Rookie Lawmakers Urged To Be Seen, Not Heard

They were elected on a “turn the world on its head” platform, but the nearunanimous advice to freshman lawmakers is to be seen and not heard.

So, what should North Idaho expect of its seven rookies?

“You’re supposed to listen and not be heard,” said former Gov. John Evans, himself a former legislator. “But I would anticipate that most of those elected this year will accept the challenge and speak out on behalf of their constituents.”

It’s not unusual for first-year lawmakers to ignore that advice. “It’s kind of a heady thing,” said former Rep. Dean Haagenson of Coeur d’Alene. “Issues come up and it’s the most new and exciting thing and you want to get up and tell everyone how it is.”

He said legislators can move swiftly to clip the wings of big-for-their-britches freshmen. He recalled watching House members walk out one-by-one during the speech of a freshman who had the habit of standing up to speak on nearly every bill to come up for a vote.

“It very much hurt him,” Haagenson said. “It was a kind of a cruel pay-back.”

Freshman Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Coeur d’Alene, has heard the “better-seen-than heard” advice.

He said he thinks constituents will watch his voting record closely. “They expect us to stick to our word and vote the way we said we were going to,” he said. Getting home frequently to meet with North Idahoans will be important, too, he said.

Rep. Jeff Alltus, another freshman Republican from Coeur d’Alene, has heard the advice to keep quiet, but he said voters sent him and others to Boise to be “pot-stirrers.”

“I didn’t get elected to make friends,” he said, adding he’s not out to make enemies, either.

House Minority Leader Jim Stoicheff, D-Sandpoint, is the longest-serving member of the Legislature. He predicts the public will tolerate some dissent with Gov. Phil Batt, but not much, particularly not from freshmen.

“The way they’re going to assess it is: if Batt’s coming through with everything he said he would, how well do they support him?”

Based on Batt’s campaign platform, that means support for property tax cuts, reduced government services, loosening environmental regulations and tougher discipline in schools and juvenile jails.

How does Stoicheff spot an effective first-year lawmaker?

“He reads his bills and he reserves a little of his ebullience until he’s sure where he’s going,” he said. “Keep the idealism and keep the energy level up, but test the water a little before you jump in.”

House Speaker Mike Simpson, R-Blackfoot, described a similar ideal beginner.

“The most successful freshmen are those that come down ready to listen and learn, both to their constituents and to more experienced legislators. Our government system is not meant to change quickly. It’s very convoluted and it’s that way on purpose.”

ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: photos and information for 15 legislators