The first goal of the Consumers Union is to educate clients on their rights when they are being pursued by a debt collector. These rights are granted by state law and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). These laws are commonly violated by collectors either because they are poorly trained or counting on the fact that the consumer does not understand or are unaware of their rights. Being in debt and getting creditor calls can be an extremely stressful and intimidating situation. Even some people who do know their rights are too frightened by the collectors to take action. This is where the Consumers Union can step in between you and the creditor to offer the protection you need in this vulnerable situation.

A Consumer Advocate is not only designed to educate but also to protect their members. If you are dealing with a collector who is ignoring the laws which regulate their industry, the Consumers Union should be able to contact the abusive creditor on your behalf. In many cases a cease and desist letter will be sent instructing the Debt Collector to cease all communication with the client. If this is ineffective they can help you file a complaint or even refer you to an attorney if need be.

In the Debt Relief industry, the services of a Consumers Union will usually be offered with or as part of a Debt Help program such as Debt Settlement, Debt Reduction, Credit Counseling, Debt Management or Foreclosure Relief. Most of these organizations have in-house customer service departments that can help clients deal with Debt Collectors and the Consumers Union will be utilized in extreme cases of abuse and harassment. For many people the Consumers Union can help relieve a lot of the pressure associated with the inevitable Creditor Collection calls when a debt falls behind.

Unlike a highly centralized “one to many” traditional media platform namely grassroots tactics and community strategies – which limited political speech to those who could afford expensive television and newspaper ads – the Internet’s decentralized “many to many” platform permits anyone to communicate with millions at little or no cost through free web hosting and blogging services and hundreds of online forums. According to a Pew/Internet report, 75 million Americans used the Internet during the 2004 election to get news, discuss issues and candidates, and participate through volunteering for or donating to campaigns, a significant increase from 2002. There is every reason to believe that these numbers will continue to grow dramatically.

The success of online political advocacy campaign the as a tool for political engagement brought scrutiny from Washington policymakers about whether and how federal campaign finance reform laws should be applied to the medium. Bloggers and free speech advocates fought against applying the complex regulations to the Internet activities of ordinary citizens, and they were successful in convincing the Federal Election Commission to build into the regulations substantial protections for individuals’ online political activities.

The new campaign finance rules for the Internet leave the vast majority of uncompensated citizen-initiated election activities on the Internet free from any regulation. With few exceptions, you may develop websites, blog, e-mail campaign material, raise money, and collaborate with your friends on election related activities online without worrying about running afoul of the rules. Campaign finance obligations kick in only in very limited circumstances – primarily where payments are made to place advertisements and other communications on third party blogs and websites.

Developer/Link builder for optimumresponse.com, csgrassroots.com and supportthismessage.com. With this experience in grassroots lobbying and the combination of long-term strategic perspective and hands-on project management, Davis has been able to plan, implement and analyze grassroots campaigns of all types-educational and marketing, regulatory and legislative, local and national, high-volume and highly selective – incorporating a range of grassroots tactics.

Advocacy is the flip side of Inquiry – the opportunity that you open for yourself to tell your story. What can you see from your perspective that they’ve missed? Can you clarify your position without minimizing theirs? For example: “From what you’ve told me, I can see how you came to the conclusion that I’m not a team player. And I think I am. When I introduce problems with a project, I’m thinking about its long-term success. I don’t mean to be a critic, though perhaps I sound like one. Maybe we can talk about how to address these issues so that my intention is clear.”

Tips for sharing your side of things:

• Wait to offer your side until your partner has expressed all his energy on the topic. Check to make sure he’s finished.
• Remember your purpose for the conversation. It’s easy to get off on tangents, become reactive, and lose your way. Know and return to your purpose at difficult moments.

This is one of a series of brief articles on holding difficult conversations. In earlier issues of Ki Moments, I suggested ways to open communications that create mutual respect; we talked about the importance of knowing your purpose for the conversation; and we added Inquiry and Curiosity to our conversational toolbox. Here the topic is Advocacy.

Advocacy is the flip side of Inquiry – the opportunity that you open for yourself to tell your story. What can you see from your perspective that they’ve missed? Can you clarify your position without minimizing theirs? For example: “From what you’ve told me, I can see how you came to the conclusion that I’m not a team player. And I think I am. When I introduce problems with a project, I’m thinking about its long-term success. I don’t mean to be a critic, though perhaps I sound like one. Maybe we can talk about how to address these issues so that my intention is clear.”

Tips for sharing your side of things:

• Wait to offer your side until your partner has expressed all his energy on the topic. Check to make sure he’s finished.
• Remember your purpose for the conversation. It’s easy to get off on tangents, become reactive, and lose your way. Know and return to your purpose at difficult moments.
• Don’t assume. When telling your story, go slow, be clear, and don’t assume they know what things looks like from your point of view.
• Teach, don’t preach. Notice your desire to “sell” your partner on your story. Simply state how things look from your side.
• Listen to yourself and try not to use words that will cause your partner to react defensively. You want him to listen, so use words that he can hear.
• Share facts rather than subjective interpretations. “When you walked by me and didn’t say anything” is a fact. “When you ignored me” is a subjective interpretation.

Most important, speak with respect. On the aikido mat, we bow to our partner before beginning and ending each technique. Imagine bowing to your conversation partner before you begin the conversation. As you begin to lose your center, think about this, and remember that you advocate best when you respect your partner’s story.

Good luck and good communication!