Speaking Truth to Power! Presented by: Brenda Zahner, Northern Pride UniServ Director; Bruce Lear, Siouxland UniServ Director

Lobbying is really the act of advocating your position or a groups’ position on an issue that may be decided by elected leaders. There is nothing sinister or unethical about advocating for a position you or your group believes in strongly. For some, the political contributions by lobby groups are what makes the process suspect. That is true only if an elected leader is influenced more by money than advocacy. In that case, there may be a serious ethical question In America, advocating for or against a position is how free speech works.

Methods of Political Communication! Methods of Political Communication! By By phone By snail mail Face to Face!

Know your audience! A little research please! Do you have a personal connection you can use? (my second cousin taught with your Mom) Do you share common interests? Does the representative have a family? (Kids are a built in conversation starter.) What is his/her party affiliation? Has he/she taken a stand on your issue previously? Has he/she been in the news lately?

The Truth is…. Most are conscientious; Brighter than average; Trying to do the right thing, as they see it; More responsive to pressure than they think; They are more likely to do things for people they know and trust.

Some Basics Who is your audience? What is your goal? How much time do you have? Where is the meeting? Is there a protocol that must be followed? Do you know any personal information that might allow for a conversation starter?

Before your Meeting… Define your goals Gather your facts Plan your group strategy Prepare your materials

Building a message First questions… Who is our audience? What do we want them to think? What do we want them to do?

Making it Personal The Message “ Iowa schools need 6% supplemental State Aide!”

Telling Your Story How will this impact the kids at your school? What is it like to have not enough funds to meet student needs? Focus on students What will kids miss out on because of no funds?

How? We can borrow from journalism to decide how to deliver the message. Who, What Where, Why, Important Information Other details Lesser details

Who, What, Where, Why “ One of the biggest problems facing our students is a lack of consistent and adequate funding. Iowa schools have been underfunded so every education group is calling for a 6% level of funding.”

Just a Few Facts! Last Year the Legislature and the Governor broke the law by not establishing the cost per pupil 30 days after the Governor’s budget (Iowa Code (1) Expenditures for Iowa pupils lag the national average by $1,657, which is an embarrassing 37 th in the nation (Our Children, Our Future April 24, 2013). The percentage of students in poverty in Iowa now exceeds 40% based on free and reduced lunch participation which has doubled in the last 10 years (Our Children, Our Future April 24, 2013). Iowa’s funding for low-income students is 9% of the state cost per pupil well below the national average of 29% (Our Children, Our Future April 24, 2013).

Golden Rules! Politics is Consumer-Driven Help your legislator understand why your position is important to his or her constituents. Fight where the legislator lives through grassroots organizations at home. Do Your Homework Know your stuff. Understand your issue, the bill you support or oppose, and the legislative process before you approach your legislator. Know who the players are, who decides what, and which issues are hot at the moment. Information is Power The secret is the distribution of information to legislators and their constituents. Be prepared to give the legislator information he or she can use, including what you are hearing from other legislators and from people back home.

A Little Professionalism Goes a Long Way Be credible, honest, and trustworthy. Never threaten, lie, or conceal facts. Stay calm – if you lose your cool, you lose the case. Be Positive Always make your case without being critical of others’ personalities or motives. There are no Permanent Friends and no Permanent Enemies Don’t take your traditional friends for granted. Never write-off a legislator just because of party affiliation. Don’t make enemies of legislators – you may need them as friends in the future. Build a Bond, Not a Gap Research things you might have in common with the legislator. Use shared values to create easy, friendly, frequent communication with legislators. Golden Rules!

Be a Partner Be accessible to legislators and other lobbyists if they have questions or need follow-up information. Become known as a reliable resource. Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day Aim for consensus rather than for a “victory.” Be willing to settle for making progress toward your goal, getting the bill passed, and fine tuning it in future sessions. Stay Committed Remember – you are the expert!! You have a compelling, energizing reason to keep fighting until you get what you need. Golden Rules!

Let’s Practice At your table, the person whose birthday is closest to January 10 th will be the senator. The others at the table will be the lobby team. Issue: “Iowa Schools need a 6% Supplemental State Aide.”