Ghosts in the Machine

(This post was originally called "Rage Against the Machine" because I was just so ANGRY at first that this was happening to me, but I've calmed down a little so the title's changed.)

You know how when you have a problem with bureaucracy, sometimes people say "Call your congressman!"? Well I did! Or more accurately, I wrote several of them.

It's a long story with a lot of facts, so I composed some notes; then I drafted letters and sent them by email or fax as appropriate.

 

When I called to follow up, the short summary of what their offices could tell me is:

Galveston county: We got your fax but you aren't a constituent of our district. Sorry, call the other guy. We faxed your letter to his office.
Ron Paul's office (the other guy): Uhm we didn't get that fax. But you should probably talk to your local representative in Virginia. It's best to just have one office on it anyway.
Local representative's office: Check. Got your fax, we can definitely help you. Let us get on it and see what we can do.

Now it's still a waiting game, but at least I have one more set of muscular arms (metaphorically speaking) on my side. And, since the magic of the Bureaucracy Machine shuts down on weekends, I have two worry-free days ahead of me. ... Yay?