasn't familiar with Greenwald, and he was good enough to bring up his site. As it happened, Greenwald's latest post at the time was a defense of Ron Paul. Oops!

I'm planning to follow up with links to key Greenwald posts and a few other thoughts on why true progressives are deeply frustrated — and why it's getting harder for me to sway liberals who are fancying too-cool-for-school votes in November '08 for Mr. Paul (who will surely run as an independent, yes?) or the Fidel McEarthshoe du jour, instead of the candidate with a (D) next to her or his name.

* * *

Please join me in building a strong, concise list of essential points (with links to source material) and sending it to our Reps' offices. Of course, we may all want to tailor the lists to highlight issues of particular concern. But I'm sure we can learn a lot from each other about which issues, frames, and links could have the biggest impact.

While every elevator has a governor, it could be a long while until you're boxed in with your Congressional representative.

Instead of waiting for happenstance, call for an appointment with someone in his or her office, locally or in DC. Definitely makes you feel like a — what's the word? — citizen.

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The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy, now at my new home: Correntewire.com

who follows the Bush line. I've written him numerous letters, and he kindly adds a handwritten note to the form letter telling me he totally disagrees with me and that I'm wrong and he's right and he won't change.

I just wish the Arkansas Dems would mount and SUPPORT a viable candidate to run against this person.

... he was for the war, but he turned against it after making several visits to Iraq.

"Put that back in your pants!"

:spank: Sorry, I couldn't resist.

most of the times that I have been able to lobby my reps HAVE been either in the elevators or on the walk to the floor.

Hey Henry (Waxman), wanna smoke?