Mark Hass served in the Oregon legislature for two decades. Higher pay, he says, would have helped pay his bills but being a professional legislator comes at a cost.
Well you convinced me that we should not force legislators to have two jobs. What you described is not being able to do either job as well as you should have because of the demands of both jobs. We need legislators who can provide full attention to their legislative job.
Some legislators now work three jobs - their legislative one, their "everyday" job and their job as a campaign fundraiser. The necessary job of raising funds is maybe the most debilitating and consumes significant time. I am not sure what the solution is, but know that the unlimited flow of money into some campaigns distorts the rest of the governing process.
Well you convinced me that we should not force legislators to have two jobs. What you described is not being able to do either job as well as you should have because of the demands of both jobs. We need legislators who can provide full attention to their legislative job.
Some legislators now work three jobs - their legislative one, their "everyday" job and their job as a campaign fundraiser. The necessary job of raising funds is maybe the most debilitating and consumes significant time. I am not sure what the solution is, but know that the unlimited flow of money into some campaigns distorts the rest of the governing process.