Write a short letter or email to a contemporary politician and get back a lengthy position paper that may or may not address the issue that you brought up. Read a contemporary politician's newsletter and you find that the I's have it. Both Republicans and Democrats do this.
OK, I'll back off a bit. Most local politicians in Duluth respond briefly and to the point.
OK, maybe I've been spoiled by two Republican former members of Congress.
I generally agreed with Bill Frenzel, former Representative from the 3rd District of Minnesota, which covered many of the western suburbs of Minneapolis. He wrote model newsletters that related objectively what Congress was doing, not what he sponsored or voted on. He was elected again and again, partly with my vote and maybe a small contribution.
I generally disagreed with Rudy Boschwitz, former Senator from Minnesota. Among his mantras that I didn't like was "across the board cuts". Yeah, cut the kids' milk budget and Dad's beer budget an equal percentage. Why not leave the milk budget the same and let Dad do without beer? Anyhow, Rudy served in the days before the internet and communication with him was by letter. He answered by returning the letter with a short to-the-point comment on it and a smily face. I hope I can find at least one of these somewhere in my files.
