Roll Call

"Social media is the ultimate equalizer. It gives a voice and a platform to anyone willing to engage." That statement by Internet entrepreneur Amy Jo Martin has profound implications in a democracy. Prior to the introduction of the Internet, the process of engaging elected officials was viewed as cumbersome and intimidating, perhaps only available to wealthy campaign donors. New research by the Congressional Management Foundation suggests that social media, "the ultimate equalizer," perhaps has the potential to influence that dynamic even more.

As congressional offices approach the final quarter of 2015, the dreaded topic of "performance reviews" raises its ugly head. The topic is dreaded in Congress for a few reasons that could include: employees perceive it as unfair, a grading of their work akin to a first-grade report card; managers view it as an annoying requirement with no connection to office goals, or; offices avoid them completely, leaving staff frustrated without any clear and meaningful feedback on their work.

Last year, I was giving a speech to an association about how Congress works and was asked, “What’s the biggest obstacle to improving the democratic dialog in America?” I replied, “Bad writing.” By following these five tips, citizen advocates' correspondence can stand out amoung the crowd.

Now that summer is here, legislators are increasing their scheduling of town hall meetings back in their districts. Recently some myths have emerged about this time honored aspect of our democracy. Some groups are claiming (usually tied to a fundraising pitch), "Congress isn't listening to citizens" and is holding fewer town hall meetings. This is false.

A huge amount of resources are invested in organized fly-in days, though they don't get as much media coverage. This article discusses some of the common mistakes that happen in these constituent-Congress meetings.

I recently had an irresistible proposition for a member of Congress: "What if I could show you a technology which, in one hour, would make thousands of your constituents consider you accessible and fair, increase their trust in your judgement, and triple your approval rating on one of the toughest issues Congress faces?"

I did not know Chip Kennett, but I knew him. Chip's story is of a dedicated staffer who found love in the halls of Congress and married his wife, Sheila. It was a perfectly normal story — many staffers have found their life-mates down the hall in a Senate or House office building — until three years ago, when Chip was diagnosed with lung cancer. His story reminds us that Capitol Hill is a community, and there are real lives making up the broader congressional family.