Campaigns & Elections' Politics - February 2008 - (Page 60) Playbook (continued from page 59 duplicate messages to distributing the chief of staff ’s direct number so that he or she can do nothing but answer the telephone for two days. These practices get noticed, but they tend not to influence members’ positions. More likely, they anger members, and they can do serious damage to an organization’s reputation. Campaigns that make a difference win support through strategy, a persuasive position and genuine grassroots support, not through gimmicks and aggressive tactics. Every grassroots campaign has its own goals, and not all are intended to influence public policy. However, when campaigns are designed more to make noise than to make a difference, it becomes increasingly difficult for congressional offices to manage and trust the communications they receive. In the long run, this can make them less inclined to factor public comment into their decisions, which not only undermines the issue at hand, it undermines the very foundation of civic participation. Technology provides great opportunities for citizen engagement, but it also provides tools for ersatz advocacy and disingenuous tactics. The challenge for organiza- Some practices will just annoy members of Congress and damage your reputation. tions designing grassroots advocacy campaigns is to use the most effective and most thoughtful practices so their voices are heard now and continue to be heard well into the future. The writers are with the Congressional Management Foundation. Tim Hysom is the organizer of the fall 2007 Communicating with Congress Conference and Kathy Goldschmidt is a co-author of Communicating with Congress: How Capitol Hill is Coping with the Surge in Citizen Advocacy. Both conduct and publish research through the Communicating with Congress project. Da ta ma tch es of all kin ds Ra ce and eth nic cod ing Mi lita ry hou seh old s Fast turnaround Superior accuracy Surprisingly affordable prices ● ma tch es NC OA ser vic es Me rge /pu rge Tel eph one National, state or local Exclusively for Democrats (and those like minded) Ho me ow ner /re nte rs tat Ne us w/u sed car ow De ner cea shi sed p cod ing /su pre ssi on Re lig iou sh ous eho lds Ho me val ue inc om e ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Est im ate d ● ● ● ● APT Data Services (703) 923-9720 contact@aptdataservices.com 60 Politics February 2008
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