CLSA Legislative Alert...Sample Letters...

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Please consider revising the sample letter placed on the CLSA website after reading this post.


· When inundated by letters, legislators (or their staffs) tend to read only the first paragraph or sometimes only the first sentence of those letters. In doing so, they are looking for two things: (1) why are you writing and (2) what’s your position (yes or no).

· They also tend to (1) count the number of letters received and (2) the positions presented. In other words, if they get a 1,000 letters and 990 of them urge a “no” vote, that’s important and that’s all they are looking for. In most instances, they really don’t care about a lot of detail or reasons why they should vote yes or no; they just want to know in which direction most people seem to be pushing.

· Lengthy letters like the one on the CLSA website really won’t do you much good so keep your letter brief and to the point (Note that the sample CLSA letter does not suggest stating a position in the first paragraph).