Getting ready for session

Chris Saxman, our own soothsayer and mentor, gives new delegates, old hats, and even us monitors his top 10 tips on how to survive the next sixty days (I – J.R. – personally feel #10 is #1…and it certainly is for Chris too; he just saved the best for last)…

1. Show Up – Woody Allen was right about this one. Showing up is 80% of life. It bumps up to about 90 if you’re elected to the General Assembly, to 95% if you get easy committee assignments, and 98% if you get elected to Congress. Bah dum bah…

2. Shut Up – Can’t emphasize this one enough and learned the hard way for me. Unless it is going to sway the outcome of a vote, hold your tongue. If you really care about the issue in front of you, you should have had the foresight to have dealt with it long before that moment. There’s an old saying in politics, “if you don’t know the vote, don’t take the vote” – important outcomes are established well before a scheduled vote. Honor that process. But take your best shot if so moved and remember “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

3. Be On Time – And this means being early. You would be surprised how effective you can be if you are early to things in politics. If the phrase “the early bird gets the worm” is accurate, it’s magnified times 100 in politics. Oh and go into the General Assembly Building as early as possible – good time to get work done and get breakfast in the 6th Floor cafeteria. The best eat there early. Show up, listen and ask questions when necessary.

4. Be Sober – Other than a glass of dry, white wine with fish at dinner, don’t drink alcohol unless in the company of friends. While the food scene has improved dramatically since the early 2000s, stick with early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

5. Diet, exercise, and sleep. HUGE. Drink a lot of water throughout the day. Yes, you will have to go tee tee more often, but it’s a great motivator to end useless conversations. Find a routine to exercise – basic sit ups, push ups, and stretching will suffice during the week if you really cannot get to the gym, but get to the gym. You’ll be surprised who all is there.

6. Invite people to something. Always invite constituents to visit, but once a week invite a colleague to go out away from the fray. You need down time and the best way to accomplish that is to invite someone who needs it as much as you do.

7. Read bills in your subcommittee the night before/Submit less than 10 bills. Legislation changes so often that you should focus only on your own and what’s in your subcommittees. Pay attention to those first and then rely on the committee structure and floor process. Most bills, okay the VAST majority, are dealt with sufficiently by the process. Stay in your lane. Read what’s important and then READ IT. That saves time for reading the REALLY controversial bills. READ THOSE. Those votes get you re-elected or unelected.

8. Develop relationships with your colleagues. Look, this is a very lonely job and you need to connect with people who truly understand the position. I’ll never forget when, God rest his soul, Delegate Harry Parrish came in my office just to talk. A senior member who chaired Finance just came in and we talked. He flew the Hump in World War II – that’s flying from India to China over the Himalayas. At night. The people you work with are some of the best and most amazing folks out there. You never know when someone will ask, “What’s so and so REALLY like?” and you can say “Other than the time he brandished an AK-47 on the House floor, I found him to be reasonable.”

9. Work the floor. During inane floor speeches, answer email from constituents, eat lunch, and visit with members in your chamber. This is a good time to focus on getting things done.

10. Call home and eight constituents a day. Always call home, especially the base of your support who likely have the same last name. You think it’s lonely in politics, try being married to it. Then call at least eight constituents a day. Chances are they won’t pick up so leave a really good voice mail that ends with “…no need to call me back, just wanted to share what’s going on down here. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you.”