Glenden BrownGetting CORC’ed
Last night was the annual meeting of the Coalition of Religious Communities (CORC). The Coalition represents 20+ denominations thoughout Utah. Members of CORC work on a broad array of social justice issues, primarily issues of economic justice - although we were also one of the leading groups supporting effective hate crimes legislation. CORC’s leadership is drawn from among pastors, lay leaders, and other group leaders. CORC’s member communities include Quakers, Episcopalians, Unitarians, UCC, Lutherans, Methodists, Mennonites, MESJ (Mormons for Equity and Social Justice), Buddhists, Muslims, Jewish groups, and Church Women United (those are just the groups I remember from last night). Broadly speaking, CORC members speak for well over 250,000 Utahns.
Last night’s meeting was one of my favorites. The steering committee planned responded to requests to better understand the legislative process - from the very beginnings of “How does an idea become a bill ?” to how does a bill become a law. So we created and planned a simulation designed to recreate the experience of the state legislature - from creating talking points in favor of your bill, to sending in notes and talking to legislators, to trying to persuade the leadership to fund a proposal. We had two goals - first to illuminate the process by which ideas become laws and second to give people a chance to practice their lobbying skills.
The process worked better than I ever imagined it would. Our “legislators” were every bit as passionately stuffy as the real thing, they even managed to use the arcane language known as “legislatese.” We had amendments, we had “strike and replace.” We had some fun debate and great conversations.
We also learned valuable things.
When talking to legislators, be prepared and organized. Make your points quickly, succinctly and be prepared with more information.
Don’t try to fake it. If you don’t know, say you don’t know and let them know you’ll get the information and get back with them.
Make certain you introduce yourself - name and who you represent and don’t be afraid to state up front what you want - i.e. “I’m Glen Brown and I’m a member of the Coalition of Religious Communities and I’m here today to ask you to support HB 931 - payday lender and check casher reporting requirements.”
Last but not least, don’t be intimidated by legislators. A lot of people get intimidated and fritter around and get apologetic and never get to the point: “Well I know that I’m not an expert on these things and I’m so glad you’re taking time to talk to me and hear what I have to say and what I’ve to say is really important because it’ll help poor people and babies and apple pie and if you vote for it you’ll do a lot of good. So really, you taking time to talk to me is so important and I know I’m just a citizen who comes up here and my voice isn’t very important but . . .” and ten minutes later the legislator is still baffled as to who this person and what he/she wants.Â
CORC is a unique group - one that employs the religious passion for social justice to get people active and to get them united in ways they might not do on their own. CORC’s work in the community has done a tremendous amount of good in Utah. Our latest and biggest successes has been getting the sales tax on food reduced. There was no action on this for years, no legislator interested in taking it on. CORC members around the state organized and talked to legislators and created sufficient buzz in every corner of Utah that state legislators heard about it wherever they went - it’s time to remove the sales tax on food. It’s time to remove the sales tax on food. It’s time to remove the sales tax on food. The sales tax on food isn’t all gone, but much of it is (basically you’re paying the city and county portion these days, not the state portion). CORC has consistently taken the lead on this issue for years. And it pays off, it takes time, but it pays off. And that is the secret of success in social change.
