I didn't mean to knock any particular organization(s). I'm talking about the value of chain-letter email petitions and online guest-book style petitions. Would you take a generic list of electronic names seriously if you had a petition directed at you, without knowing which ones were constituants, which ones were duplicates or fakes, which ones were registered voters and which ones were even US citizens?

While there's nothing wrong with signing an electronic petition, one shouldn't overestimate their value compared to the kind of verifiable feedback a congressman may get from a more personalized contact. Make the effort and do the followup action.

It's bad enough that as long as campaign $ spent = votes money donations speak louder than opinions. No need to degrade your voice even further by hiding behind internet anonymity.