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Understanding Politicians

A collection of 25 issues

The Different Kinds of Power a Politician Can Have

Once, at a town meeting about off-leash hours (a hot and contentious local issue if ever there was one), a bird lover used a distinction I've never forgotten. There's perception and there's reality, he said. The reality is that off-leash dogs generally aren'

Decoding Politician Speak

Politicians usually make for a lousy interview. There are exceptions, but it's a safe bet that if a legislator is on a show you like, it'll be as fun as watching the grass grow. The reason comes down to three highly strategic (for political parties), infuriating

The 6 Most Important Names to Know in Policymaking

Six has long been a significant number for human beings. Six Flags. Six-packs. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon. That Bruce Willis movie The Sixth Sense. So it is only fitting that there are six key names to know in policymaking. 1. Your city/town councilor 2. Your state representative 3.

The Key Thing 6 of the Last 8 U.S. Presidents Have in Common

What do four of the last six Speakers of the U.S. House and six of the last eight Presidents of the United States have in common? They all love lemon scones! That's not actually true. Let's take a short stroll through the origin stories of

What Kills Most Bills & What to Do About It

When I first came to D.C., an old timer told me that the most powerful force in that town could be distilled to one word. And that word is coleslaw. No. I kid. The word is inertia. The devil you know is better than the devil you don'

A Few Minutes for a Stronger Democracy

I have to imagine that "National Thank a Politician Day" wouldn't be a widely celebrated holiday. But let's see if I can make the case for it. When most of us hear the word politician, what likely springs to mind is a lying, cheating,

Things We Can Ask Our Legislator To Do For Us

On February 7, 2018, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made one minute last eight hours. When rank and file members speak on the House floor, they get one plain Jane sixty-second minute. But House leadership has the privilege of a Magic Minute, where they can speak for as long as the

How to Get a Legislator to Yes

Most politicians are party animals. By which I mean they are - or at least believe themselves to be - somewhat beholden to the priorities of their political party. (Though a certain Senate Majority Leader from New York is also known to enjoy a good dance party.) The party probably

How to Make Your Voice Heard With Politicians

There is a cat I know who is a relentless self-advocate. Inhumanely early caterwauling for breakfast. Staring the human awake. Pawing at the human's stomach. And the human, who is after all human, breaks. She sets out a bowl of tuna, while muttering about feline entitlement. But the

If You're Nervous About Contacting Your Legislator

Us Magazine - which I don't read because I'm just too absorbed with the collected works of the French existentialists - has a section called, "Stars! They're just like us." Stars, here, are not luminous spheres of hydrogen and helium (though some