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Congressmen spend YOUR money to get THEMSELVES reelected!!!! It's called "Franking"
Honest those are not reelection propaganda mailings. They are just mass mailings to allow me to keep in touch with my constituents!!!! Swear to God. OK, if you beleive that I have some land I would like to sell you in Florida Republican freshmen mail tab is over $9 mil Critics say mailers are just campaign fliers in disguise by Erin Kelly and Ledyard King - May. 20, 2012 10:53 PM Republic Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Republican freshmen who came to Congress last year promising to transform Washington's free-spending culture are no different from most other lawmakers in at least one respect: They mailed out millions of taxpayer-funded fliers and brochures during their first year in office. The 87 GOP members of the freshman class -- including Arizonans Paul Gosar, David Schweikert and Ben Quayle -- sent more than 25.6 million pieces of unsolicited mail last year at a cost of nearly $9.8 million, according to a review of records compiled by the chief administrative officer of the House. Freshmen represented eight of the top 10 biggest spenders nationwide. In Arizona's eight-member delegation, the three first-term members ranked first, second and fourth last year for money spent on slick mailers. The figures cover only the nine months from April 1 to Dec. 31. Before that, mass mailings were not broken out from other taxpayer-financed mass communications allowed under congressional rules. The costs include the expense of producing the mailers and the price of postage. In 2011, there were no restrictions on when the mailers could be sent. Since this is an election year, House rules prevent members from sending them close to voting time. House members cannot send mass mailers within 90 days of a primary or general election. In Arizona, members of the congressional delegation won't be able to send mass mailings after late May. The primary is Aug. 28, and the general election is Nov. 6. Critics, including Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., say the brochures amount to little more than taxpayer-funded campaign mailers in which incumbents of both parties tout their accomplishments. But supporters say the mailers are an important way for lawmakers to keep in touch with constituents and let citizens know what their representatives are doing. According to House rules on franking -- the privilege that allows members of Congress to use their signature to send official mail -- the material is not supposed to be "partisan or political in fact or tone." But the mailings approved for members of the Arizona delegation included slogans that could easily be found on campaign materials. One of Schweikert's mailers proclaims that he is "Working for You," while Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., writes that he "will continue to fight against Republican efforts to end Medicare as we know it." Gosar proclaims that he is "Working to Protect Social Security and Medicare for your generation and theirs" and that he is "Voting Yes to Remove Job Killing Regulations." A newsletter from Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., says he is "working hard in Washington" and opposes efforts by the Republican House leadership to "abolish Medicare as we know it." Meanwhile, a mass-mailed letter from Quayle says the Republican budget "saves Medicare." Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., writes in a newsletter that he has joined House Republicans in approving 28 job initiatives that have been tabled by the "Democratic controlled Senate." Steve Ellis, vice president of the non-partisan Taxpayers for Common Sense, opposes the mailers as self-promotion by lawmakers at taxpayers' expense. "This mail is really about protecting incumbency rather than informing constituents about what's going on in Washington," he said. "These mailers have always been about members of Congress bragging about themselves and getting re-elected." The mailings must be approved by the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, which is made up of three Republican House members and three Democratic members. Flake said the commission is known for its leniency. "When you can't tell the difference between this mail and a campaign brochure, then I think they're far too permissive," he said. Delegation spending Six members of the eight-member Arizona congressional delegation sent out mass mailings -- defined as 500 or more identical pieces of unsolicited mail -- in 2011. In total, they spent over $396,000 on more than 2.2 million pieces of mail. Those mailings, by four Republicans and two Democrats, were sent out from April to December of last year. Gosar, who represents the 1st Congressional District, spent by far the most among the Arizonans, according to congressional reports. He spent more than $170,000 to send nearly 366,000 newsletters and fliers. He ranked No. 36 among the 347 House members who sent mailers. Gosar said the mailings are one way for him to inform constituents in his sprawling district, which covers nearly 59,000 square miles, stretching from Arizona's northern border south almost to Tucson. The district, which is Arizona's largest geographically, is larger than 24 states. "Accessibility is one of my highest priorities which is why I held over 24 in-person town halls and 6 tele-town halls in 13 months," Gosar said in a written statement. "In all, I have reached tens of thousands of constituents. But I can't personally visit each person in my district. I respectfully disagree with critics of using franked mail who may not understand the unique challenges rural districts face." Schweikert, who represents the 5th District, which covers Tempe and Scottsdale, spent the second-most, sending out more than 155,000 mailers at a cost of more than $72,000. [Schweikert sounds like a clone of the tax and spend tyrant Harry Mitchell which he replaced.] He was followed closely by Pastor, of Phoenix's 4th District. The 11-term Democrat spent more than $70,000. Quayle, whose 3rd District includes parts of Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Cave Creek, ranked fourth among members of the Arizona delegation, spending more than $35,000. He was followed closely by Franks, whose 2nd District covers the West Valley and stretches to the California line. The five-term member spent more than $31,000. Grijalva, who represents the 7th District, which covers Yuma, part of Tucson and some areas near the Mexican border, spent nearly $17,000. Flake and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., did not send mass mailings. Giffords was recovering from a gunshot wound suffered in the Jan. 8, 2011, shooting rampage near Tucson and was was unable to work. She sent out mailers in previous years. Flake said that because he did not send out mailers, he was able to return $250,000 to the U.S. Treasury from his office fund last year. He said the only unsolicited mass mailings he sends are letters to parents of high-school students who may qualify to attend U.S. military academies. "I oppose the glossy brochures because they are frankly campaigning on the taxpayers' dime, in my view," Flake said. "Incumbents have enough advantages with our ability to get free news coverage." Embracing mass mailers Newer House members typically use franked mail more than longtime lawmakers, who tend to be better-known, according to a study last year by the independent Congressional Management Foundation. Flake said that freshmen lawmakers are being indoctrinated by veteran members of Congress, who encourage them to do the mass mailings. "They come back here to Washington, and they're schooled by others and told, 'This is what you've got to do,' " Flake said. "Often, some of the same firms who did their campaign mailers will come to them to do their franked mail." But Arizona's freshmen say they don't believe that mass mailings undermine their campaign vows to be frugal with taxpayers' money. "Communicating with constituents contributes to a healthy democracy, and people deserve to hear from their elected officials," Quayle said. "The government wastes money on many things. This isn't one of them." Schweikert said even though he sent mailers he was able to return $190,000 in office funds to the U.S. Treasury last year through careful budgeting. "Since David has been elected, he has made constituent service a top priority, and our mail program is a key part of that," said Schweikert's spokeswoman, Rachel Semmel. Ellis said it's disappointing -- but not surprising -- that freshmen members of Congress have embraced mass mailers so quickly. "It should give some constituents pause about changing the way of Washington, about whether these freshmen are doing that," Ellis said. To see examples of mass mailings, go to politics.azcentral.com.
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