We’ve let policy-making become a spectator sport. We read about the state’s urgent needs, we talk with friends about how bad health care/ oil dependency/ campaign financing problems have gotten, but we think we don’t have time to do anything about it.
So I’ll make it easy for you (us). If you look below, you’ll find the names and e-mail addresses for all the legislators in the Triangle. Then, just click on the e-mail address, copy the following letter and paste it into the e-mail, write “Rx for NC” in the subject header, and send it off. Each one will take less than a minute. It’s based on our reporters’ findings in this week’s cover story about the most important issues the General Assembly needs to address this session. If you’re not comfortable online, you can write it out and mail it to your legislators at 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh, N.C. 27601.
We have about 200,000 readers in print and nearly 100,000 more a month online. If just one out of every 20 sends a message, that could mean 15,000 people telling our legislators to pay attention to the most fundamental problems we face. So what are you waiting for? Take a few minutes to make a difference. Here’s the letter:
Dear [NAME OF LEGISLATOR HERE],
I urge you to support legislation this session that will create a high-risk health insurance pool, expand publicly financed elections, create a Renewable Portfolio Standard to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, extend the moratorium on mega-landfills, support the Land for Tomorrow program, oppose any legislation that would make it harder for undocumented workers to get drivers’ licenses, support tax reform that doesn’t fall on the poor, and support a moratorium on executions.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME AND HOMETOWN]
There are many other issues touched on in this week’s issue; please add the ones that are most important to you. They are all important to the lives of every North Carolinian.
Here are the names of the Triangle’s legislators. Their e-mail addresses are their first name followed by the first letter of their last name (all one word), then @ncleg.net. So, Wake County Rep. Dan Blue is Danb@ncleg.net.
Our representatives on Jones Street are:
WAKE COUNTY
Rep. Dan Blue, Rep. Marilyn Avila, Rep. Linda Coleman, Rep. Nelson Dollar, Rep. Ty Harrell, Rep. Grier Martin, Rep. Deborah Ross, Rep. Paul Stam, Rep. Jennifer Weiss, Sen. Janet Cowell, Sen. Neal Hunt, Sen. Vernon Malone, Sen. Richard Stevens
DURHAM COUNTY
Rep. Larry Hall, Rep. Paul Luebke, Rep. Mickey Michaux, Rep. Winkie Wilkins, Sen. Bob Atwater, Sen. Jeanne Lucas
ORANGE COUNTY
Rep. Bill Faison, Rep. Joe Hackney, Rep. Verla Insko, Sen. Ellie Kinnaird
