Dear Friends:
Happy Flag Day and Happy Birthday to the US Army!
It's been some time since my last posting and I hope to post more frequently in the coming months. OCP has been busy!!
I've entitled my June blog "Government at its Best" - not something you hear much these days, sadly.
I'll begin to put this title in perspective with a brief history of my career. I've done several "tours" in government. Like most professions, most of us rise throught the ranks beginning with the most menial of tasks. There's stuffing envelopes, answering the phone and responding to the constituent inquiries. These run the gamut from the norm (commenting on pending legislation), to the downright surreal (Michael Jackson stole my song while flying over my house).
As your career progresses, tasks become a bit more exciting. You may become, for example, the "Clips Girl", responsible for the crucial task of creating packets of daily newspaper articles. This is the entry-level PR job in government offices and one that virtually eliminates white from your outfit choices.
Later on you may be fortunate enough, as I was, to staff a committee in the Legislature or staff the Governor on a particular policy issue. This is where you really get a handle on how the system works and sometimes doesn't work. It's an enlightening, exciting and occasionally frustrating role. Here you truly see government at its best and its worst.
A few months back, I had the great fortune to come across a cause that I was sure would bring out the best in government. Now, to be sure, the best required some good, old-fashioned perserverance - what a mentor once referred to as "the very core of politics".
Enter George Lutz, founder of the Honor and Remember movement to establish a flag for the fallen. Having heard of the tragic loss of his son by sniper fire in Iraq, I eagerly volunteered to assist Mr. Lutz spread the word of his own "mission".
His goal, reasonable enough, was to establish this flag as an official reminder of those who had perished in any war. What better cause, I thought?
Mr. Lutz, arrived however, and I had yet to attain sponsorship for the Resolution of legislative support and frankly, was feeling both guilty and frustrated. His presentation, on the State House steps, received good media coverage though, and it was off to the Senate to find a sponsor and gather signatures.
I was nervous.
It had been 10 years since I held the title, "consultant", and my "lobbying skills" were undeniably rusty. We'll see how this goes (my trademark line of uncertainty), I mused as we meandered to the Senate Floor.
I approached each member, save one, with "I don't know if you remember me (fortunately they all did), but". Now, don't get me wrong, I think I've aged pretty gracefully but 10 YEARS??!!
And then a strange but wonderful thing happened, one by one, we called members out of those hallowed chambers as each graciously listened to Mr. Lutz's story, signed his petition and offered to sponsor necessary legislation. In each case, emotions ran high, tears were shed, voices crackled as they signed on to the cause.
Government, at its best, I thought...here it is.
Thanks to Senators Beach, Connors, Haines, Kyrillos, Van Drew and Vitale for their support and for demonstrating "New Jersey Government at its Best".
To learn more about the Honor and Remember Flag and follow Mr. Lutz on his 50 state tour, go to www.HonorandRemember.org
