"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb": Even moving your event to April can help ease the scheduling crunch. The groups holding events in April, May, September and October tend to have longer meetings and a more energetic response on the part of the staff. "But wait," you're thinking, "our group has appropriations issues. Don't we HAVE to be here in March?" First of all, there are more ways to get your message across than just a DC fly-in (see the note below). Certainly you want your folks communicating early in the appropriations cycle. Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to do so without dragging them all to DC. Second, when was the last time you saw Congress actually adhere to its self-imposed budget / appropriations deadlines? I've been here twenty years and I haven't seen it happen yet.

"March to the Beat of a Different Drummer" Fly-Ins are great, but don't focus exclusively on Capitol meetings as your main (or only) advocacy effort of the year. Consider the example of the American Library Association, which holds a "virtual legislative day" for ALA members who cannot get to DC for their May lobby day. Library supporters from around the country are encouraged to contact their elected officials from their districts while their cohorts are in DC. Or, take a page from National Public Radio's playbook. They are working with Congress to declare April "Public Radio Recognition Month" and are coordinating a DC fly-in for public radio stations as well as in-district activities throughout the month. These "one-two punch" approaches serve to magnify your voice in the Capitol - even during the busy season.

"Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour" (Ralph Waldo Emerson): Don't like the weather in March? Wait a minute, it will change. The same is true of Capitol Hill. Political alliances, perspectives and positions are constantly evolving. If you're not completely satisfied with the responses you're getting from your elected officials, continue to be polite, firm and persistent - you may be able to change their mind yet!

"Crazy as a March Hare" (Alice in Wonderland): Sometimes the people in Washington, DC do seem as crazy as March Hares. When you find yourself wondering whether you've accidentally fallen down the rabbit hole into some kind of fantasy world, it's time to take a step back and realize that some things are out of your control. Events can overtake even the best planned lobby days, leaving you with advocates trying to have coherent policy meetings while the main things on everyone's mind are gas prices, or blizzards or shenanigans in fancy hotels.

Please remember our "march" ideas as you "march forth and advocate" - although as one advocate told me recently, that applies only to March 4th. Ha-Ha.

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