1. Advocacy

2. Why Is It Important? Defined as: “active support of a cause.”
Advocacy is necessary to:
Draw attention to problems
Direct resources to solving the problem
Find creative solutions

3. Steps Gather facts Target the audience (actor)
Create an effective plan
Establish a timeline
Throughout, effective communication is critical

4. Lobbying Lobbyists can be considered “professional” advocates
Lobbyists try to convince lawmakers to vote for or against specific issues
Examples: NRA,
Individual citizens can also “lobby” by writing letters, s, or even through personal meetings (“grassroots”)
Federal (national) lobbyists must register and file quarterly reports
Discussion: Is professional lobbying a positive or negative feature of government?

5. Voting
Exercising the right to vote is a basic and very important form of advocacy
Citizens can also advocate causes through initiative, referendum and recall
Initiative—citizens propose laws by petition
Referendum—existing laws or pending legislation goes directly to the voters for final approval/disapproval
Recall—allows voters to remove an elected official from office

6. Registering to Vote Requirements: 18 or older US citizen
Residency requirement (usually 30 days)
Automatic absentee balloting:
Why is voter turn-out so low?

7. Campaign Finance $$$ is hugely important to political campaigns!
Federal Election Commission regulations limit individual campaign contributions
“Soft” money—banned in 2002 by Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
However, there are NO LIMITS on independent spending by either individuals (Buckley v. Valeo) OR
Corporations (Citizens United v. FEC)