Do petitions like Edwards' and Kennedy's actually get anything accomplished?

[hopein08]

Not to be cynical or skeptical, but it is something that I've long wondered about. Mostly since Rick Santorum's office stopped receiving anything that wasn't submitted directly through his website. Of course, that was Rick Santorum, but I know he isn't the only one doing that.

They all say "Tell Congress this or that NOW!" but does anyone in Congress see them? Will Kennedy's staff print out enough copies to give to all the other critters (and will Brownback's staff -for example- shred and/or recycle post haste) or does somebody actually see the petitions? Or does Edwards' staff just send out a "We had 25,000 people sign a petition saying this or that" message?

I've kind of stopped signing them since I signed every single one that I was sent after the 2004 election for about a year and not a single thing that I was advocating happened.

My mom keeps telling me that the only thing signing online PAC petitions (and perhaps being on DU) will get me is investigated by Homeland Security.

So what's the DU consensus, do online petitions do anything?

[Beelzebud]

1. Online petitions aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Too open for abuse.

How does anyone reading an online petition know they aren't just reading 10,000 names created by a script?

[hopein08]

2. Hadn't even thought of that! Very good point!

Thanks

[liberaldemocrat7]

8. No, calling General Electric and demanding they get the GOP to end the war will do more

than some online petition. Republicans and their friends and contributors only mainly act when they lose money. Stop buying GE products and call General Electric.

Go to http://www.ge.com and get their phone number in Connecticut and call them.

[LA lady]

3. Have you EVER heard of one having any results?

They are just ways for people to collect your email address. I NEVER sign them

[WI_DEM]

4. it's doubtful

[helderheid]

5. sends a message.

[Rose Siding]

6. I always sign. Even if it serves no purpose other than

to bouy the spirit of the sender, I sign.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Drip! Drip! Drip! Every little bit helps. America has turned against the war.

It took years, massive demonstrations, 10s of thousands of dead Americans, near bankruptcy of the country, the resignation of a president, to turn America against the bloodbath in Vietnam.

Remember how popular this catastrophe was when Bush started it? Now it's unpopular to be for the war. Even better, it's politically popular to be against it.

[badgerpup]

9. I've called my Dem Senator numerous times...

..and finally asked if it makes a difference, or am I just wasting my time...I was just a bit hot under the collar at that point...think it was the Alito vote. :puke::grr:

I was told that yes, every call and opinion went into 'a data base' so that Max could get a overall view of what his constituents were thinking and what they wanted from him.

The gentleman...and I use that term on purpose...was very nice about this, very informed on the issues.

BTW, Max Baucus did vote NO on Alito...:thumbsup:
but he didn't back it up with the filibuster option. :thumbsdown:
I was disappointed with the boy...