Response to Mr Specter

All,

Here is my response to Mr. Specter’s office. This is less content based, and more a question about the impact of letters sent to the Senator. I will be shocked if I receive a response.

-W.

To Whom It May Concern:

I have a quick question. I recently wrote a detailed email about my concerns regarding immigration reform. I received back a form letter, which I expected. I understand that this is necessary; I'm sure you receive much to many emails a day to read them (let alone respond). However, this caused me great concern. It is important that the senator know what issues are bothering his constituents enough to write. Yet with an issue as ambiguous as immigration, how is the senator to know HOW his constituents feel? That is, if 1000 people write in, 5 could be in favor of a fence and kicking out all immigrants, while 995 could be in favor of a guest-worker program. Does the senator receive any information as to WHAT his constituents are saying, rather than merely THAT they are talking about immigration?

This letter could be a performative fallacy: My question assumes that no one reads the content of the letter and that a form letter is received as a response. Nevertheless, I will hold out hope that someone in your office takes heart and fires off a simple YES (there is some means by which Specter gets accurate information as to the opinions pro and con of his people for specific bills) or NO (the system is broken; the Senator votes his mind or listens to focus groups and poll numbers). Either way, thanks in advance for reading this far. You are either a very bored intern, or your loyalty deserves a raise. Tell Specter I said so (if you ever get to see him).

Cheers,

William H. Harwood