07/16/10 04:17 PM
Make your voice heard
The
Tea Party carries the torch for the idea that only big
corporations, big unions and big institutions can have
a voice in government policy.
Those big voices
routinely succeed in being heard. Too often, that’s
because the little voices either don’t
believe
they have a chance to be heard or because they
don’t know how to make noise.
Lawmakers at any
level will tell you that they are attentive to everyone
who votes. They’ll admit that big-money lobbyists get
access because they’re always around and because they
pay for campaigns. Most will hasten to add that they
understand the effort it takes for an individual to
contact them and weigh that contact
accordingly.
Every state
legislature has legends about citizens who overcame the
big guns to get laws passed. That’s why there are at
least four states, including Indiana, that have
statutes named “Emily’s Law” addressing conditions that
harmed victims named Emily.
The Emily’s Law
advocates succeeded because they attracted attention,
understood the system and worked to build a
consensus.
With the rise of
the Tea Party, more citizens may be working to change
laws. At some Tea Party events, that’s produced
cacophonous advocacy: “lower taxes” in one corner,
“stop immigration” in another and “gun rights” in a
third.
For those with a
specific goal, it’s an advantage that the Tea Party has
created increased sensitivity to grassroots issues. It
can be a problem, however, that so many voices are
vying for attention. That’s why it’s important to work
with a group like Executive
Media, which
understands how to attract attention, how the system
works and how to build consensus.