South Carolina lawmakers have removed their taxpayer-funded email addresses from the Internet, substituting a much less personal (and presumably less read) electronic feedback form in their place.
Lawmakers will continue to have access to a taxpayer-funded email account, but those email addresses will not be provided to constituents.
The changes – which affect every member of the S.C. House of Representatives and State Senate – come at a time when voter frustration with incumbent politicians is at a fever pitch. Some see it as lawmakers erecting another barrier to their constituents, while others say the feedback forms allow them to provide “better service.”
From a practical perspective, legislative staff tells FITS that the new system is designed to prevent Nigerian spam emails from bombarding lawmakers’ accounts.
Mmmm-hmmm.
Because lawmakers, obviously, can’t be troubled to hit their “delete” buttons.
By Mab November 24, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hey Lolly Lolly.
I bet Jakie’s was the first one gone.
By CNChapin November 24, 2009 at 11:11 am
Well, that works as it just means we’ll have to show up at their offices in person and scream at them. They think they are being smart, but they’re just ensuring that their heads will be on the chopping block and their lives will be harder to live with thousands of screaming constituents in the halls. Check and mate you lying thieves!
By bleaster November 24, 2009 at 11:46 am
There’s simple JavaScript to get around having spiders pick up email addresses on a web page.
By Ynot November 24, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Interesting they accomplish this change right now, with Sanfraud on the chopping block?
Nigerian spam hahahahhahahahaaaaa
more like constituents
By sid November 24, 2009 at 1:04 pm
All you need to do is use the form. If they respond, you have their e-mail address. Many have auto-responses, so you’ll get the address whether or not they address your specific point. Maybe FITS can do a public service and gather the addresses, then offer them to the public. You can even send a message to everyone at once with the new system, rather than entering each address.
I don’t have a real problem with the form, as it might better ensure an individual message comes from an actual constituent. Sure, you can lie about where you live, but if you’re going to do that, then you deserve this kind of system. There’s still plenty of other contact info, and I think most lawmakers consider calls and letters to carry more weight, anyway. Hell, some states don’t even have e-mail for every elected official.
By RP November 24, 2009 at 4:16 pm
So much for Government of the people, for the people and by the people.
By bob November 24, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Really? You mean the lawmakers of SC want to hear from us less?
Well, there’s a simple answer to that. Vote them all out and get new ones. This group won’t have to hear from us that way.
By Richard November 24, 2009 at 6:25 pm
This one is Annette Young’s brainchild.
By scooter November 24, 2009 at 8:03 pm
No,no. I enjoy emailing them. Seems like I will be calling more than before.
By BIN News Editorial Staff November 24, 2009 at 8:21 pm
There is nothing here but a willie scam. Everyone can still contact their elected officials. Just use the feedback form. sic(k) willie is such a moron. Trying to paint everything as a conspiracy to dump on taxpayers.
If he can’t find a legitimate scandal, he creates a willie scam.
By cfd007 November 24, 2009 at 10:18 pm
If they really want to hear what we say then they’ll give us their address. I have my Senator’s and congressman’s personal address along with their home phone number.
By blackjack November 25, 2009 at 7:40 am
Maybe these jobs in the legislature were more than they bargained for. Let’s vote them all out.
By Dave T. November 25, 2009 at 9:15 am
Personally, I feel for the Nigerians. That’s a boatload of lost potential business…
By Georgia Bulldozer November 25, 2009 at 10:16 am
There’s only one solution: fire all incumbents when they’re up for re-election.
By Patriot November 30, 2009 at 7:11 am
Term limits enforced by the voters, all the incumbants must go!