This is NOT a “woe is them” post to earn your pity for elected officials. When they step into the public arena, legislators assume a certain level of public exposure. But I have a question for would-be advocates and their managers: when you’re telling your volunteers about the congressional calendar, and “a day in theContinue reading “We should stop calling it a vacation”
Tag Archives: advocates
Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.
“Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.” It’s a phrase I first heard as a young lieutenant. Like many graduates of liberal arts colleges, I’d mastered the art of adding more than enough fluff to any presentation to fill my allotted time. But what my classroom instruction failed to convey was the lack of patience theContinue reading “Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.”
It can only go so badly…
It’s important, from time to time, for advocates to be reminded that their lobbying meetings can only go so badly. The reality of our work is that the worst response we can typically get is “no.” But sometimes that’s not the low water mark of a meeting. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve workedContinue reading “It can only go so badly…”
Prime time with POTUS
Are you planning on watching President Biden’s prime time address tonight? If not, why? Just a few years ago, asking that first question would prompt predictable responses. Viewership of those defining public moments was reliably high. But has it changed? I’d offer an observation to the administration about tonight’s address. Media has changed drastically –Continue reading “Prime time with POTUS”
Campaign in Poetry, Govern in Prose
This will not be the last “big deal” in this congress or administration to advance through budget reconciliation. The process has big implications for President Biden’s team…
On Hashtags, Fax Machines and Cults of Personality
I’ve been thinking about social media a great deal lately. Well, social media and fax machines. A few years back, I was placed in the awkward position of training a Gen Z intern on operating a fax machine. It was a brutal reminder that as an early Millennial my life experience has bridged the gapContinue reading “On Hashtags, Fax Machines and Cults of Personality”
Political Action Plans: Testing & Feedback
Last Thursday, I wrote about the hardest part of Political Action Planning to master: Timing. Timing is so nearly impossible to get right that it takes on the qualities of an art form, shrugging the conformity we’ve come to expect in so many other professional fields. But this week, we need to talk about theContinue reading “Political Action Plans: Testing & Feedback”
Political Action Plans: Timing
Welcome back to a series focused on helping you shape your political action plans. If you need to knock off some cobwebs at the start of the new year, here’s the first post in this series. Originally, I was going to post this last week, but the events that occurred on the Capitol grounds promptedContinue reading “Political Action Plans: Timing”
First, be grateful
There’s so much about 2020 to keep us down. But let’s find ways to find the good so we can start 2021 the right way. I say, start with gratitude. Watch below to find out the winners of the first Grateful Giveaway from Part of the Possible.
Political Action Plans: Tactics
If you’ve been checking in on this series about Political Actions Plans, you’re well on your way to identifying who you need influence in the next year to advance your agenda. But what are the tactics you’re going to use to reach them? Today, we’re talking tactics. I’m not talking about a whiz-bang data tool,Continue reading “Political Action Plans: Tactics”
Part of the Possible 