Sweet Thanks
A note of appreciation to a House member for co-sponsoring Innocent Sellers can mean a lot on Capitol Hill.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for most Americans, this is a time for faith, family, and food. We take this day to focus on life’s blessings and express gratitude for what we have been given. We thank God, our family, and our friends. We reach out to local firefighters and police in appreciation of the services they provide our communities.
But when was the last time you thanked your legislators for their service to our great nation?
I worked on Capitol Hill for nine years, and let me tell you, a simple “thank you” to a member of Congress or a congressional staffer goes a long way. Every day, our office received countless letters expressing discontent (“I’m appalled,” “I’m disappointed,” “You should resign”) with some action of my boss or the staff. Others just requested or demanded action (“Please co-sponsor this bill,” “Oppose this issue”). But very few were letters of thanks for service.
My former boss was fond of saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,” and he was right. The thank-you letter brings a smile to a legislator’s face. You want your letter to be read and your issue taken seriously? Say thank you every once in a while. The most meaningful letters are usually those simple, “I just want to thank you for your service to our country” statements. Some lawmakers, like my boss, keep these good letters in a file, so they can look at them when the pressure of the job gets overwhelming.
At NLBMDA, we focus on building a grassroots network and encouraging dealers to urge their legislators to co-sponsor the Innocent Sellers Fairness Act (H.R. 989). This is important. But thanking them is one action you can take to build a better relationship with your lawmakers and their staffs, and improve the likelihood they will listen when you speak on other issues. So this month, please visit www.buildthevote.org to see how your legislators voted on our priorities this year, and then take time to thank them. You will find a sample thank-you letter you can send to those lawmakers who have co-sponsored the Innocent Sellers Fairness Act.
Remember, kindness trumps criticism, and honey is sweeter on the tongue.
–By Sarah Owen, NLBMDA director of government affairs and grassroots advocacy
