And in boxes are inundated, as people urge their congressmen to oppose military action in Syria.
The phones are ringing off the hook in Congress — and virtually no one is calling in to support military intervention in Syria.
At the office of Representative Chris Gibson (R., N.Y.), who represents a swing district, the number of phone calls and e-mails from constituents regarding military action in Syria has “far exceeded the normal volume,” says Gibson aide Stephanie Valle.
In recent days, Gibson’s office has received “about 850 e-mails on it, and out of those, 840 are opposed to military intervention,” Valle adds.
Gibson opted to go further. Instead of simply waiting for constituents to contact him, his office e-mailed to their list a survey regarding Syria. Of the 5,400 who responded, 85 percent agreed with Gibson: It would be a mistake for the United States to take military action there.
Gibson is hardly alone. Aides to GOP House members consistently say that overwhelmingly the calls and e-mails that their offices are receiving about Syria are against taking any military action there. Many Republicans have heard from no more than a handful of constituents supporting intervention. Several staffers, echoing Valle’s observation, say that, of the hundreds of calls and e-mails they’ve received about Syria, those in support of military intervention can be counted on the fingers of both hands.
Dan Kotman, communications director for Representative Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.), says that Bachmann’s office “has been inundated with phone calls, e-mails, and letters about the situation in Syria.”
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