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Caitie Whelan

Caitie Whelan

A Secret of the Best Advocates

If you look at the bios of the big league advocates or lobbyists, there's a secret hidden in plain sight. And it's that your headshot needs to have you with your arms crossed looking steely eyed into the camera like You. Mean. Business. Actually, the secret

How to Win at Policymaking

The journalist David Plotz has what he calls the Plotz Principle, and I'm here to say that it might be one of the smartest, most underutilized policy strategies out there. Whomever is having the most fun wins. Take - as we recently discussed here - Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa

The Brilliance of Pizza Policy

On a warm day in May, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut took to the steps of the Capitol. "We are here to declare that New Haven is the pizza capital of the United States!" she enthused to a cheering delegation of roughly 100 CT pizza makers holding pizza

The Fascinating, Often Dysfunctional Marriage of Politics & Policy

Wheat grown in Kansas, shipped from northern California ports, and rotting in shipping containers overseas tells a fascinating story of the dynamic at the heart of American policymaking. Back in the roaring 1950s, Congress passed the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act which did a whole lot, but we'

Two Words to Up Your Policy Game

I was once at a country fair filled with blooming onions and handmade soaps, workshops on sheep shearing and DIY blacksmithing. I stopped into a talk on climate advocacy where the audience sat on hay bales and the presenter gave a super overview on how to be a climate advocate.

Three Powerful Policy Words

The U.S. Senators from Maryland and Virginia were not well pleased with the recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization. The FAA oversees aviation (of the non-military varietal) in the United States, including things like air traffic controllers, airport modernization, and consumer protections. More on all that here. And reauthorization

The Different Kinds of Power a Politician Can Have

Once, at a town meeting about off-leash hours (a hot and contentious local issue if ever there was one), a bird lover used a distinction I've never forgotten. There's perception and there's reality, he said. The reality is that off-leash dogs generally aren'

Decoding Politician Speak

Politicians usually make for a lousy interview. There are exceptions, but it's a safe bet that if a legislator is on a show you like, it'll be as fun as watching the grass grow. The reason comes down to three highly strategic (for political parties), infuriating

The 6 Most Important Names to Know in Policymaking

Six has long been a significant number for human beings. Six Flags. Six-packs. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon. That Bruce Willis movie The Sixth Sense. So it is only fitting that there are six key names to know in policymaking. 1. Your city/town councilor 2. Your state representative 3.

Why Term Limits Don't Quite Strengthen Democracy

There is a bumper sticker I see from time to time: "Congress isn't a nursing home. Support term limits." With 65 members (15%) of the U.S. House and 34 members (34%) of the Senate over 70, Congress does appear to lead the country in workplace