By Brad Fitch, CEO, Knowlegis

Nearly every group in the U.S. involved in public policy will experience a “perfect storm” next year. A series of events will converge, mostly around Congress, to bring about substantial changes in legislation and regulations, profoundly impacting millions of Americans for decades to come.

The new Congress and new administration will initiate a series of policy debates affecting nearly every grassroots organizer, professional lobbyist, and amateur advocate in America. As one of Washington’s leading lobbyists, H. Stewart Van Scoyoc of Van Scoyoc Associates, said recently, “I’ve lived through a couple of transitions of significant magnitude, and next year will probably be a transition of the most significance that I can recall.”

Which political fronts are lining up to make 2009, “The Year of the Advocate?”

New President. Every administration brings a host of proposals, but both of these presidential candidates pack a saddlebag full of ideas. Barack Obama and John McCain both demonstrate energy in the policy arena and both indicate a willingness to “change” Washington. The controversies that accompany these new proposals should cause every advocate – professional or amateur – to consider the impact that either a GOP or Democratic administration would have on their issues.

President from the Senate. For the first time since John F. Kennedy, a president will be elected directly from the Senate. Governors like Bill Clinton and George W. Bush applied an “executive style” of management. Barack Obama and John McCain’s management style will vastly differ because when they think about getting things done, they think like a legislator. Additionally, their relations with and understandings of the current Congress will likely enable them to accomplish more legislatively.

Pent Up Desire for Action Among Congressional Democrats. The last two years haven’t exactly been a legislative windfall for the winners of the 2006 elections. President Bush and the Republicans’ ability to use the Senate filibuster have blocked many Democratic initiatives. However, House and Senate Democrats possess a lot of legislative steam in their engine, and it’s been building up since the GOP takeover in 1994. As early as last year, Democrat leaders began strategizing to wait until George W. Bush left office before advancing key parts of their agenda. Plus, with nearly every political prognosticator predicting gains by Democrats in the upcoming 2008 election, 2009 will be the best year since 1993 for Democrats to get their favorite bills enacted.

Pent Up Desire for Action on Major Issues. Congressional gridlock in Washington, D.C. will force a variety of major issues on the 2009 congressional agenda, including health care, immigration, energy, and taxes. In addition, most of the FY2009 appropriations bills, which technically need to be passed by September 30, will likely be postponed until the new Congress convenes.

The last time we saw something this close to a perfect storm was in 1993 with the election of Bill Clinton. However, the Internet allows every group in America to maintain a large grassroots presence, a dynamic that did not exist in 1993. Despite this, the winners of the upcoming 2009 debates will not be decided by a grassroots network’s sheer numbers, but by the quality of those activists and their individual advocacy skills.

Brad Fitch is the CEO of Knowlegis, a Capitol Advantage company. For more information about Knowlegis and its suite of online tools, please call us at 703.289.9816.