My daughter LaShunda called to check in to tell me how her first day as a legislative intern went. She already misses everyone and was very appreciative of the encouragement that was given to her as she applied for the internship. 

Ironically, I also worked for the legislature as a fiscal analyst some “blank-blank” years ago (I am not going to be tricked into giving up the numbers that reveal my age).  Any way,…she was all excited about being an intern and working with the legislature. In fact, she had a legislative strategy which she was going to attempt to carry out (within the limits of being an intern).  I knew some of the things  listed were idealistic. Nevertheless, I still was happy to see she had a plan, and was taking her internship seriously.

[She’s even running for Speak of the House, and has begun her campaign for that position.] 

I am very proud of her and also appreciate all of the encouragement and support all of you have given her. But what she also shared had me between laughing and crying!  

Her first observation was of one legislator.  First of  all, his chief of staff led him by the hand, and told him where to stand and sit, while patting him on his back as he addressed the fresh crop of 2007 interns. She was more like his nurse, than his chief of staff. [Keep in mind now, this person was there when I was there, and back then he was old!] 

Then she said he apologized to the group for the way he talked. He blamed it on the fact that he was from a certain part of Tennessee, and that black folks had taught him how to talk. After this, he got mixed up and began giving a combination of a welcome and a campaign speech – both mixed together!  

“This country is on death row! We need more productivity! Vote your conscious!” He exclaimed!

To this she asked me, “why is this man still here?”

She declares that there are legislators still there who were alive when Abraham Lincoln was president! 

She concluded, “Mommie, after today, my first day impression is that I am concerned about the State of Tennessee! How can you be effective if you have been here so long that you actually have lost touch with reality and the people, and don’t even remember the reason why you are here?”

My mind also went back to while I was there. It was one legislator who openly slept away his final years as state representative. Yet he was overwhelming re-elected each year to return to Nashville for another nap! 

I hope I don’t get her in trouble by sharing her first day observations. Her comments were not mean spirited and were not intended to take anything away from the excellent record of public service given by this or any other member of the legislature. But this does shed some insight perhaps on why government may not be moving ahead as effectively within the 21st century. It also may provide an explanation for why faculty is being paid what they were making during Lincoln’s days. [I just had to throw that one in!]

Interesting.  In a way funny,…but sad.  It makes you wonder when someone who is 19 immediately sees this as being a problem on the first day. I am sure the remainder of her experience in the legislature will prove differently, and I do recall that while I was there, “back in the day”, this legislator was effective, as are most who are there now.  But first day does create an interesting impression.

P.S.: If you have a comment, please don’t comment on list. Instead e-mail me directly. I don’t want to make too much of this.  I would not want it to negatively impact her internship.

Jean 

Dr. Jean Howard-Hill
Political Science Department
419 Fletcher Hall
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403
423-425-5702

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