that come around every so often, do any good? The latest one I just recieved, is about the illegal immigrants tapping into our social security benefits. I am to sign it and send it on to fellow e-pals.
Does it get to Washington?? Is it bogus??
PLEEEZ, try to refrain from answering, if you don't know, Or don't give a rats a**
2006-09-11 12:01:58 · 8 answers · asked by phatpatonpepper 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
They do as much good as Yahoo Answers!
2006-09-11 12:04:30 · answer #1 · answered by Dip Shït 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have signed numerous e-mail petitions, and yes, they CAN make a difference, however maybe not in a legal manner, and here is why:
Petitions need to be signed in a manner that can be verified that you are the actual signer. I could very easily type my enemy's name and email address onto a petition, or even sign it with numerous names- there are no concrete ways to avoid that when it is an online petition.
However, people actually DO print out these petitions and take it to those they are intended for (such as having them sent to the White House, etc.). What it does do, is shows that people DO care about an issue and are taking a stand. Your voice WILL be heard, however it can not be considered a legal petition unless someone actually takes steps to ensure there is no fraud, deception, triple signing, etc. that goes on.
In a legitimate petition, the person that asks you to sign will normally ask for your signature, possibly even asking you to print your name next to your signature. A signature is unique in most cases, and therefore, anyone wanting to verify it's authenticity can have handwriting experts verify that the same "signature" style does not show up more than once. Also, your name (and other info that you provide) can be checked through government databanks to verify that you are a legitimate person and not just a ficticious name.
Also, online petitions are hard to prevent foreigners (such as those from Europe, Asia, etc.) from signing a petition that is only valid for US Citizens (such as one that deals with immigration). Any signatures that are from non-US Citizens, are deemed invalid because they technically do not have a voice or say in our policies.
Next, for it to be a legal petition, the petition holder needs to have the petition pages notarized, and witnessed, and basically sign a paper- a legal document that can hold up in court, verifying that they witnessed the signatures being written or taken other steps to ensure it's authenticity. They basically swear under oath (when they sign their signature after having it notarized) that they have done everything in their power to ensure it was handled properly. So if any false names come up, or it comes out that one person signed ten names on a petition, the petition holder is held responsible for basically committing a fraud.
So while the online petitions can hit the point home that there are alot of people behind something, or against something, it is not a legally binding petition and can very easily be disputed in a court if the person who receives the petition chooses to invalidate such petitions.
So my suggestion is sign it--if it is a topic that you feel passionate about, have your voice heard. But do not expect it to have an impact legally, because it is not a valid petition.
2006-09-11 19:20:50 · answer #2 · answered by AnAvidViewer 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I sign those petitions too. I normally sign petitions through the websites of state politicians though. I know that my governor sent ours to Washington. Who knows if they help I feel like I am contributing my thoughts. Those who do not try to change things will never help a change evolve.
2006-09-11 19:07:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a serious answer. These types of activities are not legal and enforceable and carry no weight. Please be leary of giving any personal information. In the real world, these type of petitions are not considered credible information. Don't waste your time.
2006-09-11 19:10:04 · answer #4 · answered by LaContessa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does get there, though the staunch Republican side does not consider them if Bush is against them. I happen to have heard from my congressman who is republican, just not a Bus follower.
2006-09-11 19:08:08 · answer #5 · answered by Tommy D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't answer them, they are spam and will not make a difference. People start those to start rumors, and then we have to go to snopes.com to find out if they are true.
2006-09-11 19:07:16 · answer #6 · answered by son-shine 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dip is right
2006-09-11 19:07:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
if they don;t do any good it must be all bush's fault
2006-09-11 19:08:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋