One Hour Activist or Come to Think of It

One-Hour Activist: The 15 Most Powerful Actions You Can Take to Fight for the Issues and Candidates You Care About

Author: Christopher Kush

No matter what your political persuasion, The One-Hour Activist is your guide to influencing lawmakers, candidates, and reporters.  The One-Hour Activist reveals fifteen powerful, proven grassroots actions that persuade lawmakers and candidates to see things your way.  Each action is designed to grab the attention of your representatives and build relationships that serve your issues over the long run.  And each action takes less than an hour to complete, so you can make a difference without giving up your life! The One-Hour Activist is packed with insider advice from elected officials, professional organizers, lobbyists, and journalists who share state-of-the-art tips for getting your message across. Real-life examples of effective letters, e-mail, phone calls, public testimony, and news story pitches from concerned citizens just like you illustrate the actions.

Table of Contents:

	Preface	ix
	Acknowledgments	xv
	The Author	xvii
	Introduction: Democracy in Action	xix
Part 1	Gather Information and Strategize	1
Action 1	Learn How Grassroots Advocacy Works	3
Action 2	Pick Your Issues and Your Angle	17
Action 3	Identify Your Representatives	31
Action 4	Join an Interest Group	45
Action 5	Create a Legislative Agenda	53
Action 6	Analyze a Bill	61
Action 7	Conduct Opposition Research	73
Part 2	Contact Your Elected Officials	83
Action 8	Write an Effective Letter	85
Action 9	Send a Powerful E-Mail	97
Action 10	Make a Compelling Phone Call	105
Action 11	Persuade Others to Act	113
Part 3	Get Involved with Elections	119
Action 12	Get Out the Vote	121
Action 13	Contribute Money to Candidates Who Support Your Cause	131
Part 4	Work the News Media	143
Action 14	Start a Press Clippings File	145
Action 15	Write a Letter to the Editor	151
Part 5	Super-Powerful Actions That Take a Little More Time	159
Action 16	Have a Face-to-Face Meeting with Your Representative	161
Action 17	Testify at a Public Hearing	175
Action 18	Participate in a Protest	185
Action 19	Volunteer for a Political Campaign	193
Action 20	Pitch a News Story or Interview	199
	It's Time for Action!	211

New interesting book: Théorie Éthique et Affaires

Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium

Author: Daniel Schorr

A journey through twenty years of politics with one of the most revered news analysts of our time

Daniel Schorr, an institution at CBS for decades and a twenty-year mainstay of NPR, is a legend in journalism. Come to Think of It is the first selection of Schorr's observations on politics and American life from the years 1990 to the present—a peerless commentary on the history of our time. Schorr's essays reveal him as a master of pithy, get-to-the-point analysis, whether he is calling the Supreme Court's 2000 decision to seat George W. Bush as president a "junta" by a "Gang of Five" or eviscerating a conservative counterpart for belittling F.D.R.'s legacy. Schorr's experience—he has covered the administrations of twelve presidents—gives him an authority and range that permeate every page of Come to Think of It.

Schorr's analyses include insight on:
• The Iraq war in current and historical perspective
• The first Gulf War, Bosnia, North Korea, and Iran
• Executive privilege and misdeeds throughout history
• Healthcare, welfare, and the state of the social contract
• The proliferation of nuclear weapons
• The U.N. report on climate change

As a record of our perilous times and as a cogent primer on the politics of the last two decades, Come to Think of It is an unparalleled record of political analysis. This will be a must-read for the legions of devoted NPR listeners who tune in to hear Daniel Schorr every week and for anyone who wants insight and a historical perspective on the 2008 election.