Complexity in Contacting Representatives and Senators

Why does Congress hide from contact with the public by using a system, which essentially involves secret e-mail addresses?

I recently tried to contact John Boehner to indicate my support of his program to play hardball with the Administration on raising the federal limit. In order to do so, I had to fill in my first name, last name, street address, town, state, zip code, and e-mail address. In the process, something happened wherein I had to start all over. This tired me, annoyed me, and discouraged me to the extent that I gave up and decided to write this complaint essay instead.

The Internet is a great technological development for easy communication. The e-mail system includes my e-mail address book, which comes up automatically as soon as I wish to direct my message. One click and e-mail address is in. I can then concentrate on what I really want to say without a "ring around the rosy process" of filling in a form with a lot of detail, which the recipient doesn't need, since he automatically knows who sent the message to him. By this process, I can easily ask my neighbor if he has read the latest book or plans to go to church. However, when I want to contact the leaders of my country on something important, the situation becomes more complex. I repeat the question: "Why do members of the Senate, House of Representatives, various government agencies, etc. force me to use a complex process in attempting to e-mail them?"

I might guess at a few reasons. The recipients might be afraid of getting too much information. The answer to that is they have hired staff to handle it. Too many of the messages might be considered ridiculous or inappropriate. Again, we have hired staff to weed them out. In addition, the voter has the right to be heard, whether the public official considers the question ridiculous or not.

The founding fathers were pretty good at writing the details of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, but they missed one important aspect. The First Amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting --------------, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press---------". One can use a system of directives to accomplish the same thing, without actually making a law. If the Supreme Court is properly doing its job, it would judge such directives in the same light as a law, but many of the directives are so numerous and of such small significance that the Supreme Court could not handle them. Another method is to use a complex system of impediments so that the right of freedom of speech and the press is effectively abridged. This is what is happening with the e-mail system. It has also been used effectively against Representatives and Senators alike, who submit 2000-page bills, such as the Health Care Bill, without an opportunity for reading and understanding before a necessary vote.

I guess it all lies in the intent of the recipient. If he doesn't want to be contacted, he will set up a system to make it difficult to be found. Since the system of hidden e-mail addresses is so widely used in government, it would tend to make me vote against all incumbent officeholders.