Essay On Political Persuasion

Political persuasion may be the single most important factor in insuring that the facilities received adequate public financing. The funding of a sports facilities is one of the few issues in which bi-partisan agreement can be frequently obtained. However, this does not mean that political persuasion is easy. Politicians have lost elected positions after support public financing. This a real contention point that must be handled delicately in order to gain support from politicians without jeopardizing the public image of the facility.
First, it will be important to understand the current political make up of the state of Washington and the City of Seattle. Historically, Washington State has been a strong Democratic state. However, currently Republicans have a one-member majority in the state Senate and Democrats have a slight majority in the State House of Representatives and the current governor is a Democrat. Thus, for any meaningful legislation to pass, including state funding of a new facility, bi-partisan support will be essential. Unfortunately, this may pose more of a challenge …show more content…
To garner bi-partisan agreement, there will need to be a substantial effort in lobbying without appearing to chose a political side. To appease Republicans who are averse to public expenditures, strong arguments for the fiscal benefits of public financing must be put forward. To persuade Democrats it will be necessary to demonstrate the benefits that facility will have on the community beyond a financial benefit. That is, demonstrate how the facility and professional NBA can unite the community and create strong pride in the city and state. Democrats will need to be persuaded that the money of the facility is a sound investment and that the money may not be better served elsewhere. Once the state is persuaded, the city will need to be solidified as a strong