If you live in DC, do you call Eleanor Holmes Norton about particular issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

Uh, duh, she's balck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

Uh, duh, she's balck.

What's balck?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't call her. She doesn't have a vote and basically everyone in DC is on the same page so she's not getting conflicting direction from voters. And if you call other reps, their staffers generally blow you off if you're not a constituent. I'm not sure what to do, frankly. I guess you could call friends and family in purple or red states and try to sway them to call their reps. Literally all of my friends and family live in blue states though.

I don't call her b/c I think she is ineffective. It's true that she doesn't have a vote, but she can't influence anyone either. I wish she would go away. We need to elect someone else!

[Anonymous]

Has everyone seen this?
https://youtu.be/XaadfwY5bw4
Censorship is a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

She hasn't burned any bridges. She's just old and ineffective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

She hasn't burned any bridges. She's just old and ineffective.

She is ineffective. But she's also alienated even Democrats on the Hill. She's made herself basically irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

D.C. is a dead end politically. There is no where to go and you have zero power or influence. You can bet that if DC had a vote in Crongress EHN would have faced real opposition long ago and probably wouldn't be "representing" DC today. I find her unecessarily abrasive and her manner distasteful so I disregard her entirely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's DC. If you don't have lots and lots of connections on the Hill you're doing it wrong.

Exactly. So why does DC, all of jurisdictions, have a past-her-prime "representative" who has burned just about every bridge on the Hill?

D.C. is a dead end politically. There is no where to go and you have zero power or influence. You can bet that if DC had a vote in Crongress EHN would have faced real opposition long ago and probably wouldn't be "representing" DC today. I find her unecessarily abrasive and her manner distasteful so I disregard her entirely.

+1

[Anonymous]

Why to have representation then, if our rep does not have any influence?

(Honest question)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why to have representation then, if our rep does not have any influence?

(Honest question)

Honestly, as it stands it almost purely symbolic. When the Dems are in control, they sometimes throw a bone and give the Rep some voting rights but it too, it more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. As soon as Republicans take office, it's almost always one of the first set of powers stripped.

No Republican wants to add another add seat in Congress that is almost certainly (and forever) going to be held by a Democrat. If DC had a Congressional Rep. that had an actual vote in Congress, the position would be taken more seriously and be more competitive. Until that changes, its really a hack elected position. EHN probably likes to think she is fighting a good fight and carrying on her civil rights work from decades ago but sadly she is a has been in an irrelevant place.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little disappointed by how few proactive replies there have been. Rather than debate the merits or failures of our current DC Rep, can we refocus on what we CAN do? I like the ideas mentioned above about calling ranking members of committees and/or putting together a phone tree of people you know in other states who will call on your behalf. Those seem like effective options. I won't lie, I've gone one step further and decided to make my childhood district my adopted district, calling everyone who would have been my representative if I still lived there. My cell phone still has that area code and my mom still lives in the house I grew up in, so why not? I know this isn't an option for everyone, but maybe you can find a willing collaborator who'll let you call in on their behalf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a little disappointed by how few proactive replies there have been. Rather than debate the merits or failures of our current DC Rep, can we refocus on what we CAN do? I like the ideas mentioned above about calling ranking members of committees and/or putting together a phone tree of people you know in other states who will call on your behalf. Those seem like effective options. I won't lie, I've gone one step further and decided to make my childhood district my adopted district, calling everyone who would have been my representative if I still lived there. My cell phone still has that area code and my mom still lives in the house I grew up in, so why not? I know this isn't an option for everyone, but maybe you can find a willing collaborator who'll let you call in on their behalf.

Well since the original post specifically asked about EHN, that's probably why so many have weighed in about her uselessness. Maybe starting a new thread with a different focus would yield proactive suggestions.

I am taking measures similar to yours -- calling my parents and asking them to email/call their Sen. & Reps (especially if they are Republicans) to hold them accountable and make their voices heard.

[Anonymous]

I always vote against Eleanor Holmes Norton but sadly she keeps getting elected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why to have representation then, if our rep does not have any influence?

(Honest question)

Honestly, as it stands it almost purely symbolic. When the Dems are in control, they sometimes throw a bone and give the Rep some voting rights but it too, it more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. As soon as Republicans take office, it's almost always one of the first set of powers stripped.

No Republican wants to add another add seat in Congress that is almost certainly (and forever) going to be held by a Democrat. If DC had a Congressional Rep. that had an actual vote in Congress, the position would be taken more seriously and be more competitive. Until that changes, its really a hack elected position. EHN probably likes to think she is fighting a good fight and carrying on her civil rights work from decades ago but sadly she is a has been in an irrelevant place.

I loathe quoting Trump, but his oft-used Twitter message ending unfortunately is spot-on when it comes to EHL still being in Congress: "Sad."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why to have representation then, if our rep does not have any influence?

(Honest question)

Honestly, as it stands it almost purely symbolic. When the Dems are in control, they sometimes throw a bone and give the Rep some voting rights but it too, it more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. As soon as Republicans take office, it's almost always one of the first set of powers stripped.

No Republican wants to add another add seat in Congress that is almost certainly (and forever) going to be held by a Democrat. If DC had a Congressional Rep. that had an actual vote in Congress, the position would be taken more seriously and be more competitive. Until that changes, its really a hack elected position. EHN probably likes to think she is fighting a good fight and carrying on her civil rights work from decades ago but sadly she is a has been in an irrelevant place.

I loathe quoting Trump, but his oft-used Twitter message ending unfortunately is spot-on when it comes to EHL still being in Congress: "Sad."

EHN. And yes, it is sad. DC deserves better.