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HOW TO WRITE TO CONGRESS AND NEWSPAPERS

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WRITING TO CONGRESS
When writing directly to your U.S. Representative or Senator, remember the "KISS" rule: Keep It Simple and Short.

Important issues cannot wait. Please start today!

To obtain the mailing address of your US Representative and Senators, please look at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt?command=congdir

(If that link does not work directly, then first go to http://congress.org/ and Under OFFICIALS GUIDE, click “US CONGRESS.”

E-MAIL IS A WONDERFUL THING, but a regular postal letter, written in a taxpayer's own handwriting and mailed with the taxpayer's own stamp, is vastly more effective. Avoid form letters or petitions. It does not have to be long, just handwritten, personal, and to the point. Be sure to INCLUDE YOUR RETURN ADDRESS.

It is NOT necessary to tell your elected official all about yourself. And it takes too long anyway. It is enough that you are a concerned taxpaying citizen. Build your image as a patriot with a pen in one hand and a voting lever in the other.

How to write the letter:
Essentially, you could write as little as THREE SENTENCES.

1. In the first sentence, identify what issue you are writing about:

2. In the second sentence, BRIEFLY state your opinion.

3. In the third sentence, ASK FOR A WRITTEN RESPONSE from your elected official. Politeness always helps, but still press for a clear statement of their stand. Specifically ask your elected official to WRITE BACK; to CO-SPONSOR; to VOTE FOR; TO ACT NOW.

Remember, you want a written answer. That creates a nice, quotable, permanent, photocopy-able paper trail.

That is why IT IS POSSIBLE, EVEN LIKELY, THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIAL WILL NOT WRITE BACK AT ALL.

If you don't receive a response within a week or so, WRITE AGAIN. Mention that you have already written once, and you want a reply! If you don't get a response this time, write to your local newspaper and tell them that your representative or senator does not seem to care about the public or about this issue. THAT will get you a prompt response from virtually any elected official.

WRITING TO A NEWSPAPER
1. Make the issue hit home to move readers to action. For example, everyone is concerned about THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH, and their CHILDREN'S HEALTH. Show how their action, now, will help them, and their families, and their pocketbook, too. What action? Urge them do what you did: write!

2. Strengthen your letter with a few facts whenever you can.

3. Provide testimony. How have YOU been affected by this issue?

4. Remember that every letter to even a small hometown advertiser, pennysaver or local paper will be read by HUNDREDS, if not thousands, of people. Smaller papers especially are VERY willing to print your letters.

Andrew Saul is the author of the books FIRE YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html ) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html )

For ordering information, Click Here .

Andrew W. Saul

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: This page is not in any way offered as prescription, diagnosis nor treatment for any disease, illness, infirmity or physical condition. Any form of self-treatment or alternative health program necessarily must involve an individual's acceptance of some risk, and no one should assume otherwise. Persons needing medical care should obtain it from a physician. Consult your doctor before making any health decision.

Neither the author nor the webmaster has authorized the use of their names or the use of any material contained within in connection with the sale, promotion or advertising of any product or apparatus. Single-copy reproduction for individual, non-commercial use is permitted providing no alterations of content are made, and credit is given.