Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials

  Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress – A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates By Bradford Fitch Practical guidance how to prepare for and meet with elected officials and staff, how to write effective letters and emails to elected officials, strategies for influencing legislators face-to-face, best … Read more

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials

  Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress – A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates By Bradford Fitch Practical guidance how to prepare for and meet with elected officials and staff, how to write effective letters and emails to elected officials, strategies for influencing legislators face-to-face, best … Read more

Media Relations Handbook

  Media Relations Handbook For Government, Associations, Nonprofits, and Elected Officials By Bradford Fitch The Media Relations Handbook, 2e is required reading for Capitol Hill press secretaries, federal agency public affairs officers, political campaign spin doctors, public affairs officers (PAOs), public information officers (PIOs), nonprofit PR professionals, lobbyists or anyone involved in garnering media coverage. … Read more

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials

  Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress – A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates By Bradford Fitch Practical guidance how to prepare for and meet with elected officials and staff, how to write effective letters and emails to elected officials, strategies for influencing legislators face-to-face, best … Read more

How Legislators Make Decisions

Congress is both slow and deliberative, by design. When the new government was established in 1789, it was created through the rather elaborate use of a system of checks and balances that were meant to ensure that no single section of government would be able to dominate the process. Although this system can be frustrating, … Read more

Understanding “Congressional Culture”

“Congressional culture” is comprised of a mix of youthful staff, optimistic freshman members, cynical reporters, seasoned members, and crusty senators. This can often result in a clash of both the old and new. photo credit: Mr. T in DC In evaluating congressional culture, it is important to understand the working environment of Congress. That environment … Read more

How Legislatures, Including Congress, Really Work

When you attempt to influence a group of people, it is important to develop an understanding of the environment in which that group operates. Congressional and state legislative environments differ from other environments, including private and public workplaces. Learning to appreciate those differences as well as the inherent characteristics that are unique to legislative environments … Read more

“Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials” Author on C-SPAN

Bradford Fitch talked about his book Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials. Despite conventional wisdom about the power lobbyists have in Washington DC, Mr. Fitch believes that a well-informed constituency can be a driving force in swaying elected officials. The book offers advice on how to approach members of Congress, the value of being informed … Read more

“Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials” Author on C-SPAN Washington Journal November 26, 2010

Bradford Fitch will be on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” on Friday, November 26, 2010, 9:15 am. He will be interviewed about his new book, Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials. Video of the program will be available following the live show on the C-SPAN Video Library. The Citizen’s Handbook provides practical guidance how to prepare for … Read more

Fitch: New Members, Avoid These Office Mistakes

Former Speaker Tip O’Neill (D-Mass.) once said, “It’s easier to run for office than to run the office.” Running a campaign and creating a Congressional office are vastly different tasks. Setting up a House or Senate office includes all the challenges of starting a small business with all the red tape of a bureaucracy. You … Read more