It's been a big year for people getting in touch with their elected officials, and one South Broadway business is making it just a little easier. 12 Broadway Self Storage is letting people send faxes -- which is when you put a piece of paper into a machine that sends a slightly worse version of it to another machine somewhere else then prints it out there -- to members of the U.S. Congress for free.
“Very few people have access to them (fax machines) today and have to pay to use them,” said Zach Weinman, the man who offered up the fax machine at 12th & Broadway.
“Yet, it is often recommended people fax their members of Congress, rather than email or call, as it is a tangible method of communication and more likely to help see the views of their constituents.”
With a never-ending parade of news out of Washington this year, people are trying countless ways of talking to their officials.
Lynne Weil, communications director for Congresswoman Diana DeGette, said people have been contacting the congresswoman nonstop.
“The biggest topic by far has been the Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and replace it with Trumpcare,” said Weil. “But other major subjects for our constituents have included Russian influence on the Trump campaign and White House, ethics questions concerning the President, and decisions taken that amount to attacks on civil rights, women’s health and the environment.”
How should you contact your congress members?
Daniel Bucheli, communications director for Rep. Mike Coffman, said the best way for people to reach Coffman is through either of his offices.
“The D.C. office handles mostly all policy related inquiries and questions, while our district office in Aurora handles casework requests on behalf of constituents,” said Bucheli.
Bucheli said people are encouraged to contact Coffman’s office however they prefer. This can be done by visiting the office in person, or by contacting the office by phone, or electronic message.
Weil said Congresswoman DeGette also welcomes people to contact her office however they prefer.
“Congresswoman DeGette welcomes constituents’ input via whichever medium they choose,” said Weil. “If they happen to be at 12th and Broadway for this purpose, her office is just five minutes away.”
There has been much discussion online and offline around how to most effectively contact your representatives. This how-to guide was widely circulated in the weeks after last year's election.
Weinman said that he has had several people thank him and say that they like his idea.
“I feel it is important for all people to be represented by their Congress members, no matter which side of the aisle they sit on, and so I thought we would allow people to contact their representatives in this way for free,” said Weinman. "If anyone needs us, we'll be there for them."
(You can also send a fax from the internet, which is a network of connected ... you know what? Never mind.)
