Writing Homework Help

In class today we determined that while the person who represents you in the U.S. House of Representatives might represent you descriptively, they certainly ought to represent you substantively. In doing so they are better prepared to function as your “delegate” which, by the way, is their job.

Your assignment is to assess the job your representative is doing for you.

Start by going to this website to find out who represents you on The House.

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative (Links to an external site.) With zipcod 91775

Then answer these questions, providing specific evidence to support each response:

1) Is this person acting as your delegate?

2) Is this person acting as your trustee?

3) Does this person represent you substantively?

4) Does this person represent you descriptively?

Writing to your Member of Congress Assignment

For this assignment submit a message to your representative to the U.S. House of Representatives through their website. This should be a well-thought-out and articulate expression of your evaluation of an issue position held by the Congressperson. You will have to do some independent research about your representative in order to do this.

To contact your representative and complete the assignment, you will have to complete the following steps:

1. Find out who represents you in the U.S. House of Representatives.
   1. This is pretty easy to do, just go to www.house.gov (Links to an external site.) and click where it says “Write Your Representative” near the upper left-hand corner.
   2. On the next screen select the state in which you reside (presumably this is California).
   3. Next, enter your ZIP code and your 4-digit ZIP code extension.

1. If you do not know your 4-digit ZIP code extension just click where it says “4-digit” and follow the appropriate steps from there.

1. Now click “Contact My Representative”.
1. From there you might be taken directly to the Congressperson’s contact page, or to a more generic site. Either way you will be informed who represents you at that time.
2. Find and browse through the Congressperson’s website and learn where they stand on an issue that is of interest to you.
3. Go back to, or find, the Congressperson’s contact site.
4. Fill out the requisite information and write to your member of Congress telling them whether you support or disagree with their position on the issue of your choice and explain why.
5. Before pressing send on that page, take a screenshot and/or print the page.
6. Send your message.
7. After you submit your message you will be taken to either a confirmation page or sent confirmation by e-mail. (It’s possible that none of that will happen)
   1. Either way, print the content of that confirmation, print a copy of your message, and the screenshot/print-page from step 6, and upload those to Canvas (if you can, as a single document). It’s possible that you will only have your screenshot, and that is just fine as well.
8. If you have any questions just ask!

This is a formal message, so …

1. Be sure to use formal language.
2. Be sure you sign your name at the end.
3. Be sure you identify yourself as a constituent.
4. Be sure you appropriately address your “Congressperson.”
5. Be sure you state your position on the issue and indicate what it is you like or don’t like about the position of the Congressperson.
6. Let the Congressperson know that your support is at stake.