21 Mar We spoke and they listened
Many may not know that in an earlier life, as a public affairs consultant in Washington, DC and Columbia, SC, one of my specialties was teaching small businesses, non-profits and others how to influence governmental decisions through grassroots lobbying. Sometimes when we don’t influence governmental decisions to be what we may want, we get frustrated. It may be because those in government are swayed to a decision by the other side or the special interests have more fire power than most citizens.
That said, my experience over the past year, working with more than 100 local governmental leaders and many, many business and individuals who opposed offshore testing and drilling, has restored my faith in the power of the people. We just have to work harder than the special interests by mobilizing large numbers of people.
For the American Petroleum Institute to say that the government was swayed by “extremists” is ludicrous. The government was swayed by people who cared, worked hard and made themselves heard. This was not a partisan initiative; it was a coastal initiative and fortunately those working did not represent either party. Rather they represented a common sense approach and unity among our many wonderful coastal communities.
Read more in this article from the Beaufort Gazette:
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, local leaders praise offshore drilling decision