Becoming clearer and clearer

[Casandra]

A clear pattern has developed <IMO>

Each time some critical issue arises, that requires our 'elected reps' to vote, most of us rally to the cause. We E-mail them, phone them, send them any form of our message we can muster together. We have so agressively pursued our getting our message across, I can remember hearing that their computer systems were crashing, due to the volume of messages; switchboards so severely over stressed, they also were unusable. It's for certain the 'message' is very loud and very clear. In retrospect, I can remember one such instance when it was time for the vote that led to the Iraq war, and many times since then when we've tried to get our reps to listen to us.

I think of the demonstrations in the streets, all across the nation, that the 'people' use to express their disaproval in a civilized and peaceful way.

How can our elected representatives NOT HEAR us???!!

Yet, time after time, these people who are supposed to be representing their district of people, will stand up and vote exactly the opposite of what all the many forms of messages are compelling them to do. Virtually we are ignored!!

The latest example of this has to do with the Schiavo case, as we either heard NO VOTE <silence> in the Senate, where only ONE Senator could have stood up and blocked this thing...to the House, where half of those voting on the Dem side voted FOR the bill. Don't tell me these reps didn't know how the majority felt!!!

Now, I am hearing those with the 'foot wounds' saying they wouldn't have voted that way, had they known how their public felt; suddenly acknowledging that it was the wrong thing to do, acting blind-sided that the backlash is such as it is. Seems to me, they will vote as they wish to vote and are NOT listening to us. You can bet they HEAR us, but prefer hind sight excuses. I am so sick of this!! Perhaps a hearing aide is in order...something...or maybe just kick em all out!

[wtbymark]

1. or elect people who will listen

and in order to do that they cannot pander to special interests

[_TJ_]

2. Vote the bastards out!

When an elected official doesn't give a shit chuck 'em out!

And welcome to DU. :hi:

[caligirl]

3. Is it always essential

that they vote no on something where strategy might do a better job of bringing the righties and fundies down. They stayed out of a loosing fight and they let the theocratic crazed, lawbreaking zelots crap all over their future political power. My hats off to the dems for holding back and letting this happen. Repugs hurt their party big time, exposing Bush and Bush tag team political duo for the scum they are.

A no vote would not have stopped them, it would have been just for us to feel good that our msg was heard.

[OneBlueSky]

4. "How can our elected representatives NOT HEAR us???!!" . . .

oh, they hear us all right . . . it's just that they choose to ignore what they hear . . . in favor of what they hear from their corporate sponsors, don'tcha know . . . money talks, and inconsequential little people (i.e. US) walk . . .

[justgamma]

5. How many times have we heard

I don't vote according to polls? I've always thought that meant ,I don't care what you think. I've always screamed "but we hired you to do what we want!"
The cons made it a virtue to ignor what people want.