The Art and Science of Political Advocacy

The Science

Science is a systematically organized body of knowledge about a particular subject, in this case politics. Knowledge about the process of politics, current issues, and the pros and cons related to the subject at hand is necessary for effective advocacy. As members of a democratic society, citizens have the ability to communicate with elected officials, expressing their views with the expectation that their views will be heard and considered when decisions are made and laws passed or defeated. The public has the opportunity to submit testimony in support of or against proposed legislation for consideration during a public hearing. Testimony in writing or by email must be received in advance of the hearing. Submitters of testimony may choose to deliver their message in person before the appropriate committee at a scheduled public hearing. Speakers are advised not to read their written testimony but to summarize.

On the day of the public hearing, a sign-up list determines the order of the speakers. Sign up is on a first come, first served basis. Speakers may find themselves waiting for hours for their turn at the podium. The 1st hour or more may be reserved for prominent individuals including public officials, legislators, etc. At times, members of the public may be issued an invitation from an elected official to address a committee or subcommittee on a certain topic. Such was my experience in 2008 when asked by Senator Christopher Dodd from Connecticut to testify on food allergies. Senator Dodd was the chair of the U.S. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Children and Families. Food allergies was a topic close to Senator Dodd’s heart since one of his daughters has a food allergy. Well prepared on the facts from my professional experience, I was less prepared for testifying in Washington, D.C. NASN staff and advocacy leaders made sure my testimony was ready to go and my personal comfort was considered. I remember the awesome feeling of entering the chambers of our highest level of government to face people who I had only seen on the news or read about in the paper. Needless to say, the key was collaboration and support from NASN with their proven ability to function in this venue.

Links to information on the legislative process and guides to testifying are found in the sidebar at the end of this article. In addition, William N. LaForge has authored a guide entitled Testifying Before Congress: A Practical Guide to Preparing and Delivering Testimony Before Congress and Congressional Hearings for Agencies, Associations, Corporations, Military, NGOs, and State and Local Officials. State-specific information may be found at your state general assembly or legislative site.

The Art

Art is defined as the skill or ability to do something well, to do something skillfully. Artists learn their craft over time by formal training, research, and practical experience. To analyze questions, prepare a response, and deliver an answer quickly and accurately is a learned skill, an art. The art of political advocacy means that, in addition to being articulate, concise, and direct, speakers must have the ability to answer questions from legislators.

Persistence is the quality of continuing steadily despite problems or difficulties. Henry Ford did not obtain instant success. His early businesses failed and left him broke five times before he successfully founded the Ford Motor Company. Another example is Charles Schultz, whose Peanuts comic strip is known and loved. Every cartoon he submitted for his high school yearbook was rejected. Schultz was even rejected for a position working with Walt Disney. Everyone knows Harry Potter and his comrades at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. J. K. Rowling, the author and creator, before her rise to fame and fortune, was a single mother on welfare. In only 5 years, Rowling went from welfare to becoming one of the richest women in the world through hard work and determination (Online College, 2013). Persistence paid off.

In 2013, legislators in Connecticut passed legislation for the formation of a School Nurse Advisory Council. The council is made up of a multidisciplinary group charged with the task of exploring the role of the school nurse and the status of school health and making recommendations for school nurses and school health. The School Nurse Advisory Council is the result of more than 30 years of persistence of Connecticut school nurses. Persistence paid off.

Two years ago, the Colorado Association of School Nurses hired a lobbyist because of proposed legislation pertaining to school nurses. Despite opposition by Colorado school nurses, the legislation passed. However, school nurses were able to influence more favorable wording. Work with others, not against them. Some advice from Colorado school nurses: “Don’t alienate the bill sponsor!”

Georgia had a grassroots campaign. Their advice: Be passionate. Be prepared. Be brief. Speak from the heart. Tell your story. Have handouts with accurate data. Provide contact information. Pass out business cards. Involve parents, especially if they are constituents. Involve students. It’s always about them—not about you. Present an award to a legislator who made an impact on health. When asked for help, give it. Expect the same.

Although not nearly as well-known as Ford, Schultz, or Rowling, the school nurses in Colorado, Connecticut, and Georgia have stories to tell and lessons learned:

One of the most recent and compelling stories is that of California, where school nurses took their case to the court. The issue: The California Department of Education supports allowing unlicensed personnel to give insulin to children in schools. Two lower courts already ruled that this is in violation of the state’s Nursing Practice Act, which says that administering medication is a nursing function that cannot be performed by unlicensed individuals. “The American Diabetes Association and others appealed to the California Supreme Court, arguing that the law puts students’ safety at risk because not all schools have nurses” (Wilson Pecci, 2013).

California nurses sought the help of nurses throughout the country. Some states responded in support of California with an amicus brief, which is written by an amicus curiae (2013):

An amicus curiae . . . (literally “ friend of the court ”) is someone who is not a party to a case [but] offers information that bears on the case. . . . This may take the form of legal opinion [or] testimony . . . and is a way to introduce concerns ensuring that the possibly broad legal effects of a court decision will not depend solely on the parties directly involved in the case. The decision on whether to admit the information lies at the discretion of the court.

The California Supreme Court ruled in support of the Department of Education. California school nurses are considering bringing the case to the United States Supreme Court (Wilson Pecci, 2013). School nurses everywhere need to follow this case carefully as it has the potential to affect us all. Tennessee is the next state to be challenged on the issue of diabetes care in school brought by the American Diabetes Association and families of children with diabetes. For additional tips on political advocacy, refer to Table 1.

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Table 1.

Tips for Successful Political Advocacy

A 2011-2012 study conducted by Independent Sector, a leadership network for nonprofits and foundations, identified five strategies for successful advocacy:
1. Sustain a laserlike focus on long-term goals.	Time frames of 10, 20, or 25 years are common. Little can be accomplished in a year.
2. Prioritize building the elements for successful relationships.	Successful advocates constantly invest in relationships with public officials. It takes time and resources to build relationships.
3. Consider the motivations of public officials.	Successful advocates invest time understanding the policy environment and the players. Learn the backgrounds, family histories, and connections of public officials as well as the priorities of their constituents.
4. Galvanize coalitions to achieve short-term goals.	Coalitions can be very useful in aggregating diverse voices, skills, and assets necessary for an effective advocacy campaign. Strong leadership, a shared vision, clear decision making, and members with complementary assets were the cornerstones of effective coalitions.
5. Ensure strong, high-integrity leadership.	Leaders of successful advocacy organizations have: High integrity and transparency A reputation for being honest Trust between the leader, colleagues, and audiences The ability to articulate a compelling vision and mobilize people around it

Source: Parkinson (2006).

Conclusion

“When passionate committed school nurse leaders come together with a collective voice and clear message, we can make this world a better place for our children, one issue at a time” (Shubert, 2013, p. 142). Effective advocacy requires knowledge, experience, and skill. Nurses can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution.

Perhaps the best conclusion is a story I tell over and over when challenges seem overwhelming and obstacles insurmountable. A small snail may have much to teach.

Sitting in his living room, a man hears a knock on the door. He gets up, opens the door, and looks down to see a snail on the doorstep. He picks up the snail and tosses it across the road. Years later, the same man hears a knock and opens the door. He looks down. The snail says, “What was that all about?”

That is persistence, the key to success. Such is the art and science of political advocacy. ■