2. #IOMeducates
Course Description
• Nonprofits serve as advocates for their
members and communities. Despite
your experience or your organization’s
size, establishing a grassroots network
doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
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Course Topics
• Why should nonprofits be active
on the legislative front?
• Creating a legislative policy
• Running a grassroots network
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Legality of Lobbying
• First Amendment right to attempt to
influence legislation
• Congress shall make no law abridging the
right of the people “to petition the
government for a redress of grievances.”
6
7. #IOMeducates
Defining Lobbying
• US Senate: “Lobbying is the practice of
trying to persuade legislators to
propose, pass, or defeat legislation or
to change existing laws. A lobbyist may
work for a group, organization, or
industry, and presents information on
legislative proposals to support his or
her clients’ interests.”
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8. #IOMeducates
Trends in US Lobbying Expenditures
• 1998 $1.44B
• 2009 $3.5B
• 2013 $2.38B
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0
100
200
300
400
1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Money Spent on Lobbying, in tens
of millions of $
9. #IOMeducates
International Influence in DC
• 2012: 1886 individuals working for 550
foreign principles
• These individuals include 380 registered
lobbyists and 1506 lobbying assistants.
(Source: Foreign Agents Registration Act Second Semi Annual Report 2012)
9
Update
10. #IOMeducates
2014 Top Lobbying Spenders
• US Chamber of Commerce $124,080,000 ($74,470,000)*
• National Association of Realtors $55,057,053 ($38,584,580)*
• Blue Cross $21,298,774 ($22,618,980)*
• American Hospital Association $20,753,146 ($19,173,813)*
• American Medical Association $19,650,000 ($18,250,000)*
(Source: Center for Responsive Politics)
*2013 Data
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11. #IOMeducates
2014 Lobbying Expenditures By Sector
1. Business $552,487,819 ($482,405,678)*
2. Finance/Insurance/Real Estate $495,759,815 ($489,249,927)*
3. Health $484,114,392 ($487,442,221)*
4. Communications/Electronics $381,272,131 ($393,715,530)*
5. Energy/Natural Resources $345,182,074 ($358,940,275)*
6. Transportation $217,192,170 ($223,067,514)*
(Center for Responsive Politics)
*2013 Data
11
12. 2014 Nonprofit & Association Lobbying
12
Foundations and Philanthropies
Business Associations
$39,360,105 ($44,154,333)*
$163,018,746 ($109,373,902)*
*2013 Data(Center for Responsive Politics)
13. #IOMeducates
Why Associations Lobby
• Special responsibility to represent members:
– Tracking and interpreting policy developments for members
– Actively representing interests in policy development
– Know your members’ expectations, where they stand on issues and how
willing they are to be involved
• At minimum association executives should give
themselves a civics literacy test:
– How many congressional districts do my members cover?
– What are local, national, and international policy issues to watch?
– Do my members know these critical issues and the association’s position on
them?
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Individual Nonprofits and Policymaking
• Missions and legal structures may prevent some
nonprofits from vigorous involvement in
government affairs.
• Organizations without a specific political agenda
should remain aware of key issues.
• Organizations lacking means to lobby can form or
join a coalition to allow for their “voice” to be
heard.
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Lobbying: Who Can Do What?
• The IRS labels nonprofits as “501(c) Organizations.”
• Three common 501(c)’s are:
– 501(c)(3)’s: “Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific,
Literary Organizations.”
– 501(c)(4)’s: “Civic Leagues and Social Welfare
Organizations.”
– 501(c)(6): “Business Leagues, Chambers of Commerce and
Real Estate Boards.”
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Lobbying: Who Can Do What?
501(c)(3)’s “Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific,
Literary Organizations” Regulations:
o “Attempting to influence legislation” cannot be “a substantial part
of activities…”
o “Substantial” is determined by the IRS using either:
– The Expenditure Test: 501(c)(3)’s can spend between 15 and 20
percent of their budgets on lobbying activities, depending on
their size, or
– The Substantial Part Test: The IRS determines if a 501(c)(3)’s
lobbying activity is appropriate on a case-by-case basis, using “all
the pertinent facts and circumstances in each case.”
(Source: IRS.gov)
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17. #IOMeducates
Lobbying: Who Can Do What?
501(c)(4)’s: “Civic Leagues and Social Welfare
Organizations” Regulations:
– 501(c)(4)’s may attempt to influence
legislation and take controversial positions as
long as lobbying/advertising efforts promote
social welfare.
• No disclosure of contributors/“dark money”
perception
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Lobbying: Who Can Do What?*
501(c)(6): “Business Leagues, Chambers
of Commerce and Real Estate Boards”
– Can engage in extensive lobbying activity
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Registering As a Lobbyist
• Organizations that depend on government
funding directly or indirectly cannot lobby.
• Lobbyists must register with the Secretary of the
Senate and/or Clerk of the House, disclosing:
– The name, address, and telephone number of the
registrant and registrant’s client (if necessary).
– A general description of business/organizational
activities.
– Major independent contributors ($10,000+) to the
registrant’s lobbying activities.
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Amplifying your voice
through coalitions--A case study:
• The “Power of Four” Health Coalition
– One professional society and three voluntary
organizations
– Goal: to achieve increased research funding from
the federal government
– Result: generated millions in research and
education funding related to common concerns
(We will revisit this “Power of Four” case)
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Basics of Lobbying Techniques
• “Old”
– Directly from interested party to decision-maker
– Success determined by:
• Who you know and what you offer
• “New”
– Coalition building with strong grassroots emphasis
– Success determined by:
• Knowledge of decision-making process
• Knowledge of decision-maker
• Relevant facts convincingly presented
• Relation to constituent interests
• Public opinion
Either technique can yield success, or they can be integrated
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Direct Relations with Capitol Hill
• Congress is inundated with written and verbal
communication.
• Don’t pity congressional representatives.
• Do have empathy for junior level staff.
• Understand the madness that staff must make
sense of.
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Direct Relations: Mail
• Personalize mail correspondence
– Interns are trained to separate bulk pamphlets and
personalized letters.
– Bulk mail never leaves the mailroom.
– Write “from your heart.”
– Email is gaining acceptance; mail is losing power
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Direct Relations: Phone
• Make sure all calls are made by a constituent.
– “All politics is local”
– Rep. offices keep tallies of constituent and non-
constituent calls.
• Make sure caller is pleasant, informed, and to-
the point.
• Urge callers to make it personal.
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Direct Relations with Capitol Hill
• “Old” lobbying methods remain effective
– Get to know legislative assistants (LA’s), ideally on a
first-name basis.
– Identify the preferred channel (phone, email, face-to-
face) of information.
– Solicit LA feedback on information provided.
– Continuously fine-tune methods.
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Direct Relations: Focus on the LA’s
• Legislative assistants are generally experts in a specific
policy field (ex.: Education, Energy).
• Representatives (with limited time resources) often defer
to LA’s on policy positions.
• LA’s can discuss technical complexities of legislation within
their area of expertise.
• Get to know relevant/important LA’s well!
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Making Friends in High Places*
• Thomas Edison: Genius is “10 percent inspiration
and 90 percent perspiration”
• Despite its (friends in high places) reputation,
effective lobbying is defined primarily by hard
work.
• Having powerful friends is helpful, but
knowledge of the policymaking process is
critical.
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Making Friends
• Define why you are relevant to the decision-maker
• Establish relevance of your position in current policy
environment
– If advocating additional health research-spending in an
environment of growing budget deficit concerns, define
how your position can contribute to the solution rather than
worsening the overriding problem.
• Address the most appropriate policymakers
– Who is in a position to help?
– Who can recruit others to help?
– Who is politically compatible with my position?
– Which congressional committees are relevant?
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Making Friends
• Respect the power of public perception.
– Notify news media and other outlets that can influence
decision-makers.
• Respect decision-makers’ time constraints.
– Don’t hesitate to speak to staffers.
– Provide concise written materials.
– Ensure that meetings do not exceed 20 minutes.
• Do not be a “foul-weather friend.”
– Maintain contact even when you do not need help.
– Send thank-you letters.
– Be supportive during election season.
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Lobbying: Local to Federal
• Many organizations have political interests in the state or
local realm (ex.: local education policy).
• Local/State lobbying should be conducted by constituents
with strong local ties (not outsiders).
• Increasingly, federal representatives are spending long
weekends in their home districts to focus on constituent
attention
– Lobbying at the state level can be beneficial for federal policy
purposes.
– Important districts can be identified for a multi-state lobbying strategy.
– This multi-state approach can be contracted to a lobbying consultancy
or executed by organizations and coalitions.
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Technology and Lobbying*
• Lobbying firms and government affairs directors utilize up-to-
the minute data on congressional activity to target lobbying
efforts.
• Internet-Software: “Type in your area code to find your
congressional representative”
• Most representatives have a contact/comment-submission tool
on their websites.
• These websites can be distributed to organization membership
for massive online write-ins.
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Creating a Legislative Policy:
The “Power of Four” Case
• The “Power of Four” Health Coalition
– One professional society and three philanthropic
organizations
– Goal: to achieve increased research funding from
the federal government
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34. #IOMeducates
Health Coalition Keys to Success
• A tight focus on coalition’s shared goal
• Frequent, purposeful communication
• “Strength in Numbers”
– Two of the organizations had insufficient funds to make an individual
impact on policymaking.
• Yearly meeting
– Determining future legislative goals
– Evaluating current lobbying efforts
• Democratic process
– Each organization had a single vote on decisions, despite large
discrepancies in funding contributions.
• Group decisions on if and when to admit new
members/expand the coalition
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35. #IOMeducates
The “Power of Four” Case Results
• The Health Coalition has helped to generate
millions of dollars in research and education.
– These resources do not go to the four organizations, but
instead support government agencies and independent
research facilities for the good of the field.
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36. #IOMeducates
Smart Lobbying: Averting a Crisis
• Amendments to cancel a major government-
funded program were expected to be
introduced in the House of Representatives as
part of Congress' budget cutting efforts. An
association represented the industry that
would be crippled by the funding cuts.
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37. #IOMeducates
Smart Lobbying: Averting a Crisis
• Steps Taken:
– Stakeholder Inventory: Developed a comprehensive
list of supporters, opponents, and fence-sitters in both
legislative and executive spheres
– Congressional Database: Compiled list of 535
Congressional members and their votes on the issue
– Up-To-Minute Analysis: Analyzed historical and
current voting activity by committee, caucus, and
other demographics
– Data-Driven Efforts: Used statistical and economic
insights to enhance targeted lobbying efforts
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Crisis Averted
• With intelligence-driven lobbying efforts, the
association was able to stave off the
disastrous cuts by a large margin. Evidence
indicated that opposition to the cuts had
grown substantially over the course of the
lobbying campaign.
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40. #IOMeducates
Technology and Government Relations
• We can mobilize people and resources quickly.
• Some of the best lobbying campaigns don’t involve
a single personal visit to Capitol Hill.
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Handling Grassroots Public Affairs
• If an association does not adequately address
political issues faced by members, membership
may be viewed as expendable.
– This provides for a challenge if members are pulling in
different directions.
– To address this:
• Constantly monitor policy developments and explain
relevance to members.
• Regularly solicit member feedback/determine greatest
concerns.
• Gradually build consensus among members.
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Keys to a Successful Grassroots Campaign*
• Broad coalition-building among groups of shared interests
• A simple but compelling message
• Effective delivery of message to appropriate decision-
makers (representatives, legislators, industry leaders etc.)
• Organization members can contact their local press to
help build local power-bases
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43. #IOMeducates
How Can We Influence Policy?
• Some associations and association members feel
that their voice is “too small” for Washington.
• This thinking is invalid. Government has the
capacity to be sensitive to the needs of small
companies and nonprofits.
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44. #IOMeducates
Grassroots Victory: A Case Study
• An association representing small companies in a small and relatively new
service industry learned of a federal government policy initiative that
would move massive amounts of new funding into programs that
essentially offer the same service. Policymakers had ignored the existence
of these companies, which had grown since their origins in the early 1970s
to become a $700 million industry covering 40 states. The government
program would be offered at the taxpayers' expense, which meant that a
large expansion of the program could wipe out many of these private
businesses.
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Grassroots Victory: A Case Study
• Strategic Steps Taken:
– Proved credentials
– Compiled relevant statistics on importance of
industry in US economy/society
– Launched multifaceted campaign centered on a
call for public-private partnerships to achieve
efficient service and industry growth
• Letters to relevant executive agencies
• Visits to congressional offices
• Testimony at relevant Capitol Hill committee meetings
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Grassroots Victory: A Case Study
• 104th Congress passed a bill to cut funding
for competing programs.
• The bill mandated public-private
partnerships in the industry.
• Association members won federal
contracts of their own!
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Grassroots Mobilization: Benefits
• Adding clout to small/new organizations and industries
• Adding credibility to positions
• Reducing expenses and increasing marginal gains when
compared to individual corporate lobbying efforts
• Providing for possible government contracting
opportunities
• Enhancing capacity for intelligence-gathering and
strategic implementation
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Grassroots Networks
and Lobbying: Two Cases
• Footwear Industries Association of
America
– Coalition-Building that changed national policy and the
way lobbying is done
• AWAC sale to Saudi Arabia
– Grassroots lobbying that made history and launched a
trend
QUESTIONS?
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Case Study Format
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
Strategic Issues:
– What are the key issues that must be addressed? What is our simple/compelling message on such
issues?
– Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
– How do we leverage public opinion and energize our members? Can we form a broader coalition?
– What is our suggested approach? What are the expected results of this approach?
– How can these results be incorporated into our larger mission?
– What are the major merits of and threats to our effort? How do we address these?
Structural Issues:
– What are our intermediate and long term goals?
– How do we manage this relationship and deal with any unexpected developments that might occur?
– What is our exit strategy and what are the conditions when we might choose to use it?
– How do we measure progress?
– What resources will be needed and where will they be found?
– What are the strategic values that should govern this project?
General Format:
– Identify key issues
– Propose solutions
– Assess merits of each solution
– Discuss expected results
• 20-30 minutes of discussion for each case
• 7-10 minutes of presentation per team for each case
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51
Case Study 1
• Legislation to address the need for increased infrastructure spending in
the United States
• The Issue:
• At the end of August, the transportation department’s federal
highway account will reach zero, requiring new funds for continued
infrastructure maintenance
• There is still time for congress to act, making the opportunity for
lobbying and advocacy ideal
• The American Society of Civil Engineers is heading the efforts, noting
several bridges and roadways across the country that are in desperate
need of maintenance
52. #IOMeducates
52
Case Study 1
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution to the lack of infrastructure funds needed for continued
maintenance of America’s roadways, etc.
• Teams:
• 1. The American Society of Civil Engineers
• 2. The Transportation Department, whose ideals line up with those of ASCE
• 3. Jay Timmons, representing the National Association of Manufacturers, who is a Republican but
is having difficulty finding Republican backing for increased infrastructure funds
• 4. Laborer’s International Union of North America, which cites the increase in employment that
infrastructure projects afford the U.S. economy
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
53. #IOMeducates
53
Case Study 2
• Legislation to initiate election oversight in Afghanistan following issues
with the freedom and fairness of the most recent election
• The Issue:
• Current President of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah is denying
preliminary polls that indicate he is 1 million votes behind Ashraf
Ghani in the race for president
• Ghani has agreed to an audit of all polling centers to determine the
accuracy of the vote
• Abdullah is asking for time to negotiate his position, despite the
indication of polls
• Afghanistan needs to announce a new government soon before they
remain without a leader and illegitimate in the eyes of the
international community
54. #IOMeducates
54
Case Study 2
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative initiative to oversee elections in Afghanistan
• Teams:
• 1. Freedom House, a U.S. based NGO that deals primarily with determining levels of political
liberty and freedom in countries around the world, which will be looking to support free and fair
elections in Afghanistan
• 2. The State Department, which is trying to maintain a level of calm in the wake of the
international tumult Abdullah’s dismissal of the election results caused
• 3. The Tajik American Cultural Association, which represents the largest base of Abdullah
supporters ethnically
• 4. The Pakhtoon American Community Association, which represents the largest base of Ghani
supporters ethnically
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
55. #IOMeducates
55
Case Study 3
• Legislation to curb the incidence of gun violence in Chicago
• The Issue:
• The rapid increase in gun violence in Chicago over Fourth of July
weekend has raised awareness of the issue in the eyes of the national
public
• The Chicago police department is currently on track to meet the
number of fatal accidents to police officers that it hit last year
• More than 60 people were shot over the holiday weekend, leaving 11
dead as of Monday morning
• The Chicago police department is undertaking efforts to increase
police patrol in areas of high volume gun violence
56. #IOMeducates
56
Case Study 3
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution enable Chicago and its police department to allocate
adequate funds to curb the incidence of violence in the city
• Teams:
• 1. The Chicago Police Department, which will be putting officers’ lives on the line for the
eradication of gun violence in the city
• 2. Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and his office, which fights for a peaceful city and is very much on the
national stage for the status of crime in the Southern part of the city
• 3. Representatives from Illinois state government, which some would argue needs to better
enforce the gun laws already in effect
• 4. Cure Violence, an organization that operates in Chicago and does exactly what its name
indicates
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
57. #IOMeducates
57
Case Study 4
• Legislation to allow increased directed funding for border control efforts
in Texas
• The Issue:
• The White House has formally requested $3.7 billion in funds from
congress to deal with an emergency influx of unaccompanied minors
from Central America
• The money would go to several executive departments where it would
initiate increased control efforts in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas
• The White House aims to increase the speed at which it can deport
these illegal immigrants
• Immigration advocates have scrutinized the Obama administration on
the issue, arguing that the welfare of these children escaping violence
in Central America should be their main concern
58. #IOMeducates
58
Case Study 4
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution enable Chicago and its police department to allocate
adequate funds to curb the incidence of violence in the city
• Teams:
• 1. The National Border Patrol Council, a union that represents border patrol agents and staff
• 2. Senate Appropriations Committee, in charge of appropriating emergency funds in a situation
like this
• 3. The American Civil Liberties Union, which is warning against the jeopardizing of illegal
immigrant children's’ lives
• 4. The Department of Homeland Security, in charge of border control efforts and the effective
execution of these efforts
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
59. #IOMeducates
Case Study 5
• Legislation to address fiscal or military aid to Afghanistan and Iran to help
repel ISIS:
• The ISIS issue has been gaining ground for weeks, and the U.S has done
little in response.
• The Issue: Should we provide either hard or soft power to solve and fight
the ISIS incursion in the Middle East:
• Hard power (military) would endanger more U.S lives, but could
potentially lead to a better outcome.
• Soft power is more subtle, but that could be what the governments in
Iran and Iraq need to solve problems on their own soil.
• Both have their issues, positives, and negatives.
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Case Study 5
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would provide either hard or soft power to solve and fight the
ISIS incursion in the Middle East
• Teams:
• 1. Legislative aid from the Department of Defense. (in favor of military intervention)
• 2. Economist from the Institute of Peace, warns against military intervention (in favor of soft power)
• 3. Ambassador from Iran, worried about military casualties (opposed to military)
• 4. Senior Fellow at Heritage Foundation (opposed to fiscal aid)
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
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Case Study 6
• Legislation to address harsh trade sanctions on Cuba:
• The U.S. still holds incredibly limited trade laws against Cuba.
• The Issue: Should we be more lenient with the trade laws? To allow a
more fluid flow of goods and services throughout the region:
• The current 21 page rulebook about exactly ‘who’ and ‘under what
circumstances’ are people able to travel or do business in Cuba, as
published by the Department of the Treasury.
• Sanctions were meant for the Castro era, which has ended years ago.
• Keeps a wedge in the trade equilibrium of the region, as there is
essentially an iron curtain that exists between Florida and Cuba.
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Case Study 6
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would lessen the trade embargo the U.S has on Cuba, as it’s
disrupting a potentially prosperous region of trade.
• Teams:
• 1. A region director from Maersk (approves in lifting the embargo)
• 2. Town hall meeting director in southern Florida, afraid of increased Cuban activity in his neighborhood
(approves holding the embargo)
• 3. Manager of a port in Miami, who would see a revenue increase. (approves lifting embargo)
• 4. Cuban interest group in the southern Florida area, worried for backlash from Castro followers (approve in
holding embargo)
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
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Case Study 7
• Legislation to increase fracking ventures into northern Alaska:
• The U.S.’s current laws require months of certification and legalization
to have the documents to build the necessary equipment to begin
fracking in Alaska.
• The Issue: Should we be more lenient with the regulations? As there are
valuable resources in Alaska that could lower the energy prices in U.S.
markets:
• While fracking may damage the environment, the chemicals disappear
within a year.
• Sanctions keep U.S energy corporations from gaining access to the
resources in our own country.
• Not only does it limit our resources, it would create thousands of new
jobs if companies gained free access to these natural gas hotbeds.
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Case Study 7
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would decrease the regulation of fracking in Alaska, letting more
capital and jobs flow through the region.
• Teams:
• 1. Partner from a Capital Venture firm in Chicago firm who wants to invest $20M in Alaskan gas markets
(approval of lessen regulation)
• 2. Exxon office director, would see more revenue through this region (approves lessening)
• 3. Pipeline company, would see jobs created by new pipelines being built in Alaska (approves the lessening)
• 4. Chemical company that would supply chemicals for fracking, would see profit increase of 200% (approves
lessening)
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
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Case Study 8
• Legislation to decrease fracking ventures into northern Alaska, and to
increase natural resource regulations:
• The U.S.’s current laws require months of certification and legalization
before organizations can conduct fracking in Alaska, but that isn’t
enough, it needs to be outlawed, the detrimental effects to the
environment are irreparable.
• The Issue: Should we be less lenient with the regulations? Alaska is our
last region that remains untouched by corporate energy companies, who
care only for profits and not for the destruction of the forests:
• Fracking permanently damages the environment, the chemicals never
really disappear.
• Sanctions keep U.S energy corporations from gaining access to the
resources.
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66. #IOMeducates
Case Study 8
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would increase the regulation of fracking in Alaska, or even
outlaw it all together.
• Teams:
• 1. Director of Green Peace, (approves in an increase in regulation)
• 2. Senior Economist with the Department of Energy, sees no new ventures in Alaska (approves increase)
• 3. Mayor of small town in northern Alaska, would see his land destroyed (approves increase)
• 4. Avid Hunter Coalition, would see their livelihood's habitat wiped out (approves increase)
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
66
67. #IOMeducates
Case Study 9
• Legislation support or oppose continuation of the tariff program for sugar
imports in Japan:
• Tariffs on Japanese sugar makes U.S. consumption of Japanese sugar
very expensive
• Japanese farmers who are dumping sugar into the American market
can sometimes cut prices and undercut American producers, leading to
a need for tariffs to support American businesses
• That being understood, the U.S. has maintained a goal of eliminating
trade barriers, particularly with the other large world economies
67
68. #IOMeducates
Case Study 9
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would decrease the regulation of fracking in Alaska, letting more
capital and jobs flow through the region.
• Teams:
• 1. American Sugar Alliance (ASA)
• 2. Consumer Federation of America (CFA)
• 3. National Confectioner’s Association (NCA)
• 4. Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
68
69. #IOMeducates
Case Study 10
• The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Trade Agreement:
• Japan is currently negotiating membership terms
• The Issue: Japan opposes the TPP fishing subsidies ban:
• Japan spends an estimated $4.6 billion on fishing subsidies each year
• An estimated 68% of these funds are for capacity-enhancing purposes
while only 22% are for conservational purposes
• Subsidy supporters contend that they improve Japan’s economy by
helping struggling fishing communities deal with rising fuel costs and
other challenges
• Opponents contend that subsidies needlessly enhance Japan’s fishing
fleet and cause overfishing
• The US’s current official position is support for the subsidies ban
69
70. #IOMeducates
Case Study 10
• Policy Issue: influence a legislative solution that would increase the regulation of fracking in Alaska, or even
outlaw it all together.
• Teams:
• 1. Japan Fisher’s Association (JFA)
• 2. World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• 3. American Fisheries Association (AFA)
• 4. Association of National Organizations of Fishery Enterprises in the European Union
• How do we go about securing policy victory? Challenges/Considerations:
• Who are our allies, opponents, and fence sitters? Do we have constituent access?
• What is our simple/compelling message? Can we form a broader coalition?
• How do we energize our members? How do we leverage public opinion?
• What are the major threats to our effort and how do we address them?
• What should be our level of involvement in this issue?
• 20 minutes of discussion
• 7 minutes of presentation per team
70
71. 71
Contact Us
Plexus Consulting Group, LLC
1620 Eye Street, NW Suite 210
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 785-8940
Fax: (202) 785-8949
Email: info@plexusconsulting.com
