Political Football

I’m bumping this MAY 08 article back to the front page – Loebsack is in town today truly – Advantage Incumbent – he robocalled the entire county on the taxpayers dime offering a one-on-one counseling session to anyone who needs help after the flood. right.

Go – Miller-Meeks!

(BTW the link is dead to this DSM Register article – probably moved to archives.) -pf

My (clears throat) Representative, Dave Loebsack, has sent out almost twice the amount of pieces of mail as the next highest national representative from Iowa. Probably over looked the several letters I sent him… He meant to reply… How saturation mailings like that can’t be considered political advertisement is beyond me; but I’m voting for Miller-Meeks in the primary to win back that seat. She’s working hard to get her name out – and I like her! http://millermeeksforcongress.com -pf

Link to original article

Washington, D.C. — The chatty, glossy postcards and newsletters from Washington that regularly land in Iowans’ mailboxes might resemble campaign ads, but they aren’t.

They’re unsolicited mass mail shipped from Iowa congressional offices courtesy of the frank, which is mail sent at taxpayer expense.

Franked mail is a perk of incumbency as old as Congress that appears to be as popular as ever for House members who face the voters every two years.

Four members of the Iowa delegation in the House distributed more than 1.1 million pieces of bulk mail in 2007, a review of House records by The Des Moines Register shows.

Rep. Dave Loebsack of Mount Vernon, a freshman Democrat who narrowly won in 2006, reported sending out 479,616 pieces of mass mail to his eastern Iowa district. That ranked him No. 1 among the Iowans.

The four members in total spent close to $238,000 in postage on mass mail in 2007. They continued to ship it out this spring prior to a cutoff tied to the June 3 primary.

The fifth Iowan, Rep. Steve King, a Kiron Republican, did not report sending out any mass mail.

The appeal is understandable, critics say. “It is an easy way to build a good image in your district without having to spend campaign funds to do it,” said Pete Sepp, communications director for the National Taxpayers Union.

“They border on campaign ads in many cases,” he said. “There are just enough facts and pieces of business in them to make them of minimal value as a communications tool.”

Aides to the congressmen say they help Iowa constituents with information on what Congress is doing and give guidance on how to obtain a flag, get D.C. tourist information or cut red tape.

“It’s part of his role as a representative to the people,” said James Carstensen, chief of staff to Rep. Tom Latham, an Ames Republican.

A look through mail sent by the Iowans this year and in 2007 found many photographs of the members themselves, as well as of children, farm scenes and small towns; bold headlines; and self-promotion.

- “A good teacher knows what it takes to help Iowa’s children succeed,” was the headline on a mailing from Loebsack, atop a page-sized photo of a child drawing on a blackboard.

“A good Congressman knows how to provide the tools students need to succeed,” it added, next to a smaller photo of Loebsack.

• “How Congressman Leonard Boswell is fighting to make our nation more energy independent and reduce global warming,” read a headline on a page-sized mailer from the Des Moines Democrat sent earlier this year.

• Rep. Bruce Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, sounded the alert on recalled toys as Christmas 2007 approached, with “Congressman Bruce Braley’s Special Report on Toy Recalls.”

Braley, in a mailing, warned Iowa constituents of the dangers of the Dizzy Ducks Music Box, Curious George Plush Dolls and Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top.

• Latham offered a “Tax Tips and Resource Guide for Your 2006 Tax Returns” during filing time in April 2007.

In the fine print on all, as required by law: “This mailing was prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense.”

Mass mail is considered to be unsolicited mail of 500 pieces or more.

It is covered by the frank, which allows members of Congress to send out all kinds of mail — including news releases or responses to constituent inquiries — under their signatures without having to pay postage.

The postage costs, however, are deducted from their office expense allowance.

A December report from the Congressional Research Service says that overall franking costs were $34.4 million during the 2006 budget year.

Separately, a study by the Associated Press said House members spent $20.3 million on bulk mail in 2006.

The franking total was far less than the peak of $113.4 million in 1988, though still too much for some who’d like to curb mailings.

The size and number of photos of members on mailings are regulated by a bipartisan franking commission.

Members also can’t send out bulk mail within 90 days of an election, though the window opens again this summer, once the primary in Iowa is over.

Aides to Loebsack said the mass mail he sends out is part of a constituent outreach program.

“After replacing Jim Leach, who represented the 2nd District for 30 years, Congressman Loebsack feels it is imperative to make certain people in the district receive as much helpful information about his office as possible,” said press secretary Gabby Adler.

She said the office has received “overwhelmingly positive feedback” after each mailing.

In second place among the Iowan congressmen was Latham with 270,786 mailings in 2007.

Carstensen said Latham “does pieces that he feels are within his role as a representative to the federal government.” For example, said Carstensen, the “tax tips” mailer attempted to assist taxpayers with their returns.

Third was Boswell, with 214,298 pieces of mail.

“Communicating with constituents is an important part of Congressman Boswell’s job,” said his chief of staff, Susan McAvoy.

She said the mailings include information on legislation that the congressman has authored or cosponsored, and also provide updates on district events and projects.

“Newsletters also reinforce some of the congressman’s important priorities, which may not get covered in the daily press,” McAvoy said.

Braley, another freshman Democrat, was fourth among Iowans with 201,614 pieces. Jeff Giertz, his press secretary, said Braley seeks to communicate information and let constituents know about town meetings.

As use of technology has expanded, the leaders also send out e-mail newsletters and conduct “telephone town hall” meetings, where thousands of Iowans are contacted via automated phone calls and asked to question a congressman.

But Sepp said there’s still nothing like a piece of mail. “It’s very powerful,” he said.

Reporter Jane Norman can be reached at (202) 906-8137 or jnorman@dmreg.com

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