[at-l] Forest Service Blocks E-Mail Comments

[Jim Bullard" <jbullar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Jim Bullard)]

----- Original Message -----
From: <Snodrog5@aol.com>
To: <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: [at-l] Forest Service Blocks E-Mail Comments


> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> http://tinyurl.com/abw2
> -------------
>  It's been said for years that real mail from actual constituents counts
more
> with politicians than emails from away. I've been attacked (via email) for
> agreeing with that opinion. I've also known, and shared, that politicos
> consider email campaigns little more than spam. As everyone now knows, any
> hack with a basic spamming proggy can send thousands of emails. Both
Olympia
> Snow and Sue Collins (Senators of Maine) routinely block or ignore emails
> since there is no way of telling if they are actually from individuals or
> just the product of a spammer.
> TJ

At least one of my representatives responds to advocacy emails with a form
letter stating that issue emails are ignored. If constituents wish to weigh
in on an issue they *must* write a real letter or use the representative's
eform on the web site. The reason for this is that it is too easy to fake a
batch of return email addresses and mass email to their office. Having dealt
with spam and viruses ourselves it should be obvious that our  legislator
can not in good conscience give much credence to a flood of emails that may
be nothing more than spam from one or two people. They have neither the time
or expertise to verify which emails are genuine.

Saunterer