How To Influence Your Politicians: A Guide.
 

ReadyRsv’s Guide To Effective Congressional and Senatorial Contact

We have all gotten the emails about NAI. If you STILL haven’t heard of this development, look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJCjHS0KQdc


Reading about how to effectively communicate with my elected officials I found that form letter and petitions are the lowest ranked, in terms of influence, methods of communication. Right now, all your #DENYNAI effort may be wasted!

I did some more research and developed my own couple of steps. I am in the process of setting up a meeting with one of my Senators staffers in DC next week! I have also been able to establish a context with a staffer for my local congressman and will be having an office visit in my district or a phone call very soon, as well. One of my Senators office did not take any bait but I am going to try again.

We only have a few more days to influence our future.


OK, step 1.

Write a brief introductory email, you will use this as the basis for your communication after calling the office of your rep/senator.


I am assuming most of you can write better than myself, a product of public school and state college. This is just a template of what I did. I put a few topics for each paragraph, feel free to use your own or post more in replies. The idea is a succinct, sub 1 page letter explaining: Who you are (an informed voter), what NAI is, why it's bad, what you want, offer to meet or speak.

[Brief Email Template, PLEASE DON’T COPY WORD FOR WORD]

Dear [conact name],

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the situation around NAI.

I am an airline pilot for a major airline in (XYZ) and have been for Xyears. (brief personal background, 3 sentences)

Briefly explain what NAI is in your own terms. “Why it’s bad" (3-4 sentences)
-Avoiding taxes
-offshoring jobs
-avoiding labor laws
-hurting competition
-intentional design to avoid taxes, regulation and competition
*** #1. Against treaty signed by US/EU! Illegal!


My airline employs over X people in the XYZ metro area and X people nationwide. These are very good jobs. Unfortunately, these jobs are in danger due to NAI. (3-4 sentences)
-merchant marine industry collapse
-loss of airline service to small communities
-loss of tax revenue
-loss of jobs (won’t come back to USA)
-worse safety record

I encourage you to reach out to the DOT in opposition of the approval of NAI. (2-3 sentences)

Offer to meet with or talk on phone for further info. Offer specific times you are available. (pilot schedules! yikes!)

Close with a sincere thank you sentence.


Step 2,

Sit down in a quiet spot (like your hotel room desk) and call your representative’s office. Be POLITE, identify yourself as a constituent and inform them you would like to speak with them about an issue. They will say yes. Slowly, clearly and calmly go over that email you just wrote, hitting the highlights. (That’ why we wrote it first!)

The staffer who answers will say one of a few things, but it boils down to wanting more information or getting you off the phone. Two of the three people I have contacted wanted more. Offer to follow up with your email. They may give you their own email address or someone more specific. I got a scheduler’s email address for my senator and the staffer I called in congress gave me his and the appropriate person emailed me back.

Side note: Staffers are recent college grads working for your congressmen. You need to educate them on this issue. The person in charge of aviation is just the person delegated to that job, not a real-deal expert. There are people like that in congressional staffs but they would be a committee staffer, for instance. Assume an educated person who has very little time and wants the meat of the issue and WHY THEY SHOULD CARE!

Step 3,
Send that email! (Maybe wait more than 5 minutes though, you know, since you wrote that excellent email from above, which probably took more than 5 minutes)

Step 4,
Wait 2 business days and email back if no response.

Step 5,
Schedule call or meeting.

Step 6,
Maybe do some more research! Wow! You’re actually going to DC/your local reps office/calling a Senate staffer on the phone! Better study up!

Did you know?

Deny NAI
https://www.transportation.gov/brief...-international
"The whole shebang!"
https://www.regulations.gov/#!docket...-OST-2013-0204


Step 7,
Make your case in a polite, respectful, but knowledgeable fashion. You are an industry veteran and you represent an influential (and in their wyes) most likely wealthy group of voters. Don’t forget to bring your “ask” that they follow up by using their influence to STOP the approval of NAI.

Step 8,
Don’t forget to say thanks! Send a thank you note. We will have lots more battles, why not establish a rapport!

Thanks all,
This should only take about an hour of your time to get set up, and any time spent actually interacting with congress will VASTLY effect your future.

I am just a few days ahead of you guys on this so please, those of you who have walked thescum ridden ,er ,hallowed halls of congress please feel free to correct my almost certain mistakes and inaccuracies.

Thank you for doing this. I have long overnight coming up that will be perfect for this.

Contacting the Congress: A Citizen's Congressional Directory

Forgot this link! Please share!

Great post.

Good work there. I worked on the Hill in a past life, so I hope nobody minds if I take the liberty of adding a few thoughts of my own.

The person you want to speak with is the Legislative Assistant (LA, in Congressional parlance) who handles transportation issues. As noted, many of these staffers are young recent graduates, but that's not a rule as some may be older and some will be experts in the field. This person should be your primary point of contact. Make sure you give them anything they ask for and be sure to get their e-mail and direct dial phone. Follow up any conversation with a "thank you for your time" email with facts and links to information on the issue. Make sure you give them your contact info in case they have questions. Be very clear exactly what you're asking the member to do.

Don't call them when Congress is in session. They're the busiest then. Congressional recesses are a great time to build relationships; the pace is slower and staffers have more time to talk.

Do a bit of homework on the Congressperson or Senator you're contacting. Knowing a bit about their legislative interests and their personal background can be helpful and it will help you to tailor your pitch to them in terms of what you choose to emphasize. As an example, a Democrat is likely to be more receptive to an appeal that mentions the possible loss of well-paid union jobs.

Ultimately, the ideal is getting a meeting with your Senator or Congressperson where you can make your pitch and ask to them directly. Don't expect more than a few minutes; they are busy people. If this is a member with a hub in their district or area, a group of 3 to 5 would be a good size for such a meeting as it's a reminder that they're dealing with a decent sized voting bloc of constituents.

Hope this helps and good luck to all working on this.

:rolleyes:

NEWBs.

Don't you people read and follow the news??

The Clintons perfected how to do this a long time ago.

Here's what you do...

You call up Senators Batchit-crazy and I'm-for-sale and tell them you have a very important issue that you and many of your friends need the Senator's support on. You then invite them to come to a gala fundraising dinner party to hear more about the issue and you say (...and this is key...)...

"Without you we could only get about $100 a plate, but if you commit to coming we can get $5K a plate for each of your re-election campaigns. And the best part is, "Deny NAI" is all part of our 'Airline Pilots Against CO2 Emissions' initiative!"

Hey presto!

Now you have Senators Batchit-crazy and I'm-for-sale working for you.

Step 1: Proceed to bribe with ever increasing amounts of money. When you see a crooked smile you can stop as you have achieved the optimum amount.

From the Houston (United) LEC). Get others involved.

There is 1 and ONLY 1 way to influence your politicians... have LOTS OF MONEY!! LOTS AND LOTS!! preferably a Net-worth of $1Billion or more, everyone else has zero power

And what will you say when something doesn't turn out your way and you didn't even try?

I'm a skeptic but we are the people. And they must listen to us at some point. Billionaire or not. You have to speak up or you don't exist.