Re: Advocacy & our Legislators

[Guest guest]

great idea and I'll volounteer!

>

> Now this is an area that I do have some expertise that I could

possibly

> share.

>

> In my professional life...we often needed to advocate for federal

and

> international legislative efforts and laws. At times it may seem

almost impossible

> to get the attention of the legislators, but here are some helpful

hints:

>

> 1. There is power in numbers. Develop a clear, concise message

which can be

> spread en mass. Listservs and groups such as this are a tremendous

tools in

> organizing mass delivery of a single message to the legislators in

every state

> and possibly organizing a team to follow up on responses.

>

> 2. The message: While it is natural to want to provide as much

information

> as possible, avoid doing so in the initial letter of approach.

Bullet points

> are preferred, typically no longer than 1-2 pages in length. Begin

the letter

> with a paragraph describing the critical nature of the problem and

get to the

> point early - exactly what do you want this legislator to do to

help (i.e.

> write a letter, support a bill, write a bill, meet with you,

etc.). Use bullet

> points to outline the need and why they should become involved in

the issue.

> Include some critical supporting information as an attachment -

but do not

> overload with information yet. Explain that you can provide them

with extensive

> information if they would be interested in receiving more

information.

>

> ** It is also helpful to add a closing paragraph which outlines a

course of

> action that you plan of taking (i.e. will also be submitting same

information

> to Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, Dateline,

Primetime,

> etc.) and ask the legislator if they would be willing to be

contacted by media

> representatives regarding this issue.

>

> 3. Sometimes the best way to get national attention and get it

picked up by

> the " big " media - is to make it a " campaign " of political nature.

By

> distributing material to the legislators in each state at the same

time - it provides

> opportunity to concurrently distribute the same materials to the

big media

> resources notifying them that " legislators around the country " have

recently

> received this information. This often brings almost immediate

response and often

> concurrent response from several of the top media resources as they

think they

> are getting a leg up on the next " legislative issue " .

>

> 4. I have the direct contact information for the Editors of most

of the big

> media resources nationwide including Wall Street Journal (put a

financial spin

> to the story and they will pick it up), New York Times, Washington

Post, LA

> Times, CNN, Primetime, Dateline, Oprah, and far more than I will

list here -

> but these are the big ones to hit.

>

> 5. I can also provide a link which will give a you list of the

direct

> contacts for the Congressman and Senators for each state. Who are

the experts on

> the list who could write a good summary which we could use for

> distribution...would that be Sharon??? If we can get the summary

put together - then let's

> take that one summary along with any " supporting documentation "

that we agree

> upon is the most important to present - and distribute this among

fellow

> listmates. Would you all agree to ask any family members, freinds,

etc. - basically

> anyone that we can get to agree to simply forward this letter and

supporting

> documentation to the link we provide to them (for the legislators

in their

> state). By doing this, it is usually pretty easy to get enough of

a " mass

> response " to start getting some attention. Believe me...I have

used the same

> techniques in the past and it works!!!

>

> 6. ative and friendly legislators: We need to start putting

together

> a list of legislators who have been cooperative and helpful to this

issue.

> Since I am fairly new to the mold issue - I do not have familiarity

with that

> particular issue. However, I can say that almost any issue I have

ever had to

> deal with her on, Senator Landrieu has truly been a remarkable

advocate

> for the people and I would definitely add her to the list

of " helpful "

> legislators. Can you all make recommendations of helpful

legislators that you may have

> encountered? I will volunteer to start putting together a list and

keeping

> track of that part of it - which will be useful later to have a

comprehensive

> list handy at all times when we need action.

>

> 7. We need to start thinking about a plan of action. WHAT DO WE

WANT???

> What do we want our government to do (i.e. national media campaign

discussing

> mold in the home and workplace, establish national hotline,

establish national

> insurance program similar to FEMA, etc.).

>

> I have written numerous legislative proposals and have worked with

numerous

> congressional members on revising others. If WE can give them a

strong plan

> that they can take and run with that makes sense - THEY WANT TO BE

OUR

> HERO...America's Hero! They are looking for legislation that they

can write or sign

> onto - that heroes a cause, that is sound and most importantly -

may solve a

> problem of national importance!!

>

> 9. What bills or legislative proposals may already be in the

works. Again,

> I am pretty new here, but I think I have heard reference to some

action being

> taken. Can you all share what you may know, and I will start a

list, Again,

> this is an important step and may help us pool legislative

supporters for this

> cause, as well as possibly helping to further action on the

existing

> proposals that may need more public attention, We need to start

joining forces with

> ANYONE who is supportive of fixing this problem.

>

> 10. Has anyone ever thought about contacting entities for possible

> government funding? There are enormous amounts of government

resources available. Any

> good researchers willing to put together a team here to do some

work and

> write some letters?

>

> I have been really, really sick and can not take on a project like

this alone

> - but if we can put together a couple of teams who could work on

certain

> things - I think we could certainly get a lot accomplished and it

is really pretty

> easy to do.

>

> Jeannene

>

>

> **************

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