pooh-bah

Remember US values when lobbying there

Editor's Note:
American Jews are known for their formidable lobbying power in the US. How is this accomplished? What can Chinese learn to launch an effective lobby within US politics? The following is an interview by Global Times (GT) reporter Lu Jingxian with Jack Rosen (Rosen), chairman of the American Jewish Congress (AJC) and the American Council for World Jewry, on the issue.

GT: The AJC is a powerful political group in the US. China is also learning to build more lobbying power there. What stage are Chinese currently at? What are your suggestions?

Rosen: For lobbying and strengthening China's position, I don't know if China does a lot of lobbying.
China is a strong country. It has access to influential individuals. I think they should have lobbied more, but they haven't.

If you compare this with the Jewish lobby, the influence in Washington comes from a different strength, a different platform. Some think the Chinese-American community is getting stronger in the US and they might achieve similar success to the Jewish community.

I believe the answer is that it is not possible at the moment. The primary objective of the Jewish lobby has been in keeping US values.

If you go back 40 years, the Jewish lobby was lobbying on behalf of individual rights and civil rights. And they did it for African Americans, they did it for Latin Americans, and they did it for Chinese.

Working hard for the rights of individuals is a core US value. The Jewish lobby gained that influence by lobbying on behalf of issues that 90 percent of Americans would agree with.

Then there is the issue of Israel. Why are Jewish groups so successful in lobbying for Israel? Again the American public is very supportive of the only democracy in the Middle East, the only country in the Middle East that gives equal rights and freedom to everyone. Woman have equal rights in Israel.

So it's easy to lobby for Israel, because 90 percent of Americans believe in what you are lobbying for.

Jewish people represent two percent of the US population, but in some parts of the government we are 10 percent of the leadership. For instance, Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, is Jewish.

It's lobbying for these issues, and engaging with the US government, that has put Jews into this position, and we know how to use that influence.

If you ask if the Chinese community has a strong lobby, I don't believe so, because they don't lobby for those kinds of issues. What do they lobby for? "Love us Chinese?" It's a nice idea, but it has no substance.

We don't say, "We are Jews, love us, and make us powerful." We have specific issue that we fight for. And the result is we become the leadership. We are very active in government in very high positions.

Chinese should lobby more, they can lobby better, they can achieve more results. But I wouldn't compare it with the Jewish level.

GT: For Chinese to lobby in the US, obviously we have ideological clashes. How can Chinese remove that barrier and win the hearts and minds of American public?

Rosen: You have to understand there are differences. The US people understand you have something to offer, and they accept the differences. They disagree with you publicly sometimes, but we have to find things in common.

We do have ideological differences, but they don't matter compared with things we cooperate on. They won't affect Chinese investment in US and US investment in China. They won't affect economic policies, and they won't matter where we support each other over issues of concern.

They will matter if there is an issue. Regarding Sudan, Americans care about humanitarian issues. You need to take the time, make the effort, and get the American people to understand you. ( Excerpted from Global Times)

seesaw

What is noteworthy is that even the Dalai and Rebiya cliques are skilful at lobbying which turns out more effective to have the U.S. ear. Why not some publicity organs recalibrate their strategies???

Geronimo

Deep DoDo!

The lopsided struggle is part of a battle against one of the biggest, and most overlooked, causes of global climate change: a vast and often smoldering layer of coal-black peat that has made Indonesia the world's third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States.
Unlike the noxious gases pumped into the atmosphere by gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles in the United States and smoke-belching factories in China, danger here in the heart of Borneo rises from the ground itself.
Peat, formed over thousands of years from decomposed trees, grass and scrub, contains gigantic quantities of carbon dioxide, which used to stay locked in the ground. It is now drying and disintegrating, as once-soggy swamps are shorn of trees and drained by canals, and when it burns, carbon dioxide gushes into the atmosphere.

Kill the Lobbyist/ they are the vermin of our democracy and need to be eradicated.

netawhile

The content and the intent of the original post is indeed very noble.  The retort also brings topics to mind that make good sense from a lobbying reference.  As it was stated, the Jews lobby for highly popular agendas and are very successful.  They represent a small portion of the populous, but have built a kind of recognition for being good at what they do.  In the same way, Chinese have very high profile objectives relating to protecting the environment and supporting alternative energy.  There are other equally important issues that could be, and should be part of the Chinese lobby in the U.S. to make the American public aware of the common interests we really do have with Chinese people.  Like it or not, lobbyists are a part of the American landscape.  To become part of the American process is to become involved in the policies and be a part of the results.  It was mentioned in another article that China needs good PR to win the hearts of people.  To lobby for the common interest is probably the best PR you can have.  It's a two way encounter that has the potential to draw two sides together.  So if it's "Love us China?" as a goal, it will be the benefit result in the endeavor.  I hope you love us, too, despite our differences along the way.