h/t to the League of Women Voters of #Pittsburgh

@vees When I try calling Fetterman (I know) the phone tree makes me choose to leave a voicemail comment or speak to a staffer. Which do I want? Both? I tried leaving a voicemail but somehow I don't feel heard.

@skyfaller I generally prefer leaving a voicemail. I suspect Fetterman's staffers are overwhelmed enough already.

@deliaturner Might that be a good thing? Maybe if his staffers were more overwhelmed they would quit, and he would be a less effective fascist senator

@skyfaller I've left lots of voicemails on the Philly office number. It's easy because then I can just read out the one or two sentences I wrote down in front of me.

@vees I was thrown off by them asking for my email and phone number at the beginning of the voicemail prompt. If I don't want a response can I just skip that info?

@skyfaller From all reports they are a good influence on him.

@skyfaller Yes, if you give your name and zip code that's usually enough to verify that you are a constituent and weed you out from the fake callers.

@skyfaller Not your state, but when I make these calls I choose to talk to a staffer. I use someone's script to guide me, but I try to speak off-script. It helps me gauge whether the office is actually listening or not and sometimes they're very positive interactions.

Unless the staffer is awful, I try to thank them for their time and for listening to me since positive reinforcement helps. #USpol

@skyfaller Also I had a friend who was first a lobbyist and then an office manager for a Congressperson, and I cannot overemphasize the way the system in DC continues to provide ambitious workers no matter what happens. She was a Democrat, and changed her registration to Republican during the first Trump administration to get the Congress job. That's why she is a former friend, but she had condo fees to pay and living in DC is expensive.