The Power We're Leaving on the Table
I returned home from Wichita. But my baggage did not. Hours were spent with hold muzak and kind, fairly powerless customer service agents. What I needed was someone on the inside. Someone with the heft to get the train moving.
The thing with American democracy is that we get to have a say in how we're governed. We have these politicians elected to represent us. They are, in democracy's best form, our people on the inside.
We might agree with them, or not. But it's invaluable to know who they are and how to reach them. Especially on the state/local level, a friendly note can go a long way.
And if we aren't reaching out to our politicians, lobbyists most likely are. They never leave power on the table. It's good to learn up our people on the inside, if for no other reason than to make sure special interest isn't the only one bending our politicians' ears.
So put some ice cubes in your summer drink and let's wade in.
City/Town Councilors
Public libraries, off-leash hours, litter, traffic, why that abandoned lot became a parking lot and not a green space: these are all in city/town councilors' wheelhouse.
Your councilor should be listed on your town/city's website. If it's not readily clear who yours is, give the town clerk a buzz; they administer elections and should be able to give you the straight skinny.
How to Reach Out to Them
Most councilors have their emails publicly listed. Here's one strategy for dropping them a line:
Timing
Send an email on a day the council isn't meeting; this jacks up the likelihood they'll have time to respond. (You can find the council's schedule on your town's website.)
Kick It Off With Gratitude
Poet Billy Collins begins poems with a hospitable tone; it's a welcome mat that increases the chances the reader will keep on reading. Ditto with notes to politicians or staff. They get a whole lot of emails that don't start respectfully; one that does pops like a daisy in a field of crabgrass.
Policy change turns on trust, and if you thank a politician for a specific thing they've done - a vote, statement, stance taken - that signals that you know a bit about what they're up to, which helps build trust.
If there's no policy you can thank them for, you could thank them for being a public servant in a season when that isn't easy.
One Ask
If I tick off a lengthy roster of asks, a politician may just do the simplest of my asks and act like they've done right by me. One clear ask is harder to hide behind and easier to hold the politician accountable to.
The ask could be to take a particular vote, have a brief meeting to discuss an issue you care about, make a statement. And remember: one well-calibrated ask can lay the foundation for a working relationship where we can make other well-calibrated asks in the future.
End with Gratitude
Jerry Seinfeld advised George Constanza to leave work meetings on a high note. And thanks is the simplest, cleanest high note around. Could be thanks for their service to our community, their time, their care for this issue.
The email gratitude sandwich is memorable; our politics suffers from a shortage of decency. The gratitude sandwich softens the ground for our ask to be seriously considered.
But most importantly, it's the right thing to do. It chips away at today's widespread cynicism and can remind politicians that there are good folks out there with causes worthy of attention.
State Legislators
State legislators - whether state senators, state representatives, assemblymembers or otherwise - vote on guns, abortion, emissions, and so much more.
But only 20% of Americans can name their state legislators. If you're one of the 80% who can't, today's a terrific day to find out who they are, which you can do right here.
So think about this: if most folks have no idea who their state legislators are, that means most folks aren't reaching out to state legislators. Which means just a little outreach could make a proper difference.
How to Reach Out to Them
Most state legislators have their emails publicly listed on the legislature's website. Contacting them is similar to our councilors, with a few tweaks.
Timing
Reach out when the legislature isn't in session. You can find that calendar on the legislature's website.
Thanks, One Ask, Thanks Again
Start with that fresh sea breeze of gratitude, then make that tight ask, then sign off like George Costanza.
Congressional Delegation
Social Security benefits, tax credits, food safety, immigration, a lot of the stuff that grabs the headlines falls into the purview of our two U.S. Senators and one U.S. House Representative.
Not sure who they are? Find them here.
How to Reach Out
Representatives have about 750,000 constituents, Senators represent whole states. So we won't be emailing them directly. I worked for a Senator, then a Representative; here's my favorite way to contact their staff.
Call the District Office
We're more likely to get a human. And what we're asking for is the name/email of the D.C. policy staffer who handles the issue we care about. We're not asking to speak to them, just for their email.
Timing
Send an email when the politician isn't in D.C. Here's the Congressional calendar; we want our note to arrive on a day when they aren't in session. Staffers have more time to read and respond when the big boss isn't around.
Thank You, One Ask, Thank You
Identify yourself as a constituent (i.e. "I live in X town") and start with a thank you - could be for their time, public service, just being there to read this.
Make one clear ask. It's also great to include a short (no more than two sentences) anecdote related to the district/state about why this matters to you. "One of my parents had serious cancer and I'm concerned that cuts to the National Cancer Institute will put families in our district through unnecessary pain and loss."
Then wrap it up with a (heartfelt, if possible) thank you.
It is believed that Vincent Van Gogh said, "If you hear a voice within you say ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."
So if you hear a voice within you say, "What's the point? Contacting politicians is totally useless," by all means, reach out to that politician.
That voice might not be silenced, but we are ensuring that we aren't leaving power on the table. And that people - not just the powerful - also have a say in shaping the laws we live under.