Well, I had a week of exciting. First, the team here in the Empire defense Associates organized hundreds of Congressional meetings for two different Washington, DC fly-in, which occurred March 11. This would not be strange in itself, except that one of them took place at the Mayflower Hotel here in Washington, DC.
Yes, that Mayflower Hotel – just what the Spitzer as governor, ummm, “asleep” in February. So this server had the joy of being on the Mayflower in the news. We were so inundated with phone calls and changes to meet during the day that I have not even heard the news until I called my husband at 6:00 pm to say, without understanding the mood at all, “Well, I just finished my day the Mayflower and now I’m going home. ”
Seriously. This is what I said. The silence at the other end of the line was deafening (though perhaps he was laughing so hard I could not talk).
More important however is the fact that March 11th was perhaps one of the busiest days I’ve seen on Capitol Hill. There were literally tens of thousands of followers in the city in search of all meetings with their elected representatives. Unfortunately, many offices could not meet all the demands, and some followers were rejected.
From the perspective of a lawyer, I can certainly sympathize. It’s frustrating to go all the way to Washington, DC only to find that one of its representatives can not meet you. At the same time, as a former staff person, I identify with congressional offices. Imagine if you will, hundreds of customers, clients, patients, supporters, contributors – who come to you every day – that calls you and says, “Hello, I’ll be in town on Thursday 10-2. I would like to meet with you and I will not take no for an answer. “Most of the staff we spoke this week were in that situation, no matter how much he wanted, there was no way to accommodate hundreds of people over a period of four hours .
Frankly, the combination of a growing number of supporters present fly-ins with the decline or stagnation in the levels of staff of Congress spells disaster. I think we are heading towards a confrontation in the not too distant future. How can you avoid being part of the problem? After a few ideas, using the theme “March (just to keep things interesting):
“Beware the Ides of March” (Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar): Take I guess the board and stay away from DC in early to mid-March. Do not believe me? Write “lobby day in March 2008 AD” in the browser of your choice – will be surprised what you find. Since leisure AMA and the Association of National Park of the American Wind Energy Association, all under the sun appears in DC in early March. While in the Mayflower on Monday and Tuesday, I saw two National Funeral Directors Association and Americans for Tax Reform to carry out your day to pressure – I think it is true that nothing is certain but death and taxes.
“From March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”, also moves the event to April can help reduce the list of exhaustion. The groups organizing events in April, May, September and October tend to have more meetings and a more vigorous response by staff. “But wait,” you’re thinking, “our group has funding problems. We should not be here in March?” First, there are more ways to get your message in a simple flight DC-in (see note below). Are you sure you want to communicate with people at the beginning of the cycle of credit. Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to do this without dragging everyone in DC. Secondly, when was the last time you saw joining the Congress made its self-imposed budget / credit terms? I’ve been here for twenty years and have seen it happen yet.
“March to the beat of a different drummer” Fly-In are great, but not exclusively focused on meeting the Congress as the main (or only) year sponsorship attempt. ” Consider the example of the Library Association, which has a day “virtual legislative drafting, for members of ALA who can not get to DC for Lobby Day in May. Library supporters across the country are invited to contact their elected representatives at district, while his fellow DC. Or, take a page from the playbook of the National Public Radio. They are working with Congress to declare April “Month Public Radio Recognition” and are coordinating a flight DC-in for public radio stations and district activities throughout the month. These “one-two methods are used to amplify their voices on Capitol Hill – even in high season.
“Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour” (Ralph Waldo Emerson): Do not like the weather in March? Wait a minute, that will change. The same is true on Capitol Hill. political alliances, perspectives and positions are constantly evolving. If you are not completely satisfied with the answers you’re receiving from their elected representatives to be polite, firm and persistent – may be able to change his mind again!
“As mad as a March Hare (Alice in Wonderland): Sometimes people in Washington, DC seem as mad as March hares. When you wonder if you accidentally fall down the rabbit hole into a kind of fantasy world, it’s time to step back and realize that some things are out of control. The events can overcome even the best days in the lobby, leaving supporters of trying to have consistent political meetings, while more important things everyone’s mind are the gas prices, or storms in hotels or fancy tricks.
We remind our “map” of ideas as “back and the lawyer” – although, as one lawyer told me recently, that only applies to 04 March. Ha-Ha.
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