Mr. Brian goes to Washington
Posted by BrianI was just outside D.C. this past week on business and due to a slight change in my work schedule after I had booked my travel I found myself with a few spare hours on Friday morning. I could have done some sightseeing or slept in, but I’ve seen most of the sights before and I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead so I decided to be a good citizen and seek out my elected officials. I actually found out about my free time a week early and was able to schedule a face-to-face meeting with my representative in the House, Bud Cramer. I knew my time was short, so I didn’t try to schedule a meeting with Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby as well.
I arrived on the Hill a couple of hours before my meeting with Cramer was scheduled so I wandered between the various House and Senate office buildings in the slim hopes that I might be able to briefly talk with certain legislators. Offices I stopped at included Jeff Sessions, John Linder, and Ron Paul. I struck out on each and didn’t have time to visit Shelby’s as well.
I arrived a few minutes early for my meeting with Cramer and one of his staffers took me through the legislators’ underground transit system to a room that I believe was in the Capital, where Cramer was in a meeting. He stepped out of his meeting and sat down with me for about twenty or twenty five minutes. The topic du jour was the FairTax. I’ve met with some of his senior staffers before about the FairTax, but this was my first opportunity to meet the big man himself.
I should say that it is easy to see how he has been reelected numerous times. He comes across as an affable, sincere individual - he’s not the stereotypical slimy politician. I personally don’t have any major qualms with his voting record. He’s frequently shown the courage to break ranks with his party and vote on principle (principles I often agree with), which I personally find important. I am, however, a strident supporter of the FairTax and I would like to see him share my opinion.
Our discussions were semi fruitful. Simply agreeing to meet with me knowing that the FairTax would be the primary topic shows that he is interested in listening and engaging in dialog. I didn’t get the opportunity to let him know that I write a blog (it all happened so fast!) so I’ll keep the particulars of the discussion outside of the public sphere. I would not want to betray any confidentiality that may have been implicit since he likely assumed our conversation was private. Suffice it to say that I thought it was a productive meeting, but I don’t expect him to sign up as a cosponsor in the near term.
I did enjoy the opportunity to talk with him and I’m quite appreciative that he took time out of his busy schedule to meet with me in person. I would encourage fellow constituents to contact his office to arrange a meeting if you visit D.C.
Now for a little “small world” story. My return flights took me from Dulles to Atlanta and then on to Huntsville. The flight from Dulles to Atlanta was delayed a little over an hour due to weather (we were already on the tarmac, which was not terribly pleasant). The flight was delayed just long enough to cause me to miss my connecting flight in Atlanta. I secured a seat on the next flight, but had a little time to kill so I went to the food court in Terminal A. As I was walking towards my restaurant of choice who do I see sitting by himself eating a chili dog? Senator Jeff Sessions.
I typically try to be respectful of well known public officials and celebrities during my infrequent encounters with them in public. I figure that they get hassled enough and don’t need to be accosted by yet another random person. But I just had to walk up to the senator and introduce myself and shake his hand. I figured that since I did take the effort to visit his D.C. office that same day that it wasn’t out of line to interrupt his solitary dinner for a couple of minutes. As it turned out his flight from D.C. was also delayed long enough to cause him to miss a connecting flight. He was very polite and I tried to make haste so that he could return to his peaceful meal.
So, I ended up getting to talk to two of my three legislators that day. Not too bad.
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July 30th, 2007 at 4:57 am
Brian, you’re to be commended for seeking out those who represent you in government when you had the opportunity. It seems to me that most folks never do anything like that. Instead, they waste time and breath just complaining about government.
My focus over the past few years has been to do whatever I can to help Alabama become the 25th Initiative and Referendum state. Just a few days ago I updated a page on my website (http://www.doctoriq.com/youcan.htm) on which I urge voters to contact the two members of the legislature who represent them NOW while they have more time to listen to average citizens, and to tell them what they expect them to do during the 2008 regular session of the legislature.
July 31st, 2007 at 2:05 am
Guilty, although I do often talk to people who don’t represent me. Actually, I have talked to Artur Davis. I guess I just see Sessions and Shelby as unapproachable, plus I’ve never really had an opportunity.
Brian, I find it hilarious that you happened to run into Sessions after missing him at the office.
July 31st, 2007 at 5:15 am
I thought it was a bit odd to see him sitting by himself eating a chili dog. It seemed unsenatorial. In a way it makes him appear more like a regular person.