America’s fiscal crisis is fueling activism in cities and town across America where Tea Party rallies shine the light on our national debt and out-of-control government spending. But there’s also a revolution happening online, particularly with web videos that tell the story of an economically challenged country.
Debt, spending and taxes don’t exactly translate into blockbusters. Over the course of the past couple weeks, however, web videos on each subject have illustrated just how significant those issues are for engaged citizens.
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Posted by: K Street Cafe Editor
The High Cost of Free Speech (Public Affairs Perspective)
What should organizations consider before supporting a political candidate?
What Do Voters Really Want? (California City News)
Research shows that the issues voters care about most may not be those that Congress is hearing about.
Originally published on PMPU.org.
Clay Johnson, formerly of the Sunlight Foundation, wrote in his blog recently that “online petitions are a sham.” He even used some of our data about congressional mail volumes to help make his point. While I think that he makes some really keen observations and puts his finger on some of the key challenges, not all online advocacy is the same.
The Congressional Management Foundation has done research with both the senders (citizens) and the receivers (congressional offices) and majorities of both believe that advocacy campaigns are good for our country. In fact, 73% of internet users who had contacted Congress in the last five years confirmed that they thought advocacy campaigns were good for Democracy. On the Hill, 53% of the congressional staff that responded to our survey confirmed that even they (the ones on the front lines of helping Members manage communications) thought that advocacy campaigns directed at Congress were a good thing.
What’s more, our survey of internet users found that interest groups played an integral role in how citizens learn about and communicate with Congress. Citizens join interest groups, visit their websites, and participate in their online petitions to learn about the issues they care about and to take collective action. However, interest groups need to realize that they occupy a key role in the connection between their activists and the Members of Congress who represent them. With that role comes responsibility. On the Hill, congressional staff do not have the tools that they need to quickly distill meaning from the overwhelming volume of communications that they receive on any given day.
Clay is right that there are bad actors that don’t have the facilitation of genuine dialogue as their primary motivation. However, we can’t let a minority of interest groups negate the critical and valuable—both to citizens and Congress—role that interest groups and grassroots advocates play. He’s also right that there are currently some significant obstacles to meaningful communication.
It is specifically because there are these challenges, that we recently launched The Partnership For a More Perfect Union to help improve the relationship and communication between citizens and Members of Congress. Through the Communicating with Congress Project we are seeking ways to improve the channel of communication between citizens and their elected officials because it’s good for citizens, Members, and democracy.
Originally published on PMPU.org.
The Congressional Management Foundation and its Partnership for a More Perfect Union present “Inside the Hill”, a web series that allows you to hear directly from Members and staff on how technology is changing the way Congress works. It is produced by Fleishman-Hillard.
In the third installment, “How and Why Does Congress Use Twitter,” congressional staff discuss the different uses and advantages of Twitter.
Previous editions of “Inside the Hill” are also available:
Congress and New Media: The World Has Changed
What Makes An Award Winning Website
Posted by: Jeff Mascott and Ken Ward
Environmental issues appear to be top of mind for citizens, according to data from June’s Congressional Conversation Index (CCI). The CCI is a monthly survey, conducted by DC-based firms Adfero Group and Fireside 21, measuring the average number of constituents that contact their U.S. Representative on various issues.
Of the top ten issues eliciting citizen response, the environment ranked second highest while energy ranked fifth. When combined, the joint issues skyrocket to the top of the list. The outpouring of concern likely comes as a result of the yet unresolved oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that took place in late April.
The number one single issue for June was financial services, with increased constituent concern likely a result of the House’s recent approval of a financial reform bill that will overhaul the banking system and re-write U.S. financial rules.
Immigration shifted down from last month’s number one spot into third, with health then energy rounding out the top five. The top ten issues on the CCI in June were (1) Financial Services (2) Environment (3) Immigration (4) Health (5) Energy (6) Medicare (7) Campaigns/Elections (8) Tax (9) Foreign Affairs (10) Judiciary.
Click image for full June data and more information about the CCI
About the CCI
The Congressional Conversation Index (CCI) is a joint effort by Fireside 21, a communications software provider to more than 100 Members of Congress, and Adfero Group, a public relations firm that runs issue advocacy and public awareness campaigns for corporations, associations and non-profits. For the first time ever, the CCI allows the public a glimpse into the issues driving citizen engagement with Congress. Each month, the CCI measures the average number of recorded emails, letters or phone calls that participating Members of the U.S. House of Representatives receive about various issues from the constituents they represent.
Posted by: Jeff Mascott and Ken Ward
Financial services climbed to the top of the list of citizen concerns expressed to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives last month, according to June’s Congressional Conversation Index (CCI). The CCI is a monthly survey, conducted by DC-based firms Adfero Group and Fireside 21, measuring the average number of constituents that contact their U.S. Representative on various issues.
The financial services category was the number one issue driving citizens to contact their representatives, replacing immigration in the top spot. Increased citizen concern likely resulted from the House’s recent approval of a financial reform bill that will overhaul the banking system and re-write U.S. financial rules. Engagement on the issue has risen steadily since February, with the number of related contacts more than doubling in the past month.
The environment was another pressing issue for citizens in June, taking the number two spot on the CCI. Environmental concerns were likely top of mind because of the yet unresolved oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred in late April.
Immigration shifted down from last month’s number one spot into third, followed by health and energy to round out the top five concerns.
The top ten issues on the June CCI were (1) Financial Services (2) Environment (3) Immigration (4) Health (5) Energy (6) Medicare (7) Campaigns/Elections (8) Tax (9) Foreign Affairs (10) Judiciary.
- Click image for full June data and more information about the CCI
About the CCI
The Congressional Conversation Index (CCI) is a joint effort by Fireside 21, a communications software provider to more than 100 Members of Congress, and Adfero Group, a public relations firm that runs issue advocacy and public awareness campaigns for corporations, associations and non-profits. For the first time ever, the CCI allows the public a glimpse into the issues driving citizen engagement with Congress. Each month, the CCI measures the average number of recorded emails, letters or phone calls that participating Members of the U.S. House of Representatives receive about various issues from the constituents they represent.
Posted by: Jeff Mascott and Ken Ward
About the CCI
The Congressional Conversation Index (CCI) is a joint effort by Fireside 21, a communications software provider to more than 100 Members of Congress, and Adfero Group, a public relations firm that runs issue advocacy and public awareness campaigns for corporations, associations and non-profits. For the first time ever, the CCI allows the public a glimpse into the issues driving citizen engagement with Congress. Each month, the CCI measures the average number of recorded emails, letters or phone calls that participating Members of the U.S. House of Representatives receive about various issues from the constituents they represent.
Posted by: K Street Cafe Editor
Survey: Immigration Ranks First in Survey of Constituents’ Concerns (Hillicon Valley)
The “Congressional Conversation Index” collects and averages data from House offices about which issues constituents are most concerned about.
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg Is Embracing the End of Email, Here’s Why (Fast Company)
According to Facebook’s COO, you must look at what teenagers are doing today to determine what people will be doing tomorrow – and only 11% of teens use e-mail daily.
Posted by: K Street Cafe Editor
Where To Find Your Congresscritter: Facebook? (techPresident)
Earlier this week Facebook announced “Congress on Facebook,” a new page that highlights innovative uses of the platform by members of Congress and serves as a directory for federal legislators on the social network.
Putting a Value on Facebook Communities (Adweek)
A new Web app will tell you how much your Facebook page is worth.
Posted by: K Street Cafe Editor
Next Wave of Activist Lobbying: ‘Hijack’ Congress Members’ Facebook Profiles (Hillicon Valley)
Is “profile hijacking,” where advocacy campaigns take over lawmakers’ Facebook profiles and bombard them with Tweets about their cause, the next wave of citizen lobbying?
Mayor Donates Kidney To Facebook Friend (NPR)
One Connecticut mayor takes constituent services to a whole new level.
