Help with an essay?

[NineThePuma]

Hey, GITP. Friendly neighborhood puma here.

I've got an issue with an essay. Namely, a letter to my local legislator about budgets and tax exemptions and stuff. I don't want to get in trouble with the rules, so I'm not asking for actual help with the essay's content, but more it's layout and setup.

As with most current political issues, the issue ties into the economy and goes back long enough that me looking at the surface of the issue and not looking beyond that will feel shallow. But I don't have the ability to spend weeks reading up on years of state budgets. Does anyone have suggestions on how to set up my essay in such a way as to be passably fulfilling the requirements (write a letter on the subject) without coming off as either an unschooled hooligan or an overwrought and self righteous preacher?

[DeadManSleeping]

It's pretty likely SOMEONE has written on this subject already. Find a source, cite it, and you're in.

Granted, if it's about politics of any kind, any source you find will be disastrously biased, which will be helpful if you can find a source that supports your side, but there will be facts left out no matter what.

[Cyrion]

How focused can your letter be? If you can narrow the subject matter down to just one or two issues- let's say effects of the budget on local schools or community maintenance (roads, power, services, etc.)- you make your life substantially easier.

For example, if you went with the schools option, you could get an appointment with your local superintendant who would probably be happy to talk to you about those issues.

If you can focus the topic, you can also make the letter substantially more personal, and this will make it seem more genuine. Keep your letter to logical and factually supported points and keep your language mature and professional to avoid your hooligan preacher extremes.

[Form]

A little bit of research would be still be good if you have the time to get some facts to refer to or back you up. When writing the letter some humility may also be in order to avoid coming across as preachy, just don't overdo it.

And be civil and polite of course, but you knew that already.

[snoopy13a]

It sounds like this is an assignment for some sort of class. So, you should write a well-researched letter and argue one side of the issue with logical arguments. Don't worry about what the legislator's reaction. Chances are you'll just get a form letter from someone on their staff thanking you for your input. Your real audience is whomever assigned you to write this letter.

[grimbold]

It's pretty likely SOMEONE has written on this subject already. Find a source, cite it, and you're in.

Granted, if it's about politics of any kind, any source you find will be disastrously biased, which will be helpful if you can find a source that supports your side, but there will be facts left out no matter what.
dead man is right there will be issues with politics, try to find sources that agree with the legislators policies
i would recommend using a business letter form
there are plenty on about.com

[Anxe]

Accuse the legislator of not increasing taxes to a necessary level because he is concerned about re-election. In like flying!

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

without coming off as either an unschooled hooligan or an overwrought and self righteous preacher?

Hey. Hey. I thought you said this was politics.

Seriously, though, as somebody else said, pick a few narrower fiscal issues and research those. Once you find them, depending on the assignment, either just pick a side and stick to it, guns-a-blazin' (if it's an argumentative essay), or discuss the flaws and merits of the simpler issues and how the legislator plans to handle them; this may not tell you the best answer, but it will tell you how s/he thinks fiscally.

[Contable]

Sorry for possible off topic but once I was browsing for material for my essay and found a tool that types an essay by a given topic. All you do is type in a topic an then press any key to reveal the text (gamification, lads). It's hilarious! Actually all it does is copying from wikipedia or others but I cracked up in a second. Maybe someone know its name?