Shannon Walker in front of the robotic workstation.jpg
I timed each session of calls. The total for making ALL of these calls to my reps since Tuesday: 15.35 minutes – mostly because I had to have two comparatively lengthy conversations. One was about the existence of a letter to the president-elect. The other one was a discussion with a staffer about the fact that, while Senators don’t have the power to block certain political appointments, they absolutely have the power to influence them. It seems like a quarter of an hour well-spent.
Go Democracy! Go US!
Today’s calls were about white house appointments and supporting Mental Health reform. The Mental Health Reform Act is out there and needs to get passed, for all our sakes. Read all about it here.
Call #1, Rep Clay: It’s 9:50 AM in Washington DC, and no one is answering the phone at the office. The voice mailbox is full and cannot accept new messages. I try the St. Louis Office. It does not seem possible to leave messages.
In four days of calling, I have not been able to reach my Congressional Representative’s staff.
Call #2, Roy Blunt: Hello! How about some Mental Health reform and that thing in the cabinet? Sen Blunt was a co-sponsor of the Excellence in Mental Health Act, so there’s a good chance he’ll be on board with this one. His staffers do not know his official position on either as of today.
Call #3, Claire McCaskill: Was asked, again, to make an official public statement regarding policy. Tweets are fast and convenient but do not quite pack a legislative punch. Also – the Mental Health Reform Act. Please, thank you, and have a great weekend!