To the Editor-

In their November 22 article "Constituents' E-Mail on XM Deal Not Well Received" Birnbaum and Hart raise a critical issue to our democracy.  Policy-makers in the Executive and Legislative Branches feel overwhelmed by citizen communications, and, because so much of it is identical, they find it increasingly difficult to manage and trust. 

Policy-makers' distrust of citizens' messages can make them less inclined to consider public comment in their decisions.  This not only undermines public opinion of the issue at hand, it undermines the very foundation of civic participation.  This skepticism, in turn, can lead to public apathy. In a democracy, citizens' voices must be heard, but they must be the genuine voices of real citizens.  Technology offers great promise for citizen engagement, but it also provides tools for ersatz advocacy and disingenuous tactics. 

To help realize the promise and eliminate the bad practices, the Congressional Management Foundation is working with Congress, the public affairs community, technology vendors and others to devise recommendations for citizen participation in ways policy-makers can trust and value.  Only through understanding and collaboration can technology be employed in ways that will enhance public participation and benefit both citizens and policy-makers in the long run.

Sincerely,

Beverly Bell
Executive Director
Congressional Management Foundation