Want to Be Heard in Washington and Austin? These Tips Can Help

Say this for Donald Trump: His first month as president has left millions of Americans ready to talk, and sometimes shout, about what's on their mind. So many, in fact, that congressional phone lines have been jammed for weeks on end.The callers have been from across the ideological spectrum, some stomping mad and others jumping-up-and-down happy. Too bad, then, that so many of those conversations have been short-circuited by busy lines, full voice mail boxes, overflowing email accounts, and too few staff members to help.Many of Texas' lawmakers in Washington have pledged to do better, and they should. But in the meantime, we've been asking people in and out of government about how to increase the chances that their voices can be heard — from here in Texas all the way to the Capitol. Turns out, like most things worth doing, being heard takes time and effort — and usually it takes a strategy. We'd like to suggest ways to get one. 1. Show up. These days, most every member of Congress spends his or her weekends back in the district. To be heard, there is simply no substitute for showing up at events and delivering your message directly to the lawmaker in question.  Continue reading...