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Bringing the Heat
Welcome to my site. I have a fairly long history in local government and community service, extending back to the early 90s, pre-internet. My technical background, a side interest in computers, and having parents who were strong volunteers brought me to embrace the internet and engaging others through it when it served a public purpose.…
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No Issue Is Too Small
Marc Elias, leader of Democracy Docket, dropped this post today, and I wanted to share it. He (or rather Justice Sotomayor) makes the point that no issue of supporting our democracy and voting rights is too small to prevent action. I believe this, as well, and it is why each of us can take any…
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Remembering Why We Have Sunshine and Open Meetings Laws
It may seem obvious to most now that the public has a basic right to be informed about the actions of government and to inform government of issues and needed change. But this hasn’t always been the case. I’m drawing on this excellent resource, but wanted to summarize the basics. We should appreciate that these…
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Why Speak Out & Why Speak to Local Officials
I’ve had some recent conversations that suggest that I need to be clearer on these two points. I invite everyone to attend their local municipal meetings to share their concerns, their ideas, and to remind officials that they are not only there to address issues interior to their municipalities, but to be alert to and…
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Communication is About What The LISTENER Does
If you note silence by politicians on matters of concern, it could means that it is time and an opportunity for those with an opinion on current events to step up and fill that void with clear messages on the impacts of these events on our communities, our families, our friends, and neighbors. If your…
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MORE on Why Public Comment is Needed
Thanks to my good friend, JP Brice, at CMPRadio.net, I was able to reconnect and discuss the concepts behind OperationSunshine.info and how important it is that citizens engage government officials through the state Sunshine and Open Meetings laws.
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Voting is Too Infrequent
While we can all agree that our government is founded on the principles of individual voting rights, voting is too infrequent. In highly dynamic times, when change is coming very quickly, we need to engage elected officials more frequently, more directly, and in a more timely manner. This is where using public comment periods are…
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Public Comment Has NO Age Limit
Both young and old can speak out. Our education system may not teach us how public involvement in government works, but we can learn it, model it, and encourage it in everyone to engage effectively. This practice of public meeting engagement includes teaching and supporting youths to work together, write their stories, and speak to…
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Don’t Let It End with PROTESTS!
The protests are fabulous, but PLEASE sustain the momentum by speaking out at every local government meeting. There are open mics where public officials must hear your anger, your frustration, and your stories. Use these basic tools to prepare yourself, gather support, speak, and record your comments. We have a right and the power to…
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Connecting the Dots…Find And Act on Your Local Impacts
Different individuals across the country are documenting the ongoing attacks on US institutions and our democracy. Legislators are running away from public events, but we have a solution to that problem. Public meetings are made available under state Sunshine or Open Meetings laws that make open mics available for most any (respectful) comments. We can…
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Remember: The PEOPLE Are the Government
Our founding fathers set up our REPRESENTATIVE democratic system of government as a way to address the inefficiencies that were present in the original DIRECT democracy of Athens. In Athens, ALL citizens could be present to vote on measures. Imagine the chaos and confusion of having all citizens in on every vote. You can see…
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Calls, Letters, Emails, Posts Not Working? Do This.
I get it. I know we’re all busy and trying to save time by reaching out to our elected officials through some mostly impersonal methods, but those paths are full, literally full to the breaking point, with content feeders. Is it any wonder your messages aren’t getting through? So try this, instead. Find a local…
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Votes won’t matter after the #coup
There’s an idea that your vote is your voice, and this may sound very scary, but that’s going to be true if the coup continues. Your vote won’t matter if the ability to vote is taken away. Our VOICE is our voice, and we need to let the entire political structure know what you think.…
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How to Help
In every community, there is a need for a small number of people to gather the issues that are most impacting your local residents and to build the messages that need to be delivered to the local, county, district, or state officials. Messages need to be delivered to every level of government so that they…
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Every Elected Official Needs to Answer These Questions
Every elected official needs to be asked the same or similar basic questions: How are you connecting with the local residents who are most directly affected by these new Executive Orders and the questionable actions of organizations like DOGE? Are you attending and promoting attendance at area public meetings to speak out about these issues and…
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Share Your Success!
Did you do something amazing or did you learn something helpful? Add a comment below! Please share your ideas for topics, your messsages, and ESPECIALLY your videos of public speeches you give or learn about. I hope to add more ways to share & collaborate, including topic lists that help you to build your messages.…