Government 2302
Stage 3
Kimberly Jordan
In order to create safer roads late at night, we propose to instate a public bar
transportation system. This service will provide intoxicated persons, who might otherwise drive
home, a safe ride home; thus, keeping them safe as well as anyone else who might encounter
them. The government institution that is most relevant to our cause is Temple’s Public
Transportation Department. We must be able to convince the people who serve in this
department that our idea will be for the common good and most of the constituents in the area
feel the same way. There are several tactics that will benefit us in convincing the government
that our idea is public sentiment. Some of these include telephone calls, telegrams, personal
contacts, follow-ups on previous communication, and personal letters. Our ad hoc group will be
named Citizens for Safe Roads at Night.
The most important tactic our group plans to use is a personal letter campaign. This is
fairly easy and requires little resources to accomplish. Personal letters are the most effective
means because the entire argument can be covered as well as it will be seen that an effort was
made to convey our opinion. These letters will be on personal stationary, be limited to one
page, cover only this subject, and request that the public bar transportation system be instated so
that we may follow up these letters. The usual telephone call and telegram campaign will also
be used simply because it is inexpensive and will allow us to voice our opinions. Our group will
also schedule personal contacts with officials who are involved to express our opinions. These
meetings will be relatively brief, well prepared, and include known individuals such as the bar
owners who contribute much of the money into the economy of Temple. The focus of our
campaign will include members of Temple’s Department of Public Transportation, the mayor,
and any other local official who has supported such programs in the past. We also plan to
cultivate the backing of the staff members who are involved with these government officials.
Since our group is addressing one issue and our goal will be accomplished with the
instatement of a public bar transportation system, an ad hoc will be most efficient in
accomplishing our goal. Ad hoc organizations have few legal and organizational obligations,
which will make decisions quickly and easily made. Volunteers can do most of the work, which
is inexpensive. Citizens for Safe Roads at Night will also employ the temporary help from other
related groups in the area such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Drunk
Driving. This will allow our group access to knowledge and services that otherwise might
hinder our group because of lack of experience, or would cost monetarily to learn. Affiliation
with these groups would contribute to membership and give Citizens for Safe Roads at Night a
higher stature that if we were to “wing it alone”. The names of these leaders could also be used
in our letterhead.
We have chosen the name Citizens for Safe Roads at Night (CSRN) because it is
relatively easy to remember and can be used in acronym form. It is not ambiguous, says what
the group is about, and is positive. We could have used the name Non-Drunks to Keep Drunks
off the Roads (NDKDR).
Our group has a large selection of “natural members” to choose from. Owners and
employees from the twenty-five bars and BYOB establishments form the largest group. The
four beer distributors located in the area form another group (especially since driving safely has
been a large focus in their campaigns lately). The owners, managers, and employees of the
three late night restaurants that have full bars are yet another source of membership. The local
hospitals form another group of potential members, as well as anyone who has been personally
affected by an alcohol-related accident. Temporary membership can also be found from the
affiliation with the groups MADD and SADD.
There are several public information centers on television and in newspapers that are free
which we could utilize to inform the public of our meetings and gain publicity. A simple
membership card is all that will be necessary for becoming a member. Membership dues will be
five dollars a month and will include a monthly newsletter, which can be easily created at home
on the computer at almost no cost. This newsletter will include new membership, list of
meetings, any accomplishments made during the month and new plans for the next month.
These will be sent directly to members and will be left at business who are sympathetic to our
cause. We will employee the use of members with special skills such as speaking or writing to
donate a few hours a month to help in the campaign. These members will hold certain job titles
and receive awards and acknowledgement for their contributions.
Our group plans to gain prestige and stature by getting influential people to lend their
names to our group. We plan to take full advantage of any bar owners, doctors, or any other
influential person who becomes a member of our group. These people will be members of our
board of directors with whom we will consult on certain issues and see what contributions they
are willing to make. We also plan to sponsor and organize a discussion about drinking and
driving and the problems involved. We will use local stories to involve the residents of Temple.
The doctors or nurses in our group can also provide insight that will ensure the facts that are
provided will seem more substantial. These influential members will be able to provide us with
important information, which will enable our group to develop and display expertise, which will
enable our group to become more influential. Using the information that these people will be
able to provide our group will be able to compose an analysis that can be sent to the government
officials involved as well as to the media for coverage. This analysis will include the income of
bars in the area, a rough estimate of patrons, and information of alcohol related accidents in the
local area.
Our group, for fund raising purposes, will be categorized as an educational group. The
group will provide information about alcohol-related accidents and ways to prevent them. Our
proposal for a public bar transportation program will be included in the pamphlets. Individuals
in the group will do most campaigning, and the organization itself will be involved in the
political process very little. This will allow individuals to have donations deducted from their
income; encouraging individuals to provide the necessary funds our group will need to be
successful. Since many of the members of our group will be business owners, we will be able to
advertise up coming events in local businesses; thus, saving money that would otherwise be paid
for advertising.
Our group will wait to become politically active until an alcohol related accident occurs
in the area. This will create publicity because the topic has already been in the news. Our
group is then solving a problem that already has local attention, a sort of follow up to local news.
Our group can then relate these problems to the public in personal terms, anyone can be involved
in these accidents, and this is how we will be able to generate attention to this subject. Once the
general public has these issues on their minds, the government cannot simply overlook the issue.
This is how our group will be able to grow and become more influential. Our group will also
prepare stories for the local newspaper on alcohol-related accidents and our groups activities on
the issue. Some of these will be printed for lack of other news to include in the paper. These
printed articles may also lead to coverage of our group as a follow up to the printed articles.
Our group will also plan any activities we hold close to local television stations in order to
increase the possibility of coverage and provide written copies of speeches and events to the
newstations to ensure accuracy.
Since our group will be considered an educational group, participation in a
government-sponsored hearing would not be feasible until the time our proposal for public bar
transportation is presented. Our group will also not be active in mobilizing people to vote since
this would deplete on funds and volunteer hours, which could be used in a way more beneficial
to our cause. This is unless when our proposal is presented the officials have contradictory
views. In this case then our group may have to become active in backing an official whose
views are the same as ours.
This has briefly outlined our group’s political strategy for political success. Using these
tactics our group will grow and become influential. The public will also become more informed
on the subject and Citizens for Safe Roads at Night will be able to propose a public bar
transportation program, which will be supported by the public, and will not be able to be ignored
by the government.