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Personal Attention in Politics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2013
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Why do some American citizens fail to vote in any election? Why do others limit their voting to contests in which a president is chosen? And of those who vote, why do a controlling number sometimes support candidate B instead of A? Candidate A may be of unquestioned honesty, superior brains, and broader and more significant experience. Any election provides examples of this sort of thing, and any reader can cite other illustrations from his own observation of recent or not so recent elections.
- Type
- American Government and Politics
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © American Political Science Association 1940
References
1 The voter expects the man whom he supports at the polls to pay personal attention to him—to do him a personal favor. He feels that he has a first mortgage on the candidate as long as he is in power. It approaches the commercial idea of barter, or the principle of reciprocal transactions—value for value. The voter's sense of state, his interest in the common good, has atrophied because of the very nature of life in a new country. He settled a continent alone; he fought Indians and overcame other obstacles with his bare fists. He learned to rely upon himself. Land was free for the taking, and he took what he wanted, or what he could get. The emphasis then, and until very recently, was on individual effort and individual gain. And those individuals prospered most (in the eyes of their neighbors) who took the cash and let the credit go—who took the land and did not bother about the glory.
If this statement is descriptive of the American's economic activity, and if his economic activity dominated American life, it is natural that his politics should be fashioned out of the same stuff. But conditions change; no longer is land free, or business unregulated, and to a lesser extent, no longer does the individual think of “good government” as an inconsequential, an abstraction, something that does not matter. Now since the advent of the depression, Franklin Roosevelt's smile, his radio voice, and the New Deal legislation, politics and the citizen's attitude toward it and his government have changed. The voter may be thinking less of neighborhood and more of nation. In any event, he is interested in what the national government does, because he is coming to see that decisions made in Washington affect his life in Soldiers' Grove. Of if he does not see this inevitable fact now, he will. This will redefine his interest in politics all along the line. He will, I believe, be impelled to think more of issues, national well being, the state. Since the state is becoming interested in the lone citizen, the lone citizen is becoming interested in the state.
However, the implications of governmental policies are not clear to all of even the best minds. There is a lag, when the man with a smile, or handclasp, a warm greeting, or a personal favor, will win. Notwithstanding what may be the voter's attitude in the future, today he is apt to be interested in the candidate who pays him personal attention or does him a personal favor. What the voter does is not necessarily determined by logic; for life is not logical.
2 See my sketches of ward politicians in Boss Rule; Portraits in City Politics. The statement of one of the leaders is descriptive of many. “I work for you 364 days a year; all I ask you to do is to work one day for me.” This is reducing the political process to very simple terms.
3 Everystate has one of the best and oldest state merit systems to be found in the United States, However, even here, a friend is a friend, and if the friend is an assemblyman (or something bigger), he can help a deserving job-seeker connect with the public pay-roll.
4 The Journal of the Assembly for April 27, 1939, contains the following two items among others:
The pupils of the following schools and their teachers were guests of the Assembly:
Woodlawn School, Wannette
DeForest Graded School, Clinton
Monroe School, Shaunee
Valders Public School, Bolder
Graphic Arts Club, Chickasha
Packwaukee Study Club, Cushing county
Open View School, El Reno
Sunny Hill School, Noble
Spring Valley School, Yale
Clyde School, Manchester
RECEPTION OF RESOLUTIONS FOR REVISION
Mr. S. asked unanimous consent that Res. No. 42, A., be privileged and read at this time. Granted.
Res. No. 42, A.,
Granting the use of the Assembly chamber to the Everystate High School Forensic Association for the annual high school speech contest.
Whereas, The Everystate High School Forensic Association has requested the use of the Assembly chamber and parlor for the evening of May 9, 1939, for the annual high school speech contest in which the district winners of the state will participate; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly, That the use of the Assembly chamber and parlor is hereby granted to the Everystate High School Forensic Association for Monday evening, May 8, 1939, and Tuesday afternoon and evening, May 9, 1939, for the purpose of holding the annual high school speech contest for the district winners of the state.
By Mr. S., adopted by unanimous rising vote.
5 JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to additional copies of Bill No. ——
Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That the chief clerk of the Assembly be and he is hereby directed to procure the printing of five hundred additional copies of Bill No. —— relating to regulation of milk dealers.
6 I am quoting merely the first four and last four lines in a statement forty-four lines in length. I have omitted proper names.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to the life and public service of —— ——
Mr. —— ——, village president for nine years, former assemblyman, and outstanding community leader of ——, Everystate, died January 8, 1939, of an infection resulting from an unfortunate fall‥‥
Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That this resolution be spread upon the journal of the Assembly and that properly attested copies of this resolution be sent to the members of the family of the deceased.
7 I quote the first and last part of a joint resolution:
JT. RES. No. ——
April 11, 1939—Introduced by Senator ——. Adopted.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Commending the debating teams and coaches of the High Schools of ——, ——, and —— for outstanding performances in the State Debate Contest of the Everystate High School Forensic Association.
Whereas, The debating teams of —— High School and —— High School were declared tied for first place in the annual debating contest of the Everystate High School Forensic Association in the State Capitol, March 1, 1939, a circumstance never before recorded in these state-wide tests of forensic skill; and …
Resolved, That copies of this resolution duly attested be transmitted to the principals of the —— High School, the —— High School, and the —— High School, and to the coach and the individual members of each such debating team.
8 I quote only the first and last parts of a joint resolution:
JT. RES. No. ——
January 24, 1939—Introduced by Senator ——. Referred to Committee on Legislative Procedure.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Memoralizing the Congress of the United States to reduce the age limit to sixty years for old-age assistance.
Whereas, There are many needy and disabled persons in Everystate between the ages of sixty and sixty-five years whose wants are equally as great as of able-bodied persons over the age of sixty-five years, and who must be provided for and supported by the state or its various municipalities; and …
Resolved, by the Senate, the Assembly concurring, That this legislature memorializes the Congress of the United States to amend Title I, Social Security Act of the United States, so as to reduce the age limit from sixty-five years to sixty years and to enable states to receive aid from the federal government on the same basis as such states now receive aid for assistance to persons over sixty-five years of age under such Social Security Act; Be it further
Resolved, That properly attested copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, to both houses of Congress, and to each Everystate member thereof.
“Dear Doctor:
“Under separate cover I am forwarding a 1937 Blue Book, which is sent at your request.
“You will note that it is a very special book, with leather trimmings on the back. I had it made up especially for you.
“I am also still trying to get you a set of 1937 statutes and will forward them as soon as possible. I virtually have lo steal them.
Yours very truly.”
9 I quote the following bill in its entirety, save for proper names.
NO. ——
March 2,1939—Introduced by Mr. ——. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
A BILL
To appropriate a sum of money therein named to Edward S. and Alvin S. of the town of ——, —— county, to reimburse them for hogs killed by bears.
The people of Everystate, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. There is appropriated from the general fund to Edward S. and Alvin S. of the town of ——, —— county, Everystate, the sum of two hundred dollars to compensate them for damages sustained by reason of the killing of twenty small pigs and four large pigs by bears. Acceptance of this appropriation shall operate as a full and complete release to the state on the part of Edward S. and Alvin S. on account of such damages and expenses.
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and publication.
10 I quote the following act in its entirety, save for names.
To appropriate a sum of money therein named to the Everystate chapter of Morning Glory Veterans for annual conventions.
The people of Everystate, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. There is appropriated from the general fund to the Everystate chapter of Morning Glory Veterans of ——, Everystate, comprising veterans primarily from ——, ——, ——, and ——, the sum of five hundred dollars for the purpose of defraying a portion of the convention expenses for the years of 1939 and 1940. The sum of two hundred and fifty dollars shall be paid on August first of each of such years to the then acting secretary and treasurer of such Everystate chapter of Morning Glory Veterans.
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and publication.
11 NO. ——
January 31, 1939—Introduced by Mr. ——, Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
A BILL
To create section —— of the statutes, relating to married persons in service.
The people of Everystate, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. A new section is added to the statutes to read —— state em ployment of married persons. No married person shall be employed in the service of the state or of any political subdivision thereof who has a husband or wife regularly employed at a salary of more than fifteen hundred dollars a year plus four hundred dollars for each dependent child, or whose income, together with that of said husband or wife, is two thousand dollars, plus four hundred dollars for each dependent child. This section shall not apply to charitable and penal institutions or married persons employed therein. This act is emergency legislation.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1939, and shall continue in effect to July 1, 1943.
12 NO. ——
April 28,1939—Introduced by Mr. ——, Referred to Committee on Highways.
A BILL
Directing the state highway commission to add to the state trunk highway system a certain highway approximately nineteen miles in length completing a state trunk highway from the city of —— to —— ——.
The people of Everystate, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state highway commission is authorized and directed to add to the state trunk highway system a highway extending from —— to —— ——, following the course of what is known and designated as county trunk highway U northeast and east to the intersection with county trunk highway G, then north along county trunk highway G to its intersection with county trunk highway Q, thence east along county trunk highway Q in —— and —— counties to its intersection with county trunk highway H in —— county, then north along county trunk highway H to its intersection with county trunk highway A, then east along county trunk highway A into the city of ——, thence over what is now designated as state trunk highway one hundred and forty-nine in —— county to state trunk highway one hundred and forty-one, thence east over county trunk highway F in —— county to —— ——.
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and publication.
13 There are 100 assemblymen in Everystate. Of this number, 55 did not speak over the radio at all in 1939. Of the 45 who spoke one or more times, three spoke five times, seven spoke at least six times, 13 spoke at least three times, 27 spoke at least two times, and 45 spoke at least once. No senator spoke more than three times, and more than one-half of the senators did not speak at all.
14 I find the following item in today's newspaper. “The House Democratic folding room got its biggest job of the congressional session the other day—mailing out 1,000,000 copies of a speech boosting Jack Garner for president.
“Sent under the frank of Garner's crony, Representative Milton H. West of Texas, the campaign splurge will cost taxpayers approximately $5,000.
“Author of the highly esteemed opus is Roy Miller, wealthy Texas oil lobbyist and Garner's campaign impresario. Miller delivered the address before a gathering of prominent Detroit business men. Later, Representative West inserted it into the Congressional Record (at a public cost of $55 a page) so it could be printed at cost in the Government Printing Office and then mailed free. The Capital Times, June 1, 1939.”
15 Ebenstein, William, Fascist Italy, p. 69.Google Scholar
16 Lawrence's, David “The New Politics,” in the Saturday Evening Post, October 22, 1938Google Scholar, examines the question, “Does the use of public money by the New Deal influence the vote?” He concludes that it does. It would be strange if it did not, in view of the life-long training that many voters have received in our politics. If it is smart for a voter to cast his ballot for a candidate who sends him a Christmas greet ing, it must seem even smarter to support a government that gives him, not a single token or gift, but a steady income.
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