Nib #1: How to Start Constituent Letters

Of all the questions young conservatives on Capitol Hill face, the easiest to answer may be, “How do I begin a constituent letter?”

One cannot deny the tyranny of the blank page and blinking cursor. But when answering constituent correspondence, conservatives come to the task with a philosophical life-hack at the ready. Conservatives should always begin constituent letters with the words, “Thank you.”
 
AEI’s Yuval Levin puts the point best (as usual): “To my mind, conservatism is gratitude. Conservatives tend to begin from gratitude for what is good and what works in our society and then strive to build on it[.]”

One of the things that really does work in our society is the bulletproof understanding -- on the left and the right, in DC and around the country -- that constituent letters must be answered. It’s one of the few concrete proofs left that Washington lawmakers work for the people and not the other way around.

Every communication congressional offices receive from everyday folks back home is a tiny investment in democracy, the Constitution, and the entire American experiment. So, all you conservative interns, staff assistants, and LCs out there: if you’re ever asked to draft a letter back to a constituent, there is only one way to begin: “Thank you…”

Until next week...