The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees our rights as citizens to directly participate in making the laws we live under. We can take part in the process up close by lobbying the lawmakers in the state capitol and back home where they live. And that’s what this part of Second Circle 2009 is all about: How to work effectively with members of the state legislature.
I wrote 22 articles on this subject in 1999-2000 for The Kentucky Gazette. That series, edited for today’s lobbyist, is reprinted here. The articles were written with the registered lobbyist in mind, newcomers and old timers. But as it turned out, it’s a primer for anyone who wishes to sway the vote of a lawmaker, which can be a daunting task, achievable on average about 20 percent of the time — roughly the success rate of the lion that chases the wildebeest on the Serengeti plains.
The knowledge and wisdom evident in the articles come mainly from the people I interviewed — more than 30 legislators, lobbyists and legislative staff — to whom I once more extend my appreciation. Their names are provided at the end of the chapter in which they were first introduced, except for the few who wish to remain anonymous.
The responsibility for the scope and focus of this effort, the surrounding textual matter and the omissions of topics are mine alone. My aim was to illuminate the basics of participatory lawmaking, and I trust you will find the effort useful.
