When building a public affairs website bear in mind that the guidelines for building an effective website are not the same as when building traditional public relations campaigns. When someone visits a public affairs website they expect to receive information without any spin on it. The best websites dedicated to public affairs allow visitors to … Read more
Election 2010: Capitol Hill Workshop: Intensive 3-day course following the 2010 Elections photo credit: djabejas Capitol Hill Workshop: 2010 Election is of particular interest to anyone needing more background on how Capitol Hill really works and who needs early insight into the 112th Congress and the administration. You will leave this workshop with a solid … Read more
Advanced Federal Budget Process 2-day course photo credit: fireflythegreat Learn how the federal budget process really works from faculty members with years of subject-matter expertise. Study important terminology and understand budgetary interests. We provide a comprehensive overview of current budget politics and the federal budgeting process. So you gain the awareness and guidance necessary to … Read more
Most legislative campaigns today feature coordinated legislative efforts, and almost all lobbyists now work through legislative coalitions. The reason for this is that lobbyists recognize that there is incredible strength in numbers and that in most cases the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. photo credit: westy48 By coordinating strategies and pooling … Read more
If you want to make effective telephone calls to key members of Congress and their staff, follow these simple guidelines. First, never give a person who answers the phone the opportunity to say no to you. Before you even place the call to a legislative office, ensure you know which staff person currently is responsible … Read more
As a witness at a Congressional hearing, you may find yourself in a position in which you will encounter members of the media either before or after the hearing. The likelihood of this will depend upon the nature of the hearing topic as well as the extent of the media and public interest in the … Read more
When handled properly, good legal writing stands out. photo credit: Seattle Municipal Archives There are four basic questions that should be asked in considering whether a document meets the standards of good legal writing: Is it easy to read? Is it interesting? Does it work? Is it as short as possible? If you are able … Read more
The way in which you conduct research as part of your efforts to lobby for a particular issue can have an important effect on the outcome of that issue. Extreme care must be exercised when preparing any research that will be utilized. photo credit: AlexYo1968 First, double-check and verify everything. This includes the names of … Read more
At times it seems as though Congress is disorganized, but in reality Congress operates according to a set of internal rules that are meant to provide operational structure. These rules begin with basics that are outlined in the Constitution. Each chamber of Congress also has written rules and extensive precedents that are derived from the … Read more
In determining whether you should offer a written statement or give an interview, there are many different things to take into consideration. In some cases a written statement may actually be preferable to giving an interview – less can be more. photo credit: Andrew Rusk A written statement works to limit the choices of a … Read more