Does Congressman Joe Baca appreciate our views and share our concerns?

I grew up in the Washington DC area, and as a result I got to know someone who worked on Capitol Hill (and still works there today, last I checked). My friend's Congressman put a heavy emphasis on communicating with his constituents, which back in those days meant typing letters and sending them back home. Obviously constituents tend to write about similar things, and there were a ton of letters to type, so there was a bit of a form letter strategy that was used to respond to the constituent letters. I can't remember whether this phrase actually appeared in this Congressman's letters, but I do recall the phrase "I appreciate your views and share your concerns." I never received any indication that this particular Congressman actually thought his constituents were a bunch of bozo idiots, but even if he did, at least the Congressman took the time to communicate with the people back home, something that I'm sure the constituents appreciated.

If Matt Munson's experience is typical, the same cannot be said of Joe Baca. Munson wrote to Joe Baca about an issue but never heard back. But Munson is a blogger, so you can guess what he did next. He wrote about it.

It is disappointing when Congressman Gary Miller who served my community before reapportionment had his office write to me even on the most insignificant of legislation, but Joe Baca’s staff is asleep at the wheel even when its legislation that is traditionally Democratic Party favored.

Baca is a Democrat, by the way. And unhappy constituent Munson is weighing his next option:

It is disappointing when Congressman Gary Miller who served my community before reapportionment had his office write to me even on the most insignificant of legislation, but Joe Baca’s staff is asleep at the wheel even when its legislation that is traditionally Democratic Party favored.

Now I don't know if Munson's experience is typical. While Baca is my Congressman, I've never had occasion to write to him. I decided to conduct a web search for the words "joe baca communicates with constituents," and I ran across this:

Esquire magazine has released a list of the 10 Worst Members of Congress, and the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Representative Joe Baca (D-CA) has made the list. Esquire states:

“As chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Baca steered CHC funds to the campaigns of his two sons. When Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez called him on it, he did the mature thing and called her a “whore.” Nice. So Baca’s corrupt and venal.”

I checked the comments to that particular post, and no one defended Baca. Well, a few people did say that Baca was right about Sanchez, but no one painted Baca as a stellar public servant.

But Baca is not alone in ignoring constituents. Forrest Wallace Cato wrote 70 Congresspeople regarding a financial issue.

The feds Financial Services Committee is composed of 36 Democrats and 33 Republications, plus Chairman Barney Frank (D of MA). In my Priority Mail package I included a copy of the official monthly publication of the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants, plus detailed info about this important association of more than 10,000 professional and active members, along with other credential establishing enclosures. I explained that I was writing to ask one question on behalf of all IARFC members who are mostly financial planners, insurance agents, broker dealers, money managers, accountants, tax lawyers, bank trust officers and other fiduciaries.

OK, Cato was lobbying, but even a lobbyist deserves some response from the 70 people who received Cato's communication. And Cato DID receive a response - from exactly one Congressman, Barney Frank.

To his credit I must report to you that Congressman Barney Frank quickly got back to me each time I sent this question. Barney Frank as you well-know is Chairman of the Financial Services Committee and most-likely he is by far the busiest, most informed, and most involved member of this important group. Yet Chairman Barney Frank made time to give us his informed thoughts and he phoned me twice. Plus his staff members phoned to offer follow-up assistance.

So why was a 1970s-era Congressman able to type letters of response to constituents, while dozens of other Congresspeople, armed with computers, were unable to respond?