Three Ways To Be Influential

Engineering and engineers need to get comfortable with the three ways to be influential in American politics - -

1. Make Donations to Political Parties - - This must be a concentrated effort. All the disciplines, all the societies, all the professional organizations - - one voice, one bank account, and one goal. Like the AMA and ABA - - power and influence is a function of concentration.
2. Establish Think Tanks - - Modeled after the Hoover or Brookings institutes. Think tanks that focus on public policy issues directly related to engineering and the role engineering plays in modern and democratic societies. Powerful messengers that deliver powerful messages - - to key and influential segments of society.
3. Control Media Outlets - - This is increasingly controlling the flow and access to information and messages on the web and social networks. We need to make this environment our own - - leveraging the technology so as to maximize out "return on attention."

We also need different and unique individuals to organize and implement this - - the engineer and technologist that can function in the role of cultivator, charmer, and manipulator. Being charming and analytical is quite a combination - - but it is a combination that is noteworthy for our times.