# Phone Tree / lobbying the ...



## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

When you guys are running your phone tree, how many times are the same people calling (or emailing) the same senators and representatives ?

If the person is already on the "C", "D", or "F" list, repetitive calling to voice your opinion may actually drive that person further away from your own goals.

Kind of like Chinese water torture. Person either breaks or becomes even more defiant.

Persuasion can be accomplished via many routes ... repetition of opinion by a select few is but one method.

Perhaps MRN could provide a few others.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Maybe I'm missing your point, but, are you saying that the voters opinions don't matter in the eyes of a legislator?


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

Chris,

Of course each voter's opinion matters. Do not stop what you started but also review what you are doing and make sure that it is working in the way you anticipated it would.

I am not telling you to stop writing, calling and emailing. What you started is a great idea.

What I am trying to say is :

Battle lines have been drawn. There are legislators on your side, the opposition, and in the middle. It is those in the middle that you need to persuade the most. Probability of changing the opposition is too great ??

By all means write/email/call your rep. or sen. and state your opinion. Thank them if possible after the vote. Support those on your side strongly.

But,
A constant barrage of phone calls and emails from the same small set of people may begin to feel like harassment to some in the middle and definitely those on the opposition. They may actually begin to despise the issue and those that are leading the charge. Rather than listen, they tune out, and may actually work hard to counter your position.

Kind of like MRN and a few others that respond to my posts. Whether they think I am right or wrong, they enjoy defacing or defeating the individual or group NOT the issue; the same is all too common in politics.

Those in the middle need to be persuaded aggressively but not harassed. Hopefully the letters and phone calls have been polite and to the point.

Channel the enthusiasm the right way - subtle persuasion may work more efficiently than brute trench warfare for those sitting on the fence.

1) You guys are spread across the state. Any chance that you could sit down face to face with some in the middle ? Dan how about a face-to-face with Ron.
2) Like RAP said. All too many sportsmen are not interested in these events. Get others to write letters.

100 letters from 100 people in the district is certainly more powerful than 100 letters from 10 people in the district.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

You don't know what you're talking about on this on PH...sorry. :eyeroll: (the extremely "nice" version)


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

OK :eyeroll: I give up.


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## Miller (Mar 2, 2002)

> OK I give up.


Thank god.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

On this thread.

Go back and blast em boys :sniper: :sniper: :sniper:

:beer:


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Now that's the spirit of it PH.......
That's what we are trying to save is the future of the SPORT. Without the waterfowl ,we have no sport! That's why 2048 was such a big deal. It wasn't for the RESIDENT hunters it was for the waterfowl!!!!

OUR STATE IS ON THE DOWN CYCLE FOR WATER!! OUR SLEWS ARE STARTING TO DRY UP AND ARE TURNING INTO FIELDS AGAIN. OUR BREEDING WATER FOR OUR DUCKS AND GEESE ARE DISAPPEARING. WITH ALL THE PERSURE IT WILL CUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS IN 1/2.....

TIA ( THINK ABOUT IT!!) 
~BUT THEN YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN OUR STATE~

MAV.....


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

And the results of :sniper: is what ?

Drought is a natural part of the prairie cycle. My concern is soil and subsoil moisture for the farmers of ND. The ducks will survive. They survived the 80s and early 90s. Will the farmers ??? Will the ND economy?

Maybe the outfitters will dry up too?


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

So you sit there and help out the MN econmy then. Or as you say "Used by MN"

Whatever you want to call it? :lol: 
Mav...


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