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February 05, 2003
Be Careful Out There
Working with the legislature is sometimes like walking in a minefield - one misstep can lead to a very bad day. Such is the case as our group of graduate students begins to survey members of the legislature as to their opinions on the employees' retirement system.
Many legislators don't like taking positions, or at least they don't want to publicly say what their positions are. One reason is because doing so will alienate one group or another since most issues have at least two sides. Another may be the legislator's opinion differs from the those of the majority of constituents in his or her district. And finally, stating one's opinion leaves a paper trail. A trail that an opponent can then twist and use to their advantage.
If forced to state their opinion, many will switch to Plan B - issue a non-statement. That is, something that sounds like an opinion but really doesn't take a stand one way or the other. If pressed further, they may hunker down and support a study, in the hope that the issue will die down and go away by the time the study is completed. But if forced into a corner, she may come out shooting.
It is at that point that things get interesting for those within range. I fear that we have entered such a killing field but hope we can pass through quickly and not loose any precious bodily fluids.
As a side note, be aware that corporate leadership tends to act in similar ways. In fact, things are actually worse because there isn't any public accountability. So don't think you can avoid these problems by staying in the private sector. <G>