What percentage of citizens could name their Congressperson?

[undeterred]

[DireStrike]

1. Do you have statistics on this, or is it just for bashing the general pop?

I assume it's unflatteringly low, but what good does it do to gather opinions on it?

[Greyhound]

3. What good does posting on a BBS accomplish?

Other than a convenient way for us all to get our names on Federal watch lists.

[Webster Green]

9. What's a BBS? (n/t)

[Greyhound]

15. Sorry, prehistoric geek here. I meant a Message Board.

Back in the old days, when we flipped black and white rocks for 0 and 1, they were called bulletin board systems, or BBS.

[Webster Green]

19. LOL!...Thanks!

Never heard that one.

[Greyhound]

2. I'm guessing that, on average nationwide, it is less than 10%. n/t

[bryant69]

4. There's no such thing as a Congressperson

It's a Congreffperfon!

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[jobycom]

6. Thatf Filly! nt

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Interesting site... thanks!

;)

Rhiannon:hi:

[jobycom]

5. I can't name my US Rep.

They redistricted Austin, and combined my part of town with north Houston (look at a map, it's ridiculous). I know he's a Republican, but I've never bothered remembering his name. Not like he'd listen to me, anyway. He never bothered campaigning in Austin as nearly as I can tell, and the few times I saw or heard commercials for him (when I visited Houston) he and his opponent were trying to prove they had the least contact with Democrats. "I've never voted Democrat," one would say. "I've never let a Democrat into my office," the other would counter. "I've been vaccinated against Democrats."

I don't need to know his name.

[I Have A Dream]

10. Poor you! That's disgusting.

x(

[Fleshdancer]

14. That was my first thought too...hell, I'm lucky if I know my district now.

My current zip code splits into two different districts. This is insane. After doing a little digging, I discovered that our Rep is McCaul.

http://www.house.gov/mccaul/index.shtml

[jobycom]

16. Have you seen any signs for him anywhere around?

I usually know who is running just from the signs. But I don't think I've seen any McCaul signs anywhere. I wonder if he knows part of Austin is in his district.

[Fleshdancer]

20. LOL! no.

I didn't know his name until just a few minutes ago when I did a few searches to find out. There are defintely no signs for him around here...at least none that I have seen.

[jobycom]

22. BTW

Have they raised your rent yet? They are raising mine a hundred a month! Might have to move.

[Fleshdancer]

24. yep

This will most likely be our last year here. Plus Rock Creek has a new manager and I can't stand her.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Probably very few.

Most people, in my neck of the woods, vote by party *sigh*, and don't pay attention to the issues. I'm hoping that we can finally unseat my Bush* supporting, long-term congressman, this time around, since we have a viable and well-qualified Democratic candidate. And he's gotten some really bad publicity, this term. In the past, he's run pretty much unopposed. But, I agree, most people don't pay attention...:-(

on edit: here's the scumbag who represents me...x(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2392577&mesg_id=2392577

[Gormy Cuss]

8. I think it depends on the geographic size of the district

In big cities with multiple Congress critters I think there are more people who are unaware of which one belongs to their district and instead people know the one whose face is in the news the most. In areas where the district covers several counties or a good portion of the state the MOC probably has higher name recognition.

Then there are the recently gerrymandered districts where no one can figure out which district they're in until they see a ballot......

I'd say about 40% of people nationally can name their MOC.

[undeterred]

12. The reason I ask is not to bash

It just surprises me. I am working against a nationally known Congressman (Sensenbrenner) who is presumed to have broad support in his district. He has held the office for 28 years. Yet over and over again I find that people do not even recognize his name. Some of these people are involved in local politics and are very aware who their state reps are and who the governor is. They don't ever write their congress person or senators.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I write my congressman at least weekly.

And he writes me back, LOL, though he can't always appreciate what I say...:D But I absolutely agree with you. Most people just don't think about this, will vote for the name that they may have heard of, once they get into the voting booth. I'm hoping that the publicity that my congressional election is generating will wake a few people up, this time around. But most people don't pay much attention, like we do, here on DU.:-(

on edit: Here's the scumbag who represents me: x(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2392577&mesg_id=2392577

[Greyhound]

18. I remember reading a study many years ago that suggested that

the majority of voters voted for the candidate that ran the last commercial they saw before they voted.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. My friend, who's in state government, said that signs also count...

That people will vote for the person that they've seen signs for, since they assume that this is the person who will win and everyone wants to vote for the winner. That does not bode well for my district, but I'm hoping that the negative publicity about my Freeper congressman will wake a few people up. And that's also the reason that I always have bumper stickers ion my car and watch how I drive. LOL. I worried, during the 2004 election, that my going too slow would reflect badly on New Yorkers for Kerry-Edwards! :D

[jobycom]

17. That's more a commentary on Congresscritters than the general public.

I wouldn't bother writing mine, because I already know his views. He will do what the corporations tell him, what his party tells him.

I think most people feel that Party dictates what Congress will do, and so, with a few rare exceptions, there's just not much reason to write to him or her. You have more chance of affecting a state legislator.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. I write mine, anyway.

But I agree with you, especially about mine. My very first letter to my Bush*-supporting congressman was to express my concerns about the Patriot Act. Then, I learned that he was on the Homeland Security committee... x(

on edit: Here's the guy who I'm lucky enough to have represent me...:scared:

[napi21]

25. I have a Pug Rep, and 2 Pug Senators, but I write them all the time!

Ifenough people write and call them on a particular subject, they do listen!

A prime example is the record breaking speed with which both houses wrote and passed the Do not call list! I don't think ANYONE thought they could do anything that fast!

Of course, if it's only me writing, it will be ignored, but if everyone said "they don't pay any attention, NOBODY would ever contact them! You never know how many emails, calls and letters each of them will get. It's YOUR responsibility totell them your views!

[Rhiannon12866]

26. I agree. I write to mine all the time, even though he's a Bush*-supporting

scumbag...:D But he's fairly socially progressive and has co-sponsored quite a lot of animal protection legislation, so I support him on this and thank him. I'm hoping that this causes him to take me a little more seriously when I criticize his pro-Bush* policies...:shrug:

[blm]

27. Same here - I know exactly what you're saying.

Most canvassers reported on Saturday that only a handful of people knew who was running for congress in heavily populated Charlotte neighborhoods.

[Greyhound]

28. Ha! I think I got you beat, mine are Shaddeg, Kyl, and McCain.

Kyl only has one form to reply to disagreement, Shaddeg doesn't even reply, but McCain at least has an assortment of responses.
Just fills me with such love for this hell-hole when I realize that a pretty overwhelming majority of my neighbors still support this gang of criminals.

Go Paine! Go Pederson!

[Rhiannon12866]

29. I think that my rep wins...

He not only supports Bush*, orchestrated the Brooks Brothers riot in Florida in 2000, and likes to party with drunken underage frat boys...x(

[karlrschneider]

30. I don't know the answer, but my Rep doesn't even know I'm in his district.

The dumb sonofabitch has no idea where the 2nd district boundaries...every time I write to him he
sends back a form letter saying basically he doesn't have time to correspond with non-constituents.
Obviously, he's a pub. :eyes: :puke: