In the last few weeks, many diarists have proposed different methods for pressuring our representatives so that they will start impeachment hearings. Most of these methods are focused on contacting elected officials and letting them know our position ad-nauseam, until they are forced to listen to us.
This idea, that by contacting our representatives and urging them to vote for impeachment we are actually giving them one more reason to do so, even if it is a tiny one, is a very reasonable one since that is the way our democracy should work; elected officials representing the will of the people. Unfortunately, it isn’t the way it works.
We can all agree with the notion Buhdydharma has been presenting in his last diaries which depicts our representatives as subjects of diverse conflicting pressures being applied by different agents including corporations, the media, political consultants and the people.
Now, if we are to analyze the ways in which politicians can be pressured, we must first recognize what ultimately drives every single elected official in this planet: Power
Indeed, politicians crave to keep their jobs and almost everything they do revolves around this objective. What motivates them to stay in power can of course be benign, but that is irrelevant to the point.
Thus, the only pressures that can actually be of any importance for a representative are those which increase or decrease his chances of remaining in power. For example, if a corporation offers funds to support future campaigns, the representative cares; if polls show that his constituency strongly opposes a bill that is being voted on, he cares; if the media is proving hostile towards a certain position, he cares. But if progressive activists urge him to endorse a certain policy, he doesn't give a crap, because they will most probably vote for him and support his campaign anyways.
That is why it really doesn't matter how many times a progressive constituent lets his representative know what he thinks, because even if it might be a pain in the ass to answer to your e-mails, phone calls and faxes, they don’t increase nor decrease his chances of staying in office. You are not going to vote for a republican or an independent if he ignores you and you are not going to vote twice for him if he does what you want.
There is no reason whatsoever why a representative would feel pressured to listen to people who will vote and support him anyways, UNLESS, those people make it clear that their votes and support cannot be taken for granted.
So, is contacting our representatives a complete waste of time? Of course not, but it will remain a pretty irrelevant act unless besides letting them know what we think, we offer them some Carrots and Sticks. We need to offer them an INCENTIVE to listen to us.
Thus, when we contact our representatives and urge them to impeach, we ought to start adding a big, strong and unequivocal...OR ELSE.
We have to make it clear, that when it's about defending our constitution and our democracy, we are willing to pay a very high price. We have to make it clear that we put country ahead of party, and that unless they do too, there are going to be consequences. We have to make it clear that if they ignore us on this issue, we will not forget and we will not forgive. Finally, we also have to make it clear that if they do defend the constitution and impeach the criminals in the white house, we will praise them as heroes and reward them accordingly.
One of the most effective ways to pressure a representative would be to let him know that if he does not endorse impeachment, we will vote for someone else . For example, Cindy Sheehan has recently offered us a very effective way to apply real pressure over Nancy Pelosi. It’s not about punishing her and it is obviously irrelevant whether or not Sheehan can win, especially because she most certainly won’t. Running against Pelosi is not about "getting the job", it’s about having a real incentive for the Speaker to listen to us, it’s about forbidding her from taking our votes for granted, it’s about creating REAL pressure.
To continue to contact our representatives while signaling that there will be no cost for ignoring us is, in my opinion, meaningless.
To continue to contact our representatives, but this time offering some incentive and making it clear that we are willing to vote for an independent or another Democrat in the next election if they ignore us, will certainly have some impact.
However, if we really want to make a difference, if we really want to see Cheney impeached, if we really want our constitution restored, then we should send Speaker Pelosi a fax, hell, 100 faxes, saying the following:
Dear Madam Speaker,
If you don't endorse impeachment, I will support Cindy Sheehan’s campaign to replace you. I really like you, but I like the constitution even more. Please fulfill you oath of office, or prepare to lose it.