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Franking

Posted at 8:34 AM on March 4, 2009 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)

The members of Congress get free postage and in the past they've created newsletter-like mailings to tout their accomplishments. These days, they've dropped the illusion of news and are treating the mailers more like what they really are -- pre-campaign literature.

In the age of 24/7 cable news, congressional Web sites, the YouTube congressional channel, Facebook, and Twitter, it's still 1857 in Washington. Members of Congress say the "franking privilege" is necessary to "keep in touch" with constituents.

Mine arrived last night from my representative -- Michele Bachmann -- touting her opposition to the economic stimulus package. Its claims were unsubstantiated and unattributed.

Her mailing isn't unusual for members of Congress. One representative -- U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett, R-New Jersey, spent more than $200,000 on the privilege in the first three quarters of 2008.

In the 2007-2008 Congressional session, a Republican proposed eliminating the free mailing. He got only one co-sponsor and the bill was sent to a committee where it died without a hearing.

An alternative bill -- H.R. 2788 -- would've required lawmakers to indicate how much money went into the production and mailing. Only two Republicans signed on as co-sponsors and it, too, was sent to a House committee to die.

Good luck trying to find out how much your congressperson is spending on the privilege. The House keeps printed copies of disclosure documents, but they're only available in Washington; they're not posted online.

Does your congressperson use the privilege? Do you read the newsletters? What have you learned from them?

Comments (4)

Keith Ellison sends them out. We've gotten a couple since he was first elected. I've flipped through them, but couldn't tell you what I read.

I never stopped to consider where the money for this came from (I suppose I assumed it came from their campaign funds). But you're right, you'd think in this day and age an online version would be the way to go; which I suspect they do have, without taking the time to actually look, but that just demonstrates WHY they send out the mailers...because going online to their websites takes more EFFORT on the part of the constituent...

But I'm not saying I think the money spent of these mailings is justified.

Posted by Joel | March 4, 2009 9:09 AM

I've already written about Bachmann's excessive use of franking privileges compared with other members of the congressional delegation:

http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=5A3E381081C00DFBFE8FF8F3DF21E6E9?diaryId=3495

The costs of these mailings are public and available at the library. It just takes a little digging--more than you'll find in a spoon-fed press release, which is where most political reporters get their stories these days.

In Bachmann's case, it's just another example of her one-way communication with her constituents. She will not respond to letters or emails in writing. She refuses to face her constituents in person unless she or her handlers are in control of the dialogue. She has not had a single public meeting in the 6th District since being elected in 2006. Her "tele-town hall meetings" are carefully scripted and participants are screened. She refuses to talk to reporters on anyone's terms but her own--and reporters generally comply with her rules of the game.

The fact that her mailing's claims were "unsubstantiated and unattributed" should come as no surprise. Since when have reporters ever held Bachmann accountable for anything she's said? Not a single local reporter asked Bachmann to explain where ACORN's billions were in the stimulus bill, for example, yet they dutifully reported her claims that it was in there. Nor do reporters question her photo ops and taking credit for federal projects that she voted against. Bachmann has been lying--yes lying--for years now without being challenged by the local MSM. Even when she is caught on tape lying, the local MSM ignores it.

How do you think she got elected and re-elected?

Posted by Karl | March 4, 2009 12:43 PM

Bob, why not call Michele Bachmann's office and request for her to substanciate her claims? Thank you for posting on this excessive use of the franking privilege.

I've gotten a few of these from Keith Ellison - but those are now more in a newsletter format, and not glossy. He sent a few early in his term that appeared to be campaign pieces.

Posted by Eva Young | March 4, 2009 6:57 PM

"Congressperson" sounds awkward. If "Congressman" is so bad, why not use "Representative" or "Members of Congress"?

Posted by Jay | March 5, 2009 3:28 PM

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