Citizen Lobbyist FAQ
Who is the resident expert?
Since we are talking specifically about housing, it is important for you to find out who the housing liaison is in a particular Member’s office.
How should you communicate your message?
Letters are very effective, but because of Congressional mail protocols – think anthrax scare of 2001 – letters take longer to reach Members. (This is not the case, of course, for state legislators.) Facsimiles transmittals and email are much more efficient in some cases.
Where should I visit my representative; district office or Capitol office?
This question goes to the timing of your particular campaign. When Members are in session, their appointments can often stack up like planes at Reagan National Airport. There are advantages and disadvantages to meeting in either location. Circumstances, your familiarity with the Member’s patterns, or certain information about their schedule gleaned from a helpful secretary or a newspaper article might give you just the edge you need to make the right decision.
How do I get results?
Lay the groundwork with the staff at first; build consensus with them, and work your way gradually to the principal. Nobody likes to do the dirty work, but everybody wants the results: fact is you can’t get one without the other.
What do I say to make them listen to me?
Learn to make the appeal resonate with them; bring it back to them “where they live.” If they cannot make the connection between what you want and what that means to their constituents – even their families and loved ones – then you will have great difficulty getting them to listen.
Why should I learn more?
Politics is often compared to horse trading: just because you checked the mare’s teeth doesn’t mean she won’t wake up lame tomorrow. The fact is that politics are often played out against a complex backdrop, filled with what for you may be unknowable facts. The Member you see today and plead your case before could have made a deal against your interest months before your meeting. However, the time you invest in your due diligence might pay off in a way you cannot immediately foresee. Maybe it’s figuring out when a daughter has a basketball game, or a son is graduating from college that will give you the edge you need to be successful. It might be cliché, but knowledge really is power.
How can I learn more?
Here are two excellent books and a great Web site to get you started:
Ralph Nader presents A Citizens’ Guide to Lobbying, by Marc Caplan, Dembner Books, 1983
Lawmaking and the Legislative Process; Committees, Connections, and Compromises, by Tommy Neal, National Conference of State Legislators, Oryx Press, 1996
Visit:http://Thomas.loc.gov