Politicians are trying to attract people to issues.
Voters are not great at reading issues. They are great at reading character.
If I'm going to talk about an issue, I better know what it's about viscerally.
I'll get 30,000 post cards on an issue before I can even find out that a bill has been introduced.
Referring to the efficiency of lobbyists:
There are ways that we can manipulate the corporate media to talk about the issues that we care about.
I've always cared about issues, always thought through problems. I don't know how much that comes from my personality or my mum.
It is very important to be vocal about what you feel about a certain issue.
Even though I’m pro-globalization, I have to say thank God for the anti-globalization movement. They’re putting important issues on the agenda.
The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does exist.
If you don't accept there is a problem, then it is hard to debate things.
I want to spend time sitting down with as many people as possible and learn the important issues before us.
We're promoting the concept of public engagement. It's as much about what clients do as how they say it. It's about being in people's lives, taking on relevant, of-the-moment issues.
I don't think it's in any way harmful, this marriage of media and politicians. I think it enhances the communications process considerably and makes it possible for the public to be far more aware, far more up-to-date on issues and the opposite sides of the issues.
The thing about local government is they want to hear what local people think, but for the most part, their systems are so long, dull and bureaucratic that people only get involved when there's an issue they really care about.
But the issue of sexual harassment is not the end of it. There are other issues - political issues, gender issues - that people need to be educated about.
This is the era of television and media. If you do not raise issues, then people say that the MLA does not speak in the House. You have to play an effective role in the assembly. Raise issues related to your area.
If somebody comes to a neighborhood coffee hour, or goes to a discussion group, and they have a discussion, I do think that people really walk away with a real understanding of the issues.
I do pick up on contemporary issues.
I'm very literate on policy. I'm very literate on the issues, and I'm an American first. I've been involved in politics long before I was an actress. I just happen to have a platform now. I just happen to have a voice.
Working with the media remains an effective and essential way to raise issues, educate the public, and prod policy-makers and corporate leaders to change for the better.
It's very hard for politicians to ignore even just a handful of letters about the same issue.
You have to acknowledge a problem exists before you can actually go about finding a solution.
I had a moment where I left journalism, and I started getting interested in this issue and writing about it, where I felt there was a right side and a wrong side around a lot of these issues relating to education.
I really did try to write it so that an educated public that cares about issues like this doesn't have to be a lawyer and can read it and understand it.
The first thing anyone can do, about any issue, is get informed.
