2008 Woodie Awards
Leaders must compromise beliefs
These thoughts of mine...
Channing Barker
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Opinion
Who doesn't love a good spring break?
Until this year, I spent every spring break with my best friend Megan, who now attends Kansas University. In high school, we traveled to Cocoa Beach, Fla., Kansas City, Dallas and finally Mexico for our senior cruise.
This year, however, because we realized we would be the ones paying for our trip, we spent our time back in the mid-west. While she stayed in Lawrence, Kan. for the beginning of the break, I was in Oklahoma City, where I interned for the House of Representatives at the state capital.
Because I am a double major in journalism and political science, this internship was a great experience. With this internship, I realized how much work really goes into this thing we call the government.
I interviewed representative Lucky Lamons, the representative of my home district in Tulsa. I asked Rep. Lamons questions about his experience at the capital and the position he holds for representing District 66.
As someone who might later work in the political world, I was astounded at what I found. I thought most people would try to sway officials and representatives with money.
Don't get me wrong, lobbyists still use loads of dough to play with political leaders' minds. But I also found out how leaders are swayed by other means of persuasion as well. Constituents, special interest groups and the people who actually vote "yes" or "no" are the ones who really stick out to these leaders.
Other ways of persuading, such as scare tactics, do not work, Lamons said.
"People from the same party who push me one way on an issue and use scare tactics for my vote don't help their cause," he said.
I also learned about how representatives and senators vote on issues.
"There are four ways people vote," Lamons said, "those who vote party line, those who vote strictly for their district, those who vote their personal belief and then the one people should strive to be: a mix of all three."
Until this year, I spent every spring break with my best friend Megan, who now attends Kansas University. In high school, we traveled to Cocoa Beach, Fla., Kansas City, Dallas and finally Mexico for our senior cruise.
This year, however, because we realized we would be the ones paying for our trip, we spent our time back in the mid-west. While she stayed in Lawrence, Kan. for the beginning of the break, I was in Oklahoma City, where I interned for the House of Representatives at the state capital.
Because I am a double major in journalism and political science, this internship was a great experience. With this internship, I realized how much work really goes into this thing we call the government.
I interviewed representative Lucky Lamons, the representative of my home district in Tulsa. I asked Rep. Lamons questions about his experience at the capital and the position he holds for representing District 66.
As someone who might later work in the political world, I was astounded at what I found. I thought most people would try to sway officials and representatives with money.
Don't get me wrong, lobbyists still use loads of dough to play with political leaders' minds. But I also found out how leaders are swayed by other means of persuasion as well. Constituents, special interest groups and the people who actually vote "yes" or "no" are the ones who really stick out to these leaders.
Other ways of persuading, such as scare tactics, do not work, Lamons said.
"People from the same party who push me one way on an issue and use scare tactics for my vote don't help their cause," he said.
I also learned about how representatives and senators vote on issues.
"There are four ways people vote," Lamons said, "those who vote party line, those who vote strictly for their district, those who vote their personal belief and then the one people should strive to be: a mix of all three."
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