Mr. Smith Goes to Augusta
Diamond, John
Mr. Smith Goes to Augusta A young journalist gets a first-hand political education. Here's what he learned. by John Diamond Not too long ago I received a terse letter from someone who was...
...But political clout does not rest solely with the officeholders...
...This delegation of authority—present to some extent in every state—is something few politicians talk about or even acknowledge to themselves...
...As a result, helping constituents obtain driver's licenses and performing other forms of redtape cutting often takes undue priority over policymaking responsibilities...
...Some, like the environmental lobby, resist...
...Instead, he proceeded to outline—in great detail—the problems he was having...
...From a political perspective, this makes sense...
...He and they deserved more respect than I was showing...
...He indignantly replied that he was concerned that I might be too busy to meet him during the day...
...The successful lobbyists are well aware of a legislator's need to feel productive, and of a party leader's responsibility to help caucus members fulfill this need...
...But I was surprised to learn that this pressure to give good service causes many members—about 20 percent of the ones I know—to leave the lawmaking to the party leaders and other legislators...
...That's basically why I threw him out of my office...
...Both Democrats and Republicans in Maine regularly put the squeeze on special interests for campaign financing...
...Listening to and assisting constituents with bureaucratic hassles is a critical part of the job...
...Because of the small size of legislative districts in states like Maine (7,500 residents per House district...
...Most, however, go along with the milking...
...Their fondness for me seemed even greater two years later, when I was elected majority leader...
...He claimed that with their help, the Democrats had been able to maintain control of the House...
...I went believing that policymaking was simply fair-minded men and women contemplating what would be in the public's best interest...
...But in spite of his hostility toward me and my politics, the writer left me with one final message indicative of the neighbor-like relationship we Maine politicians tend to have with our constituents: "P.S...
...In closing, the letter summed up my eight-year legislative career by stating that I had done "nothing whatsoever for the people of Maine...
...I responded with a condemnation of special interests that could have been lifted right out of The Official Common Cause Attack Manual...
...the influence a leader has over committee assignments, passage of bills, legislative travel, and other perks is usually sufficient to ward off any attempted revolts...
...He was, he explained, watching television and shining the lobbyist's shoes...
...As soon as I entered politics, I saw the enormous influence lobbyists have...
...But it's undeniable that state legislators often find themselves dealing with voter harassment...
...But from that point on, I was so fearful of being accused by others of "selling out" that I never supported the oil lobby's positions...
...Now that I've been on the inside, I'm in a better position to understand what's going on, and to translate it for others...
...Having learned a lot about how legislators think and operate, I've headed back to the other side of the notebook...
...Outside of their own committee workload (heavy for some, hardly worth noting for others), the extent of their contribution to the legislative process consists of simply ratifying the decisions of others...
...Nobody ever sat me down to tell me the political facts of life— that politics never has, and never will, function the way we're led to believe in school...
...by John Diamond Not too long ago I received a terse letter from someone who was clearly upset with my endorsement of a proposed health care facility to be located just outside my legislative district in Bangor, Maine...
...After completing his warm-ups, he laid out his clients' legislative agenda for the year, not requesting my support but presuming I would provide it...
...Most officeholders and seekers accept this adversarial flavor of the job as the cost of the attention, gratitude, and influence public service promises...
...After all, people vote...
...I was offended...
...At bottom, a lobbyist's power comes from the ability to provide information on issues, to mobilize clients and members in support of or opposition to a bill (or individual), and to steer campaign resources towards particular parties and candidates...
...Irritated by this visit but conscious of the man's status as a potential voter, I asked what motivated him to choose to come at such an odd hour...
...My parents send their regards" I grew up interested in journalism and politics, starting out as a reporter before making an eight-year foray into state politics...
...Yet when it comes to politics, common bloodlines and property lines are usually obscured, and elected officials take a lot of hostile fire...
...After hearing me out for a minute or so, the lobbyist finally lost his composure and attempted to set me straight...
...No matter how much one might claim that contributions, friendships, and favors are irrelevant, it's intellectually dishonest to argue that they play no role in the way one evaluates— consciously or subconsciously—the merits of a proposal...
...in journalism—relatively naive, with no previous exposure to the political system...
...During my 1986 campaign, I received a sizable unsolicited campaign contribution from an association of oil dealers...
...Once members are elected to leadership positions, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to dislodge them (unless, as in the Wright case, there are strong, outside considerations...
...But lobbyists and their clients do indeed play a role in legislative elections...
...This psychological impact may escape some who receive—but never those who give...
...33,000 per Senate district), the legislators know many of their constituents personally, as friends, neighbors, and relatives...
...Even if I had been better prepared for the job, there are certain aspects of the political process that cannot be identified or experienced from the press gallery...
...Trading places for such a lengthy period has given John Diamond, formerly the majority leader of the Maine House of Representatives, is now a television reporter in Bangor, Maine...
...law books don't...
...Because of the potential for reward at election time, many legislators choose to focus their attention on this listening-post role...
...The legislator, teased in the past for his hero-worship of this highly successful lobbyist, was asked what in the world he was doing there...
...After all, he was only attempting to exercise his right to influence a politician's vote...
...Not only was I ignorant about the process, he said, but his clients had contributed substantially to Democratic candidates during the recent election...
...it seemed so simple...
...The lobbyist who hand-delivered it to me explained that, although I had not voted with his organization once during the six years I had been in the legislature, its members wanted me to have the contribution "because of your willingness to listen ." I accepted the check...
...Upon my election as assistant majority leader of the Maine House, many lobbyists made hurried attempts to befriend me...
...If more reporters would take this approach to their professional development, they'd be doing themselves—and their audiences—a big favor...
...This refresher course can take place weeks, days, or even just hours after the vote...
...Whichever side got the most votes on an issue won...
...Lobbyists know what stirs the politician and the process, and they play mixmaster...
...wanting to discuss a dispute he was having with a state agency...
...In recognition of this, they cultivate professional and personal relationships with legislators...
...The lobbyist's response wasn't totally unreasonable...
...I knew nothing then about the influence of lobbyists, constituents, party leaders, and purse strings...
...But sometimes this approach can backfire...
...Partly because of this, some Maine representatives never bother to read the bills...
...The Nightstalker," as I now call him, made no apologies for infringing on my bedtime...
...Spit shines and sell-outs At a recent national legislative conference in Reno, a small group of us were sitting poolside after the day's session, swapping stories...
...Sometimes party leaders and their staff assistants rebrief individual members on why those members voted for a bill...
...While in some instances laws and legislative rules ascribe these powers, much of this control is inherent in the leadership positions themselves...
...Lobbyists know what they're doing...
...When I was first sent to cover the Maine legislature for Maine Public Broadcasting in 1977, I was only 22 years old and just finishing a B.A...
...Furthermore, he suggested my service in government had been a betrayal of the public trust...
...But I've never felt comfortable with the way politicians remain dependent on lobbyists to fund campaign efforts...
...Just after I was first elected, a representative of a number of business interests came to my office, doling out perfunctory praise and pledging his services as a resource...
...One of my earliest encounters with lobbyists in my role as a party leader reflected the discomfort I felt with some of them...
...me a different perspective on both journalism and public service...
...In Maine and most other states, legislative leaders— especially the presiding officers of the Senate and House—formulate policy, and control all spending, personnel decisions, and the fate of most bills...
...One veteran legislator mentioned that he'd spent a fair amount of time in the attractive home of a prominent Maine lobbyist...
...Not long ago, a man appeared on my doorstep at 2:30 a.m...
...The writer, whose name I recognized from my weekly mailing list, berated me for being "ignorant on the issue" and "a captive of the hospital industry...
Vol. 21 • July 1989 • No. 6
