Grandy Calls Apathy Biggest Danger to Democracy, Offers Four Rules of Lobbying

WASHINGTON-Headlining NAFCU’s Congressional Caucus, former Congressman Fred Grandy (R-Iowa)-also known as Gopher from the television show Love Boat-shared his “reflections of a recovering congressman.” He stated that the biggest danger to democracy is the “apathetic citizen.” Grandy encouraged his audience to get out there and make something happen while they were in the nation’s capital. For effective lobbying, he recommended that credit unions: 1) Know lobbying is necessary and noble work; 2) Do not ask, but advise lawmakers; 3) Keep in mind “The narrower the bore, the truer the aim” (Be “persistent and consistent”); and 4) Know it’s not over until the fat lady is no longer fat and probably not a lady. A crucial point of lobbying is to evolve relationships from transactional, where you achieve small, sporadic victories, Grandy said, to transformational, where the congressman consults your group before making policy decisions. The former CEO of Goodwill Industries predicted that non-profits are a “great sleeping leviathan.”