How You Can Help Pass Meaningful State & Local Policy
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode explores effective strategies for passing meaningful legislation at the state and local levels, contrasting federal gridlock with the dynamic opportunities available in city councils and state houses.
There are three key takeaways from this discussion on modern advocacy. First is the necessity of having policy solutions ready before a crisis hits. Second is the strategic use of hard money to influence internal power structures. Third is the high leverage of local political involvement compared to national lobbying.
Regarding the first takeaway, significant policy wins like the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant extension or Austin housing reforms rarely happen spontaneously. Advocates emphasize the on the shelf theory, which argues that technical studies and legislation must be drafted and socialized years in advance. When a macro event like a blackout or affordability crisis occurs, politicians need immediate, vetted solutions. Without this preparatory work, acute moments of opportunity are wasted because new ideas take too long to develop during an emergency.
The second takeaway focuses on the mechanics of political funding. Rather than donating to general election ads which suffer from market saturation, effective advocates focus on hard money bundling. This involves aggregating direct contributions to help specific legislators secure committee assignments or leadership positions. By helping an ally gain structural power within a legislature, advocates achieve far more leverage than they would by simply trying to influence the outcome of a general election.
The final takeaway highlights the immense ROI of local engagement. The American planning system is designed with excessive veto points and public hearings that typically favor obstructionists. However, organized movements can flip this dynamic by flooding hearings with supporters to provide social proof. This creates a permission structure for elected officials to vote yes, demonstrating that opposition is not the only voice in the room. In jurisdictions where officials remain entrenched against progress, the strategy shifts from persuasion to recruitment, running slate campaigns to change the composition of governing bodies entirely.
This conversation serves as a masterclass for anyone looking to understand how high-leverage political change occurs outside of Washington DC.
Episode Overview
- This panel features policy experts from the Institute for Progress, California YIMBY, the Abundance Network, and AURA discussing how to pass meaningful legislation at the state and local levels.
- The discussion contrasts the gridlock of federal politics with the dynamic, often bipartisan opportunities available in state houses and city councils, using specific case studies like California's housing reforms (SB 423) and the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant extension.
- The speakers detail the specific mechanics of modern advocacy, moving beyond generic "awareness" to discuss hard money bundling, leveraging volunteer knowledge workers, and the importance of having policy solutions "on the shelf" before a crisis hits.
- This episode is highly relevant for anyone interested in the "abundance agenda," housing reform, or understanding how high-leverage political change occurs outside of Washington D.C.
Key Concepts
- Preparation Meets Opportunity (The "On the Shelf" Theory): Significant policy wins, such as the reversal of the Diablo Canyon closure or Austin’s housing reforms, rarely happen spontaneously during a crisis. Advocates must conduct technical studies, draft legislation, and socialize ideas years in advance so that when a "macro" event occurs (like blackouts or affordability crises), politicians have a vetted solution ready to implement immediately.
- The "Jujitsu" of Public Process: The American planning system is designed with excessive veto points and public hearings that typically favor obstructionists (NIMBYs). However, organized movements can use this system against itself by flooding these hearings with supporters. This provides "social proof" and political cover for elected officials, transforming a mechanism of delay into a platform for demonstrating mandate.
- State vs. Local Political Coalitions: Political alignments shift drastically depending on the level of government. In local politics (like Austin), opposition to housing often comes from within the Democratic party. However, at the state level, coalitions can become "weirdly bipartisan," with unexpected alliances between progressive deregulators and Republicans, requiring advocates to be flexible and non-partisan in their approach.
- Hard Money for Internal Power: While spending money on general election ads is often low-leverage due to market saturation, "bundling" hard money (direct contributions) is highly effective for internal legislative politics. Helping a specific legislator raise funds can assist them in securing committee assignments or leadership positions, thereby placing an ally in a position of structural power.
- High-Leverage Volunteerism: Effective modern advocacy doesn't just rely on mass mobilization; it utilizes "high social capital" volunteers. These are professionals (lawyers, tech workers, academics) who use their specific skills to conduct independent studies, analyze complex bills, or use their networks to influence decision-makers, achieving results that would otherwise require expensive lobbyists.
Quotes
- At 11:07 - "The ideas that happen in those acute moments can't be brand new ideas that no one's ever heard of that haven't been vetted or socialized. And so you have to like do the preparatory work to make it on the shelf ready to go." - Explaining why policy research must precede political crises.
- At 18:51 - "The amount of money that it takes to for what we do at the local level is basically, you know, how much pizza does it take to feed 25 people." - Highlighting the incredibly high ROI of local involvement compared to federal lobbying.
- At 19:40 - "Because we so fetishize public process and planning... planning in the US just produces weekly public hearings where you can get activists to go show up... have a bunch of people like when they come back to sit down be like that was awesome." - Describing how YIMBYs turned the tool of obstruction (public hearings) into a tool for community building and political pressure.
- At 21:26 - "The promise of abundance is... get people to feel like, 'Oh my god, it kind of feels amazing that I think I like touched power right there and maybe changed something.'" - Identifying the psychological feedback loop that keeps volunteers engaged in local politics.
Takeaways
- Target Internal Power Dynamics with Donations: Instead of donating randomly to national campaigns, focus financial support on "hard money bundling" for specific state or local legislators who are vying for committee leadership or internal caucus power.
- Provide "Political Cover" Locally: Attend local hearings not just to speak, but to normalize the pro-progress viewpoint. Your physical presence creates a permission structure for politicians to vote "yes" by proving that the screaming opposition is not the only voice in the room.
- Recruit, Don't Just Lobby: In local jurisdictions where elected officials are entrenched against your cause, shift strategy from trying to persuade them to replacing them. Recruit candidates who already align with your values and run slate campaigns to change the composition of the governing body.
