Keep eye on the ball

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Keep eye on the ball

• Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing
  can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.
  Consequently, he who moulds public sentiment goes
  deeper than he who enacts statutes.
• Abraham Lincoln

2
Understanding BIPAC

• Mission Identify, endorse and elect champions of
  free enterprise

Vision Empower business political involvement
Goal to enhance the policy influence of
American business by increasing their political
clout.
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History of P2
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• Common knowledge is often neither
• So dont let what they say drive what we do
• Technology is changing everything
• And those who adapt win
• Employers have an inherent advantage
• But only if they use it correctly

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When is common knowledge neither

• GOP didnt win 04 because of emerging republican
  majority or social issues
• Dems didnt win in 06 because of their position
  on the War in Iraq, and
• The election of 2008 was not a philosophical
  lurch to the left.

2008 voters said 40 were independent 34
were conservative 22 were liberal
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Voter turnout (Presidential elections)
130 million
131.3 million (61.6)
120 million
9 million more voters 13 million first time
122.3 million (60.1)
110 million
17 million more voters 13 million first time
100 million
105.6 million (51)
Washington Post 12/14/08
2004
2008
2000
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Counter intuitive voter comparisons 04 vs. 08

• Only 1 increase in under age 30 turnout from 17
  to 18.
• 3 increase in white evangelicals voters, from
  23 to 26.
• 3 decrease in union households voting, from 24
  to 21.
• U.S.A. Exit Polls (Voter News Service)

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A restless upstream America

• 92 think Washington lawmakers put
• partisan politics above constituent
• concerns
• 91 think politics is too partisan
• 76 think two party system broken

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Voters visit Internetfor political information
60
50
56
40
38
Did you ever use the Internet or visit a web
site to get information about issues important to
you, information about candidates, their
positions or whats going on in their campaigns
or to get any other voter-related information?
30
30
20
2004
2008
2000
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Internet Usage for information
Less Likely to Use Internet
More Likely to Use Internet

• Seniors (age 65)
• Voters not employed
• Earn 34K or less annually

• Younger voters (age 18-44)
• Men 18-55
• Full time employees
• Earn 75K or more annually
• Post-grads

------ USA VOTERS -----
11
what information source would you say you
relied on most or had the greatest impact on
your decision the election cycle?
-------- Employment ---------
------ USA VOTERS -----
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Credible Sources for Political Information
Which of the following organizations do you feel
provides the most credible information on
political issues and elections that affect your
job, your company and your industry? (Q17)
POS historic data
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Employer messagingon the rise
Do you recall seeing, reading or hearing any
information about politics and the elections as
it relates to workplace issues from your employer
or your employers representative?
14
Labor improving too with less impact
Do you recall seeing, reading or hearing any
information about political and workplace issues
related to this years elections from organized
labor or a labor representative?
15

Workers Want Info from Employer on Issues
Please tell me which of the following comes
closest to your own view. Employee A says he
wishes his employer would let him know how
government and political issues impact his job,
company and industry. Employee B says he doesnt
trust his employer to give him straightforward
information about government and political
issues.

(Q18, N435)
16
Would you say you generally agree ordisagree
with your employers approach to public policy
issues affecting your industry or workplace?

agree
disagree
---- USA VOTERS ----
17
Voter impressions of groups(all voters
Employed voters)
40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40
48
YOUR EMPLOYER
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
BUSINESS INTERESTS
THE N.R.A.
ORGANIZED LABOR
CONSERVATIVE RELISGIOUS GROUPS
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When employers engage employees ..
From the study of the response of employees to
employer communications and involvement program
conducted within companies that deploy the BIPAC
Prosperity Project
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the actions they take .
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Communications in the new order

• Internet independence
• Social networking and the generation of self
  selected info
• Value of contact
• from whom vs to whom

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Tactics matter!
Would you be more or less likely to visit a
website that requires you to register before you
are allowed to view information?
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• Groups allied with (the left) formed an
  elaborate election
• machine to coordinate how they reach voters ..
  Referred to
• as the table, its 15 interest groups have
  anted up
• 50,000 each and plans to raise 85 million.
• Jim Drinkaard, USA Today 2002
• The groups at the table Include
• The NRDC
• Sierra Club
• AFL-CIO
• Emilys List .

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Four Premises

• Number One
• We cant fix either the political or policy
  problems with just a good election.
• We need to give more focus to winning the
  arguments than just winning elections!

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Troubling trend

• Should (should not) government redistribute
  wealth with heavy taxes on the rich?
• Should Should not
• 1939 35 54
• 1998 45 51
• 2007 49 47
• GOP 30 68
• Dems 63 32
• Ind. 51 43

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• Number Two
• Its not about voter motivation but constituent
  education.
• Voters are already participating. We need to
  provide them information on how to take action on
  the economic issues that motivate them.

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• Number Three
• Americans have multiple points of entry into the
  policy making process.
• Every one of the points of entry to the policy
  making process has some unique characteristic
  that can be influenced by the better informed.

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• Number Four
• We cant outsource our message.
• At a time when OUR issues are the most important
  issues, we cannot outsource the messaging
  responsibility to someone else.

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• Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing
  can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.
  Consequently, he who moulds public sentiment goes
  deeper than he who enacts statutes.
• Abraham Lincoln

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Upstream truths

• 84 will see it if provided
• 77 of those that get it, want more
• 71 received, employer most credible
• 46 say employer input was helpful
• Up to 24 say motivated them to vote
• 22 heard from employer in 2008
• Up from 3 in 2000