Below are the 10 most common myths about what happens at the Minnesota State Capitol. Reality surprises a lot of people.
1. IT IS ALL PARTISAN, ALL THE TIME. While the media tend to focus on fights between the Democrats and Republicans, the fact is that 95% of legislation passes with bipartisan support.
2. MEMBERS OF THE SAME PARTY THINK THE SAME. Far from it. Indeed, the most pitched battles at the Capitol are most often between members for the same party. For example, one of the sharpest debates this session has been between Rep. Michael Paymar (D-St. Paul) and Rep. Debra Hilstrom (D-Brooklyn Center) over gun control legislation. Geographic differences often separate legislators even more than partisan ones do.
3. BIG STAFFS. Each legislator shares one Legislative Assistant with at least one other legislator and sometimes two other legislators. That's it for staff for a rank-and-file House member. Because I am a committee chair, I also get assigned a Committee Administrator, whose services I share with another committee chair.
4. LOTS OF PERKS. Former legislators sometimes talk about the "old days" when lobbyists bought all the meals and drinks and took legislators on trips. That's a crime now.
5. SOCIAL ISSUES DOMINATE DISCUSSION. Not so much. While some legislators spend more time than others on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, I would estimate the typical legislator spends less than 2% of his or her time on social issues.
6. WE HANG OUT WITH THE GOVERNOR A LOT. Since there are 201 legislators and only one governor, and we are all busy, we really don't get many chances to sit around and chat one-on-one with Gov. Dayton. Because of the legislation I am carrying, I have seen the governor more than most, but it still isn't all that common.
7. WE ARE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. At one of my daughter's games last fall, another parent told me I was a great dad for flying back from Washington, D.C so often to watch Katie play soccer. I didn't have the heart to tell her I work in St. Paul.
8. EMAILS GET SCREENED. Nope. I really do read every one. Responding is a little more challenging, though, due to the volume (up to 300-500 per day) and my weak typing skills.
9. FANCY LUNCHES. I eat most of my meals in the MnDOT cafeteria. If the timing works out, I meet up with my friend, John, who lives in IGH, works for MnDOT, and attends even more Simley sports events than I do.
10. THE CAPITOL IS HAUNTED. Actually, this one might be true. A very normal woman in the Attorney General's office swears she saw a ghost at the top of the stairwell in the tunnel that leads from the Capitol to the State Office Building next door.
As always, if you have questions, comments or concerns about legislative issues, please send me an email at Rep.Joe.Atkins@house.mn or give me a call at (651) 296-4192.
Thank you.
Joe