On the Hill

There are three branches of government - the executive, the judicial, and the legislative. This is something that you already knew unless you managed to sleep through all of elementary school civics. You have probably also heard that two out of three of these branches do not always get along (if this sentence were published on twitter, this is where I would insert the hashtag #understatement).  However, the living, breathing fact of these three bodies meant almost zero to me until I came to D.C. and now plays a major role in how I go about my work (and play).

As a dutiful civil servant of the executive branch, it is my job to show up, write documents, work with other agencies, and try to move ideas and policies forward that serve the mission of my department and the administration. Politics come into play, but no matter what party is residing in that fancy house over on Pennsylvania or has the most seats up on Capitol Hill, I get to do pretty much the same work.  Being able to do this is, of course, contingent on being paid, and this is where the legislative branch comes into play. I'm not going to get into the deal that was just reached on debt ceiling, mostly because my expertise is not in complex fiscal policy and I feel like all news establishments have those events fully covered. But, I will say that it has been harder than usual to focus on actual work here in the Capitol. Occasionally though, some other business continues to take place.

Last week I attended a Senate Commerce sub-committee meeting that had nothing to do with the debt, but instead focused on economic development in the Arctic. I suspect the hearing was nothing more than an interesting distraction for all three Senators in attendance, but it's always nice to see some government in action. While the outcomes of committee hearings are usually predetermined, I recommend visitors look up the schedule of hearings when coming to D.C., since these sessions offer a form of political theatre that is free and accessible to the public, complete with celebrity witnesses and questions from elected officials that range from ridiculously uniformed partisan grandstanding to surprisingly insightful demonstration of knowledge of an issue. Nothing is likely to come out of the hearing, but at least I know that sometimes representatives from both sides of aisle can sit at the same table and listen to experts from the executive branch, industry, and non-profit organizations in a polite and dignified manner. As we've seen, politics between the branches can be messy, but I just wanted to share that sometimes they also have manners.

http://servicecentered.blogspot.com/

Two years

C&O Canal in Georgetown

My transition from life in Washington State to my life in Washington D.C. took place over a few crazy weeks of weddings, packing, and several cross-country flights roughly two years ago. I don't really have an anniversary date, though I started work on August 2nd, which I only know because this is now the date that determines all sorts of fun things like promotions and retirement eligibility.

Two years is about the amount of time that I spend anywhere before I start to get restless. In truth, it is the upper limit. Since graduating high school and heading off to college, my longest period of residence was those 4 years of undergrad. Though it can hardly be called settled since I was constantly changing dorms, houses, jobs, and taking off for short-term study abroad trips or impromptu Thanksgivings spent in foreign countries. The odd thing is that my most stable address over the past 12 years has been my tin-roofed shack in Blue Creek, Belize, where I happily spent a solid 24 months in a single 12' x 18' room.

Then...

So far my two years here in DC have involved 3 different addresses, with my current abode offering plenty of promise as a great place to settle down for a few years. That is, if I can manage to stay in one city/country for that amount of time. So even as a I start to get restless and plot my next grand adventure, I will remain grateful to have landed here in D.C., where friends, work, and home are all extremely inspiring. So the question is, where will I be in two more years??

...and now. 

We are all Norwegians

"Ja, Vi Elsker dette Landet"
The Norwegian Ambassador and his wife on May 17, 2011 at the Embassy.
(I was honored to be invited as a guest and friend of the Norwegian community here in D.C. )

Last Friday the world turned its eyes to Norway as it experienced truly its most tragic day. I followed the events, from the first curious "what was that noise?" posted on an Oslo friend's facebook page to the real time twitter accounts that scooped the mainstream international press by what seemed like hours. My heart broke as the news unfolded.

Being brought up in the American-Scandinavian traditions of the Lutheran Church, Norway had always existed in a very Garrison Keillor "homeland" sort of way. But I really came to know Norway during my freshman year of college. The luck of dorm assignments landed me on a floor with half a dozen Norwegian guys who had traveled traveled from their rural town in Norway to a very special little school in the exotic local of Tacoma, WA. My best friends and I bonded over our attempts to befriend/impress these foreigners, and in the process made great friends and discovered a country that was more than lutefisk and Ole and Lena jokes. We started by learning the language, which led to discovering the culture, which then opened up a perspective on the world that was totally different from anything I had studied or experienced prior. I learned about Norway's role brokering international peace agreements, their leadership in addressing global environmental issues, and their foresight in using their wealth of oil and gas for the future good of their people.

My interest in international affairs and protection of the environment was inspired by studying Norway, and after a decade of travel, work, and life, my current job allows me to continue to be inspired by Norway's progressive and amazingly broad perspective. So it was from this deeply personal, if not always rational, connection to the small and far-away land of my great-grandparents that I experienced last Friday's events. While horror and grief pervaded reaction across the globe, what struck me was the consistently loving and non-judgmental thoughts that were coming from my Norwegian friends. Many conclusions were drawn on many sides by the media, but I saw again and again messages urging everyone around the world not to place blame on one group/religion. Emphasizing that this was a tragedy and we should be doing nothing but supporting one another. And they were so right. It was a humble reminder of basic humanity, since I, being a product of my environment, had also ventured into blaming mode. An article in the New York Times today captured this sentiment much better than I ever could.

The President of my alma matter (and someone I personally look up to), Dr. Loren Anderson, delivered moving remarks at a service in Seattle this past weekend. He reminded us that, "we are all Norwegians tonight because we are resolved to stand our ground and to stand it together, to help one another live through our grief and anguish, to reflect and learn from our experience, and through it all to move forward once again, and to do so with a more nuanced and even deeper sense of hope and possibility about the future." So true and so important. So I am Norwegian, not just last Friday, but always, because I value the history of my family, the home of friends, and the values of a country that seeks to forgive and love first.


Note: This is my second post in a row where I've stolen the title, but I figured that the source of inspiration in this case in particular wouldn't mind.

http://servicecentered.blogspot.com/

"Separating The Value of Public Service From The Politics"

The root of why I decided to take up writing (publicly) again was my belief in the value of public service, that maybe, just maybe, I might have some insights worthy of sharing from my day to day slog as a Federal employee. While surely not as exciting or as inspirational as some of my more memorable writings as a Peace Corps volunteer (such as this one or this one), life in the hallowed halls of government is equally as important. 

Not a whole lot happening in Washington, D.C. right now

But, it's a tough time to be a in any sort of public service right now, not just in Washington, but across the country. Recognizing this, a major personality in the Federal hierarchy recently published a commentary that perfectly captures the upside of why I am here in D.C., while expressing many of the same frustrations I feel in my day to day work. Admiral Thad Allen, former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and leader of the federal response to both Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill, wrote this essay through the Partnership for Public Service.  In it, Admiral Allen makes the important point that, "In the current political climate and discourse over the national debt, we have done a poor job of distinguishing between the need for fiscal responsibility and the value of public service, which is enduring."

I agree with Admiral Allen, and having met him in person, I know that he does not spend his words or his time  lightly. He quotes the ultimate service oriented idol, President John F. Kennedy, as saying, "The success of this government, and thus the success of our nation, depends in the last analysis upon the quality of our career services."  It is in crafting those "last analysis" that I find my passion and my purpose. When I am working to balance protection of sensitive Arctic environments alongside economic interests or when I was working in support of international efforts on the ozone layer, the politics of Capitol Hill are/were not even a concern. But, Capitol Hill ultimate holds the power to make the work I do possible, by holding the rule book and the check book.

So now, a difficult discussion is taking place between Congressional leaders on both sides aisle and the White House about debt, spending, and tax policy ideology. Meanwhile, Federal employees continue to show up for work and commit the same level of energy that they do everyday (unless of course you work for the FAA, in which case the fight in Congress is directly affecting your ability to do your job right now). Rather than being pointed to as the problem in Washington, it would be very nice if our leaders recognized the hard work and dedication of its public servants. 


http://servicecentered.blogspot.com/