i have a different take on it. often a congressperson or senator asks me not for money but to show support that would make his/her job easier. a representative who can show congress what the public wants theoretically has more of a chance of making that happen than one who doesn't. sometimes it is a matter of helping your rep stay in office, in which case knocking doors or helping people get registered to vote would be a good course of action that citizens can do, that reps can't do alone. sometimes it's about an initiative that may end up on a ballot; knocking doors or talking to friends about why to vote for or against an initiative, and voting for or against it oneself, is what is needed. yesterday i went to a labor day bbq hosted by my congressman, who is running for attorney general of my state now. he's a good guy and he wasn't asking for money. he was asking for help getting out the vote (not just for himself). i see nothing wrong with that. but if you don't like getting email from your elected officials, it's easy enough to get off the list.

g

So true. Usually means send money