RALLY’s Hot Take On Net Neutrality and the Lifecycle of Issue Campaigns
Yesterday morning, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) voted 3–2 along party lines to rescind Obama-era Net Neutrality rules despite overwhelming public disapproval of the decision. In the unlikely scenario you haven’t browsed the internet over the past few months: Net Neutrality is the principle that argues the internet should remain fair and open — that companies who provide internet access cannot give preferential access to content providers by blocking, slowing access to, or creating price barriers around certain websites over others. Put simply, Net Neutrality allows you to binge Stranger Things over Halloween weekend without requiring you to pay an extra $10 for a “streaming” package to access Netflix, as mobile Internet users in Portugal are now required to do.
Some of you may have experienced déja vu with this story, because this same fight over Net Neutrality took place in 2015. Two years ago, proponents of Net Neutrality won the day. If everyday internet users have already fought and won on the issue, why did this decision happen?
Because the lifecycle of political battles extends far beyond a single date, decision, or campaign. This is especially true under our current administration, which is transparently dead-set on reversing or repealing every productive policy passed over the eight years preceding it. While today’s decisions are (probably) not the end of the world, winning in the future requires a clear-eyed adjustment in approach and perspective.
Here’s RALLY’s take on how to do that:
1.Be crystal clear about what a “win” is, and the levers available to make it happen. Winning in American politics means the target is constantly moving. In the immediate aftermath of the presidential election, advocates at the state and national level rallied public outcry around issues ranging from climate change to women’s rights and led historically large marches and protests. The outpourings were inspirational and laid the groundwork for the ongoing organizing, coalition-building, and solidarity to come.
Massive outpouring of public opinion isn’t a win, though, and on its own it’s not usually a viable route to winning policy, political, or culture change. Every organization loves public support and awareness — but winning requires pairing awareness with clear-eyed focus on decision-makers and what moves them. There was a massive outpouring of public opinion on Net Neutrality over these past several weeks, including millions of public comments in support of keeping the regulations through the official FCC comment process. But Trump’s FCC isn’t beholden to public opinion (or, really, anything presently available to grassroots advocates). So proponents now need to identify the real, most viable path to winning (again) on this issue (and so many others). Maybe Congress. Maybe state policy. Maybe impact litigation. Maybe the 2018 elections. Worst case… 2020?
2.When the crisis hits, it’s already too late. Strategic communications isn’t seasonal — it’s 24/7. Effective, consistent communications cannot be activated in a crisis moment. Good comms isn’t a crystal ball to predict the future, but investing in well-designed and considered communications both softens the ground and defines the playing field, which builds capacity for rapid response in a crisis and helps shape the nature of the crisis.
That means building a clear, provocative identity, organizing and empowering core audiences, and being ready to mobilize along a feasible path to victory. It also means your organization understands not only the fights directly in front of it, but those that might indirectly impact your issue — like a state or national election, or a lawsuit that might carry relevant ripple-effects. If you have a key moment coming up in a year or two, winning it starts today.
3.Politics isn’t sports — there is no final whistle. As the latest Net Neutrality decision makes clear, neither wins nor losses are permanent. There are always opportunities to gain ground and there is risk of being pushed backward. There’s a responsibility to remain vigilant when you’ve won. Protecting a policy change is sometimes far more difficult than the change itself, because it requires maintaining a cultural shift. Winning for real on Net Neutrality will require a political culture shift toward consumers and contemplation of the internet as a utility — and even then the battles will continue (see rural electrification as an example.) Winning for real on health care will require a cultural shift in how we as Americans engage it. Same for environmental protection, gender equity, racial equity, and more.
If a statewide proposition has passed barring marriage equality, you can take it to court and win. If the state legislature is saturated with fossil fuel lobbyists, you can pass environmental justice policies at the local level. There is a reason why RALLY is so proud of the client relationships we’ve kept and cultivated over the years: these victories take years to earn and maintain. The lifecycle of issue campaigns extends beyond election cycles and federal appointments. Start building a smart campaign today, and set yourself up to win tomorrow, and for many tomorrows to come.
Over a dozen state Attorney Generals are gearing up to sue the federal government for its Net Neutrality decision, and state legislators in California have promised to introduce a bill ensuring a free and open internet in the state — others are sure to follow. The fight for Net Neutrality isn’t over. Neither is the fight for climate change, healthcare, or civil rights. RALLY is in it for the long haul — the wins today, tomorrow, and the tomorrows after that. You too? Cool — let’s do this together.
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RALLY is an issue-driven communications firm that takes on sticky political and social problems and finds ways to push them forward. Salman Akhtar is an Account Executive in RALLY’s Seattle office.
