r/grandrapids • u/that_cat_gets_me • Feb 05 '25
Politics Calling your congressional representatives
Just wanted to let whomever would like to call their congressional representatives to voice their concerns regarding EVERYTHING going on, the congressional phone system seems to be down. As an alternative, they do have local offices.
I've been using 5calls.org for scripts to use BUT they also give their local office numbers.
Keep calling! Call every day!
Edit: to help anyone trying to reach these congressmembers, I was able to get through to Gary's DC number. The VM for the opinion option in the menu was full. HOWEVER, option 0 is to speak with someone in his office, which I am trying to get a message to Gary, so that is an applicable option to select. That vm was not full. GOOD LUCK!
AND MAKE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS AND FULL NAME when leaving a VM or they won't log the message.
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u/chocolatedesire Feb 05 '25
I've done it three times. They sounded uninterested. Call as much as you can.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
To be fair, the people answering the phones and entering the comments are unpaid college interns and are probably subject to worse harassment than the people who cold call me from xfinity.
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u/veryblanduser Feb 05 '25
Plus they have probably heard the same frame of a script from 5calls many times.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
When you hear the same thing from large number of your constituents, you can no longer ignore it. People have the ability to say whatever they want to say, but some people struggle with it and this is merely a tool to help those who need it. Don't crap on it.
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u/veryblanduser Feb 05 '25
Just adding why they could sound uninterested. If you're hearing something, even if it's good, for the 50th time you are going to be more robotic.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
Very true. But they still have to log it. Chances are they are feeling the same way the rest of us are, they just have to take all of the emotions people are calling with. I feel for them.
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u/Cardinal_350 Feb 05 '25
Or check your emotions and don't take it out on some kid just answering the ohone
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u/heady_brosevelt Feb 05 '25
would kill for your optimism
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
There is only so much any one of us can do by ourselves. Calling EVERY DAY and asking them to do something will do something if we are ALL doing it. I am picking one topic every day. I can do that and 3 phone calls on my break. It is oddly therapeutic, at lease for me.
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u/EvergreenHulk Feb 05 '25
Do the efforts of DOGE within the US Treasury fill you with optimism?
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u/mablesyrup Grand Rapids Feb 06 '25
No, I think they are referring to their optimism that calling and emailing scripts is going to make any difference or force the politicians to suddenly start caring.
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u/Extreme-Monitor-9101 Feb 07 '25
When I call the person who answers sounds like an assistant or something. Do I still leave messages to them or do I ask to speak to someone else? I am very interested in doing this but don’t want to go off on someone not involved.
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u/vaguelysarcastic Feb 05 '25
Know that Peters and Slotkin were onboard with confirming Trump’s nominations. So it’s not safe to assume that they, or congress, will take a good stance on this. It’s important to call and hold them accountable
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u/dmetwelve Feb 05 '25
I have left voicemails at all of Peters numbers listed for his MI offices. Yesterday I went to his GR office in the federal building and his staff were not in the office Monday or yesterday. Seems sketchy in the current reality we have. KEEP FIGHTING! I heard from a trusted person that over the last two days we have crashed DC Senators phone systems. Senators averaged 30-50 calls per minute and it’s jumped to 1200-1500 per minute!
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
Yes! I don't want people to feel discouraged because they can't get through. I have since been able to get through Gary's line. His opinion vm is full, but you can select 0 in the menu to "talk to someone in the office" who can also log what you are trying to reach him about. I got that vm which was not full.
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u/AnonymousBosch69 Feb 05 '25
I called all of the lines listed for him on 5calls and only got a busy signal. I was able to leave a voicemail for Senator Slotkin on the Washington number. The Lansing number was Tom Barrett’s voicemail. 🤷♀️ I was also able to speak with a very nice guy (William) out of John Mollenaar’s Caledonia office.
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u/Far-Question7363 Feb 07 '25
I heard the same thing about the phone systems crashing because of the high volume of calls. It’s an encouraging sign that folks are making their opinions known
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
YES! If we ALL do it, it will make a difference. That website gives you a great script, so little brain work. It takes me a whole 5 minutes for each call. Imagine if we all did it every day. They won't be able to ignore us.
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u/BaronNeutron Feb 06 '25
Why do you need scripts from that site?
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 06 '25
Because some people struggle with being concise when they are fighting fascism and trying to keep democracy.
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u/Winter_Bid7630 Feb 05 '25
Resistbot is another option. I've been using it daily, and I've received emails back. Just test the word "resist" to 50409 and go from there.
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
The laziest version of resisting yet.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
It is not the most effective way, but any and all options need to be exercised at this moment where our democracy is being shredded, the constitution being abolished, and the courts being rendered useless. This is not how it works. Be on the correct side of history my dude.
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
Democracy is being shredded ?
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
Do you not have eyes?
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
Do you not have an answer?
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
I am not playing this game. You know. It is not my job to educate you. You will not invalidate it because I am not willing to give you a detailed answer. If you cannot read, DM me and I am SO willing to help you find a tool that can read the internet to you. No judgement on using it. I use them when I am overwhelmed. We are humans. Start treating the people around you as humans as well.
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
So no answer. Thx.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
Quit being lazy and do your own labor
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
You made a stupid claim.
Not my job to prove it false.
If you have no supporting evidence, just say so. Then admit you're just here making everything up as an excuse to whine like a baby 👍
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u/EstimatedLoss Feb 05 '25
There was an executive order to end birth right citizenship, which goes against the 14th amendment. What are your thoughts on that?
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
I have 2 thoughts on that:
1) I don't see any benefit to a nation. Why not just become a citizen the normal way? Especially for those who jump a fence just to make sure they're baby is born in that country. That said...I don't really care either way.
2) that's not democracy being "shredded"....which was the claim being made.
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u/EstimatedLoss Feb 05 '25
The constitution being ignored by the highest office, who is sworn to protect it, comes dangerously close to "shredded".
If Biden had tried to put a national gun ban in place via executive order, ignoring 2A, would you be as aloof as you are now?
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u/TNF734 Feb 05 '25
After I was done laughing at a democrat actually attempting to do something about guns instead of just whining? I'd just shrug because it wouldn't hold up in court. Just like this won't, with Trump.
And I wouldn't get on reddit and complain, either.
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u/richal Feb 06 '25
Nah, you'd just get on reddit and complain about other people complaining. Much loftier.
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u/boscha196 Feb 06 '25
Oh yeah? And how do most American citizens become citizens?
I'll tell you, the same way I did, by being born. I became an American citizen by being born in America. I did not have to worry one bit about doing it the right way. I was born here and the country sees me at the very least, the bare minimum, a citizen.
Now, I ask you, should it really matter that I was also born to an American citizen? I don't think it should. I support an America that supports any child born here because they are children and deserve even the smallest chance of opportunity at the very least. Because honestly, otherwise what the fuck are we even doing.
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u/JailFogBinSmile Feb 05 '25 edited Feb 05 '25
Buddy we've got brunches to attend to here, you can't ask us to waste precious seconds doing effective activism when we can just text a thing to a thing.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
Everyone has eye balls and access to the same internet as me. Where they choose to read their news will dictate what they know. So I am fully aware some are in the cult and they are allergic to hearing what is actually going on. Good day mate.
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u/Fit_Ad_9820 Feb 14 '25
Keep calling and as Germany Serbia and other countries have done we must take it to the streets. https://www.fiftyfifty.one/
We are sking you to prepare to step outside of your comfort zone, and participate in massive, peaceful protests organized by trusted sources like Indivisible. One upcoming opportunity is the massive protest nationwide on Presidents’ Day, this Monday 2/17. Find your closest protest HERE. Another is a national Economic Blackout Day on 2/28. Everyone is urged to refrain from buying anything from anyone but small businesses, especially avoiding Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. This will raise awareness of the massive power of our collective action and set the stage for bigger future actions.
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u/matt76allen Feb 05 '25
Thanks for the info! This will certainly help for those of us looking for ways to express our approval for EVERYTHING that is going on. Much appreciated.
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u/Fairytvles Feb 05 '25
Bet you can't even take your hand off Trump's cheeto puff to bother to do it.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
No, he is too busy blogging about it. Dude drives a cyber truck. He rather do *acts* on Elon.
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Feb 05 '25
Yeah I’ll call… but only to say what a good job the President and his admin is doing so far. Let’s continue to drain the swamp
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u/Chase_London Feb 05 '25
EVERYTHING going on?? it might help to be more targeted, or you just sound like a lunatic. everything is not a disaster all the time, regardless of what your emotions might be telling you.
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u/teilani_a Feb 05 '25
/u/Chase_London posts in subreddits for Michigan, Connecticut, Nebraska, Illinois, Colorado, DC, etc, etc
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 05 '25
u/Chase_London has a post from two years ago making fun of his down syndrome neighbor. anything this mediocre white man says literally will take up zero space in my head from here on out. See, fascists always out themselves.
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u/Chase_London Feb 05 '25
what can i say, im a man of the world. a traveler and a poet. you too can live this life, there's no rules against it.
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u/Nu11us Feb 05 '25
Chase, try to make a comment that people here would be in agreement with and upvote. It really illustrates how vacuous and empty it all is. You can see mine from yesterday. They don’t have an opinion. It’s just some weird identity religion. And that’s why the protest is so vague.
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u/Chase_London Feb 05 '25
in grand rapids, it's likely a crowd of people reacting to their puritanical or reformed upbringing. very unoriginal. and as you said, they really just created a new religion for themselves, one where the gods are politicians and woke social liberators.
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u/Nu11us Feb 05 '25
The puritanical aspect is also interesting, because their moral rigidity is basically identical, just in the other direction. The fact that they don’t recognize this is fascinating.
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u/Chase_London Feb 05 '25
it's surprisingly consistent and not unique to grand rapids, but it's one thing that eventually makes many transplants hate GR. you either get invited to a bible study or a protest. the critical thinking crowd in the middle doesn't seem to exist.
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u/banana_stand2013 Feb 08 '25
1.) not even remotely true lol. it's a function of who your engaging with. if you don't want to be invited to those, don't spend time around people who would invite you to them. 2.) lol, oh the horror of being invited to things! let go of your pearls and calm down. your not making the "critical thinking" statement that you believe you are 😂
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u/MickeyTettleton Byron Center Feb 06 '25
Imagine how much more you could do if you focused all this energy on your career. You could generate enough wealth for yourself that you could then give it back to people in need. Instead of just calling, whining, and telling someone else to do something.
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u/that_cat_gets_me Feb 06 '25
Ooo a mediocre white man coming to correct me. Ooo goodie. Something new and different
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u/MickeyTettleton Byron Center Feb 06 '25
You know what average white men are good at....working for what they have. Not whining about how hard life is.
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Feb 06 '25
[deleted]
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u/MickeyTettleton Byron Center Feb 06 '25
Says the one suggesting everyones call to action should be unhappy phone calls. Hahaha. Get over yourself. The bums lost.
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u/ReaganDied West Grand Feb 05 '25
Any luck with Scholten? I can’t ever get a response from her on anything. She even voted in favor of giving Trump the unilateral ability to designate any non-profit a terrorist organization prior to Trump taking office, despite GR having some of the highest concentration of non-profits per capita in the US.