This is the question my parents ask me each Friday. The answer means very different things to my mom and my dad. I’ve grown up in a house with a Republican and a Democrat (which has made for some very interesting dinner conversations). So my family, along with my experience at the office, and of course Trump’s joint sessions of Congress speech:
got me thinking about party divisions.
I find it interesting that the majority of people who call the office affirm their status as Republicans. On the other side, people often open their calls with “I know I’m a Democrat BUT [I voted for Flake in the past, I’m not really a Democrat, etc.].” This is interesting to me because constitutionally, senators represent the interest of their states.
If a Republican calls our office, I:
1. Thank them for calling
2. Listen to their concerns. Most of them are short and sweet, and they are calling to oppose a bill or cabinet nominee.
3. Ask for their zip code
4. Update the call log, which is organized based on issue and area code. For example, if a woman from Phoenix calls to support Planned Parenthood, I add her to that category (of people from Phoenix calling to support Planned Parenthood).
5. Thank them for calling again and promise I’ll pass their message along to the Senator.
If a Democrat calls our office I:
1. Repeat steps 1-5
2. Then at around 6 PM, our Washington DC office intern Jeb tracks every phone number and removes the opinions of all the callers who did not vote for Flake in the previous election.(That's a joke, for people who can't understand sarcasm).
This is my office building:
Republican, Democrat, Independent or Green Party member, I think we can all agree that it’s a nice place.
One thing that worried me this week was when a caller asked how he could be more politically active. I suggested calling, writing letters, protesting, maybe joining a campaign next year, but he told me he didn’t trust the electoral process--none of that worked for a liberal in Arizona. Talking to him made me sad because while there is a cure for a lot of diseases, there’s no pill for low political efficacy.
In ancient Athens, they paid (and forced) people to attend the Assembly. In America, people have the freedom to stay home if they want to. Which is best?
It’s all very strange to me when people use the word political as derogatory. It seems to be a snub to all the institutions that (ideally) keep our country running. I honestly think that a lot of people (both politicians and constituents) could benefit from working at a political office on “the other side”. I know I have.
Hey Nicole! Amazing post as always- I really liked the picture of AZ weather :D Sorry if this is a silly question but, just out of curiosity, what role does the zip code play? Can't wait to read more in next weeks post!
ReplyDeleteI'm not completely sure. I'd imagine, though, it's to see if there are regional interests/concerns that need to be addressed or might be more effectively addressed by visiting one county.
DeleteHi Nicole! It was interesting to read more about the behavior of the constituents and the way you deal with their calls. I look forward to hearing more once you get back from break.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much.
DeleteHi Nicole,
ReplyDeleteYour unique point of view when speaking to constituents highlights many issues that are rarely discussed. Do you think if we forced Americans to be more politically active it would restrict freedom or enable for a stronger democracy?
That's a very interesting question. I think there might be other incentives to political participation--Athens actually paid people to attend the Assembly--beyond a legal requirement though these might not be feasible for a country as large as the United States.
DeleteUltimately, I support a person's right to choose whether to participate. However, there is evidence to show that when people are forced to participate in government, they feel greater political efficacy.
Hi Nicole, I enjoyed reading about what constituents called about and how you responded to them. What do you think would be a logical and effective solution to improve political efficacy? I look forward to hearing more after the break!
ReplyDeleteI think that's the question I'm going to be researching (in a tinier, more-qualified form) throughout the upcoming weeks. I would say the point to start is youth--people who can change, who are in the process of formulating their views on the world.
DeleteHi Nicole! I think it's great that you (seemingly) have a more balanced point of view when addressing constituents' concerns. Do you think the disparities perpetuated by the polarization of the party system is a major cause of low political efficacy, especially in more consistently partisan states like Arizona? How do you think American society or government can encourage voter participation without the same extent as Athens? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say without statistics--the percentage of Republicans who call into their Senator's office vs. Democrats. Anecdotally, party polarization can be discouraging for some of the people who call in. But alternatively, I have many people call and say they had never been active in politics but they thought our country was such a mess they decided to call in today.
DeleteRegarding your second question, I'm beginning to move away from a focus on voting. It is evidently one sign of political efficacy, but I read an interesting article that said if we look to voting as the only mark of political participation, we're really missing out on other forms like protesting, calling your local politician, etc.
I'm not really surprised that so many people think of politics in terms of parties than communities or states. Have you had any libertarians call in? It would be interesting to see if people who believe in lesser government participate less or the same as other parties.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they HAVE called in, but I can't recall anyone telling me that they were Libertarian.
DeleteHi Nicole! This week's post was very interesting. I was especially interested in your balanced views on both sides of the political spectrum! I also enjoyed reading about the different people who called you and how you responded. Do you, personally, have any general ideas for fixing low political efficacy?
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I'm beginning to realize that low political efficacy stems from a variety of (seemingly) unrelated factors. At this point, I would say that low political efficacy is the RESULT of a problem that needs fixing--lack of government response to its citizens, lack of information accessible to citizens, and lack of avenues to voice their concerns for example. Working in the office, I've realized sometimes it is only a single phrase that can make the difference between a person feel their voice is being heard and a person feeling they are being completely ignored.
DeleteHi Nicole! This week's post brings up some interesting points. The conversation you had with that man seems really eye opening. Your observations about political efficacy and the contrast between Athens's requirements about voting and the U.S.'s is very insightful.
ReplyDeleteI have interesting conversations every day with some very interesting (eccentric) people, but I felt that one was particularly relevant to my project.
DeleteHi Nicole! Do any of the people who call in state that they are neither republican nor democrat? Im excited to hear more about your research!
ReplyDeleteI've forgotten the independents! Yes, a significant number of people do state that they are not affiliated with a party. I think more independents call in than Democrats, although of course not everyone states their party affiliation or lack thereof.
DeleteI love hearing your adventures in Mr. Flake's office. I'm sure you will be hearing from me soon, but I promise to be nice and civil. :)
ReplyDelete