Political Participation Chapter Five Political Participation Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher.

Getting Involved… Deciding to get involved in any political activity is not always an easy decision. If you want to do more than just vote, you’ll need to have a better understanding of the issues involved. These next slides will give you a framework to help make that decision. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Issue Analysis This is a very basic idea to help you analyze an issue you would like to see changed. It involves four steps. The following slides will illustrate these steps. This follows the basic definition of politics and can also be used in non-government issues. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Identify WHAT you want to change. Be as specific as possible. Step One Identify WHAT you want to change. Be as specific as possible. The more you can focus on exactly what you want changed, the more likely you are to be successful. This may take some research into related policies and issues. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Identify WHY you want it changed. Be logical, not emotional. Step Two Identify WHY you want it changed. Be logical, not emotional. Emotions will help gain attention, but are generally not effective in changing people’s minds. This step may require actual research– polls, surveys, interviews with other people, etc. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Identify WHO needs to make the changes. This may take some effort. Step Three Identify WHO needs to make the changes. This may take some effort. You may need to talk with people on several levels of government. You may need to talk with people in different departments or divisions. Keep written notes of who you talk to and when you spoke with them. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Gather your information, and make a plan. Step Four Get involved. Now that you know WHO, WHAT, and WHY you want something changed, you have to DO something about it. Decide on what kind of participation activities you are prepared to do. Decide on what you need help with, and what parts you can do alone. Gather your information, and make a plan. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Once you have your plan, you need to take steps to carry it out. Involvement… Once you have your plan, you need to take steps to carry it out. Some of these activities you can do yourself, while others will require the assistance of others. Remember that politics is a never-ending cycle, and persistence pays off. Presentation by Eric Miller. © 2005 Houghton Mifflin, all rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.