Rep. Jeff Perry in His Own Words

Let your voice be heard - Do more than Blog!

Let your voice be heard

By Rep. Jeffrey Davis Perry

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..."

As any casual student of history knows full well, the above words are directly from the United States Declaration of Independence as adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the thirteen colonies were now "Free and Independent States." Quite unmistakably, from reading the text of this founding document and further studying the writings of our Founding Fathers, we know it was their obvious and unequivocal intent that the power of government reside with the people and not with the government itself.

So, how do people retain this power today in the context of our media and special interest driven political climate? I believe it is a bit simpler than one might think.  Citizens still play an important role in our political process, but they must be engaged and speak out to their elected officials. Let your voice be heard. Below are a few suggestions which I hope will encourage you to speak out with your comments and concerns:

1) Call your elected official or make an appointment to personally see them during office hours.  Face to face contact is the best way to lobby.  Have information available, in writing, to give them about the legislation or issue concerning you.

2) Write your elected official.  Next to speaking to someone in person, personal letters are the most effective way of communicating.  Avoid form letters and pre-printed postcards whenever possible.  A hand written or typed letter in your own words shows that you cared about the topic enough to take your valuable time to put it on paper and send it.

3) With e-mail, it is also important you include your name, address, and phone number.  I receive hundreds of e-mails each week and there is no way of knowing if they come from an actual constituent.  If senders don't identify themselves or don't give their addresses, the value of the email is diminished.

4) Feel free to speak with a Legislator's Legislative Aide.  These staff people are skilled, knowledgeable professionals who will treat your call respectfully and confidentially.  Of course, you can and should request to speak with your elected official if that is your desire.

5) Invite your Legislator to meet with you or your group.  Invite them to tour your business or school or get to know your organization so that they have some knowledge and familiarity with you and your issue. I enjoyed such tours and visits very much and have found them to be extremely valuable when a related issues comes before the Legislature.

The political climate is dynamic and ever changing. Government is facing many difficult and important decisions in the near future. While I know many citizens feel some elected officials are not interested in their opinions, I ask each of you not to become cynical. Visit, call, write or e-mail your elected officials.

Your opinion is important to our political process and you should feel free to let it be heard. While we are all very busy, I encourage you to reach out and contact your elected officials. Your opinion does matter to most of us. As always, I welcome your comments about this column or anything happening in State government. You can reach me at 617-722-2800, ext 8743 or via e-mail at ElectJeffPerry@aol.com. 

Sincerely,

Jeff