Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Defining the Role of a Lobbyist
• By
• Paul A. Miller

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC
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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC
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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• How Government Really Works
• Throw out all preconceived notions you have about
  government and how it is supposed to work.
• In reality, it works nothing like what you
  learned in school.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• What is a Lobbyist?
• Websters defines lobbyist as a
• person, acting for a special interest
• group, who tries to influence the
• introduction of or voting on legislation
• or the decisions of government
• administrators.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Why Are Lobbyists Necessary?
• The Constitution says that every
• person has a constitutional right in
• our democratic system to petition the
• government and be heard and to
• have another person help them state
• their concerns and views.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Why Are Lobbyists Necessary?
• Congress and the Executive Branch constantly make
  decisions that impact the publics interests
• The decisions impact you and your businesses
  not always in a positive way
• Members of Congress and the Administration tackle
  thousands of issues every two year cycle and
  cant be expected to be experts or even novices
  on them all.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Heres Why
• Lobbyists act as educators
• Lobbyists communicate a particular special
  interest groups position to members and staff
• You must remember that there is two sides to
  every equation sometimes more
• Members of Congress need to be educated about
  your concerns and how what they are legislating
  affects you.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• What Are The Results of Lobbying?
• By being educated, it is the hope that members
  will then do the right thing for their
  constituents
• As you all know, this is not always the case.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• How Do Legislators Make Decisions?
• In a perfect world they vote based on how an
  issue affects their constituents.
• In reality, a number of factors go into the way
  they vote in the end (whether they admit it or
  not)
• Special interest money and size matter.
• How much money have I received from each group?
• What will be gained or lost by voting a certain
  way?
• Will this issue help me get elected?

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Who Lobbies?
• If you belong to a church, association, civic
  group, charitable organization, union, seniors
  group, etc. you have a lobbyist.
• Most times people belong to groups or
  organizations and dont know they have a lobbyist.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Who Has A Lobbyist?
• Every conceivable interest group now
• engages in lobbying activity, whether it
• is on the local, state, or federal level
• Christmas Tree Association
• Fresh Fruits Vegetables Association
• Cruise Directors Association
• Catholic Church
• Unions

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• What is the Role of a Lobbyist?
• Identify issues affecting your members
• Educate members of Congress on how these issues
  impact your members
• Advocate your issues on Capitol Hill or in State
  Houses
• Build coalitions with groups with same interests
• Build active grassroots network and
• Communicate with membership.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Whats Involved in Lobbying?
• Know the legislative process
• Have a strategic plan
• Carefully analyze your issues
• Develop strong argument for your position
• Communicate your position effectively and
• Advocate your position with those who have
  jurisdiction over your particular issue.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Whats Involved in Lobbying?
• Establish maintain personal political contacts
• Target key parties
• Find the best member(s) to sponsor advocate
  your position.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Can Anyone Lobby?
• YES!!!!!!!!

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Can Anyone Lobby?
• Some of the best lobbyists are average citizens,
  not hired guns
• Constituents can be powerful lobbyists
• Constituents have two advantages over
  professional lobbyists
• They are constituents and vote
• The issue affects them directly

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• Rules For Lobbying
• Washington is driven by crises and the
  expectation of crises. Timing is everything and
  having solutions to potential or actual problems
  make the difference.
• Being there at the RIGHT time means being there
  all the time.
• Elected officials and most appointed officials
  are broad brush people who do not like or
  have time for detail.
• Leave Washington periodically to find out what
  people think in the real America.
• Washington has decentralized decision-making.
  Many people making small pieces of a decision
  that ultimately makes a big difference.
• Nothing is ever final in Washington. Everything
  is always developing and every policy triggers
  its own opposition.

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Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC

• My Rules For Lobbying
• NEVER, EVER FEEL SECURE.
• The conventional wisdom inside the Beltway may
  be wrong, but it makes a difference. PERCEPTION
  IS REALITY.
• When no one is making waves, the smallest pebbles
  create the ripple that matter.
• There are no permanent alliances only permanent
  interests.
• ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH, THE COMPLETE TRUTH AND
  NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. YOUR CREDIBILITY IS YOUR
  MOST IMPORTANT ASSET. IF SQUANDERED, YOUR
  CREDIBILITY WILL NEVER BE REPLENISHED.