It’s been about 6 months since Donald Trump was inaugurated, and since then many people have questioned if he is “Making America Great Again,” or if he is doing exactly the opposite- belittling and undermining the very things that made America great in the first place. His presidency has sparked a lot of controversy and protest not just in the United States, but throughout the world. In fact, a recent poll shows that his approval rating has dropped to just 38%, a historically low number. Many of us are left wondering what we can do to make a difference and protect the America we know and love.
One of the easiest ways to make your voice heard is by contacting your representatives. You may question the efficacy of this, or even ask why your representatives would listen to what you have to say, however, when congressional offices receive phone calls from constituents, a staff member takes note of each call and makes a tally of complaints or support for specific issues. These numbers are then conveyed to legislators who take notice, as it is their job to be a voice for and represent their constituents.
More than 1.5 million calls per day flooded congressional phone lines in early February when the Senate was considering the confirmation of some of Trump’s disputable cabinet picks, likely contributing to why he set records for the long delays in getting his picks confirmed. In fact, calling is actually even more effective than other methods, such as emailing or writing a letter, which don’t hold as much weight because they aren’t as easy to keep up with and document. While calling your representatives sounds super intimidating, it’s actually surprisingly simple and quick!
There are many different websites that can assist you in making an effective phone call, however, my favorite is 5calls.org. This website makes calling Congress simple by providing you with phone numbers for your local representatives and scripts for what you should say. Here’s how it works:
Simply take out your computer or cell phone, type 5calls.org into the search bar, and it will bring you to a homepage asking for your zip code. You should use the zipcode for your home address to ensure that you are contacting the most effective people. You will then see a list of a variety of different issues from climate change to immigration. You can select any issue that is important to you.
Photo courtesy of Lizzy Darin
A brief description of the issue you selected will appear along with the name and phone number of a local representative and a script you can use when you call to ensure that you get your point across in a clear and concise manner. Here’s an example of what I was given for my selected issue, climate change:
Photo courtesy of Lizzy Darin
After you have called, simply select if you made contact or left a voicemail and you will be brought to a new number for another representative. You can then go back and select another issue when you are done calling the listed people. It’s that simple!
So, if you’re looking to be more actively engaged in current issues and want your voice to be heard, I encourage you to make a few phone calls. It feels really good to voice your opinions and it really can help sway your representatives.