Why Bother to Call a Congressman?

Because Americans speak up! And now 5 Calls makes it easy

Does it really matter if you call your Congressman and other elected officials?

I’ve read a few people’s comments that seem to say it’s a waste of time. I picture them standing on the beach in their bathing suits, clutching their towels and dipping their toes in the water.

1. A national opinion writer says that the word “resistance” is a little bit precious.

2. Another says that resisting can mean just bearing witness and grieving.

3. And a former Congressional staffer says that officials don’t care about voters’ phone calls.

4. I’ve also read that only the Republicans in Congress and in the courts can fix this.

To me, these are four reasons to stay in my comfort zone.

Every day I think about getting out another jigsaw puzzle picturing things like flowers and Italian travel scenes. Or I search my bookshelf for a memoir like Martha Graham’s, for a chatty view of what went on decades ago, safely in the past.

My jigsaw puzzle on the right is dated 1945, and I still have all the pieces!

But to get back to the debate, whether voters’ phone calls matter or not. In contrast to the four views listed above, here’s one that’s strongly in the affirmative:

I've worked with two former interns for US Congress members who encouraged me to start calling politicians. Both said that logs are kept for all calls, noting if the caller is a constituent (which is important), their address, and the topic.

Am I certain it makes a difference? Of course not. But it takes 1-3 minutes to call, so I'm willing to run that risk.

Another recent positive view on voters’ calls comes from Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who has served in Congress since 1997. He said,

I can't recall ever receiving this many calls. People are disgusted with what's going on, and they want us to fight back.

Pros and cons! To sum it all up, yesterday I saw the full debate in two opposing headlines:

1. “How the Courts May Serve as a Check on Trump’s Presidency” [don’t bother calling Congress].

2. “Don’t Expect the Courts to Save us from Trump” [so please call every official you can think of!].

This goes nowhere. To get out of my head, I decided to make some calls. I told myself, you’ve earned the right to tell these people in Congress to stand up and do their job, to stop your life in America from being ripped apart.

Next step? Dial the phone. Here’s how.

The husband and wife team, Rebecca Kaufman and Nick O’Neill, launched 5 Calls in 2017

Open the 5 Calls website (the link is in the notes below this post). Enter your zip code. Pick your issue. Read the short update on it, along with a suggested script. Call the first Congress person on the list. Mark down the result and go to the next one. It’s all right there.

This shows part of the screen with issues and contact numbers. When I recorded that I left a voicemail for U.S. Representative Edwards, the prompt moved to U..S. Senator Tillis.

Some of the 24 issues on 5 Calls:

First I called my US Representative Chuck Edwards (Republican). An intern answered and I asked her to count me as a voter who wants him to stand up against his party and to protect our democracy, for me and all his other constituents.

Edwards’ office replied the next day by email, which said in part:

Thank you for contacting my office regarding Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). … As your congressman, it is helpful for me to know what is on your mind and how the decisions made in Washington affect you. …

As a member of the House Appropriations and Budget Committees, I believe that funding the government in a fiscally responsible manner is vital. President Trump’s vision to create a task force dedicated to eliminating waste of taxpayer dollars at the hands of federal agencies is a monumental step in the right direction. …

I fully support DOGE’s investigations, and I welcome its findings and recommendations so I can more effectively assist in restoring our country’s fiscal health.

My heart beats faster, knowing I’m being represented by this incredibly dangerous man. But it just makes me want to flood his office with calls.

Right: U.S. Senator from North Carolina Thom Tillis

After the first call, I had a lot more energy. I called the next Congressman on my 5 Calls list, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (Republican) and said to his voicemail, “I’m outraged that you said ‘nobody should bellyache’ about the current attacks on our United States Constitution’!” His office emailed me a reply that said in part,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about your concerns.

The American people have made clear that they are deeply frustrated with our nation’s increasing divisiveness and with Congress’ inability to produce real results. Elected officials in Congress owe it to the American people to find common ground where there are plenty of opportunities to produce tangible results.

Common ground! Then he listed a lot of things he’s done in Congress and a lot of things he plans to do, ending with:

Please never hesitate to reach out again on issues that are important to you.

My fury will propel me through my next round of calls.

More than that — I can turn it into full-on support by calling elected and other public officials who are standing up every day in the line of fire, to protect America. They need to know they have my vote.

Capitol with phone — graphic

“The word Resistance is a little bit precious”

Bear witness and grieve

Puzzle photo by Deda Edney

“I’ve worked with two former interns…”

Representative McGovern’s quote

How the courts may serve as a check on Trump’s presidency

Don’t Expect the Courts to Save Us from Trump

5 Calls website