Letter to the editor

[Greg in LA]

I'm writing a letter to the editor of the Santa Clarita Signal. The local news paper of the area I live in. It's aimed to get a response from our Congressmen, to start holding meetings during the August recess.
Please be my editor and see if you can improve this letter before I submit it on Monday.

Thanks.

Congressmen McKeon, afraid to meet with his constituents?


With hugely controversial legislation on immigration and amnesty for millions of illegal aliens having passed the Senate in June, Attention has now shifted to the US House of Representatives, as immigration legislation is reportedly being introduced shortly after the August recess.

It’s important for our Congressmen to hear the views of constituents during the August recess. August recess is the traditional time Congressmen return to their districts and meet with their constituents. Yet it seems Congressmen McKeon is missing in action.

I am sorry to say that since the Senate’s amnesty and immigration surge bill S744 passed the Senate, I have contacted Congressmen McKeon’s offices no less than eight times, in writing, phone and in person, and none of my letters or calls, have been responded to. McKeon’s offices are also unwilling to disclose the Congressmen’s current positions on amnesty for illegal aliens and immigration.

One can only wonder why the unwillingness to meet and hear the views of those the Congressmen is suppose to represent, and inform his constituency of his own thoughts regarding legalization of illegal immigrants as well as the Senates proposed vast increase in immigration rates?

Is Congressmen McKeon going soft on amnesty?

Is Congressmen McKeon working behind the scenes to depress the wages of millions of Americans by flooding the labor markets with millions of new work visas?

Why is Congressmen McKeon so afraid to meet with his constituents this August recess?

One can only wonder why?

Sincerely,
Greg

[Ayatollahgondola]

I can't really add anything here Greg. The LTE are a bit out of my league. I'd say send it, and let any critique come from any responses you get to it. Then taylor your next one to the strengths of that

[Greg in LA]

Thanks for the reply, Ayatollah, I think it needs to be improved just a little. I'm going to work on it on Sunday.
A critique from others here would still help.

[ilbegone]

It's well written and easily understood, send it in and hope for the best.

It depends on the publisher and editors if:

It is printed at all

Printed in its entirety

Shortened and clarified

Edited until the message is gutted

Edited and rewritten until it is barely recognizable and the message is changed but still has your name on it.

Generally, the shorter the better, usually less than 300 words. It seems the local / regional paper in my area has unofficially reduced that maximum to about 150 words.

A couple of times I have had opinion pieces of over a thousand words printed, the one publication (semi regional distribution) placed it in a column normally reserved for op-ed or similar views, the other was a local distribution periodical in which the editor recognized the whole piece was needed in its entirety to make the point - one of the very few pieces I have contributed anywhere which wasn't edited in some fashion.

The editor always has the last word and sometimes allows the occasional contributor to be an idiot (I have taken my turn in that box more than once), it always helps to make the point while being carefully tactful and scrupulously fair as well as demonstrably accurate.

[Greg in LA]

Thanks for the input Ilbegone.
Your an excellent writer. and very talented verbally.