civility

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) has been a leading researcher in citizen engagement with Congress for decades and in January, after Donald Trump’s inauguration, something rather extraordinary started to happen in the U.S. We chronicled a rare increase in in citizen-advocacy. Just as the Tea Party movement of 2009 rocked the Congress, the Trump protest movement rose up and exercised its First Amendment rights to petition their government for a “redress of grievances.”

"As I step down from the chairmanship of the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation, I'd like to make a plea to the members of Congress whom the foundation exists to serve: that they recapture the trust of the American people."

The last few years have seen an explosion in interest in advocacy, and that is generally a good thing. A CMF survey of citizens found that 44% of adult Americans had contacted Congress within the last five years. While this increased interest in exercising constitutional rights has value, one must keep in mind there is such a thing as 'bad advocacy.'

Understanding the Culture of Congress: An Insider's Guide

DO's...

• Do be entrepreneurial. Getting what you want from Congress requires individual effort and savvy. Courting leadership is not enough.

• Do expect partisanship and a lack of civility. When control of the House and Senate are tenuously held by a political party, and Members are not interested in establishing careers in the institution, partisanship reigns.

DON'Ts...

• Don't expect quick action on issues. Policymaking can be slow, partisan and frustrating.

• Don't think that a congressional schedule is written in stone. There are often last minute changes that can result in late nights and hectic Member schedules.

Details

Copyright 2020, Congressional Management Foundation
Paperback/Softcover: 312 pages
Publisher: Congressional Management Foundation; 17^th edition (November 3, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1-930473-24-9
Dimensions: 7.5 x 9.25 inches

• Download the entire book in PDF: Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide - 117th Congress Edition(2.6 MB)

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