STRENGTHENING PARTIES

AND

BUILDING CONSENSUS
By Jerry Hartz
NATIONAL PARTY COMMITTEES: president and national

U.S. SENATE U.S. HOUSE

COMMITTEES: COMMITTEES: House
Senators Members

STATE COMMITTEES:
governors, state and local office holders
ROLE of parties in U.S. Congress
LEGISLATIVE ELECTORAL
❖ Forum to discuss policy ❖ Brand identity w/ voters
❖ Develop legislative tactics ❖ Fundraising assistance
❖ Message talking points ❖ Polling
❖ Training ❖ Election volunteers
❖ Create unity ❖ Uni ied ticket of candidates
ROLE of leadership and parties in BUILDING CONSENSUS

❖ Strong leaders and disciplined parties succeed

❖ Weak leaders and divided parties fail
❖ It starts at the top with effective party leadership
❖ My experience: same party ... two styles of leadership:
○ 1993-94 under Speaker Tom Foley
○ 2009-10 under Speaker Nancy Pelosi
successful LEADERS unite the party

❖ Able to listen
❖ Are inspirational, articulate, smart, media-savvy
❖ Have organizational skill ... sweat details … work hard!
❖ Can “herd cats” and count votes
❖ Show fundraising prowess
❖ Know lock better than the legislators know themselves
❖ Are not afraid to punish those who stray
united PARTIES work for members

❖ Bring political power, ideology and singularity of purpose

❖ Expand reputation and in luence of members
❖ Provide services and technical help
❖ Lead outreach to voters
❖ Help party members get elected and stay elected
 effective PARTY MEMBERS deliver for voters

❖ Inspire voters with big ideas

❖ Break gridlock by working with unnatural allies
❖ Address real needs
❖ Are reformers and change agents
❖ Pass laws voters care about!
❖ Use values to inspire others
❖ Form friendships
what makes
❖ Use a “favor box”
❖ Provide committees, staff, party
commissions, rooms, travel LEADERS
effective?
❖ Let Members “shine”
❖ Fundraise
❖ Secure loyalty
 party UNITY is everything!

❖ Effective communications unite parties and build long-term brand

❖ Internal communications are as important as external communications
❖ Discipline must be enforced - while not creating enemies
❖ You can attract bees with honey, but a good swat is sometimes essential!
❖ It’s two-way street: parties help members ... members build up parties
❖ U.S. has had only two major parties for over 150 years!
 united PARTIES are inclusive

❖ Have real debate about policy and politics:

➢ Weekly meetings: Caucus, Whip, emergency sessions
➢ Personal interaction is essential
➢ Sponsor retreats away from Parliament
➢ Provide useful information and services
❖ Let everyone have input in decision making
 united PARTIES connect with voters
❖ Social media is #1! In US, more than half of all Americans now get news
from Facebook feeds
❖ Press conferences or media events that get on TV and radio
❖ Town hall meetings - in person or by telephone
❖ Synchronized events in every congressional district that focus on one
issue: visit school, hospital, workplace etc.
 party unity TACTICS
❖ In U.S. Congress, ALL MA OR VOTES are whipped
❖ “Votes of conscience” are a leadership consideration
❖ Unity is rewarded...straying is punished
❖ Chairs of committees can even lose their seat
❖ Members must pay dues to the political arm - up to $250,000/year
❖ Seniority system is respected and loyalty yields more power
❖ Hard work gains respect and a rise up the ladder
 message discipline is ENFORCED
❖ In US Congress, every moment is scheduled: when to debate, what to
say, timing for votes, when to go home
❖ Leadership communicates w/ members multiple times every day
❖ Daily meetings, talking points, sample tweets, fact sheets
❖ Message points for plenary debate
❖ Brie ings with pollsters and media experts to review best talking points
❖ Training on communicating on issues with voters
 united parties succeed w/ VOTERS

❖ Branding: what do we stand for/who we are as a party

❖ It’s YOUR fútbol team:
➢ Voters immediately associate your party
with your brand
➢ On legislative battles, they join a call to action
➢ When you win, you get credit!
❖ SUCCESS: breeds more success
building CONSENSUS and COALITIONS

❖ Compromise is HARDEST THING TO ACHIEVE IN POLITICS

❖ Why it’s worth it
❖ My experience:
○ 2008 world inancial collapse - President Bush/Speaker Nancy Pelosi
○ 2010 healthcare reform - President Obama/Speaker Nancy Pelosi
❖ Each side wants something … key is
inding out what is mutually
bene icial MEETING
in
❖ Self-interest is OK: “I’ll scratch your
back if you scratch mine”!
❖ Each side MUST be willing to
compromise and give up something
the
important MIDDLE
❖ End result: we are stronger together
than we are separate
How to find
COMMON my
position
your

GROUND
position

WE
AGREE!

their
position
successful NEGOTIATING TACTICS

❖ Be a good listener
❖ Find out what is really important, what is the bottom line?
❖ Start small: adopt easiest policies first, tackle toughest ones last
❖ Get to know each other, go to dinner, bring to your home
❖ Become FRIENDS: single most important factor
 try to AVOID

❖ Name calling
❖ Questioning motives or fundamental values
❖ Sticking to a position until its breaking point … put it aside
❖ Reaching agreement, then backing out
❖ If you walk away … you may not be able to come back
 importance of including MINORITY PARTIES

❖ If your voice is being heard ❖ Denial of political rights can

and respected, compromise is
possible
❖ If you are invested in the
political process, you stay
within norms of dialogue
lead to hopelessness and
extremism
❖ We are always stronger
together than apart
why it’s best to AVOID GRIDLOCK

❖ It is easy to tear down institutions

➢ Much harder to make them resilient and long-lasting
❖ Gridlock and partisanship are poison to democracy
❖ When voters lose trust in institutions, frustration and extremes emerge
❖ Democracy is hard work and it’s messy
❖ Fight for what you believe, but be willing to compromise
❖ My experience: partisanship in US Congress
never forget who is boss: VOTERS!

❖ Public servants know it’s not just about you or even your
constituents, it’s about the greater good
❖ It’s about your kids, your future
❖ Most importantly, it’s about Kenya!
discussion
QUESTIONS?