Contributed by Sen. Mike Shower
I’m often asked how difficult it is working multiple jobs as a citizen legislator. No surprise, it’s challenging. For many legislators, serving as an elected official comes at significant personal cost. Lost income, lost family time, and the stress of trying to represent tens of thousands of Alaskans with very diverse views and issues.
Most legislators are serving during the prime career and earning years of life. As I explain later, that’s important. Unless they are set on being a career politician, it’s not an easy decision to put a career on hold or balance the demands of a second job needed to pay the bills.
Some may ask, is it worth the cost, the sacrifice? The persistent answer I always reach - yes. What happens in Juneau affects us all. The Alaska my children and grandchildren inherit is what drives me and leaving Alaska better than I found it. Public service should be considered a privilege not a prize.
With re-districting requiring 59 of Alaska’s 60 legislative seats to be up for election this year, it’s a good time to ponder why we should want part time citizen legislators vs. a career political class.
Would Alaskans prefer a full-time legislature and career politicians? Would we be better off if we did? If so, the only people who’d be able to serve would be the wealthier, retired or Alaskans with a working spouse whose job is good enough to pay the bills. I do not believe Alaskans want an elitist political class.
Look at Washington D.C. for what career politicians give us. Corruption, crony capitalism, crushing debt, special interest run amok, and much more. It’s a long list. Some legislators in Alaska have served two or three decades, a few even longer. Very few people, human nature being what it is, can resist the temptation of power and its corrosive effects over time. As Lord Acton once wrote, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
A citizen legislature has people from all walks and phases of life, not just a career political class. Some legislators are wealthier or retired, nothing wrong with that, they have a right to run for office. However, a part time citizen legislature has many who must work a job outside the legislature. They are tied to the private sector economy and community in ways which bring a critical perspective to how they govern, thus providing a more balanced legislative body.
For example, when a legislator returns to their other job, they interact with people struggling to get by and better understand the value of the PFD to average Alaskans. Or how increased government spending, or regulation, may introduce unintended consequences such as tax burdens or job losses thereby influencing their legislative actions. Real world concerns, not just those inside the political bubble of Juneau or political circles.
The reality is most working-class legislators don’t stay in office too long, they can’t afford to. If they don’t exit stage left after a few terms, they probably had other plans in mind, ergo career politician.
Can you imagine an Alaskan legislature under the control of just retirees or wealthy? A career political class with little in common to the vast majority of working-class Alaskans who must survive in the private sector? Our state government is already under significant influence from special interest. Why would we want to model D.C. and cede power to a state oligarchy - “rule by a few or dominant class”? A citizen legislature filled with many working-class Alaskan’s helps prevent that imbalance.
Speaking of term limits, why would you expect the very legislators who desperately want the title or power which comes with the seat to vote themselves out of office? The truth is the people are the term limits every time there is an election, if someone isn’t doing a good job or has been there for a long time, you should probably vote to send them home.
The choice is yours; it always has been.