Contact Bob Schieffer ASAP

(CBS) Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.
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Before we get too far past it, some thoughts on the immigration reform bill that went down in flames last week.

The people who killed it – the politicians and the screamers on the left and the right – were calling that some kind of victory. Sorry. The legislation that went down had been loaded up with so much stuff it wasn't much of a bill anyway and probably should have been defeated. But what happened last week was no victory for either side or anyone. It was just one more example of a White House that has frittered away its power and influence and a Congress that can no longer confront the nation's problems head-on and do anything about them.

Opponents killed the legislation, but there are still 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Any suggestions on what to do with them? Opponents killed the legislation, but the security along our borders is still dangerously ineffective. Does anyone on either side believe that is a good thing? Opponents killed the legislation, but the kind of highly-educated, foreign-born specialists we need are still having a hard time getting work permits, and the hard-working immigrants who want to become good citizens will still find it difficult to realize their dream. What's to brag about that?

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Maybe he can say something favorable about Dream on his show.

I just emailed. Basically told him how, with the DREAM Act, we could kill two birds with one stone: allow reputable youth to be on a path towards earning legal status and help with the military shortage.

Katie Couric had a Dreamer in her American voices segment a while ago. Lets contact her as well.

Suggest a story of your own by sending an e-mail to Steve Hartman at Assignment America.

What makes a good story?
The short answer is...I know one when I see it. It's almost easier to tell you what's not a good story idea. Sweet as she may be, you're grandma’s 100th birthday is not a good story idea. Neither is your giant collection of Star Wars action figures. Nor your prize rutabaga. Been there, told that. Also, there's a difference between a good deed and a good story. Someone walking, biking, or even snowshoeing a great distance "to raise awareness" for a particular cause may be a very kind thing - but it doesn’t necessarily rise to the level of a national news story. First and foremost, a good feature story idea is unique. For example, if you grandma is celebrating her 100th by getting married to her high school sweetheart...I'm listening. If your giant Star Wars collection gets stolen by someone in a Wookie costume and you’ve got it on tape...I'm really listening. Or if your prize rutabaga has markings that that make it look like Oprah AND women from across America are flocking to your garden to pay homage AND you’ve got a Dr. Phil musk melon growing right beside her - done, you've got me!

Probably the easiest way to find a good story idea is to read your local paper. Yes, it's perfectly OK to suggest a really good story that your local media has covered. Don’t assume that just because a story makes news in your town that I must know about it. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee I don't. I'm one guy with one producer named Michelle (she’s the one who will be reading your suggestions) and there’s no way we can read all the major dailies - let alone all the smaller papers, local monthly magazines, and church bulletins where good feature stories like to hide.

Of course, I'm also interested in story ideas that haven't necessarily been in the local paper. But that's a lot harder. I've found when I've asked for story ideas in the past that most people suggest themselves - or a product they’re trying to sell. A self-serving story idea is usually a bad story idea. The best ideas usually come from people who aren’t related to the subject - they just heard about this person or place or event and thought it was a story all of America should know.

Finally, and most importantly, if it's a story that really caught your interest - if it's something you couldn’t wait to tell other people about - chances are I'll feel the same.

Hope this helps. And I look forward to your ideas.

Steve Hartman