Elected officials count on, indeed need, constituent input to be effective legislators. Ongoing communication is the only way lawmakers will know and understand how you, the voter, feels about particular issues. Therefore, it is imperative that every neurosurgeon make the effort to be involved in the political process.
Members of Congress make decisions every day that affect neurosurgeons and their patients. Only those individuals and groups who actively compete in the political process, however, play a role in determining policy. The key is to be a “player” in our competitive political system.
What is Grassroots Advocacy?
The term “grassroots” originated in a speech by Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana to a delegation at the 1912 Bull Moose Convention. Senator Beveridge stated that theirs was the party of grassroots “… grown from the soil of the people’s hard necessities.”
Today, the term “grassroots” has evolved to mean organized efforts by special interest groups, particularly at the local level, to promote support for or against specific issues or political candidates. Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill’s argument that “all politics is local” emphasizes the need for interest groups, like the AANS and CNS, to organize at the local or “grassroots” level.
Grassroots advocacy can include any of the following: writing letters to your members of Congress, meeting with lawmakers in their district office or in Washington, D.C., contributing to a candidate’s political campaign, hosting political fundraising events, contributing to political action committees, and participating in the state medical and/or neurosurgical societies’ policy development processes. The most effective way to be a grassroots advocate is to build a solid rapport with your lawmakers and their staff. By doing so, you will cultivate the legislator’s trust and will be more likely to receive political assistance when a critical issue facing neurosurgery comes before U.S. Congress.
Why is Grassroots Advocacy Important?
Organized neurosurgery, through the AANS/CNS Washington Committee, Washington Office staff and the independent American Neurological Surgery Political Action Committee (AANS PAC), maintains a comprehensive government relations program. And, while these elements are certainly critical to promoting our health policy agenda, none of them can replace the power of constituents. Members of Congress only stay elected by the votes of their constituents; thus, they are acutely attentive to messages delivered from voters.
Today, the importance and power of grassroots advocacy is greater than ever. As more organizations compete for the attention of Congress, it is imperative that organized neurosurgery have a robust network of “grassroots activists.” Experience has taught us that we increase our success rate when every neurosurgeon gets involved.
Two recent examples are the successes we had in staving off substantial cuts in practice expense reimbursement and the number of co-sponsors we have generated for the collective bargaining legislation since April 1999.
Additional benefits of grassroots political action include:
- Elected officials and individual neurosurgeons develop personal relationships.
- The efforts of individual neurosurgeons lend credibility to the messages that the Washington Office staff deliver.
- Neurosurgeons increase their knowledge about the political process and political campaigns.
- Candidates are elected because of neurosurgeons’ efforts.
- The AANS and CNS become more effective in public policy negotiations.
How Can You be a Grassroots Advocate?
The answer to this question is one word: participate. There are many ways in which neurosurgeons can participatee in the political process and become effective grassroots advocates (see chart on page 25). Every neurosurgeon does not have to engage in each advocacy activity; however, every neurosurgeon must do something. Typical responses for inaction include: “I don’t have time between my professional, educational and family activities to get to know my Congressman.” “I’m only one person and my opinion or campaign contribution won’t make a difference.” “Politics can get dirty and I don’t want to lower myself to that level.” “The AANS and CNS are representing my interests before Congress, so I don’t have to do anything myself.”
While there is an element of truth to the aforementioned “excuses” for inaction, in today’s competitive healthcare environment, neurosurgeons can no longer afford to be ostriches and bury their heads in the sand. With so many other interest groups – trial lawyers, managed care companies, other medical specialties – trying to get the competitive edge and promote their interests above Neurosurgery’s in Congress, you must get involved. Remember: neurosurgeons should be the ones dictating the future of neurosurgery, not some other interest group or uninformed lawmaker.
So, when the AANS and CNS send you a “Grassroots Action Alert,” respond by writing a letter, making a phone call or meeting with your lawmaker. When a political candidate you support requests a financial contribution, send them a check. If your lawmaker holds a town hall meeting, attend and speak up. Each of these individual actions take less than one-hour to do, yet if you do them enough, over time you will have built a relationship with your Member of Congress and become an effective grassroots advocate.
Katie O. Orrico, JD, is Director of the AANS/CNS Washington Office. For more information on grassroots advocacy, contact her at (202) 628-2072 or visit the socioeconomic section of our Web Site at www.neurosurgery.org.