{"id":2089713,"date":"2023-11-03T21:55:04","date_gmt":"2023-11-04T01:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-kind-of-legislator-do-you-have\/"},"modified":"2023-11-03T22:03:14","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T02:03:14","slug":"what-kind-of-legislator-do-you-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-kind-of-legislator-do-you-have\/","title":{"rendered":"What type of legislator do you possess?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-kind-of-legislator-do-you-have%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2089713&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Commentary<\/h2>\n<p>A weird thing happens when voters are\u200d polled. People usually hold their legislature in low esteem, \u2062but somehow \u2064they still like \u2062their \u200dindividual representative, even \u200cif they barely recognize their name. Perhaps our governmental \u2064dysfunction is\u2062 not just corrupt politicians playing \u200bfast and loose with other people\u2019s property.<\/p>\n<p>Our problem is that we don\u2019t really\u200c know our\u200c legislators very well, at all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In California, \u200dwe have a full-time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-show-of-pro-abortion-brutality-gov-gretchen-whitmer-just-slashed-care-for-pregnant-women-from-michigans-budget\/\" title=\"In Show Of Pro-Abortion Brutality, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Just Slashed Care For Pregnant Women From Michigan\u2019s Budget\">bicameral state legislature<\/a> with 40 \u2062members \u200bof \u200cthe Senate and 80 members \u200cof the\u2063 Assembly. It\u2019s been\u200d the same size since \u2062the 1870s when there were just above a half million people in the\u200d state. \u2063Since the state\u2019s constitution was\u200b ratified\u200c in 1849, \u200clegislative\u2064 historian Alex Vassar records <a href=\"http:\/\/www.joincalifornia.com\/page\/20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4,444 people<\/a> having served in the legislature. In that time, California has grown to roughly 39 million people with not a \u2063single additional legislative seat added \u200dto either house.<\/p>\n<p>While the state\u2019s first constitution didn\u2019t\u2062 control the numbers of senators and \u200cassemblymembers, the upper house was supposed to\u2063 have at least\u200c a\u2062 third of the membership of the \u2064lower house\u200c but no\u2064 more than\u200b half.<\/p>\n<p>For the last 150\u2063 years, \u2062each senator went from\u2063 representing \u2063around 7,000 people \u200dto just under a million\u2062 constituents. Such \u2064a ratio can\u200d hardly be called \u201crepresentation.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/who-owns-the-california-state-legislature-4736147?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Who Owns the California State Legislature?<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/16\/2022<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/remote-sacramento-legislators-pass-unjust-laws-5487905?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Remote Sacramento \u2062Legislators Pass \u200bUnjust \u200cLaws<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/7\/2023<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Rather than know the man or woman on the ballot, most people know \u200dtheir legislators only through stereotypes. \u200cAfter two \u2062decades working in and around the\u2064 capitol \u200band personally engaging with hundreds of legislators, I have identified\u2063 five generic classifications to help the \u2062reader \u2063better understand the kinds of players making wholesale decisions about our lives, property, and liberties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>  California \u200cAssemblywoman Mia\u200d Bonta speaks at \u200ca &#8220;Just Majority&#8221;\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-kind-of-legislator-do-you-have\/\" title=\"What type of legislator do you possess?\">nationwide bus tour \u2063press\u2063 conference<\/a> \u200cto call for reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court in Sacramento, Calif., on\u200d May 16, 2023. (Kimberly White\/Getty Images for Demand Justice)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>First, are the glad-handers. They like to\u200b be liked and are perennial candidates since their first \u2062introduction \u2063to\u200d student \u200bcouncil in elementary school.\u2063 They get\u2064 a thrill\u200c out of running\u2062 for office, and you can find them at every public event and in every picture, but don\u2019t\u2062 count on them reading many bills,\u200b including their own.<\/p>\n<p>Second, are the bill passers. \u200bEvery session, these representatives will carry the maximum\u200b number of bills they are allowed while becoming co-authors on others of every imaginable \u200bsubject. You\u2019ll hear them repeat the refrain, \u201cI\u200c authored a bill on such-and-such.\u201d They regale audiences with stories of \u2062their fierce committee hearing debates, jousts with lobbyists, and \u200clate nights finding the\u200d votes they need \u200bto get the bill \u2063to the governor\u2019s desk. You\u2019ll know this legislator instantly \u2063by the dozens of signed bills framed on their office walls.<\/p>\n<p>Third, are the policy wonks. They are\u2064 a small minority of lawmakers and would rather implement good public policy than simply \u200bpass legislation. They\u2063 often come from a professional background and, while wise \u2064beyond their years, limit their commentary. \u200cYou will not \u2063find them at the local watering holes and ribbon-cutting ceremonies as much as you\u2019ll see them burning the midnight oil analyzing every proposal and budget item that comes across their desk. When they raise a \u200bseries of \u200dthoughtful \u200bquestions \u2062in committee \u200cor speak on the chamber floor, the room goes silent, because even the interns\u200d know \u200cthat something profound is about to\u2063 be shared.<\/p>\n<p>Fourth, are the aspire-highers. These politicos \u2062don\u2019t just run for office,\u2064 they wake \u200bup every morning and see a \u200cfuture Governor or President in \u200dthe mirror. They epitomize political correctness and seek to amass unmitigated power and control by any means\u200c necessary. These \u2063people \u2064work hard to \u200cmaster their sociopathic\u2064 tendencies and will\u2064 systematically ascend ranks \u2062fueled by \u2063their narcissism. They will get what they want regardless of who is in their path.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>  Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Hayward, \u2063speaks at the \u200cCalifornia Senate Chamber in Sacramento, Calif., on Sept. 5, \u200b2023. (Courtesy of Senate Rules \u2063Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fifth, are the doe-eyed, lucky ones. Most \u200bAssemblymembers \u200bfit in this box \u2064with cookie-cutter resumes. Being a legislator is the best job they\u2019ve \u2064ever had (though they couldn\u2019t really tell you how they got there). Their speeches are regurgitated, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-kat-cammack-gop-immigration-policies-should-put-americans-first\/\" title=\"Exclusive--Kat Cammack: GOP Immigration Policies Should Put Americans First\">poll-tested talking points<\/a> and platitudes furnished by well-placed, though relatively \u2063unknown, political consultants. \u2063Once they have served their \u200cpurposes for\u2063 the special interests who installed them, they are sent out to pasture and \u200cpromptly forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>Frankly, most (not all) of our legislators are opportunists who care more about \u2062themselves than their constituents. They have no \u2064problems retiring into a consultant and lobbying firm, \u200cusing their connections and \u2064knowledge of the\u2064 legislative and budgeting processes to advantage interest\u200c groups willing to pay them handsomely for leverage.<\/p>\n<p>To\u2064 diffuse\u2062 self-serving political \u200cinfluence in Sacramento\u2014before, during and after their tenure in office\u2014I propose tripling the size of the Assembly to 240 and doubling the Senate to \u200d80 \u2064members. We could\u2064 do it without obligating\u2064 the taxpayers to a single\u2063 dollar more than we\u2019re already spending on their bloated offices and staff by simply \u2062reapportioning the number of staffers commensurate \u2064with the new number of members.<\/p>\n<p>And while the ratio of \u2064constituents \u2062to legislators wouldn\u2019t be as low as existed\u200d in 1870, it \u200dwould be much easier\u2062 to communicate our wants and desires with them, keeping \u200dthem from the fringes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <em>Views expressed in this \u2064article are opinions of the author\u2062 and do not necessarily \u200dreflect the views \u2062of The Epoch Times.<\/em>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> Why \u200bis it\u2062 important for \u2062citizens to stay informed\u2062 about the work of their legislators and\u200c hold them accountable \u200dfor their actions and\u2062 decisions<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Margin-right:0;max-width:1200px&#8221;><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>California Senator Toni\u200d Atkins speaks during a hearing at the state capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2022. (Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lastly, there are the \u2062top-tier \u2063movers. They are masters of the political universe, \u2062deciding\u200c who goes where and when and how. \u2063They are shrewd, calculating, \u200band\u200b often invisible, but their\u200c power is unmistakable. They are more interested\u2064 in playing chess with people\u2019s lives\u200c and careers \u2064than \u200banything else. These\u2064 are the ones you need to be worried about, the ones who pit people against each other for their own amusement and advancement.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, these caricatures of legislators are the ones we are familiar with, as \u200dthey are often the ones who get \u200dthe most attention. \u200cThe reality\u200c is that there are good, decent, and hardworking legislators who genuinely care about representing their \u2062constituents and making a positive impact. \u200dIt\u2019s imperative that we get to know them, not just as\u200b politicians, but as individuals, in order to promote transparency and\u2064 accountability in our government.<\/p>\n<p>One way to start is by attending town \u2064hall meetings\u200d and community events where \u200clegislators are present. This allows us to engage with them, ask questions, and voice our concerns. It also \u200bhelps us \u200dbetter understand their viewpoints and the decisions they make.<\/p>\n<p>Addit\u2060ionally, we can reach out to \u200dour legislators\u2063 directly through phone calls,\u2062 emails, or letters. Expressing our opinions and sharing our experiences can help them gain\u200c a better understanding of the needs and desires of their constituents.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, it\u2019s important for us to stay informed about the work of our legislators. By following their \u200bactivities and decisions, \u2063we can hold\u200c them accountable and let them know that we are paying attention to their performance and how it aligns with our expectations.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, our legislators have a profound impact on \u2063our lives, yet many of us know very little about them. It\u2019s time for us to change that. By actively\u200d engaging with our\u200d legislators, we can promote a\u2063 more transparent and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>trust the system, but we trust the individuals within it. This paradox highlights the need for a more informed electorate who can hold their representatives accountable and demand better governance. It&#8217;s time to bridge the gap between public perception and reality to ensure a functioning democracy that truly serves the people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2267,"featured_media":2089714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2089713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2267"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2089713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2089713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2089714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2089713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2089713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2089713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}