I am appalled at President Bush’s veto of a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq. The facts on the ground in Iraq make it clear that there is no military solution to our problems there, and the majority of Americans and Iraqis want US troops to leave within the next year. The president has a responsibility to the American people, and cannot continue down this path, with blatant disregard for the wishes of the American people.
It is about time that Congress stands up to the Bush administration, and this veto should not change that. The best option Congress has is to continue to offer President Bush bills that include a timeline for withdrawal of troops. This administration cannot be trusted with a blank check to fulfill its empty promises. We need a political solution for Iraq now.
Get to know the tone and style of letters selected by your paper.
Check the length of the letters your paper publishes. As a rule, shorter is better.
Write your letter in response to an already published article or editorial. The sooner you send it out, the better your chances; it’s best to write your letter within one day of when the article you’re referencing appeared.
Pick one point you wish to make and stick to it.
Make your first sentence short, compelling and catchy.
Use local statistics and personal stories when you have them.
Use legislators’ names. If your printed letter mentions a Representative or Senator by name, be sure to clip it out and send it to them.
Your letter should be signed and must include your address and telephone number or it won’t be published. The paper may call to verify that you wrote the letter.
Be patient. It may take you several tries to get a letter published, but even unpublished letters have an impact.
Work with friends or groups. Letter writing is a great group or volunteer activity, and the more letters on a given subject, the greater the chance that one or more will be published.
