One Billion Dollars of Influence: Direct Marketing of Politics(Chatham House series on change in American politics)

The direct marketing of politics in the United States induced 14 million persons to give money to political candidates and causes, raised almost $1 billion and generated over 20 million letters to Congress during the 1983-84 election cycle. Chapters 1 and 2 of this book look at the special technical advantages direct mail and other direct marketing techniques provide and examine how those who use them utilize them to political advantage. Chapter 3 examines other direct marketing techniques including cable television, telephone appeals and direct voting through cable and telephone hookups. Chapters 4 and 5 present interviews with leaders of interest groups, PACs and political parties - these interviews indicate how elites actually use direct mail to raise money, lobby and campaign. Chapter 6 examines the actual impact of direct marketing on who wins and who loses elections and on public policy. Chapter 7 summarizes the costs and benefits to American politics and examines how the detrimental effects of direct marketing might be alleviated without jeopardizing the benefits it has created.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 How direct mail works: market pretesting; personalization; concentration; immediacy; position; motivation with fear; a content analysis of direct mailings; how to structure a direct mailing. Part 2 Direct marketing by television and telephone: direct marketing through television; direct marketing by phone. Part 3 Mobilizing the public: the growth of citizen action groups; disincentives to participation; the potential impact of direct marketing; the actual impact of direct marketing. Part 4 Lobbying and electoral tactics of direct-marketing groups: citizen action groups; political action committees. Part 5 The impact of direct marketing on political parties: the Republican advantage; how party elites view direct marketing; the changing party roles; the recent decline in party contributions; direct mail and nonparty organizations; direct marketing and individual candidates. Part 6 Direct marketing, the electoral connection and public policy: congressional structure and elections; direct marketing and running for office; policy consequences of partisan imbalance; economic inefficiency; the 1986 tax reform. Part 7 Future prospects for direct marketing: how does direct marketing work?; how has direct marketing affected mass political behavior?; how has direct marketing affected elite behavior?; how has direct marketing changed political decision making; how has direct marketing altered public policy?; advantages of direct marketing; possible institutional changes. Appendices: Environmental group survey; Questionnaire for citizen action group leaders.