tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19428572137753412232024-03-14T04:43:12.206-04:00Lobbyistfinder.comOne lobbyist's view of the government affairs worldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-85898745223121888512014-10-31T07:45:00.001-04:002014-10-31T07:45:42.676-04:00Do elections matter (to a lobbyist)Elections are held three out of every four years (municipal count to some lobbyists). We see the TV ads, hear the radio ads, get to stare at yard signs while commuting or running errands, but does anyone actually know what the candidates think about assorted issues? Well, lobbyists do.
Especially for state and federal races, the person running those "vote for me because my opponent kicks puppies", is the person that can make or break an industry. All around the country, there are races that are hotly contested...the races where the media and campaign dollars flow are usually the ones most likely to strongly influence the general direction a municipality, state or even nation will take.
I'm in Indiana. We don't have any major races at the state or federal level, but next door, in Illinois, the race for Governor is going to end up being the most expensive ever...probably $50 million give or take a few gallons of milk. $50 MILLION for a Governor's race! But the stakes are pretty high. Illinois is (depending on who you ask) in the hole about $100 billion, so whoever wins that race, someone is going to have to raise taxes and cut spending without any noticeable change for quite some time.
The average voter probably didn't pay much attention when the race really kicked into gear because they were enjoying their spring, summer and fall activities. Now that it's down to the wire, the advertising is relentless. I'm surprised we don't get flyers while pumping gas when we go to visit the in-laws.
While the average voter isn't paying attention, lobbyists are giving every penny they can find to help their candidate win because the stakes are so high for their group. Groups are going to see tax and services change based on what happens in the ballot box. So while the average voter is going to be impacted directly and indirectly to a much larger extent than a state association of dentists, that dentist group has been actively telling their members to support one candidate or the other based on his potential to help their group. It's the nature of politics, people support whom they perceive will benefit them the most and they've been watching the race long before anyone even formally declared their candidacy.
So, as the 2014 election season draws to a close, enjoy the quiet that occurs on November 5th...because in early January, those people with the annoying yard signs and radio ads will be deciding on policies that impact every single one of us. Good luck!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-81034391519798458222014-10-22T11:42:00.000-04:002014-10-24T09:05:57.956-04:00How to hire a lobbyistI have been thinking that there are also groups out there who might want some ideas on how to find and pick a lobbyist who are new to the experience. It never ceases to amaze me how many interest groups there are out there...and those groups usually form because of governmental policy, good or bad.
So, if I'm in one of these groups and I'm trying to find a lobbyist, where do I begin?
First, I would say that the group should have a clear goal in mind. Do you want one specific law/regulation defeated or enacted or are you looking for some ongoing representation? In general, I would say that if you find there is an advocacy need now, there will likely be one later. Will they work year-round or just during session (if you live in a state with a part-time legislature).
Second, decide the structure in which oversight of the lobbyist will occur. Who do they report to and how often do they need to provide updates?
Third, define what are their measurements of success. Killing or enacting a proposal is nice, but all that does is likely postpone future actions for another date. How did the lobbyist's actions help you long term?
Next, what's your budget? Not only their contract salary, but are you going to provide any incidental budget items like entertaining (meals, event tickets, etc.) There are going to be lobbyists for any budget, but you will get what you pay for. Ask around and find out what lobbyists charge in your state. In most states, there are lobbyist regulators who should have varying degrees of reports available. In Indiana, you can see what groups spend on lobbying online by looking it up on the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission.
Those are some general thoughts to get started, but once you have a goal, how do you pick the "right" person? The short answer is you never know for sure, but finding someone who believes in your issue/cause is a great start. Hiring someone who already has multiple clients across a range of issues may be perfectly fine and they may be outstanding lobbyists, but if you hire someone like that, they are likely lobbying for the money, not because YOU fit their beliefs/interests.
A good lobbyist should be able to interact with all kinds of different people with varying degrees of ease. Not every legislator is going to agree with your issue, but if your lobbyist is effective, he/she can at least develop a good rapport with them...or at minimum should not agitate them or do your group more harm.
Integrity is key as well. I've seen plenty of legislation become law because someone passed out contributions, meals, tickets, etc. Money can grease the wheels in some cases, but once you start down that path, it's hard to slow that train. Do you want them to get the job done no matter what (and how much are you willing to pay for it), or do you want someone who will advocate based on the issue itself.
Ok, enough for now. As always, I'm happy to answer questions on this or any other topic. Thanks for reading.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-11502054513279702692014-10-22T09:33:00.002-04:002014-10-22T11:19:11.040-04:00Out of hibernationWell, it's been a very, VERY long time since I've posted anything on here. I'm amazed that people connect with this blog, so I think I might want to re-engage as quite a bit has changed over the last few years.
First, I'm no longer lobbying. I lost my big client and couldn't afford to get by on my smaller clients and I was unwilling to whore myself out to lobby for the highest bidder.
Do I miss it? Yes and no.
I miss the fight. I miss the struggle to position my clients for a win (or minimal defeat). I miss influencing the laws of my State. I miss being self-employed. But what I don't miss are the questionable motivations of my peers and those to whom I was advocating.
Lobbying, for me, was always about the altruistic belief in my clients and the policies I advocated. I continue to believe that only those who believe in what they are advocating, are "good" lobbyists. Plenty of folks make good money lobbying, but for me, it was only about the money when it came to providing for my family. It was more of a belief that good people can and should engage in our governing bodies.
I have my political and philosophical beliefs that influenced what I advocated and for whom, but I never got upset or frustrated when battling a like-minded opponent. I only found it difficult when I was working with a legislator or another lobbyist who had ulterior motives.
Anyway, I'll start to monitor this site a bit more and will try to respond to requests and posts more. Some things are in the works on the job-front and personal life that has rekindled my interest in the political realm...and, I'm trying to keep a more positive personal approach to life these days (not that I was bad before, but I did get a bit snarky at times), so I will try and have fun with subjects and topics as they pop into my usually-cloudy brain.
MikeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-83558777528508373362011-11-21T11:46:00.002-05:002011-11-21T11:57:54.759-05:00So it's been a whileOnce again, things are starting to ramp up in legislative circles. Recently, I've had a couple of client activities, but things are relatively calm. The main work has been with a client who is pro-actively proposing legislation this year. This particular client was a specialty type of insurance and we had an ally in a state association of these insurers. Unfortunately, the state association is not paying for a lobbyist this year, so I'll be going it alone.<br /><br />The client texted me an requested a meeting. Those client contacts are always a little nerve-racking (sp?) and I automatically do a review in my head to make sure I haven't dropped the ball or failed them in some way. I felt good about the meeting, but you never know.<br /><br />So the meeting was them asking for guidance in how to approach this year. We set out a plan and I've started preparing for the 2012 session for them. <br /><br />As the Superbowl is in Indianapolis this year, many in the lobbying community are speculating about the length of the session. (As a reminder, Indiana's legislature is a part-time citizen legislature that meets for long and short sessions in alternating years). Since the Superbowl will be in the middle of session, and the legislators will need to give up their hotel rooms, some are speculating the year could end well ahead of the late March deadline.<br /><br />In thinking about the new folks entering in to politics/lobbying, a new suggestion comes to mind (thanks to my teen daughters): focus on the person speaking, and not your texts/facebook updates. I don't care if your grandmother is in the hospital and your mom is calling...when you are dealing with a client or legislator, you focus 100% of your attention on them and not your girlfriend's text. <br /><br />Sorry...was that the bitter rant of an old man?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-84247204531330603862010-09-24T12:23:00.002-04:002010-09-24T12:34:20.847-04:00where'd the summer go?Well, I guess it's been quite a while since I posted. Thanks to everyone who has dropped a line with questions and my apologies for being a little lax in my postings. I probably won't post as often until session starts, but I thought I should at least drop in since it's been so long.<br /><br />In reading my last post, I lost my fourth client, but as of yesterday, I picked up another client, so I'm back up to four. This one is a little different since it's a life science company and outside of the primary focus for my firm. All of my other clients and my focus to this point has been on the insurance and financial services industry. <br /><br />The reasons for my taking on this new client are several, but in no particular order they are:<br />1) The work they need done is a fun challenge<br />2) The primary contact I have at the company is a friend of mine who I respect a great deal<br />3) I felt like I needed to diversify my firm a little since I fear federal regulation/take over of insurance so I am not 100% confident insurance will stay a state-regulated product for the duration of my career<br /><br />The work this new client is wanting deals with my selecting and managing a federal contract lobbyist for them, crafting a long-term government affairs plan and some long-term business goals. The work I'll be doing has some involvement with the insurance industry, so it's not completely outside my wheelhouse, but at least the company's main focus is not insurance, so I"m quite pleased.<br /><br />It's quite a rush to get that next client. As I've said before, it's not just about the financial gain. I like helping solve government issues for groups. It's like putting together a puzzle. It's not rocket science, but it's cool when I can see the path to fixing a problem and to a client/prospect, it's like I'm Moses leading them through the desert. Of course I recognize there are times when I make mistakes or can't accomplish exactly what I want for the client, but that's all part of the challenge as well. It's knowing your strengths/weaknesses, allies/foes and knowing how to get the goal accomplished.<br /><br />I'm very fortunate to be doing what I love. I am thankful every day I get to do what I do and be my own boss. <br /><br />Keep the questions and comments coming. Good to all you students and readers who are looking at lobbying as a career change. I can't imagine doing anything I love more (expect when I retire as a fishing guide).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-8528067014078971142010-03-25T10:33:00.002-04:002010-03-25T10:38:09.263-04:00ugh...sickI just thought I'd better post something on here since it has been a while since I posted. I'm down with a nasty cold/flu, but thankfully it's after session.<br /><br />I lost a client this month, so I'm back down to three. That stinks, but still doing well enough financially. I suppose that's the disadvantage of being your own boss. When times are good, you get all the benefit, but when things take a step back, only I feel the difference.<br /><br />Session concluded a couple of weeks ago without anything of interest happening for/to the insurance industry. The focus of the legislature this year was property taxes, unemployment insurance, legislative ethics and a few other things (including allowing Hoosiers to purchase alcohol on election day...woo hoo!)<br /><br />Well, I just thought I needed to post something. I am meeting next week with another lobbyist to discuss joining/merging my firm with his. He's an older fella that is eventually looking to retire, so I think it behooves me to at least talk with him to see if there is some overlap and benefit for the both of us. Wish me luck!<br /><br />Keep the notes coming for all of you who are looking to get into lobbying. I really enjoy your notes and hope that I can, in some small way, help you on your career path. <br /><br />Just need a little sunshine and time in the boat now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-82037937502036142502010-01-07T07:40:00.002-05:002010-01-07T07:53:58.580-05:00week one downSo essentially this week is done. The old-timers in the Senate decided they were canceling their session day today due to the snow storm. I think we're only supposed to get about four inches, but since some of them are older and have to drive to the edges of the state on back roads, I suppose I understand. It's not like much is happening at this point anyway.<br /><br />Dinner on Tuesday went well. Had a potential client chat me up for a while and I was pretty pleased about that. I went to the statehouse after swinging by a client's office to collect their invitations for their statehouse day at the end of the month (that's where their members come to the statehouse to talk to their individual legislators about issues). After dropping off the invitations to the legislative mailroom, I wandered the halls for a bit. It's really like high school. You see the same faces, everyone is checking each other out and sizing each other up. Not everyone, but many do that. I tend to chat with those folks I've been friends with for years.<br /><br />It's funny, one of my buddy's has an intern this year. Nice guy, but I felt bad for him because my buddy is a wanderer (he can't just stand still in the halls), so this poor guy was following him around the whole time I was there and he looked like a deer in the headlights. By the end of session though, he'll have met all the folks he needed to meet and will probably have a pretty good understanding of the process.<br /><br />Anyway, after staying over at the Statehouse for an hour or two, I went back with a buddy to my former employer's office to hang out until the insurance industry's reception at 6 p.m. At the reception, I took a client VP around an introduced him to a bunch of different legislators. The problem was that when I'd try and get another legislator for him to chat up, I'd get stuck talking to someone else and I'd be delayed in getting back over to him to keep the conversation fresh. At least the bartender kept the Amstel Light's flowing for me.<br /><br />Around 7:15, the Senate Chairman gave me the high sign that he was ready to get out of there and go grab dinner. So I started herding the cats and got everyone lined up to go. We made our way over to the restaurant and were seated pretty well on time.<br /><br />It was a nice room in the wine cellar of the restaurant, but it was a big long table. So the legislators sat at one end together and I was down at the other end (due to getting down there last after picking up the bar tab at the restaurant while waiting to be seated). The main thing is that my clients were next to the legislators, so all was well. Dinner was long, but think it went pretty well. I could tell the House Chairman was a bit uncomfortable because he likes to go to dives instead of nice restaurants (so do I), but he did it as a favor to me.<br /><br />We got done around 10 p.m., and then two guys from one of my clients wanted to go grab a beer afterwards. Actually it was pretty cool. My main contact with this company is getting ready to retire one of these days, so he was trying to introduce me to the guy I was dragging around at the reception. It was nice of him to do and we had a couple beers until about 11:30 or midnight.<br /><br />That is not the norm for me. I'm pretty fond of getting home at a decent hour during the week, but they seemed to enjoy it and even went so far as to say that I was probably their only lobbyist in the country that could've lined up both Chairmen for a dinner (House and Senate). That was good to hear because most company's only hire someone to represent them if you have a law degree. It's not that I couldn't probably make it through law school, I just don't want to spend the money on that. I'm already paying off my Master's and I'll be damned if I'm going to be paying off student loans for my entire professional career!<br /><br />Well, I'm not going through the filed bills and writing reports for clients. I hope to get that done today.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-4558855164861181512010-01-04T08:40:00.003-05:002010-01-04T08:48:15.755-05:00PreparationsSince session starts tomorrow, the work starts to pick up now. In addition to the typical stuff any other lobbyist has to do (find out which bills are moving and who is pushing them and why), I will be going through the legislation filed to this point in order to send out a weekly summary to my clients. <br /><br />This is typically most difficult at the beginning of session since there will probably be about 100 bills that deal with insurance issues. The off-set is that things move pretty slow during the first week or two of session, so I should be able to whittle down the list of bills that actually have a chance of moving pretty quickly. I suspect my laptop will be traveling companion for the first few weeks of session, then the iphone will take over. Off subject here, but I'm still undecided on the iphone. Don't get me wrong, I love the Oregon Trail game app, but there are occasions where the calls won't go through on the first attempt or two and sometimes the internet cuts out in mid-search.<br /><br />So today, I'm finally doing some cleaning up and organizing in my home office so I can operate a bit more efficiently during session. I'll also be hanging a nice photo from my soon-to-be brother-in-law who may be my new man-crush since it was the 1985 Bears Superbowl team photo. <br /><br />Tomorrow will be a long day, so nothing like jumping back in head first. I haven't decided when I'll be going in. Probably after lunch since session typically starts at 1 and 1:30 for each chamber.<br /><br />Oh, the other off-topic subject is back to the gym now. I do enough outside during the summertime, and the fall is a mixed-bag, but in the winter, especially during session, it is a great outlet for any tension and anger...might need to add a few songs to the phone. Happy New Year all!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-11776787948254788272009-12-28T09:49:00.002-05:002009-12-28T09:56:08.353-05:00next week it beginsOk, so the legislature starts next week. Now, I've managed to put away a few Old Style's over the holiday's and I'm always one to enjoy the joy of the season, but I'm ready to get this started.<br /><br />Indiana is going to have a projected budget shortfall of $1.8b over the next budget cycle. That doesn't necessarily mean much to folks in California or New York, but right now, we only have a surplus of $1b. That means my clients could be on the hook through new taxes and fees. What I was expecting to be a nice, quiet, low-key session, is going to be one that could evolve into a special session to find new funds.<br /><br />The four clients remain only insurance clients. I have a dinner the first night of session with the two Insurance Chairmen and the Insurance Commissioner, and a client, and a non-client. Should be interesting. The cool thing about the dinner as I don't believe the House and Senate Insurance Chairmen have ever been together at a dinner. Both are wonderful guys, I like them very much personally, and they come at issues from different perspectives. I think the best part of the dinner would be for them to find some common ground (one is a Republican and one is a Democrat). We shall see.<br /><br />So another thing I'm figuring out is that a one-person firm isn't as fun when you have all of these reports you need to fill out. Fortunately, I have an accountant to help with all the financial stuff, but lobbyists have annual registrations with the state lobbying regulatory agency and then we have semi-annual reports to show how much money we spent. I know that doesn't seem much, but since I did two of the three reports over the last month or so, it's just a timely annoyance.<br /><br />January 5 the fun begins.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-42809577920734752972009-10-28T19:17:00.002-04:002009-10-28T19:22:27.872-04:00Client #4Well, I picked up client number four last week. How cool is that?! Just when I think I'm perfectly content, I get another good client. Now, I know that one of my clients has hired me to help them get a contract with the state (an executive branch contract), so if they don't get that, then I assume they'll discontinue our contract, but I think they've got a shot, so I hope they'll continue a contract after it is awarded.<br /><br />Revenue is good and is a good balance between the clients. I think I probably need another one or two to have a better fiscal balance (not being overly dependent on any one contract), but I'm really looking forward to this year's session of the Indiana General Assembly (partly because it's probably only going to be two months long)!<br /><br />I do want to pursue slow growth with my client list. I think going into this year's session with four clients is probably a perfect number. I don't want to over-promise to my clients. So, if things go well enough this year with four, I can see how much capacity I have for the 2011 session. <br /><br />Anyway, things are awesome!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-34906991969754047502009-10-01T16:49:00.004-04:002009-10-01T16:58:47.368-04:00How to become a lobbyist pt. 2Well, apparently, there are many who are much more effective at finding things on the web than I am. Somehow, I'm getting about one or two emails a week from young folks considering government affairs/lobbying as a possible career option. <br /><br />I absolutely love these inquiries. To find younger folks interested in politics is really quite refreshing. I answer alot of the basic questions for them (what should I study, where should I look for internships, etc.), but one thing I always try and point out is to speak to lobbyists near them. <br /><br />I'm a state lobbyist in Indiana. So if there is a student at Purdue, ISU, Ball State, etc., I am probably a perfect resource, but in the last week, I've gotten inquiries from California and North Carolina. I make it a point to offer the students some local lobbyists with whom to speak since I don't have a clue what it's like to lobby in those states. <br /><br />I guess the purpose of this posting is to simply say: keep the inquiries coming. I love answering questions, and I love finding local lobbyists for young folks to speak with. Getting your foot in the door in politics isn't easy unless your family has a recognizable name in your state/community. If you don't have a recognizable name (I didn't), you have to work that much harder to prove yourself. Most young people aren't issue experts, so they get ahead early in politics by knowing the right people. Start internships and relationship building as soon and as as often as possible.<br /><br />Sorry, kind of a rambling post, but I mostly just wanted to encourage young people looking into this career to start talking with folks locally asap.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-84318473833919427402009-09-18T14:58:00.002-04:002009-09-18T15:03:45.361-04:00New Client National ConventionSo my newest client asked me to attend their national conference in Orlando this past weekend. Sounds pretty sweet, right? This was the second worst event I've ever been to. The first was a National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) event in the Florida Keys. <br /><br />They had this big bank of windows along the east wall of the conference hall where the meetings took place. About every five minutes or so, a big fishing boat (or pleasure boat) would sail by, and I'd hear someone in the background droning on about some insurance issue....pure hell.<br /><br />This time, I was within 10 minutes of the happiest place on earth (unless you were to get stuck on whatever that ride is with the song "it's a small world"...like what happened to us the last time the missuz and I went. That's another kind of pure hell. I digress...<br /><br />So this meeting was in this massive hotel in Orlando, and it went from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Don't get me wrong, there were some great speakers and agenda items, I'm just saying: Don't hold something like this in Florida. Hold it in Iowa or something (no offense to anyone in Iowa).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-19495148732609179232009-09-04T14:08:00.003-04:002009-09-04T14:17:31.418-04:00Hey...who's running this show?!Next week a client is coming in town and has asked me to set up various meetings. One of the meetings they asked me to set up was with a powerful legislator from the opposite party. I don't believe in trying to pretend I'm something that I'm not, so when the client asked me to work on setting up the meeting, I said I'd be happy to do so, but it's a difficult meeting to arrange for even those who are this legislator's friends, and I'm not one who falls in that category. <br /><br />I just feel like I need to be honest and up-front with the client, even if it ultimately means they go to another firm. I'm not going to promise anything I can't deliver or pretend I'm someone with every important relationship in the Statehouse. I suppose that could be one advantage of having a larger firm, but I continue to believe there are trade-offs for big firm versus little firm.<br /><br />In any event, apparently my client called someone else and got the meeting set up. I feel kind of awkward about the whole thing, but it's not that I don't have relationships on the other side of the aisle, it's just that I didn't have this one. So here they are, this out-of-state company who has relationships in our fair state and can get meetings done that I can't. Well, I think I could've eventually gotten the meeting, but I probably would've needed more lead time.<br /><br />Oh, and I don't think I mentioned it previously, but I picked up another client last week. I'm not up to three clients. Woo-hoo! Sure was not fun at the beginning of the year, since there were a couple of companies who said they wanted to hire me, but then backed out once I actually made the leap on my own.<br /><br />In fact, one of those companies still calls me to help them with stuff, but I believe those days of free lunches are officially over. I could probably hold a grudge at a few folks, but why bother. My business is growing and I couldn't be happier...until I pick up another client!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-91537233574754534282009-08-25T08:52:00.004-04:002009-08-25T08:56:53.216-04:00in-house versus hired gunsI had dinner with a friend last night who mentioned an acquaintance that is leaving his private practice to join a corporate government affairs shop. Maybe it's just what I've seen in the insurance government affairs world, but it seems like corporate government affairs would be my last choice of employment options.<br /><br />When corporate leadership changes, the government affairs folks may not be as necessary to the new leadership. The new leaders may want to bring in their own folks, or there may just be compatibility issues. I've also seen mergers and acquisitions where the new owner already has a government affairs shop which then leads to job cuts.<br /><br />I suppose there are benefits (literally and figuratively) why folks would want to work in a corporate shop, but my personal opinion that is if you can do well enough financially, that should be a last option. <br /><br />Just my opinion.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-83985440759036581122009-08-14T05:55:00.003-04:002009-08-14T06:05:48.657-04:00Work weekIt's funny. I had lunch with the missuz yesterday and I ran into a couple of friends on my way in to her office. Both asked me what I do during the week. It's funny. Honestly, the work week out of session involves some work for the clients, but it's obviously not nearly as busy as when the legislature is in session. This experience has made it awfully difficult for me to imagine going to sit in an office and gazing into a computer monitor for 9 hours a day.<br /><br />I remember at a previous job the boss was pretty strict about the work day. You were to be in the office by the starting time and you weren't to leave before the official end of the day. In fact, I was approached at one point for leaving right at the end of the work day (even though I always arrived early). Apparently I was to hang around a little after the official end-point of the work day. I never really understood that. I would sit there at the end of the day and piddle around. If you have work due...of course you stick around and get it done. I'm also not saying that there isn't value in a normal work schedule, but good grief!<br /><br />I love getting things done for my clients. And I like doing it at 4 a.m. when I wake up, or 3 in the afternoon after going to the grocery store or whatever. Mostly, however, I love not having to stare at my computer screen all day.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-38646016420750122322009-08-11T05:40:00.002-04:002009-08-11T05:45:38.736-04:00Client visitSo a client is in town this week. Pretty good so far. They are interested in meeting with different folks around the state and I'm responsible for getting the meetings set up. It still continues to amaze me that I get to do this for a living. I absolutely love what I'm doing and couldn't imagine doing anything else.<br /><br />I have another client interview at the end of the month, then a nice weekend of camping and fishing with some friends right after the interview. Picking up this additional client would be swell as it fits in with my area of expertise (should I put expertise in quotes?).<br /><br />In any event, other than the long overdue heat, things are going well...just not much to update during the summer months. Summer study committees start next month.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-4734013508717737582009-07-30T10:58:00.003-04:002009-07-30T11:03:18.315-04:00it's been a whileOk, so the summer is here and it's been pretty quiet. So what does a self-employed lobbyist do during the off-months?<br /><br />I've been having a few meetings with legislators for clients, meeting with potential new clients, meeting with staff and other interested parties.<br /><br />Since Indiana's session of the General Assembly doesn't start again until January, it's really about setting things up for next year at this point. Since we had a special session that lasted until the end of June, I've pretty much been staying out of legislators hair. However, this week, I've started setting meetings up for August & beyond.<br /><br />Legislators are regular folks (for the most part). They want to have some down time as well. I've also found that when you do want to visit with them, they appreciate it when you take the time to go visit with them in their districts. <br /><br />So I'll be putting a few miles on the Tacoma over the next few months as summer morphs into fall.<br /><br />If anyone stumbles across this blog and has questions, feel free to drop me a note (mike@lobbyistfinder.com) and I'll respond to your inquiry. <br /><br />Summer sure is swell, but I'm looking forward to ramping up again for next year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-6533632918377831882009-07-01T12:21:00.002-04:002009-07-01T12:29:34.409-04:00unrelated postingOk, not directly related to lobbying, but I just thought I'd like to say it publicly. Last year, when there were massive floods and mother nature's wrath in Indiana, I was fortunate enough to volunteer at disaster recovery sites throughout the state. I saw the good and the bad in people, but I wanted to take this platform to just say that if someone is considering a donation to either the Red Cross or the Salvation Army, my strong feelings are that the salvation army is the better of the two.<br /><br />I'm not affiliated in any way, shape or form with either group, but I saw them in action. The reason I say the Salvation Army is the better of the two is simply that they were local residents volunteering their time, while the Red Cross workers were all flown in to work at the sites. Admittedly, both were doing positive things for the communities, but it just doesn't seem to make ANY financial sense for a charitable organization to fly people in from around the country, put them up in hotels, and give them stipends, when you have people locally who can do the same thing. Taking it even a step further, the Red Cross also did the same thing for college students to help unload their trucks, planes, etc. Rather than hiring local kids, the Red Cross spent funds on flying people in.<br /><br />I know it's trivial and definitely not related to lobbying, but I just was reminded of the two groups and needed to put this out there for anyone that stumbles upon this article.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-23390741568638665592009-06-10T08:25:00.002-04:002009-06-10T08:35:33.037-04:00off seasonSo while Indiana's legislature is going into special session for the budget (I am eating my words from an earlier post this year noting how Indiana generally doesn't go into special session), this is generally the down time for lobbyists in state's with part-time legislatures. So what does a lobbyist do when the legislators aren't around? Prepare for next year.<br /><br />Legislative advocacy rarely results in solutions for clients right away. Generally, the legislature takes a year or two (or more) to get a feel for the issue. So the summer months are spent talking to key legislators for your issues that didn't pass during the previous session. I've found that legislators appreciate it when you visit them in their districts. It's like you're making an extra effort to show how important they are to you. Sounds a little silly, but it's almost always the case in my experience. There is a balance though. <br /><br />Most legislators like their time away from the Statehouse and don't want to have lobbyists harassing them all the time. So the trick is to make sure you show a special effort, but you're not hounding them.<br /><br />When you're not meeting with legislators and clients, there are numerous fundraisers and study committee meetings of interest. Obviously the fundraisers and study committees are at your discretion (I generally despise fundraisers), but they are a part of the job.<br /><br />WIth all that being said, the off-session months are a little bit like being an accountant from May to December. There's still plenty to do, but it's at a pretty relaxed and self-driven pace.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-12264146994738123962009-05-11T06:25:00.003-04:002009-05-11T06:30:20.868-04:00Julia may be gone, but...the public is still being asked to support she and her family. Good grief. I think my contribution probably got lost in the mail.<br /><br />Family remembers Julia Carson on Mother's Day<br />Updated: May 10, 2009 10:28 PM<br /><br />Julia Carson's family remembered her Sunday at Crown Hill Cemetery.<br /> <br />A new monument is dedicated to Carson's memory.<br /> <br />Carson's signature is carved on the monument.<br />Cat Andersen/Eyewitness News<br /><br />Indianapolis - A woman known as a political giant was remembered Sunday as a mother.<br /><br />Congresswoman Julia Carson's family visited her gravesite at Crown Hill Cemetery with a gift - a custom-made monument.<br /><br />"What'll grab you first is the heart that says 'We Love Julia'," said her grandson, Sam Carson, Jr. "That is her trademark."<br /><br />"She is a loss. A void that can never be replaced in the family or in the community. She's an original," said .<br /><br />"She was the kind of nurturing figure that was so necesary in this community," said her grandson Andre Carson, who holds his grandmother's seat in Congress.<br /><br />Her family says the basis of Carson's political platform started in the home. They say she wrote the book on "kitchen table issues" before the term became political jargon.<br /><br />"Every second was a sermon. It's amazing. You'll talk to her and she'll pause for a second to answer your question after careful thought and it'll be something you hold with you for the rest of your life," Sam Carson, Jr. said.<br /><br />"She would always say, 'Keep your eye on the prize'," said Andre Carson. "It sounded so hokey at the time, but what a great piece of advice. Keep your eye on the prize despite distraction, despite demands, despite criticism, keep your eye on the prize in that the people of the 7th Congressional district are represented."<br /><br />"She had a saying, 'If you ever look down on a person, extend a hand and pull them up," said her son, Sam Carson, Sr.<br /><br />Her family says even when she went to Washington, Carson never stopped being a mother.<br /><br />"She was a person that always spoke her mind," said Sam Carson, Jr. said. "She had a unique personality that would humble the mot pompous person."<br /><br />They say it was because Carson herself was so humble.<br /><br />"She always said, 'I'm just Julia'," said Sam Carson, Jr.<br /><br />Carson's family says she was just like any other mom on the block, she just happened to be the one that took an entire district under her wing.<br /><br />The family is accepting donations to finish the monument. The Julia Carson Memorial Fund is set up at Old National Bank.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-55616671169331756662009-04-29T06:57:00.002-04:002009-04-29T07:03:13.092-04:00Finallylast day. There are a couple of issues still remaining on the last day of Indiana's legislative session. Besides the budget, the main item would be the unemployment compensation fund. This is the fund every Indiana business pays into to compensate workers when they are laid off. A few years back, the business community and labor lobbyists got together and passed a tax decrease on business and benefit increase for laid-off workers. Well, as one can imagine, by cutting income and increasing expenditures, the fund is now in the red. Unfortunately, from what I can tell at this point, the legislative compromise seems to be centered on increasing costs on businesses rather than much cutting of benefits. The problem with that is that there are cases such as construction workers who don't work in the winter, but collect unemployment benefits. I'm of the opinion that the unemployment fund isn't meant to be a buffer or carry-over for those workers who take half the year off. If a construction worker can't work in the winter months, I suggest they budget for those lean months, or find a off-season job to help make up the shortage. The unemployment fund is for those who have been laid off, not those who are taking time off.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-65666835719511932372009-04-23T06:24:00.003-04:002009-04-23T06:25:18.961-04:00Week and a half to goIndiana's session ends next week and it couldn't be soon enough. It's supposed to be in the 70's and 80's today through early next week. Spring is here, so let's get the legislators out of town and start enjoying some legislator-free time!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-2937759301150039702009-04-06T08:32:00.003-04:002009-04-06T08:45:19.938-04:00Why political contributions are importantToday's installment deals with political contributions. Political giving is often portrayed as something shady done in the back rooms of some dark corner of the Statehouse. In reality, political contributions give groups and individuals the opportunity to state their case.<br /><br />In my experience, most legislators/public officials want to get reelected. In order to get reelected, they need to campaign. Campaigns involve spending money on advertising (flyers, yard signs, tv/radio, etc.), staff expenses and miscellaneous expenses such as political and community events.<br /><br />So when do lobbying groups give to a candidate or official (and by lobbying groups I mean lobbyists and those who hire lobbyists)? When there is a supportive candidate of that group's cause, or when the candidate's opponent is just offensive to that group. <br /><br />My giving a $1,000 check to a legislator or candidate is likely going to mean that I can either take them to lunch or dinner and spend a little time talking about my issue with them. Of course there are other ways of doing it, but the legislator also sees it as a public declaration that my group supports him/her more than the other candidate. That is pretty important to most legislators. If I'm a candidate and I can say that I've received support from the Chamber of Commerce, IBEW, Farm Bureau (or insert your own group here), that plays well with individuals in the community.<br /><br />My giving doesn't mean he or she will make every vote I make. It just means that I think he or she is more likely to support my issues or cause than others. Or it can also mean that I would like to begin developing a relationship with him or her because I think there is a possibility that I can work with them over a period of time and build a case for my issue.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-86490754862774410162009-04-01T12:01:00.003-04:002009-04-01T12:05:10.049-04:00Final pushSo the 2009 session of the Indiana General Assembly is in the home stretch. There are about two weeks left of session for language to move. The final two weeks are for conference committees. Around the halls, it's called death watch. <br /><br />Death watch is when groups monitor as many conference committees as possible to watch for sneaky insertions into bills and to make sure their sneaky insertions into bills go through. Obviously not every bill gets some new language, but I'd say most do.<br /><br />It's always an exciting time as everyone knows the final push is happening. Legislators are tired of hearing from lobbyists and lobbyists are tired of talking to legislators. In all though, it's one of the most exciting times of the year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942857213775341223.post-71024550441231979912009-03-30T06:58:00.003-04:002009-03-30T07:06:26.131-04:00Government interventionIt's never been my intention to use this blog for a particular issue (other than lobbying), but I think the most recent action taken in the name of "saving" GM is too much. The idea that the government/President can "ask" a CEO to step down is absolutely horrifying. I believe that goes beyond anything even remotely close to the founding principles of this nation.<br /><br />I will hold my tongue on most any issue the President and Congress advocate as they were elected to do so. However, the prospect of Washington D.C. telling private industry who should be running their companies is shocking. If any citizen has more confidence in Washington D.C. running a private company than anyone else, they are either blinded by partisan enthusiasm or they are simply idiots.<br /><br />Pardon my language, but I believe this (beyond everything else that has happened to this point in bailing out failed institutions) signals some VERY dark clouds on the horizon. I don't fear anything long-term at this point, but I don't believe this bodes well. Let's pray I'm wrong and I'll just get back to lobbying again.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15603149031516599425noreply@blogger.com0