Lunch with the President

I cannot begin to express how much I have learned and grown from my internship in D.C. Even though the day to day toil of monotonous work can sometimes make me think dirty words, on the whole the job has proven to be a huge success. I have learned an immense amount about the U.S. government and how it REALLY works.

The Democrats and Republicans really do hate each other and there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The language used around the Hill from both parties is wartime verbiage! I had seen debates on television and even watched floor debate on CSPAN but did not realize the extent to which allegiance to a political party is lethal. I wish that instead of focusing on party lines, more focus was placed on the policy at hand. In many countries such as the UK (I actually learned this from a tour group that I was leading through the capitol!), slander is not allowed in any shape or form within the political arena; and I think that this would be a significant step for our political system.

The president is not really in touch with Congress and doesn’t sit to tea with each of them weekly, or yearly, or ever for that matter. I was under the impression when I started this job that there was immense collaboration among the branches of government. I understand that the House has 435 members and the Senate 100, which makes for a lot of people and very strong-willed opinionated politicians at that, but I thought that there would at least be frequent communication whether it be via letter, phone call, or meeting. This is most definitely not the case, unless there is a top secret back lounge in the Congressman’s office that Obama teleports to.

The Congressman really is not a savant and instead just has really good staff members that “advise” him on how to vote. Don’t get me wrong, Congressman Gowdy is a very intelligent and sharp guy. I have only shared approximately 18 words with him since my start but from videos and office talk, I have gathered that he is. He was a former federal prosecutor and is very quick on his feet. This has benefited him greatly in committee hearings when he questions witnesses. He frequently abandons the questions that the legislative aide has tirelessly prepared and devoted days to but nevertheless, he gets the job done. The legislative aides in my office are the fuel behind the engine and the ones that I love the most. Two in particular have taught me so much about their issues and the legislative process, and for that I am very thankful. I was amazed to learn that they are the ones that get their hands dirty in the policies, take all the meetings, and actually draft the co-sponsorship forms. At the end of each week, their blood, sweat, and tears are packaged and wrapped nicely in a quaint box with a bow for the Congressman to open and enjoy.

Interns are there to answer the phones, sort the mail, and rub the boss’ feet if needed. Thankfully the latter hasn’t happened to me but I have performed some pretty interesting tasks for the office. Legislative correspondents may have quite possibly the hardest and worst job in history constantly writing to people that rant and rave, talk about what a crap job we are doing, and even resort to threats. Wouldn’t you think we would get nice uplifting congratulatory calls or letters? Speaking of calling and letters, I never REALLY thought people called their representative. Boy was I wrong. I am glad that people think that their voice is counted. After all, the people that call to voice their concern are the people that got Trey Gowdy elected. I am not glad, however, that now that I have been on the inside, I know that it is not truly accounted for. The constituent service system is pretty uniform across the Hill and concerns are logged via computer and a form letter is generated. Letters are rarely adjusted to take in additional concerns or opinions. This has bothered me from the very start and continues to be a daily struggle in my job. I have offered to write additional letters but always hit walls with this request. I understand the importance of not opening the floor for a full on argument with a constituent but to send such a generic response to a heartfelt letter has never struck me as “proper” correspondence. I hear that this is the tried and true tradition, but if I stayed to continue working on the Hill in Congress, I would like to push the envelope a little bit.

The legislative shop which consists of the legislative aides, correspondent, and interns is where all the magic happens. I absolutely love working with my co-workers and they are the reason I look forward to going to work every day. Believe it or not, it is not the sorting faxes and letters. I have gained so much from working with such an intelligent bunch and my relationships with many of them have even extended beyond the workplace. This will make it hard to leave and I am going to be very sad to say goodbye, because not only have I worked with these people in close (VERY close) quarters for four months, but they have become my friends.

My time in D.C. has been one in a lifetime and has clarified quite a few of my misconceptions. Even though I did not attend briefings with the Speaker, meet each and every Congress member, or dine with the president I still had an awe-inspiring experience, one that I will never forget.