October,
2005
A Mini-Course by
Marge Easley
“To reach (the League’s aim), study is not enough, becoming experts is not enough….Good citizenship requires not only knowledge but ability to act.”
Marguerite Wells, LWVUS President, 1934-44
1. What does the League mean by Action?
2. How do we decide what to act upon?
3. How can the League take sides on issues if it is nonpartisan?
4. How can I find out what the important action issues are at any given time?
5. In what ways can I help with Action?
6. What are the rules for speaking on behalf of the League?
Commonly Asked Questions about Action:
1. What does the League mean by Action?
Action can take many forms:
a. Testifying before a local governing body.
b. Expressing League opinions via the media, such as letters to the editor, op-ed pieces,
radio or TV spots.
c. Holding a meeting on a timely political issue.
d. Lobbying – face to face, telephone, e-mail, letters
e. Monitoring meetings, hearings, or legal proceedings on behalf of the League to
determine if the letter and spirit of the law are being carried out.
f. Joining forces with a coalition, which is a temporary alliance of organizations for
some specific purpose. This occurs only with board approval and must follow specific
guidelines.
g. Litigation. When laws are not enforced or when constitutional rights are infringed, a
local or state League can litigate as a plaintiff or as an amicus curiae (friend of the
court).
2. How do we decide what to act upon?
League members can act both on current program positions and on Principles.
Over the years the League has developed positions at the national, state, and local levels. At the local level the board evaluates the reports of member thinking in discussion units, general membership meetings, or questionnaires, and then determines the broad areas of agreement and disagreement that emerge among its members. Only after the consensus process does the board formulate a position that expresses the League’s views on that issue and forms the basis for League action. Positions are arrived at in a similar way at state and national levels. Once a position becomes part of the program it can be acted upon immediately. Positions must be re-adopted by League members at the annual meeting in order to remain on the program. A number of issues are identified as priority items and form the basis for the advocacy agenda.
LWVUS positions and Principles can be found on the website http://www.lwv.org in the Issues section or in the publication Impact on Issues.
LWVOR positions can be found on the website http://www.lwvor.org (under Take Action/LWV Advocacy Positions [link]) or in the publication Issues for Action [link].
Local League positions can usually be found in your Annual Meeting booklet, on your local website, or by contacting your local League president or action chair.
The Principles are general “concepts of government” to which the LWVUS subscribes. These concepts were based on the ideas from an earlier document called the Platform (1942 to 1956), and today may be used as a basis for taking action at the national, state and local levels.
The League of Women Voters believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States.The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizen ’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible.
The League of Women Voters believes that every citizen should be protected in the right to vote; that every person should have access to free public education that provides equal opportunity for all; and that no person or group should suffer legal, economic or administrative discrimination.
The League of Women Voters believes that efficient and economical government requires competent personnel, the clear assignment of responsibility, adequate financing, and coordination among the different agencies and levels of government.
The League of Women Voters believes that responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people; that government should maintain an equitable and flexible system of taxation, promote the conservation and development of natural resources in the public interest, share in the solution of economic and social problems that affect the general welfare, promote a sound economy and adopt domestic policies that facilitate the solution of international problems.
The League of Women Voters believes that cooperation with other nations is essential in the search for solutions to world problems and that development of international organization and international law is imperative in the promotion of world peace.
3. How can the League take sides on issues if it
is non-partisan?
One of the least understood things about the League is the issue of non-partisanship. It is important to continue to educate the public that the League takes stands on issues which it has studied and on which it has developed positions. It is nonpartisan on parties and candidates. This duality has existed since the founding of the League in 1920 and has remained one of the great strengths of the League today.
“In the League of Women Voters we have an anomaly; we are going to be a semi-political body. We want political things; we want legislation; we are going to educate for citizenship. In that body we have got to be non-partisan. Democrats from Alabama and Republicans from New Hampshire must work for the same things.”
Carrie Chapman Catt at the League’s founding in Chicago, 1920
4. How can I find out what the important Action
issues are at any given
a. For national issues, read the LWVUS Voter, link to the LWVUS Action Center on the website www.lwv.org. The national website also has a members only section that is password protected. If you register you can have access to valuable information as well as add your name to the list for LWVUS updates and action alerts.
b. For state issues, read the current LWVOR Voter or look on the website www.lwvor.org.
c. For local issues attend unit meetings and forums, read your newsletter and e-mail communications, and check out your local League website, if you have one.
Increasingly, these websites contain more and more specific action information and often nearly effortless ways to send messages to your elected representatives. Please get in the habit of regularly checking them for updated information. Also remember to alert your membership chair for changes to your e-mail address so that you don’t miss out on receiving action alerts and other important communications.
5. In what ways can I help with Action?
The list is endless for League action possibilities, especially since critical issues always exist at the national, state, and local levels. Here are just a few of the ways you can help:
a. When you receive an action alert, send letters to the appropriate officials. This really
does make a difference.
b. Keep informed and communicate with your elected officials whenever you are
concerned. Remember, however, that you speak as an individual and not as a
League representative unless you follow the specific guidelines that are outlined in
the next section.
c. Alert the League president or Action Chair if you have information on issues they
should know about.
d. Attend issues forums and invite your friends
e. Be a member of your local or state Action Committee. LWVOR portfolio choices
include Governance, Natural Resources, and Social Policy.
f. Volunteer for short-term action tasks such as legislator interviews or issue research.
d. Volunteer to be a regular observer at meetings such as city council, county council,
planning commission, etc.
e. If you are less active and can’t personally attend meetings, volunteer to clip articles,
read meeting minutes, or monitor websites. For example, during the legislative
session, volunteers are needed to listen to the online recordings of the legislative
committee hearings.
6. What are the
rules for speaking on behalf of the League?
Even though members are encouraged to take action as individuals, one should not speak as a League representative without going through the approval process that has been formally adopted at the local, state, and national levels. At the local level, the general rule is that the President or a designee acts as spokesperson, and prior board approval for any statement is required. A similar procedure is in place at the state and national levels. Also, a key thing to remember is that a statement is only issued when a League position exists to support it.
If a local League wishes to take local action based on a state/national position, in most cases it is necessary to discuss and clarify with the state President or Action Chair how the proposed action will affect the whole League. Likewise, the state League confers with LWVUS leaders on issues of national significance. The best advice is that when in doubt about the proper procedure, consult your Action Chair or President, the LWVUS publication In League, LWVOR Policies, Procedures and Guidelines , or your local League bylaws.