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Demystifying State Legislatures

A collection of 16 issues

If You Want to Get a Bill Passed

A seasoned driver in Delhi once told me that to drive in that city, you need three things: A good horn, good breaks, and good luck. Getting a bill passed isn't so different. You need some attention on it (horn), some patience (breaks), and good luck for miles.

A Useful Spot to Place Our Attention in 2024

This is part of a short series on how to navigate 2024. There are plenty of ideas to share, you'll know which lands for you. There was no wait to vote at the American Legion. Pretty quiet all morning, the woman at the folding card table told me

The Thing to Know About State Legislatures

Budgets, they say, are moral documents. Governments spend on what they - ideally we citizens - value. The same is not said about calendars. But it's an interesting idea to noddle on: How governments spend their time is a reflection of what matters most to them. And that

Why A Few Bills Become Law & Most Don't

"Teamwork makes the dream work!" is not a common refrain in the halls of Congress. Capitol Hill is 535 small businesses (100 Senators and 435 Congresspeople) that each have - with few exceptions - one main political motivation: reelection. The reason meaningful gun control is so hard to

There Are Two Types of Politicians

At a conference I was once at, a man started his talk by saying, "There are two types of people. Those who think there are two types of people and those who don't." Of course, I like to think that I'm the enlightened latter.

Two Minutes for a Healthier Democracy

A few months ago, I was out for a walk with a buddy of mine who's a State Representative. We were talking shop and I asked him how many phone calls he got from constituents on issues. He represents about 9,000 folks, not exactly small potatoes here