The First Rule of Politics - Proving to be True

(This posting is also available as a video from on off-site server.)

State Senator Linda Berglin, D-Mpls., slowly made her way to her chair in the Minnesota State Capitol hearing room. She came 20 minutes late. As she reached her chair, she slowly panned her eyes across the gallery, trying to make sure everyone noticed her. She sat down slowly, and somewhat dramatically picked up her folder of hearing materials. No one cared.

Since 1972, Sen. Berglin served in the Minnesota House or Senate majority. For the last 18 years, she dominated the making of health care policy in the state. In other words, she orchestrated Minnesota’s march to the left. But after the 2010 elections sent her to the minority, things have changed for her, and for Minnesotans.

As I traveled last summer and fall talking about health care reform, I taught four political laws, the first of which is, “It is far better to talk with a legislator that believes as you do than one who is deaf to your ideas.” I used Sen. Berglin as my example, all across the country. Sen. Berglin, you see, is deaf to people who understand that a market-based approach to health care reform is far superior than a Statist approach. No matter how many facts we presented, no matter how many zany ideas we shot down, no matter how fiscally irresponsible was the constant expansion of government-run health care, she remained immune to what we had to say, acting as if she were deaf.

So, we changed the majority party and elected new committee chairs.

This past week, leaders from the Minnesota Association of Health Underwriters gave a Health Insurance 101 presentation to the House and Senate committees on health care policy. These are the committees that will write and rewrite Minnesota’s health insurance laws.

For the first time at least since 1992, these elected officials heard the story of risk pooling, underwriting, what agents do, how insurance works, and that there are better, market-based ways to deliver health insurance. It felt as though a cool breeze had entered the stuffy hearing room. I cannot over-emphasize how different this message was – 180 degrees – from what the legislature has been hearing for 18 years.

All of this is a result of electing a new majority, with leaders that are willing to listen to, analyze, and use ideas offered by people like us. The new majority has fulfilled the first law of politics.

Do not let this lesson be lost on you. If you have not elected a market-friendly legislature yet, make sure you do it in 2012. And if you have, as we have done in Minnesota, make sure you return that majority to power again. Start now, because I can assure you, the “deaf ones” are already plotting to grab back their power.

You might enjoy reading the “Myths and Misconceptions” piece I wrote for the legislators. Grab it here and download it. Spread it around to everyone. It’s really good stuff.