Chapter 3Citizen Advocacy

Citizens■ You and I !!■ We are responsible for working to change

laws that are not helping to solve problems.■ We are responsible for working for new laws

& policies to address problems in our communities.

Advocacy■ The art of persuading others■ Must carefully gather facts.■ Must develop excellent communication

skills.■ Must create effective plan & schedule.■ Must decide what level to address

■ (local, state, or federal level???)

Guidelines for Advocates

Before you can start advocating, one must carefully think through these steps:

1. What is your issue?2. Set your goal.3. Become an expert on your issue.4. Recruit allies, identify roadblocks.

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5. Identify your strategy.6. Plan for SUCCESS!!7. Work with the media.8. Create a resource pool.

3 Golden Rules■ CLARITY – create one message and stick to

it■ QUANTITY – establish a large network to

support cause■ FREQUENCY – broadcast your message to as

many people as possible as often as possible.

To Lobby■ Influence the lawmaking process.■ Convince lawmakers to vote as you want.■ A lobbyist is often viewed negatively.■ Lobbying involves rights such as……

■ Freedom of speech■ Right to assemble■ Right to associate■ Freedom of the press

A Lobbyist■ A person that tries to convince a lawmaker

to vote for or against a law.■ You can be a lobbyist !!■ You can lobby alone.■ A group of people that support the same

issue can also lobby.■ Lobby in person or via written letters.

Special Interest Groups

■ A group of individuals with a common cause or issue.

■ There is a special interest group for almost every cause & issue. There are MANY, MANY!!

■ Look at this list of Special Interest Groups.....

ProfessionalLobbyists

■ You can be hired to be a lobbyist!■ Businesses and organizations hire lobbyists

to influence legislatures at the local, state, and federal levels.

EXAMPLES: National Rifle Association Handgun Control, Inc.

■ Professional lobbyists must register with Congress

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■ Professional lobbyists must file reports 4x a year stating:■ their clients■ bill they are working on■ How much $$ they have been paid■ Amount of $$ they have spent lobbying

++ Advantages ++■ Professional lobbyists advantages:

1. have more $$ to work with2. know legislatures and their staff personally

■ Citizen lobbyist advantages:1. join with others – very effective2. legislatures pay attention to voters also

Criticizm■ Many feel lobbying is “buying” legislature’s

vote.■ Lobbyists DO provide $$$ to political

campaigns.■ It is TRUE those that provide $$$ may have

more access to meeting with the legislatures.

■ It is TRUE that lobbyists may have influenced votes.

Democracy?■ Many feel lobbying is important part of our

democracy.■ Many claim using $$$ and influence is a

LEGITIMATE (OK) way for opinions to be heard.

Voting■ HISTORY OF VOTING VIDEO CLIP■ A basic Constitutional right.■ Must be 18 to vote■ Must be a U.S. citizen■ Must be a resident (live) in the community

you register in.

■ Voters choose:

•President•Vice President•U.S. Senators & Representatives•Governor•State Legislatures•Many other state, tribal, and local officials

Voting for Laws■ Usually citizens vote for legislators who vote

for laws on our behalf.■ Sometimes citizens can vote themselves for

laws.■ Some say it is better for citizens to vote

themselves.■ U.S. is technically a Republic (not

Democracy) since we elect representatives to vote for us on some laws – citizens do not vote for every single law.

History & Factsabout Voting

■ African Americans men weren’t allowed to vote until 1870

■ Women gained right to vote in 1920.■ Native Americans whom were granted

citizenship could vote - all granted this in 1924.

■ Voting taxes, reading tests, and character exams were used in some states until 1956!!!!

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■ 18 year olds allowed to vote in 1971, per the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.

■ Convicted criminals usually lose right to vote.

■ Some states return the voting right when sentence is complete and have waited five years.

■ Voter Identification

Initiatives■ A procedure allowing voters direct power to

propose a law by a petition.■ Requires a certain number of registered

voter signatures.■ IF enough signatures are obtained, and

process carefully followed, initiative will be placed on ballot for next general election.

■ Simple initiatives require simple majority approval.

Examples of Initiatives

■ California voters passed initiatives that denied public services to illegal immigrants. (later ruled unconstitutional)

■ California voters passed a law making all forms of “preferential treatment” illegal based on race, gender.

Referendums■ A legislative act given to the voters for

approval or rejection.■ EXAMPLES

■ Gun control■ Gay rights■ Abortion■ Environmental protection■ $$$ for schools, parks, roads

Examples of Referendums

■ Maine voters repealed (cancelled) a law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation!!! (meaning it was OK to discriminate)

■ This passed (51% to 49%) due to low voter turnout – bad weather to blame.

RecallElections

■ Allow voters to remove elected officials.■ In 2003 California held a recall special

election to replace Democratic Governor Gray Davis with Republican Arnold Schwarzenneggar.

■ California voters blamed Governor Davis for an electricity crisis & the budge crisis that followed the dot-com crash. Voters were also unhappy with Davis’ record breaking fundraising efforts as well as negative campaign tactics.

Campaign Finance Reform

■ Spending $$$ to get elected. HOT ISSUE!■ 200 years of trying to change!■ Getting elected is VERY expensive.■ Many say you have to be “RICH” or a

successful fundraiser to get elected at the federal level (President, Senator, etc.).

■ Creating/changing rules about $$$ to be used for elections is challenging and important.

Critics Argue1. “Regular” people cannot run for office

because of lack of $$$2. Special interest groups get favors in

exchange for huge $$$ contributions3. Elected officials spend more time

fundraising than doing their jobs.

HOW to Solve?■ Shorten campaigns?■ Give each candidate public money (our

taxes)?■ Give each candidate free tv/radio spots?■ Other ideas?????■ Is it possible to write “rules” without a

loophole being found by a special interest group????

■ Do “rules” violate a candidate’s rights?BEYOND THIS CLASS!