ANYONE WHO WORKED REMOTELY during the pandemic knows you don’t need to be in the city to be part of what’s happening in the world. That applies equally to those of us who live on small islands nobody’s heard of, where it’s easy to feel isolated and powerless.

Connectivity is a good thing to keep in mind in these fraught times as vandals in the other Washington try to bulldoze our constitutional democracy. I have a phone on my island. I have email. While we may be far from the action, there’s nothing to stop islanders from putting in our two-cents’ worth in hopes of minimizing the harm to valued institutions.

We can also be as well-informed as the next guy. I have long subscribed to the online New York Times, and to the daily political reports of Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson, one of the more astute observers and commentators on the scene today. Yesterday I got on the Substack app and subscribed to the postings of Robert Reich, Dan Rather and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D, Conn.).

Per the urging of Reich, a former labor secretary under President Clinton and currently a professor at UC Berkeley, this morning I phoned the U.S. Capitol switchboard, connected with my congressman’s office and contributed my ardent wish to purge Elon Musk from our government. If there’s a “nuclear option” Congress might employ that would blow this unelected fascist-loving billionaire out of the District of Columbia, now’s the time to push the button.

I also urged my congressman to find some way for his legislative body to flex its constitutional muscle and stop the illegal firings and shutdowns of agencies that Congress established through intricate and inclusive dances of legislation.

This morning I expected a tedious wait on the phone, listening to canned music, because of the high volume of calls. Amid Trump and Musk’s antics earlier this month, reports said the U.S. Senate phone system was receiving around 1,600 calls each minute, compared to the customary average of 40 per minute.

Much to my surprise, the phone call was quick and easy.

The phone number Reich provided in his post (202-224-3121) rang through immediately to an automated system asking me to name the member of congress I wanted to reach (or say “I’m not sure”). I was quickly put through to the office of Rep. Rick Larsen, of Washington State’s Second District. Within three rings, a live human answered my call. I was a little shocked.

The aide I spoke with listened to my concern and engaged in a brief conversation, basically agreeing wholeheartedly and obviously stating a bit of Larsen’s (and the Democratic caucus’s) talking points. But he wasn’t an automaton, and promised to pass along my concerns to the congressman.

On my second call, a live Capitol switchboard operator (perhaps the nicest sounding woman I’ve ever spoken to on the phone) directed my call to U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office. There, I got voicemail and left a recorded message. Not as satisfying, but even a voicemail should add to the tally of calls. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray also used voicemail, but at least she (unlike Maria Cantwell) recorded her own voicemail message.

I’ve decided that Monday is my new weekly “Call Congress” day. An effective use of my time and energy? Will it make any difference? Who knows. At least I’m helping to build the numbers of calls from outraged voters. More than one news story has cited that statistic in recent weeks.

What’s more, the calls were easy, they sure can’t hurt, and this is something I can do. It’s something all of us can do.

Yours in the struggle, from a small island somewhere in the San Juans.