How To get what you want
"Meaningful change doesn't come about through lots of clout and lots of money. It comes about through lots of little changes everywhere."
(Jane Jacobs)
Barbara Roelofs, a long-time community activist from Grand Rapids, Michigan, gave these hints at a public presentation on how residents can be effective in presenting their viewpoint and how they can get what they want within the political environment of local government. Her list of ideas follows:
How to get what you want:
- Be absolutely convinced you are right.
- Always be there when policy decisions are made.
- Make obvious use of tape recorders to document.
- Learn to count votes and know who to approach.
- Be informed; know more than the opposition.
- Never be intimidated.
- Develop personal skills of persuasion.
- Make friends with government officials.
- Be ready to compromise when necessary.
- Load your organization's Board with attorneys (be ready to sue).
- Use publicity to advantage.
She continued with a list of ideas on how to influence public officials and have them respond to your concerns as residents
How to influence elected officials:
- Make your cause respectable (e.g., your district ordinance).
- Make your opponent's cause unrespectable (don't share in the protection of your local heritage and cause disruption to existing businesses).
- Make sure everyone knows you're the underdog ("big out-of- town developers with big cigars vs. little locals with no power).
- Get help from your friends in high places (call your state reps to have them make contact with your local officials).
- Stay ahead of the opposition (get into the public eye first; anticipate their arguments and have counterarguments already presented).
- Show public support through letter writing (make contact through supportive organizations; put pressure on elected officials).
- Get help from their constituents (target effort directly at constituents; know their local concerns, light the right fires; have them make personal contacts).
- Honor them (Awards banquet, special recognition for anything).
- Be honest (Dishonesty always catches up with you; these are political strategies being presented, not deceits).
- Do it in an election year.
