blog

Bad News Forbearance

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:45:52 -0500

Political blogger Jonathan Bernstein and others have started a list of stories and outcomes that reporters and political junkies keep hoping for, but which are highly unlikely. Perfect examples include a live filibuster, a brokered convention, a "truly nonpartisan leader" and a serious third-party presidential candidate.

The Politics of Crisis Management

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:28:31 -0500

There are so many lessons to be learned from the recent Toyota recall calamity that it's hard to know where to start.

A President Struggles With Perception

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:40:32 -0500

As a rule of thumb, whenever a politician says there is a perception problem, he or she actually has a "reality problem." In politics, business or everyday life, people who think they are often misunderstood are generally to blame - through words or deeds - for the image they've created.

Conspiratorial Thinking

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:48:47 -0500

At a recent National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama did something extraordinary. While speaking about the need for greater civility in political discourse, he made a point of acknowledging conspiracy theorists.

"Surely you can question my policies without questioning my faith or, for that matter, my citizenship," he said in a speech to lawmakers, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders. The president was referring, of course, to the right-wing "birther" movement and those who continue to believe he is a Muslim.

What would make a president of the United States decide that crazy ideas like these are worth mentioning? Well, start with the fact that they are not going away.

Time for a Cooling-Off Period

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:47:57 -0500

A two-foot blanket of snow fell over Washington last weekend, silencing for a moment the shouting and bickering that have come to represent American politics. Meetings, press conferences and flights were cancelled. Families reconnected and busy people introduced themselves to next-door neighbors. (No, I'm not kidding. You folks in Minnesota wouldn't understand.)

It's Not the Lobbyists

Conrad — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:42:46 -0500

Month after month, I keep asking myself, "Why is President Obama still talking about lobbyists?" We have a bad economy, two wars, a growing federal deficit, fears about terrorism - and he's threatening to rein in the lobbying profession.

Apocalypse? No.

Dana Wilkie — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:11:57 -0500

When the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, ruled on Jan. 21 to permit corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose federal candidates, you'd have thought the world had come to an end.

Now Do You Believe Me?

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:33:54 -0500

Over the past few months, we've discussed why companies should open a Washington office, why CEOs are getting more engaged in public policy and why most D.C. lobbyists haven't faced substantial budget cuts.

Now comes a study from McKinsey & Company that examines global business attitudes about government and assesses companies' effectiveness in dealing with policy-makers. This survey of 1,167 executives (representing a full range of industries, regions and functions) shows that government is more likely to affect a business' economic value than any other group except customers.

Open Season on Closed-Door Decisions

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:02:59 -0500

Transparency is a good thing. To be transparent is to be open and candid with nothing to hide. To lack transparency is to be dark and secretive. That's why - when technology allows us to be far more open than we used to be - there is a growing call for government and business to embrace transparency.

A New Profile for Washington Lobbyists

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:03:36 -0500

Corporate Washington offices have not only survived recession-driven cutbacks better than other company functions; they have become more strategically important as Congress and the White House reshape the economic and political landscape. That's the conclusion of a new benchmarking report published last week by the Public Affairs Council.

What's Next?

Dana Wilkie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:03:29 -0500

Time Magazine recently published a feature called "The Top 10 Everything of 2009" that includes not only the top 10 movies, books and sports moments, but also the top 10 awkward moments (Balloon Boy edges out Kanye West) and the top 10 scandals (Gov. Mark Sanford wins; Tiger finishes a distant seventh).

CSR: It's Not Humbug

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:10:15 -0500

Ebenezer Scrooge is alive and well and working for the Heritage Foundation.

Heritage Research Fellow James M. Roberts, in a white paper published earlier this month, castigates large corporations for launching corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. "The bottom-line reality," he says, "is that CSR efforts are just the most visible signs of a growing and disturbing trend toward ‘public-private partnerships,' the goal of which is the transformation of free-market capitalism into a sort of corporate socialism."

Clear Thinking About Transparency

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:41:11 -0500

There's an old joke about a man walking down a dark street who sees another man on his hands and knees under a streetlight. "What are you looking for?" he asks the second man. "My wallet," comes the reply. "Where did you lose it?" the first man asks. "Over there in that dark alley," says the second man. "Then why, in heaven's name, are you looking under this streetlight?" the first man asks incredulously. "Because," replies the second man. "It's too hard to see anything in the alley."

This Revolving Door is Slowing Down

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:21:29 -0500

There's no doubt that many congressional staffers are willing to work long hours for low pay because they hope - and expect - to land lucrative jobs in the private sector. And many of them do just that. But two studies from the Public Affairs Council indicate that Capitol Hill experience is no longer a firm requirement for those wanting to become senior corporate public affairs executives.

Anything but the Facts

Dana Wilkie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:24 -0500

Ours is a society in which facts matter. As we face a growing number of intractable economic and political problems, we analyze hard data to form our opinions. Right?

Maybe not. The fact about facts is that they are getting a lot squishier. And the implications for people working in politics and public affairs are enormous.

The first major reason for the change is our growing distrust of institutions we once counted on for reliable information. The government, the news media, organized religion, Big Business - all have suffered dramatic declines in public trust. Scandals have certainly contributed to this, but so have the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle, which have exposed institutions to much higher levels of scrutiny.

CEOs Only, Please

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:11:00 -0500

Given all the problems facing CEOs - low earnings, sluggish sales, tight credit, public outrage about executive pay - it's worth noting that they are spending a lot of their time these days on public policy.

One for All and Me for Myself

Dana Wilkie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:56:58 -0500

Given that politicians often demonize "special interests" representing a particular industry or cause, it was interesting to hear the president last week trumpeting the endorsements of the House healthcare bill by AARP and the American Medical Association.

Referring to AARP's stamp of approval, Obama encouraged the public to "remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television."

When Bad Things Happen to Good Ideas

Conrad — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:51:28 -0500

Today's theme is "unintended consequences" - specifically, how something that appears to be a good idea can create unpredictable outcomes.

The best book I've read on this subject, called "That's Not What We Meant to Do," examines a host of political reforms during the last 80 years, from federal welfare policy to immigration. Historian Steven Gillon analyzes the original intent of each policy change and then looks at the actual results. Sometimes, the unintended consequences have been positive. More often than not - usually because of a lack of information or poor planning -- the consequences have been problematic.

No, You Can't Have My Money

Conrad — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:04:16 -0400

One of the most popular myths in Washington is that lobbyists spend most of their time roaming around Capitol Hill trying to give money away to politicians. In reality, many political donations result from politicians and their surrogates "dialing for dollars" to solicit contributions from lobbyists.

Villain of the Week

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:47:44 -0400

Every political drama needs a villain. As the White House and Congress face a series of major public policy debates, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - fairly or unfairly - has become this week's bad guy.

Ever since Apple, PG&E and several other companies dropped their memberships over the climate change issue, there has been a frenzy of negative media coverage about the Chamber. The most brutal article was last Friday's column by Washington Post writer Steven Pearlstein, who called the nation's largest business association "desperate" and "disingenuous."

Trust, But Verify

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:25:10 -0400

Can you depend on someone you don't trust? Let's say a friend, who doesn't have a good reputation, consistently disappoints you. And yet you find yourself counting on him (or her) for everything from financial support to medical care.

You don't have to be Dr. Phil to call this a dysfunctional relationship. But it's the relationship that exists between the American people and the business community.

Each year, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide publishes the Edelman Trust Barometer - a survey of college-educated, relatively affluent people in six countries. The purpose of the survey is to measure public trust in business, government, the media and non-profits. This past January, in the depths of the recession, trust in U.S. business reached a new low, with only 38 percent of those polled saying they trusted business to do what is right.

For Readers Who Don’t Really Care if There is a 'Public Option'

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:53:58 -0400

There's more going on in Washington than battles over healthcare reform. Here's a roundup of recent news items that affect the practice of public affairs.

Getting Ahead of Regulations

An Unlevel Playing Field?

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:52:28 -0400

September 30, 2009

Recent court decisions and FEC rulings have chipped away at laws designed to rein in campaign spending by independent groups and wealthy individuals. And the evidence is mounting that the trend is toward lifting restrictions altogether.

How Do You Talk About Lobbying?

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:58:34 -0400

We all know the public has a low opinion of lobbying - almost as low as its opinion of Congress. Fair or unfair, this opinion is widespread. So, if you're a lobbyist, does that mean your best strategy is to keep a low profile and mumble when people ask what you do for a living?

Maybe We Should Open a Washington Office

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:37:14 -0400

How's this for stating the obvious? "We're having to think much more about the role of government in the economy," said Mohamed A. el-Erian, CEO of Pimco, the world's largest bond fund, in a recent article in The Washington Post. It seems that certain Wall Street firms have suddenly realized that federal policy-making not only affects their short-term profitability, it has become integral to their future business plans.

What Citizens United v. FEC Really Means

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:19:36 -0400

It's September, and normal people are buying school supplies, finalizing their ESPN fantasy football teams, or returning from a weekend at the beach. But not Supreme Court-watchers and campaign finance geeks. They're awaiting the rehearing of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case.

Getting to the Root of Astroturf

Dana Wilkie — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:45:43 -0400

Last week's post about Astroturf prompted a bit of discussion. One reader, noting that the term "is losing validity in an increasingly sophisticated world," got me thinking that the news media, bloggers and politicians need a primer on political involvement strategies. That's because there is wide spectrum of political practices being used in issue campaigns. Most are perfectly acceptable and don't deserve the criticism they've received, some are questionable, and a few are disgraceful.

Public Affairs Evolving

Conrad — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:54:21 -0400

Do you know what America needs? It needs another blog. Yes, I know, there are now more blogs than cats - and probably people. And most of them consist of random thoughts from random voices that would never get expressed without that massive time-saver and time-waster we call the Internet.

But, because we're drowning in all this information, we need help filtering, summarizing and validating what we read and experience.

So that's what we intend to do. As the Public Affairs Council (with me as the chief blogger) takes its first, tardy step into the blogosphere, we pledge to serve as a tour guide on news, trends, good ideas and best practices in the field of public affairs.

Here is our first post. Your comments and suggestions are welcome by clicking here.