How Little Politics Influences Big Politics

We've all heard how "top of the ticket" (President, Governor, etc.) influences the "down ticket" (State Legislature, County Government, Etc.) races.  It's easy to understand, uninformed voters look for the party at the top of the ticket, or the person who inspires them running for the larger office, and as a result they vote for people of the same party all the way down.

That's not always the case however anymore.  With so much gridlock at the state and national levels, more and more policy is being enacted at the local level.  And with good reason - There is less resistance there.

Part of the reason there is so much legislative gridlock at the national level is because there is so much research and vetting required to make national policy that by the time an issue is ready to debated, much of it has been watered down.  And that is before the horsetrading of the legislature steps in to muck it up further.

On the local level however that vetting process has a much less rigorous review, and there is much less to trade.

As a result, policies at the local level are passing much more quickly than the state and national level.  Just take a look at the most recent hot-topic issues - the sharing economy:

Uber has found more success and challenges city by city than state by state.
AirBnB is being challenged with local policies differing city by city.

Or look at how established industries are being affected:

Development and construction are finding more success with local negotiations than reforming state regulations
Natural Resources find it easier to get easements locally than working with the natural resources regulators

Or look at how regulation is affecting industries such as supplements

More legislation on the use, sale and distribution of synthetic supplements is occurring at the local and state levels than at the national level because of the backlog of reviews at the FDA.

As such local politicians are being seen as more effective in dealing with complex issues that higher levels of government are neglecting.  As such, they are influencing policy and debates at the higher levels, and this is a trend that will likely lead to lower level government elected officials being able to supplant those governing above them as they get more exposure on these key issues.

5 Quick Ideas - Issue Communication Interally

Government and politics are an interesting industry.  Everyone has an opinion on them and are convinced they are right and knowledgeable on the issue - even when they absolutely are not.  Nowhere is that more clear than when you attempt to discuss your organization's position on an issue without the proper context.

You will no sooner state your position than your phone will be ringing off the hook with upset members of the organization telling you how wrong you are.

That is why when you're communicating on an issue that involves government and politics you have to walk a very thin line to do it successfully.  Here are some of the ways to better position your success.

START SIMPLY AND EARLY - When you know an issue is going to be popping up, start as early as possible.  If you don't know an issue is going to pop up, try some very simple messages on an issue.  The earlier it is discussed, the more understanding you can lead to.

INVITE FEEDBACK - Give people an opportunity to express their opinion.  Do a survey, hold a meeting, send an email... whatever it takes to give them the opportunity to express their opinions, the more comfortable they will be that their opinion was heard.

FRAME THE VANTAGE POINT - More than just framing the issue - which is absolutely necessary - you should also frame the vantage point from which you are assessing an issue.  How will this impact the business?  The industry? The organization? The employees? The suppliers?  What are the perspectives from which people should be considering the issue - and ESPECIALLY how can they take it off of their personal opinions?

RESEARCH - The real reason that under-informed people argue over political and policy issues is because they base their position off of opinion, something they heard, or from a personal response.  However when presented with a lot of information that dispassionately leads to a different position, they are more apt to open up to a differing point of view.  Provide that research - legal, statistical, empirical, etc. and shape it into a discussion the can relate to - in other words, tell a story with the research.

REPORT FEEDBACK - Let people know that you have heard them.  Show both sides of an issue, and guide the discussion.  Show ways in which the information is leading the organization.  They may disagree, but they will at least see that they were heard.

These steps - if nothing else - give you an opportunity to point back and say "We've been discussing this issue for a while, and you have had your opportunity to weigh in on the issue.  However from the position of the organization, this is the best course to take."  Even when the issue is unpopular, at least you have the opportunity to present the other side in a detailed fashion.

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The Devils in the Details

One of the hottest issues hitting local government right now is addressing the issues of short term rental housing.  Or - how cities can regulate VRBO, AirBnB, HomeAway, etc.

The issues are more or less the same in every community.  Too many parties.  Too many cars.  Too loud too late.  Too many on my block.  Or some combination / variation thereof.

There are a number of arguments that we can go through here from Property Rights to Community Integrity.  Not the purpose of this post.

On the October 20, 2015 city council agenda the City of Anaheim decided to address this issue through extending their moratorium on issuing any new permits related to any vacation rental homes.

Sounds innocuous enough right? I mean sure, it's anti-business, but its a measure to take while you are studying the issue and impact and figuring out the best course for the city moving forward.

There is just one small problem with their proposal.  There are plenty of these rentals that already exist.

And if you read in the details of the proposal, they plan to deny any of the permits related to such businesses - INCLUDING the renewal of business licenses, existing conditional use permits, or any permits for planning building or construction.

Let me translate that -

• If your annual business license is up for renewal in the next six months - you just lost your business
• If your conditional use permit is up for renewal - you just lost your conditional use permit and your business
• If your water heater breaks and you need a permit to put a new one in - you just lost your business

You read that right.  In an attempt to stop any NEW businesses while they address this issue, they effectively said all existing ones would be shut down if they come up for any work with the government in the next six months.

The question you have to ask yourself is - what little things like that are being snuck in on you and your business?

5 Quick Ideas - Addressing the Prioirites of Others

One of the interesting things you run into after defining your issues in your efforts and knowing what is most important to your organization is the fact that you've got some great ideas, well narrowed down, and ready to go... but which one do you start with?

Here's where the Government Affairs Program loses control over its success somewhat - because it is subject not just to what is important to you.

So here are some quick questions and ideas to re-harness that control -

WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY PRIORITY? - More importantly, where do your issues coincide with those priorities?  Simply put, finding success through partnership is more valuable than fighting the tide, especially early on in the process.

WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE DECISION MAKERS? - If you are working against your elected officials - or the people who are making the decisions on your issue - you are going to have a difficult path.  Is there an issue you can work on with them, or convince them on, to become more successful in your efforts?

WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU SHARE WITH OTHERS? - Are there partner organizations, affiliates, or advocates that are also looking to promote ideas similar to yours? Can you work with them on this?  Can you share resources?

WHAT ARE YOUR OPPONENTS PRIORITIES? - Knowing where those on the other side are coming from - and if possible the amount of resources they are ready to commit to this issue - will help you figure out if you are ready for that fight, or if you need to build up success in other areas?

HOW WELL DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES? - Face it, you are in the mix of this issue.  You know it inside and out.  You've studied it, researched it - you almost feel you've beaten it to death.  Here's the thing... no one else has that level of familiarity with this issue.  Knowing whether or not people even understand your issues is essential in knowing you need to put your issue forward.

These quick thoughts will help you define and promote your issue.

 Previous Posts About Issues and Priorities:
ISSUES THAT DEFINE YOU
SETTING YOUR POLICY PRIORITIES

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5 Quick Ideas - Setting Your Policy Priorities

Now that you know what you are working on, knowing how and when to work on them is even more important.  It is about setting priorities, and knowing how to do it is key.

A great place to start a quick and easy understanding of how to set priorities is the Center for Creative Leadership's guidebook on Setting Priorities.  From there you can look at the issues you have and start your process -

1. Start with what is most important to your members - What is the core issue that matters to them?  if you don't know, do some outreach - surveys, questionnaires, one on one interviews... get feedback.
2. Figure out if one issue depends on another - Finding out if one issue will have better success if something else is in place is an important piece in finding success.  Putting the pieces in order will help you accomplish this goal.
3. Determine if the issue needs to be broken down into pieces - Some issues are too big to be taken all at once.  And without a lot of clout behind your organization - or success in the past - you aren't going to be able to tackle the big initiative with ease.  That isn't to say you can't do it, but maybe its better to break it down into pieces and tackle them one at a time.
4. Is it "Core" to your mission? - Slightly different than what is most important to your members is the relationship your issues have with your mission.  In other words, how central is the issue to what your organization accomplishes?  Is it essential to move that to the front?
5. Flexibility will determine your success - In the next installment we cover some of the things that may change what is possible priority wise.  But for now, think about how flexible you can be on your issues.  Can you reorder them based on what is possible?  Being able to do so may help you find real success.

Move the Ball

Keep in mind, what is important to your organization is still important.  And the mission critical and member demanded items are your first priority publicly.  Remind people what your goal is constantly, even if its not what you are currently working on.

Success doesn't mean that your issue is passed in the manner you expect in a time frame you dictate.

Success is measured by your ability to move the ball.

5 Quick Ideas - The Issues That Define You

Knowing what you stand for is a key element of being successful.  It also defines what others will be committing to when they want to support your efforts.  Because of this, defining your issues is critical.

This is a guide to help you maintain and define what issues will be important to your effort.

SET BOUNDARIES - You would be surprised how quickly you can get sucked into an issue you have nothing to do with.  It is why we defined this as key in getting started.  Define who you are.  Define what matters to you.  Define how you get involved in issues.

ESTABLISH PROCEDURES - There are going to be issues that aren't your core issue that you still need to address.  Know how to get there, ways to engage issues, groups you can partner with.  And then define procedures for issues that are core to you, and those that are not your core.

CLARIFY YOUR POSITION - Knowing what you stand for is one thing, being able to get others to understand is another.  Spend the extra time figuring out how others can understand what you are communicating to them.  The clearer your comment is, the better the response will be.

PLAN FOR WHAT YOU DIDN'T EXPECT - Identifying the issues that matter are one thing.  Its the issues you didn't think of that will get you.  How are you going to address those?  How are you going to advocate for these issues?  How are you going to get approval to move forward?

UNDERSTANDING PRIORITIES - What's important to you is not necessarily important to the body deciding the issue.  Seeing what their issues are and where your ideas might intersect will help define what you can accomplish in the near and long term.  You want to have success, and it may not come first in your biggest issue.  That may be a good thing.

Issues done right with the right leadership will be the success of your program long term.

How You're Going To Lose Your Future Advocacy Efforts

Advocacy has fundamentally changed.  We've all seen it.  What worked even 2 years ago, isn't necessarily effective anymore.

• Letter campaigns are now screened for harmful substances and are not timely.
• "Call Your Congressman" campaigns result in ticks for an up or down vote only.
• Email campaigns are almost ignored if they look like they are mass-produced.
• Congress members and staffers are less trusting of advocacy groups.
• Fly-ins are costly, difficult to manage, and only a few people are there.

However this is how just about every organization addresses their advocacy.  You need to keep doing this and add to the discussion. Your effort is an important addition to the noise, but its not enough.

Some have some creative alternative ideas -

• Meeting their elected officials "in their districts" meaning at their local offices.
• Working with local staff to get the message delivered back to capitol staff.
• Attending local events in support of the elected official.

These are all examples of a great next step.  The problem is most organizations stop there.  And it STILL isn't enough.

The problem honestly is, they are only hearing from YOU.  Your issue, your problem, your message.  The more organizations fill the space talking about only themselves and their own issues, the less impacting your advocacy efforts are going to be.

Being effective in the future will mean bringing in groups that aren't your members, your peers, your industry, your influence group.  Being effective will mean bringing in other groups to speak on your behalf:

• Coalitions
• Affiliated groups
• Leaders outside your core group

Truth be told, in a few years that too will not be enough, because everyone else will be doing that.

If you are going to stay the same, you are going to lose as you get swallowed up by the noise.  You need to change, evolve, and be two steps ahead of the pack.

Money will only be able to go so far in politics.  Efforts can only be so effective.  If you want to truly succeed long term, you need to be planning now for what your effort will look like in several years.

Why Do We Have The Filibuster?

So Obama and the Fast Track Trade Bill avoids a Senate Filibuster.

Here's what we are talking about if you don't know - CLICK HERE.

Now this isnt a discussion of that issue.  There are very deeply held beliefs on both sides of this issue.  What is important is how it passed the Senate and avoided a Filibuster.

Whenever these things pop up we always hear "Why do we have the Filibuster?"

Simply put, the Constitution provides for all manners of dissent to be heard.  The Filibuster is part of that.

And believe it or not despite recent issues you've heard in the news, it isn't very common.

It also always seems that the party in power wants to get rid of it, and the party that isn't loves it.  Which is also why its important not to abuse the Filibuster.

In the end, the Filibuster is an important tool to make sure the minority is heard, and that legislation isnt forced through without the consent of the people.

When I went to work on the Hill, the person who ran our orientation asked a very interesting question -

"What is the purpose of Congress?" she asked.

The half sheepish half snotty answer given typically was - "To pass laws?"

"No, the purpose of congress is to stop bad laws from getting passed."

That's why we have the Filibuster.

Sweet Home Chicago...

Did you know that Chicago has more architecture styles, and more bridges over rivers than any other city in America?

The bridges thing is fairly self evident.  What isn't as evident is the architecture styles.

If you ever get the chance, take the architecture tour.  It is amazing that the city has been so supportive of different architectural styles, especially with so many cities trying to "maintain character" and disallowing anything original because it doesn't fit with the buildings around it.

Yes, you preserve a look, but what you end up with is homogenous and vanilla.

Many groups do the same thing with their political efforts.  "This is how we do things."

That's really great and all, but you are missing an opportunity.  Because politics isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition.  You need diversity in your approach, in your efforts, and in your execution.

Otherwise you end up with homogenous and vanilla.

Know why that's a danger?  Your opposition knows EXACTLY what you are going to do.  Which means they know your playbook and can manipulate it to their advantage.

Sometimes you have to switch things up.  Do something people are familiar with, and change it to be your own.

Maybe that's why some of the Chicago institutions -

• Giordano's
• Gino's East
• Lou Malnati's

switch up the order of ingredients on their pizza...

Questioned Motives

This week Apple's top leadership was before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to be questioned about their practices for paying taxes when an interesting thing happened.



Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) apologized to Apple CEO Tim Cook on behalf of the subcommittee. 

This seemingly strange move (strange in that most US Senators don't apologize for much of anything) has been called into question now by several sources. One of the most interesting of which is Open Secrets.

While it is something that would raise an eyebrow or two, just because its out of the norm doesn't mean it has an ulterior motive.

If you watch the complete hearing (available on C-Span) you can see the complete context of his commentary, and if you have followed the Senator's career for any length of time you know that he represents a very limited government, libertarian viewpoint.  So it stands to reason that he would be quick to push back on government attacking a company for complying with federal laws as they exist (and as was defended by the senators themselves and the first panel at the hearing).

So why are organizations calling into question Sen. Rand Paul's commentary?

Because he is flying to Silicon Valley this week.  People claim it is a suck up to tech-execs.

Regardless of any of the perceptions on the issue of Apple, their taxpaying practices, or Rand Paul, the point stands...

You have to realize people will question your motives.  Don't be afraid of it, prepare for the eventuality.

Rebrand or Rebuild - Advocacy decision...

Organizations regularly run through challenges to the importance of their advocacy brand.  The second something goes wrong people immediately look for a new image.  However that's not always the best strategy.

Consider the NRA.  People love or hate them, there is very little in between, and that's just fine with them.  When they come to a policy they believe in, they stick with that message, even in the face of opposition.  Their first stab at responding to the horrific tragedy in Newton, Ct. was met with great resistance.  But here is their message four months later.

CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE AND VIDEO HERE

The message hasn't changed.  Brand attacked and they stuck with it.  Step away from the emotion of the issue, and look what they've accomplished.  They have altered the discussion from one of reaction to a tragedy to one of discussion of policy.

Now some have labeled their effort as less than sincere, or flat out pandering.  But that isn't the issue.  What is the issue is that they didn't let attacks, even celebrity led attacks from the likes of Jon Stewart or Jim Carrey, both hugely popular and extremely biting in their commentary on the NRA.  Still the NRA held firm.

Being involved in politics means you will have resistance.  Its the nature of the game.  But you have to stay true to who you are and what you believe.  Failing doesn't mean Rebranding.  It means Rebuilding.

And one last thought on your program and rebranding... Would you rather be -





or

Developing an effective presence in today's political environment

In this article (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47969.html), POLITICO explains how the REALTOR Party is the next wave in developing an effective advocacy effort.

As this article explains, "some experts envision a day when industry groups will not only hit up their individual members, but their corporate accounts for campaign cash as well – and then target their spending in ways that have less to do with Democrat or Republican, and more to do with who is pro or con on their big issues."

“The business community is figuring out they need to be their own best advocate,” said Greg Casey, president of the Business Industry Political Action Committee, which helps companies set up voter registration and education programs aimed at their employees. “There is a lot going on. In some cases, the Realtors could be the model.”

Added Jan Baran, a Republican campaign finance expert who consults with corporations: “Realtors, auto dealers, lawyers, they are going to want to be politically effective, and a large measure of their influence is that they are present everywhere.”

“Electing and re-electing REALTOR friendly candidates is an integral part of protecting the industry. During the election, REALTORS were the driving force in triggering the candidates’ understanding that stable and sustainable housing markets are the central component of our economic recovery.”

"The Realtors’ campaign differed from that of such large trade and business groups as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in that it was built around one industry and targeted at a subset of candidates with clear records of advocating on housing issues while serving in Congress, a state legislature or on the job."

Awaiting the State of the Union

As we await the newly re-elected president's address to congress and the nation, we look for some major initiatives to come out.  And what are most people saying they will be?

• Tax / Deficit / Budget reform
• Gun Control
• Health Care strengthening

Everyone wants to know, what will those reforms be?

The Presidential State of the Union in 2012 - AP

The bigger question to ask is, will any of it actually happen?

With a deadlocked congress, an unwilling Senate and an obstinate House... there is only one way to get anything through.

Over reach

Lay out the case for every single possible thing you could ever want.  A political version of an eight year old's Christmas List.

Then negotiate down.

The compromise will be exactly what he wanted in the first place - another raising of the debt ceiling for a period of time, a few reforms to gun licensing (enough to keep the purists at bay and the stalwarts happy), and maybe a budget...

How can this strategy work for your organization?  How can you get what you want by asking for too much?  But even more importantly...

What is your organization asking for in the first place?

What Lays Ahead in 2013?

Winston Churchill once said -

"The Empires of the future, are the empires of the mind"

This year provides us all an opportunity to create our empire. Which begs only one question, what is yours?

Do you need to advance public policy?  Seize the moment now.

Do you need to build your PAC? The investments begin today.

Do you need to enhance your political presence in the community?  What are you waiting for.

No one will do it for you.  Your adversaries aren't going to wait.  Your thoughts are only good when put into action.

So get out there and build the empire in your mind.

Standing up for what you believe

What does it take to have an impact? The willingness to stand up for what you believe.

Today the Maryland Association of REALTORS(R) stood up for homeowners everywhere and got the Senate to table removing the mortgage interest deduction from millions of homeowners taxes... The ONLY interest group out there that PROTECTS homeowners...

You can read the news story HERE

And they were well received, note the quote from the Senate Committee Chairman -

"If you are going to reduce that when people are looking at buying homes, that difference may make the difference on whether they purchase a home or not," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mac Middleton said.

Great job REALTORS(R)! As for your organization... what are you willing to stand up for?

See the images from the day HERE

Rulemaking - how good laws go bad

Even when you've done your job to the best of your ability, gotten support, consensus and then passage, you still have one more spot where it can all go wrong - rulemaking.

Whether its regulatory, internal staff, or just the implementation procedures, you can still see your hard work disappear without your knowledge if you dont have a hand in the rulemaking process.

Your last ask in the process of getting your issue passed is to offer your assistance to work with staff to help them make the rules.

This is especially important the smaller and more localized the government entity is.

Why? Simply put part time elected officials rely on full time staff to carry out their "vision."

If this "vision" isn't theirs, because it's YOURS, then you need to stay on top of that effort

The Other Side

Do your arguments stack up to what the other side is coming at you with? You had better be prepared for what they are bringing otherwise your argument is lost.

Here's a good guage of how you know where the holes are in your argument -

1) What would you say to shoot down your arguments? Yeah not that creative, but its where you stard. follow it up closely with what your peers would say.

2) What's been said in the past? Has the issue been addressed before? if so what was raised and how could you adress those issues? Did those old arguments expose new holes?

3) Are they giving you their game plan? If you know who is coming out against you, do they post their materials online? You'd be surprised at how transparent even the most seemingly sophisticated groups are when it comes to their advocacy strategy. Use it against them if you can.

3) What does the average person say? take your issue to a friend who doesnt have much of an opinion on your issue, they are most likely to theow you the curveball that will catch you off guard.

Know your issue, know your weaknesses, know your opportunities, and try to prepare for the inttangible... from there you will have a successful strategy.

Are You At The Table?

There's an old saying in politics -

"If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu."

What are you doing to make sure your organization is at the table on issues that concern you? There is a simple way to make sure you are invited, follow these steps -

1) State Your Issues - Send a letter to elected officials and staff explaining the issues of importance to you, ask that they include you in any discussions.
2) Follow Up - Send an email, a phone call, take 'em to coffee... whatever it takes to make sure they get it.
3) Monitor - Look up the agendas, read what's going on, keep in touch.
4) Make Friends - If you have a strong coalition in place, they can help keep you in the loop if they come across something.

Set it up right and you'll spend more time looking at the menu than wondering if you're on it!

The Intangibles

Just like you can't account for weather in your game, there are outside forces that don't show up that you need to be aware of and account for.

Sometimes an elected official will agree with you, however there are other forces that prevent them from being publicly in support of your position. That doesn't mean they can't be helpful.

When you are faced with this situation, call on the individuals influence. They may not be able to vote for you, but they can probably find you someone who will.

Know it.
Use it.
Reflect it (internally).

What's Your Box Score?

Often with policies, the end result isn't as simple as a "yea" or "nay" vote. Even more so much of what you are trying to do is a process more than a one time deal.

Knowing this, the best way to gauge how you are doing is by knowing how far you've come.

Identify key interactions on each policy, and rate each influence maker on those interactions:

- Did they meet with you?
- Were they receptive to the discussion?
- Did they agree?
- Did they support?
- Did they sponsor?
- Did they co-sponsor?
- Did they vote in committee?
- Did they vote on the floor?

Those number show the work that goes into this, much more than a final score does.