Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ I would say that I agree with Tim. These citizens who have committed themselves to pubic service, do have a right to the sanctuary of their own home and time away from the job.
I would say the appropriate course of action would be a kind email explaining their concerns and a possible follow-up appointment if necessary at their office. Pamela Ellison Como Park Saint Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Erickson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "St. Paul Issues Forum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, March 05, 2004 10:42 AM Subject: [StPaul] Privacy of Elected Officials > Index of SPPS Budget Discussion > http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html > _________________________________________ > > > This post is intended to reflect my opinions as a > citizen and not as the list manager. > ---------------------------------------------------- > > Yesterday, someone in this forum, suggested that they might drop by > their council members private home to register disapproval over a > city council vote. They made it clear, that they do not know this > council member. > > This caught my eye and I've since had some offline exchanges with > several individuals about the ethical considerations or > appropriateness of a constituent dropping by an elected officials > home unannounced to complain about their job performance. > > The responses have been mixed, some of those I exchanged emails with > thought it was reasonable, others agreed with me, that it might be > inappropriate. > > I'd very much like to hear what others have to say. > > For me, this is a serious breach of an elected officials privacy. > Most of our elected officials provide phone numbers, email addresses, > and offices where they can be reached. For constituents to visit > their home, without an invitation, feel to me like a serious and > unnecessary intrusion into their private lives. > > Some have pointed out to me, that elected officials regularly knock > on other peoples doors while campaigning. However, in my opinion that > is something very different. Reaching out to random constituents by > door knocking does not feel the same. A constituent can easily turn a > politician away or refuse to speak with them, the politician is very > unlikely to press an uninterested citizen to speak with them. > > An angry citizen, on the other hand, has come to the elected > officials home with one purpose in mind. The elected official is > going to be under some pressure to drop whatever personal business > they were engaged in to respond and the constituent is much less > likely to take "I'm not interested" as a legitimate response and move > on. > > When elected officials or candidates visit private homes, it is often > because this is the most convenient means for that interaction to > take place. However, there are many more appropriate and sufficiently > convenient opportunities for citizens to contact their elected > officials. > > At the very least, I find the idea of dropping by an elected > officials home unannounced to register an opinion to be very > disrespectful at the worst an illegitimate invasion of their private > and personal lives. > > I welcome feedback on this and am completely open to changing my > position. I'd be curious about how often this kind of thing takes > place and how elected officials feel about it. > > What do you think? > > Best wishes, > > Tim Erickson > Hamline Midway > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- > ================================================= > Tim Erickson http://www.politalk.com > St. Paul, MN - USA 651-643-0722 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 105978430 > ================================================= > > > > _____________________________________________ > SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 > Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
