Monthly Archives: September 2008

Campaign Tips: Proactive Activism

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This week’s Campaign Tip is more of an encouragement to adopt what the Young America’s Foundation call “the Reagan Approach” to campaigning. Instead of being a “passive activist”, YAF encourages students to become “proactive activists”. Thus instead of whining about how awful your degree course, students’ union or the media are, you are encouraged to get off your backside and DO something about it!

So in that spirit, today I encourage you to adopt the same approach to activism. We are to become “proactive activists” – and the first campaign will be to attack the BBC for its astonishing bias over the US presidential election campaign. The contrast between last week’s coverage of the Democratic Party Convention in Denver and this week’s coverage of the GOP Convention in St Paul is astonishing. So here’s a way to get off your backsides and to campaign hard against the Barack Broadcasting Corporation.

Conservative Movement Profile: The America’s Future Foundation

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The America’s Future Foundation is a D.C. based non-profit organization committed to identifying and training conservative and libertarian professionals in their 20’s and 30’s. Recognizing that the activism of young professionals is essential for the continuation of conservative and libertarian principles, the organization’s vision is to teach the principles of a free society and offer professional training for young professionals. Led by Executive Director David Kirby, the Foundation recently launched chapters in Chicago and Denver, expanding their influence beyond D.C. and further West.

AFF presents young professional with a wealth of policy, career, and cultural resources. The Foundation’s primary focus is to train effectual leaders to govern, publish, strategize, debate, and learn. In this goal it recognizes three theories of leadership that are integral to effective leadership development: experience, example, and knowledge.

To this end AFF hosts monthly Roundtable events on current political and cultural issues where young professionals can participate as panelists or audience members, both serving to educate as well as allow participants to gain experience in debate and have a little fun. The Foundation also holds monthly happy hour, social, and networking events. In June AFF was proud to host author Gene Healy as a happy hour speaker at Rocket Bar in Chinatown.

In light of the coming election, the Foundation has launched “AFF On the Road” which holds events in major campaign cities following the 2008 campaign trail. A recent pre-convention debate in Minneapolis, Minnesota hosted Jeff Larson, CEO of the Minneapolis St. Paul 2008 Host Committee for the 2008 Republican convention and author of “Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals, Libertarians and the Battle to Control the Republican Party”.

The Foundation also facilitates cultural events though AFF Underground which offers the best of D.C. happenings. AFF Underground encourages talent and provides cultural experience by organizing groups to attend theater, music, film, dance, and other events around the capital city going “beyond- or beneath- politics.” Participants recently saw “Avenue Q” and last summer AFF hosted a film screening for the American Film Renaissance Festival.

Beyond facilitating events, the Foundation’s website has a lot to offer such as articles, podcasts, links and resources for young professionals. The Job Board provides job listing in prestigious organizations such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Washington Legal Foundation.

For those interested in articles on politics, culture, books, arts, and science the Foundation publishes Doublethink. Doublethink features articles, podcasts, and links to blogs. Interested in writing? Doublethink also accepts pieces for publication, with instructions for submitting work given on the website.

For more information, please see:

Home: http://www.americasfuture.org/index.php

Events: http://www.americasfuture.org/room101/

Networking Events: http://www.americasfuture.org/events-archive/affarch-hh.php

On the Road: http://www.americasfuture.org/events-archive/affarch-hh.php

Public Speaking & Debating Tips: Nerves

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A major reason people don’t enjoy giving speeches or speaking in public is because they suffer from nerves. Seeing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin speak last weekend when she was nominated by John McCain, it would be hard to think that she was nervous – but I bet she was. She just knew how to handle her nerves! Here are some tips for dealing with nerves:

  1. Saying “er” or “um” are irritating. The bond of trust with the audience is broken. If you feel the urge to say “er” or “um”, pause and use silence instead. Practice this in every day speech until it becomes second nature.
  2. If you are not pumping with adrenaline before you speak, you may be suffering from complacency. Harold Macmillan used to be physically sick before Prime Minister’s Questions. It’s ok to feel nervous!
  3. The better prepared you are, the less likely you are to feel nervous. If you leave anything to the last minute or worse, to chance, this will only make you feel nervous. Eliminate as many uncertainties as you can before you start.
  4. Walk slowly and purposefully towards the lectern (if there is one). Breathe deeply and take time to adjust your posture. If you exhibit confidence, the audience will be receptive.
  5. Once at the lectern, adjust the microphone. Survey your audience, make eye contact. Get your notes ready. Breathe. Pause before you begin.
  6. Radiate a sense of warmth, caring, sincerity and credibility. If you project a sense of liking yourself, your audience will like you too.
  7. If it all goes wrong, it’s not the end of the world. Nobody will have died. Keep things in perspective and resolve to learn from any avoidable mistakes.

Branch & Activist Profile: Clare Hilley

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YBF caught up with Clare Hilley – one of CF’s most experienced activists. We talked to her about where her conservative principles come from, her potential leadership ambitions and her thoughts on what Cameron should focus on. 

How and why did you get involved with Conservative politics?

When I was fourteen years old I was a Sergeant in the Air Training Corps and one of my duties was to fundraise for our squadron. I arranged a meeting with my local MP Richard Ottaway who subsequently gave the squadron some money and gave me his business card. He introduced me into politics and through him I joined my local Conservative association. I’ve always been a Conservative and ever since I was a child I used to debate politics and current affairs around the dinner table with my family. My parents never went to University, were born on a council estate in Stockwell and through sheer grit and determination they worked very hard to get where they are today. I’ve always believed that anyone can achieve anything if they work hard for it and shouldn’t be penalised for doing so. The sad fact is that under a Labour Government, millions of hardworking families have been slammed with unnecessary tax burdens.

Tell us about CF in your area, what do you focus on? Socials? Campaigns? Social action?

I’m currently the Area Chair for London South and the Chair of Croydon Conservative Future. Within London South there are 28 constituencies that I am responsible for as well as a membership of over 300. We have had lots of campaign days recently as well as socials.

Last year I was appointed representative for the Poppy Appeal in Purley. We organised several Poppy selling events which were attended by many young activists from CF. The Poppy Appeal is a charity that has always been very close to my heart and I intend to run similar campaigns this year.

As a senior member of CF, have you noticed any marked changes in it over the last couple of years?

During the 2005 general election I was on the NME under Paul Bristow’s leadership, an Area and Branch Chair in Lancashire as well as a Campaign Manager and Council Candidate in Lancaster & Wyre, so it was a busy time. Back then CF was a vibrant and fair organisation loaded with positive activists that had a passion for the party as a whole.

Since then, the huge success of CF has brought many changes with it, and not all of them have been positive. The organisation has attracted several sharp eyed careerists keen to capitalise on the years of hard work put in by the original membership. This ego driven portion of the organisation, whilst very small, has in turn brought with it a culture of occasional bullying and negativity.

Despite the ugly characteristics of this new breed within the membership, I still firmly believe that the vast majority of Conservative Future members are passionate about the party. It is up to us to ensure that this culture outnumbers that of the opportunists if Conservative Future is to remain a credible force for the party. 

Are there some things that you would like to change about the way CF works?

Firstly, as the leader of the organisation the Chairman’s credentials and commitment must be crystal clear. We must remember that Conservative Future has been built and run by volunteers who give up their weekends and valuable time to help make the party a better place. Given this fact, I think that the Chairman needs to be someone who has sweated for CF for at least three years and proved their loyalty to the organisation. For too long careerists have been able to slip in through the back door on a few empty words; in a voluntary organisation this simply cannot continue.

Secondly, we need a national database to list all fully paid up members of Conservative Future. The membership has been badly let down by a string of broken promises on a key election issue.

Thirdly, I would hold regular national campaign days. Conservative Future needs to be out on the doorsteps within branch constituencies making an impact as we have done in previous years.

Do you have any aspirations for holding high office in CF?

I am passionate about CF and believe that I have the experience to become chairman one day but it depends on who is running and whether I agree with their policies. If no one is standing over the next few years with radical reforms that will actually be implemented then I’d be tempted to throw my hat in the ring.

For too long the membership has been let down by second rate careerism and it’s time for a change.

What’s you take on Gordon Brown’s leadership? Do you think he’ll be stabbed in the back by his Cabinet colleagues?

Gordon Brown’s leadership has been a disaster. After plundering the British pension pots, taxing hard working families till they bleed and losing the personal data of half the population, it is safe to say Brown is the worst Prime Minister in history.

Whether or not his colleagues are brave enough to wield the knife is another matter. Currently with no credible alternative, it looks like Labour is stuck with him.

Assuming Brown does stay, what should David Cameron focus on between now and the election?

Cameron needs to focus on issues that matter to hard working British families. Providing a quality education and first class health service are fundamental to a Conservative victory. I would also like to see a pledge to reduce the tax burden in the face of soaring food and oil prices.

Finally, which one law would you repeal?

The hunting ban as it’s a national disgrace.

 

Print & Broadcast Media Tips: The Ten B’s (Part Two)

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Following on from last week’s post identifying the first five of the Ten B’s, here are the remaining five:

6. Be In Control: you have 0% control over what you are asked but 100% control over what comes out of your mouth. Learn how to work key phrases back in time and time again. Use short lists when trying to convert a complex issue into a digestible explanation. 

7. Be Liked: Reagan achieved what Goldwater could not because people liked him. People remember how they felt about you more than what you said. Do not sound official, pompous or mean-spirited. Remember the real message: you!

8. Be Innovative: always think like a journalist. Think how you can catch their attention. Avoid press conferences and instead create media events. If there is a national story, find a local angle so as to secure coverage.

9. Be Assertive: it is called “earned media” for a reason – you have to be proactive! If a reporter is biased or has a slant, forcefully volunteer information and counter-quotes – but only complain as a last resort. 

10. Be Sensible: what constitutes “news” is relative. It depends what else is going on (just ask Jo Moore, who thought 9/11 was a good day “to bury bad news”). Use slow news days, such as weekends or the month of August, to your advantage.