It's Write Your Congressman Day! Melvin Watt (D - NC)

It's fun for the whole family!

Today I decided I was going to write my congressman. He's been a non-entity in the world of Winston Salem (he's also got to worry about Greensboro through Charlotte). I went to Congressman Melvin Watt's website, filled out the form, and wrote the following:

Dear Congressman Watt,

I can't say I know much about you or have ever even really heard about you; until I looked it up, I thought Virginia Foxx was my representative.

I can't say I respect the gerrymandered district you represent. But that's not your fault.

And while Katrina suffering is important, repeated attempts to ban flag desecration (although you voted against H J RES 10?) only furthers limitations to free speech and wastes my tax dollars.

My question to you, sir: where is the legislation for your constituency? What are you doing about gas prices? What are you doing about our wasted time in Iraq? Why isn't your voting record on your website? Now that I've found it elsewhere, how did you end up as one of three members of congress not to vote on H R 1591 (that was a pretty important one)?

Fair banking practices also concern me. Congressman Kendrick B. Meek (FL) introduced legislation last year to boost financial literacy in the form of H.R. 4413-15. How did these bills not win popular support? Oil, insurance, and banking institutions are bleeding Americans dry. What is congress doing about it? What are you doing about it?

I'm sure being a member of congress is a complicated job, but I feel abandoned by my representative. That is what you are: a representative of the people of your district. Please do not forget that.

Your constituent,

Ricky Shambles

p.s. Push Inslee-Manzullo Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060, and stop an Iran war before it starts.

And then I clicked the Submit button.

And it showed me a 404 (error: page not found).

Disappointed, once more
Disillusioned, encore
I think I love you, for sure

Wait, no. Nix that last line. I was fucking pissed. Mr. Absentee (in voting and regional showmanship) has again punked his constituents.

So Congressman Watt: WTF?

Background
Here's the district:


Here's the original manifestation of Gerrymandering:


Any questions? While I'm quite happy that we can pull a democratic district out of the ass of a Bible, Guns, 'n' Muddin' South, what is this guy actually doing in congress?

From this Yankee-turned-Southerner-pre-re-Northerner: not much at all.

p.s. Fake update: I called Senator Richard Burr and Senator Libby Dole about saving internet radio. Sen. Burr's secretary was more than willing to give me the time to speak my mind and "pass it on to the Senator." Libby Dole's dance card was full. Nothing but busy signals. Yay Legislative Branch!