As a long-time lobbyist, and even longer-time political activist, I often find myself in rather heated discussions with individuals who do not share this interest (some would say obsession!) which gives me an opportunity to view the world through different glasses. During portions of my life I have been so entrenched in the “trees” of politics with the often very black and white perspectives that it is healthy to get a dose of the “does it really matter” perspective!

A bit of history here—I fell into political interest—it was not inherited through generations of political activism; rather, all I remember about politics from my youth was my parents acknowledging that their votes cancelled each other out each and every election. When I moved to the Twin Cities post-college I was invited by a neighbor to attend a neighborhood gathering. What I wasn’t told was the meeting was actually the precinct caucuses (which I knew nothing about) and they were about to elect caucus leaders and delegates to conventions. I walked out of that first meeting as vice-chair of the precinct and as a delegate to the next level of political action. The “game” of political involvement began then.

Since that point, politics has always intrigued me—as a delegate, campaign manager, campaign volunteer, and even today when I have a more global, longer-term view of the role of politics. As a campaign volunteer, I learned the ropes of what it takes to run campaigns, and appreciated the intensity of the volunteers and candidate(s). As a party activist, I gained an understanding of how and why citizens spent countless hours developing positions and platforms that apparently nobody in power really implemented. While I am far more selective today with the candidates I contribute money to, the fundraisers I attend, and the communications I write, I still believe that it all matters.

When elections can be won by a few dozen votes . . . when elected officials can be voted out of office when they are non-responsive to the citizens they represent . . . when I have an opportunity to “educate” elected officials on the issues and problems that are priorities for me . . . then I know it matters.

Today it matters most for me professionally—I see the direct connection between the success of the membership and the will of the elected officials. I see the need to continue to take the opportunity to educate current and future officials for elected positions. We have spent time these past few months meeting with many of the gubernatorial candidates and will really need to “step it up” once the field is narrowed down. We all know the power held by the governor, and the need to totally re-vamp the state’s budgetary priorities. I am looking forward to a new generation of “students” to provide information to, and hope many of you will join me as real-life teachers.