This is an incredibly politically divisive time for America. However, associations still have legislation they support or oppose, and helping members navigate talking to legislators is key to that mission. These nine tips can help associations and their members navigate these tumultuous legislative times.
As we examine how to work in and through an atmosphere of political polarization and intolerance among competing special interests, it’s instructive to remember that the “unscrupulous behavior” we occasionally witness among elected officials isn’t new.
In the lead up to the Civil War, there were several verbal assaults and name calling. Famously, an actual physical assault occurred on May 22, 1856, in the U.S. Senate chamber, when Representative Preston Brooks, a pro-slavery Democrat from South Carolina, used a walking cane to attack Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist Republican from Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, the country was as politically divided then as it is now. Because of this hyperpartisanship, it can be challenging to work with members of Congress.
For example, partisan divisions within Congress may result in legislative gridlock or halt negotiation and compromise. Likewise, a divided government within state legislatures and between the legislative and executive branches can rise to partisan standoffs. This impasse can lead to legislative refusal to approve appointments, denial of votes for presidential initiatives, and vituperations that imbue the civic society of our country.