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I’ve written to a number of my representatives over the years and either they, or a staff member personally responded. My first letter was to Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, when I lived near Las Vegas and he was still a Representative in Nevada’s 1st District, back in 1983.

More recently, I wrote to Sen. Lisa Boscola and Rep. Robert Freeman. Within those responses they referenced my query. By doing so, I knew that somebody had actually read what I sent.

Rep. Freeman was honest enough to let me know he appreciated my opinion on the matter, but would still vote in opposition of my view. I appreciated his honesty.

Sen. Pat Toomey, on the other hand, obviously doesn’t have any interest in his constituents. He sends out pre-written letters that never directly answer what is sent him. They are generic in nature and simply tout his campaign rhetoric.

I first wrote about Toomey’s lack of interest in a previous post, when he sent me a response email that had nothing to do with what I wrote him about. I suspected the letter was a pre-packaged response to anyone writing him on a topic from the drop-down menu on his website.

In my previous post, I told you all that I would write him again. I wanted to test my suspicion.

In my second letter to him I proposed something so outlandish and crazy, that anyone who actually read it would tell me I was nuts, or in the case of a politician not wanting to lose a vote, tell me that they appreciated the suggestion but found it unfeasible in our current economy. I made my letter intentionally space cadet worthy in the hope that it might actually get the attention of somebody – anybody – on his staff, to actually address my suggestion.

What I received back was campaign literature. What he is doing right and what everyone else is doing wrong. The only thing missing from it was the, “Vote for Toomey” sticker. That, and the missing answer to my question, What do you think of my idea?

Test Toomey with your own letter through his contact link.

Choose a topic from his drop-down menu and ask a question about something unrelated to the topic you chose.

For instance, choose the topic “Immigration” and then write him asking his opinion on elephant hunting  taking place along Pennsylvania’s borders (or something else ridiculous and not related to the topic you chose).

In about 2 weeks you’ll get back an email telling you how he is addressing the immigration issue.

The man acts like he is in touch with his constituents, but it’s all smoke and mirrors.

Oh… His response to my letter about building a new canal (to connect our two oceans for shipping) by having the unemployed using spoons to dig out the Rio Grande and bringing back the local canal and mule system to save our highways from trucking damage?

I got what amounts to a campaign flier.