grassroots

Most people hate confrontation.  But given that “politics is people”, and about people agreeing and disagreeing, effective participation in our political system will inevitably call for confrontation.  Bank on it. 

In many cases, people are quick to compromise away principle just to avoid having a confrontation.  And others may have intially got in to politics as "hard chargers”, with a mind to reform the system or address certain issues, only to find that their determination gradually wanes because of the sluggishness of the process.  Before they realize it, they become co-opted into the system and are ready to compromise before negotiating even begins. 

The most effective confrontation is persistent confrontation.

Our form of government relies heavily on the feedback and involvement of its citizens in order to operate effectively, or least for the people it's meant to govern. 

That means you help government operate more effectively by contacting elected officials on a regular basis. - whether they like it or not.  But just remember that the old adage that “it’s not what you say, but how you say it” applies. 

How you say something can be just as important as what you say.  As Senator Hubert Humphrey once said, “The right to be speak does not necessarily include the right to be taken seriously”.  If you have something important to say about your government, take the time to say it in the most effective way possible.

When it comes to local lobbying, the process is a little different because the local legislative process is different. 

The biggest difference between local and state (or federal) lobbying is that there is usually just one chamber to deal with, (a council or a board), rather than two.  The following is a brief description of one example for a city council.

So you want to know more about the legislative process?  Glad you asked!  Because if you want to have an impact on something you need to understand it first.

This will be the first in a series of entries geared to give you a better understanding of how the process works at all levels, then we'll talk about how to have an impact on it.

The slow motion sausage factory

All levels of government in our country have procedures that enable a bill (a proposed law) to become law.  By knowing how this process works, you’ll be better equipped to influence legislation or to engage in any basic lobbying activities.