VISITING YOUR LEGISLATORS
Important Points to Remember
s you visit your state or federal
that body, and often the staff. Con-
legislators, you will want to be
sider how party politics might shape
Amindfulofvariouscharacteristics yourapproachtoyourgoal.
of the legislative process. These qualities
influence how policy is made, including
4. Legislative proposals may be weighed
the effect of your interaction with
congressional staff. Remember the
subjectively.
They
are
often
following points about the legislative
considered not only on their merits
process, knowing that policymaking is
but also on these basic political
not a straightforward process:
questions:
How will the bil affect the legislator's
1. The legislative process is deliberately
reelection prospects?
complex, ensuring that proposed new
What
are
constituents
(citizen
laws and policies receive the fullest
voters) saying about the issue?
possible
consideration.
Most
bills
What are the views of the news
introduced never receive any action
media, community and business
at all, and few of those considered
leaders, and local interest groups?
become law. Also, a legislative pro-
What will be the impact on the
posal may be introduced year after
economy and jobs?
year before it gains consideration.
Are any significant local campaign
Hang in there; evaluate how you
supporters taking a public position
might approach your goal when you
on the issue?
try again.
What is the advice from the
legislator's
staff
members
and
2. Every legislative body has informal
advisers?
customs and practices. These customs
Is this issue consistent with the
and practices can be as important as
legislator's previous votes on related
the body's formal rules. For example,
matters, and with his or her political
key policy decisions are made by the
and economic philosophies?
leadership in some legislatures, by a
Do these political factors need to
policy committee in others, and by
be addressed explicitly during your
the majority party members in yet
congressional visit, or implicitly as
others. Who is making the decisions?
you shape and practice the mes-
sage you are attempting to deliver?
3. All of the government including the
legislature is political
5.
.
The
legislative
process
is
Candidates for
most legislative seats are nominated
customarily
very
open. Every
through partisan political processes
interested citizen usually has the
and chosen in partisan elections. The
opportunity to offer input and
political party that wins a majority of
express opinions at various stages of
seats in each legislative body also
the process. Public comments are
wins the right to pick the leaders of
welcome. Although the process is
7

---

complex, with many hidden and
open factors influencing it, the
government is of and by the people.
Do not be shy about expressing
yourself;
just
approach
your
meetings in full awareness of the
context in which you are working.
When you participate actively in the
political process, you are joining a
lively discussion on public policy.
Legislators
lobby
(attempt
to
influence) each other and are
influenced, in turn, by the executive
branch of government, other public
and private interests, and self-styled
activists.
8/03/09
7

---