american.swan
03-10-2013, 04:30 PM
TechCrunch Interview:
How To Influence A Congressman
While Moran admitted that lobbyist money does influence politicians, he argued that it was quid pro quo. Rather, Senators are most influenced by personal conversations, which money often buys through fancy dinners. “I think this is true of almost all humans: we kind of crave the connection with people. And if you get to know somebody, you can influence the way they think based upon that connection,” he said.
To equal the playing field between average citizens, Moran advises activists to use social media to get on policymakers’ or their staffs’ radar, which then peaks enough interest to begin personal conversations with the small guy. “The best way to connect with people still today, despite the value of social media, is human relations.
The massive online protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was especially important to Moran. “It was very appealing to me to find that there is an issue and a medium of communication that gives me the opportunity to have a relationship with a whole new set of Kansans that otherwise would not have been involved in my life.
The upshot from Moran’s talk seems to be that the influence is as much about education as politicking, if not more so. Both the public and policymakers are drowning in information. Those who can get face time, no matter the size of their bank accounts, have the opportunity to be the most important source of information upon which everyone bases their decisions.
How To Influence A Congressman
While Moran admitted that lobbyist money does influence politicians, he argued that it was quid pro quo. Rather, Senators are most influenced by personal conversations, which money often buys through fancy dinners. “I think this is true of almost all humans: we kind of crave the connection with people. And if you get to know somebody, you can influence the way they think based upon that connection,” he said.
To equal the playing field between average citizens, Moran advises activists to use social media to get on policymakers’ or their staffs’ radar, which then peaks enough interest to begin personal conversations with the small guy. “The best way to connect with people still today, despite the value of social media, is human relations.
The massive online protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was especially important to Moran. “It was very appealing to me to find that there is an issue and a medium of communication that gives me the opportunity to have a relationship with a whole new set of Kansans that otherwise would not have been involved in my life.
The upshot from Moran’s talk seems to be that the influence is as much about education as politicking, if not more so. Both the public and policymakers are drowning in information. Those who can get face time, no matter the size of their bank accounts, have the opportunity to be the most important source of information upon which everyone bases their decisions.