Open Left

Aren't effective or can't compete (4.00 / 2)

The only problem I have with this analysis is that a) Clearly, by the dollars spent, corporate America believes phone calling/phone banking to congressional offices is an effective component of their lobbying efforts and b) Progressive abandonment of this tactic essentially cedes the victory of this area to the opposition.

I guess my mild dissent is this: Phone calling is not the be-all, end-all of lobbying pressure, but it is a component of a comprehensive, effective effort. As a proponent of the 50 state strategy -- that competing everywhere provides tactical and strategic advantage, even though you can't win everywhere -- I'm wary of strategery that cedes and abandons to the opposition.

Health care reform = Employer payroll savings = More hiring and more jobs!

---

by: Steve in Sacto @ Mon Jul 06, 2009 at 21:50:39 PM CDT

I agree, and with the same caveats. (4.00 / 1)

Moreover, I'd imagine that part of what advocacy groups are banking on is that by giving people a small, brief, task and making it easy to do that task, they 1) increase the likelihood that folks on their list will take some other, additional, step, like send an e-mail to their own personal lists, or volunteer, or donate, and that 2) they increase the likelihood that folks on their list will pay more attention to this particular issue in other contexts ("hey - that's the thing I called about").

If, along with the request to make calls, we would consistently offer a next step that would actually impress congresspeople (like constituent meetings or handwritten faxes), that might be more effective, though I guess it's still astroturf.

---

by: NC 11 CD @ Mon Jul 06, 2009 at 22:31:07 PM CDT

[ Parent | ]