That’s what I do. Years ago a “marginal” came to me. Basically someone who won an election with a small margin is attacked by the other party so said party can re-gain the seat. The party I worked for is tasked to pretty much do anything a “marginal” asks for.
This guy asked for a lot. A constituent, a father wanted his son to be able to participate in Revolutionary War re-enactments and his 12 year-old son wished to do so.
The problem is that the law states that one must be of age (18) to participate as by doing so one might be conscripted into the State Militia. If 9/11 had happened back then this pre-teen would be in Afghanistan and I wouldn’t allow that.
Some of my fellow analysts would just go down to the lawyers in bill drafting and say, how about a bill to up the fines on such and such. I used bill drafting just to OK printing of the bill and to fine-tune if there were any glitches. Let’s just say I was a better writer of legislation than they were and I’m not a lawyer (but I play one on TV). I always wanted to say that! It’s not true. I do not play one on TV.
One of my legendary 3:00 a.m. epiphanies occurred and I awoke and re-wrote the entire section of the state’s UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice), handed it to bill drafting when I got to work and they said it was brilliant.
I was seated next to the “marginal” on the floor when it passed and handed him a tin soldier I’d bought. He’d made my life miserable for three weeks complaining about how I couldn’t do a quick fix but in the end, it all worked out (it’s a miracle) and both constituents, father and son, were pleased.
That’s how things roll here. Dee
ps At the end of legislative session everything goes ’round the clock but is agreed to by both parties. That doesn’t stop a party for attacking a marginal in committee even though they know the bill is a done deal with both houses and the governor. This was a small land sale. As an analyst/legislative liaison I called the office of government services top attorney and asked if the land exists and the state owns it, if the survey was correct and if the government wished to sell the land. Yes to all three. It was a short bill, four pages. This marginal was being beat up and the opposing party asked “exactly how large is this property?” I touched my Chairman’s arm to say I could handle this. I took 30 seconds and went through surveyors measurements to which I haven’t a clue. I just made them wait. Then I responded. “Four pages.” Everyone laughed and it was passed along party lines. Solutions. That’s what my husband and I are on this earth to do. People ask why we’re together. This is why. I’m right-brained, he’s left-brained, a physicist. He’s methodical, and I guess I am as well. We provide solutions to complex problems. It is our life, not just a job.Dee
Cooking with Dee 