Congress and the Workings of the US Government
A key part of the DC trip is to understand how our government works. What better way is there to do this than to interview elected officials? Today we talked to Congressman Panetta, who represents California’s 19th District. Even though he is a Democrat, he is known to be one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. I think I now have a better grasp of what it means to pass legislation, especially in the time we are living in now. In order to make change happen, Congressman Panetta chooses to push for progress instead of his personal opinion, leaving heated emotions out of the debate. He said, “When you use your emotions to win an argument, you may win short term, but you lose in the long run.” When representatives leave emotions out of debate, Congress stops going around in circles and legislation keeps moving and progressing, another one of his core values.
However, while this is a good concept in theory, it seems to fail in practice because of how many of his colleagues are committed to their personal beliefs. He said that being in government is more than just yelling and screaming. An example of when we can see his principles in practice is his work on behalf of veterans, which he claims is one of the most bipartisan issues in Congress. One question we asked was, “How can we help veterans as civilians?” His answer was to not wait on the government, to take the initial step, and to advocate for what we want to happen. He said that change will happen, and “it doesn’t matter if it’s done slowly; it just matters that it does get done.” All in all, it was a very insightful experience to learn about the actual inner workings of the US government, and how being bipartisan can help create change, even if it comes gradually.
Government Requires More Than Elected Officials
At the start of our trip to DC, we were told to expect the unexpected and be aware of our surroundings. I therefore knew from the beginning that I wanted to recognize and acknowledge the differences between the elected officials and unelected officials that we were interacting with and interviewing.
Yesterday we had an unexpected visit with Chelsea’s friend from her middle school, Valeria Ojeda. She works for the Hispanic caucus in Congress and for the political action committee CHC BOLD. The interview felt more informal because we didn’t have prepared questions. However, in speaking with her I learned so much about things I had never heard of before. Valeria spoke with a formal and educated tone, but she also spoke honestly about the purpose of her work, as well as what and who she likes and doesn’t like. I appreciated her sincerity and enjoyed the genuine responses to our questions. I learned a lot about the Hispanic caucus and realized that there are people working with and alongside our government, trying their hardest to create more diverse representation in our current government.
Today we interviewed Congressman Panetta. This was a formal interview and very different from our time with Valeria. When speaking with Mr. Panetta, it was clear that he is an important figure, and we were fortunate to speak with him. Going through security to get into the Cannon Building was exciting yet extremely nerve racking at the same time. Entering Congressman Panetta’s office, we could see trophies and awards lining the walls of his lobby, and the medals and awards continued inside his actual office. He was kind and genuine when answering our questions, and it was clear that he has a lot of personality. He was clear when speaking to us, knowing exactly what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. He shared with us stories about his past and the unexpected turns that led him to where he is now. He also shared his hopes for the youth in government and for our future, and that he is inspired to see how driven we are as young people in America.
I learned so much about government and the people who make it function by interviewing Valeria and Congressman Panetta. I felt that I was gaining insight in real time into how change in government happens. I also learned how important it is for those elected to positions in government and those who choose to work outside of government to work together to create change. Both interviews were very informative and inspiring, and I am very excited to see what the coming interviews hold and what other learning opportunities I will gain on this trip.
Never Let the Grass Grow Under Your Feet
Waking up earlier this morning to make our early meeting made the day seem a little bit more daunting. When I’m nervous I always think about how nervousness and excitement affect your nervous system in the exact same way. When you think about it like that you can trick yourself into thinking that you’re just excited and not fearful.
Stepping into the Cannon Building for the second time, we knew where we were going but not what thoughts and ideas we were going to find there. Congressman Panetta’s office had more people working in it than I would’ve thought, which made me realize how much work is really being done every day in there. Mr. Panetta opened the door to his office and invited us in, with an extremely warm and charismatic smile. I got the impression that he could make a friend out of anyone, so I wasn’t surprised to hear that he holds the title of “most bipartisan member of Congress.” That was something that really resonated with me. He emphasized that the importance of government is to work together to achieve a common goal. One of my favorite quotes from him is “Never let the grass grow under your feet.” That quote applies to almost every aspect of my life and everyone else’s. He wanted us to know that no matter where we are in life we need to keep moving forward, keep making progress, but also progress as a society.
Something else he shared with us was a story about a pivotal moment in his career. He spoke about a time in his life when he was a District Attorney, his wife was a Judge, and his kids happily went to school in Oakland. He said that there was nothing wrong with that life whatsoever, but something inside him was opposed to “plateauing.” So he took a leap, started working in his hometown of Monterey, the place to which he owed his identity. This story drove home the idea that to live well is to strive for something greater, and when you have achieved your goals, to find new ones.
The Whole World Ahead of Me
Today my class and I had the great privilege of interviewing Congressman Jimmy Panetta, from California’s 19th Congressional District, where most of us live. My first impression of Mr. Panetta was that he is more laid back, vulnerable and welcoming than I expected. He shook every one of our hands and made us all feel comfortable. I was very happy to hear him open up the meeting by telling us that our role in the future is vital, and that he was excited to meet with us. He said that what gives him hope is that he sees our generation as smart and driven.
What stuck with me most after leaving this interview was all the different places and environments he has worked in throughout his life. He has worked as a researcher on a NOAA vessel, a State Department clerk, a prosecutor, a U.S. Navy Reservist, and now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In many of these jobs he was very happy and could have lived what he said was a great life, but he found himself wanting more, and he challenged himself to work harder. He referenced something his mother always used to tell him: “Never let the grass grow under your feet,” to take every opportunity before you. His remarks make me think of my future and that maybe I don’t want to work in fields I’ve always thought I would enter. Maybe there’s more for me out there, maybe things I’ve never thought or known about. Mr. Panetta didn’t originally know what he wanted to do, so hearing about all the things he’s done since then is very inspiring. I leave this interview now not worrying about what field I want to go into, but excited and optimistic. I have the whole world ahead of me.
Living the American Dream Means Giving Your Kids a Better Life
Today we interviewed Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who represents our district in Congress. He is considered the most bipartisan member in Congress, and he had many interesting ideas. He strongly believes in serving his community and was raised to value hard work. While in college, he worked a full-time job to pay for his education, so he understands managing money and its importance to achieve a goal.
One thing that came up often throughout our conversation was “the power of the purse.” Everything that he does starts with the people’s needs, but a big part of his job is getting government funding in order to finalize ideas or projects.
He also explained that not everyone in Congress agrees on every issue, which is expected. However, he believes that evidence and facts in the long run beat emotion. So once set on a goal, he strives to work with as many people as he can to make people understand the advantage of what he is trying to accomplish.
He also seemed very patient and laid back, even though he is extremely busy. Our interview ended a little early, but with every question we asked, he took his time to answer with extreme detail and, more importantly, with care. He genuinely cared about the answer he gave and the questions we asked. He also expressed hope in us, the younger generation. He said that one of the things that keeps him motivated is the belief that “living the American dream means giving your kids a better life.” He understands that everything done today is to support the next generation.
When he was our age, he didn’t know what he wanted to do, but through effort and opportunity, he got to where he is today. He shared that same hope for us, whether we already know what we want to do or not, giving me confidence to make decisions in the future.
