If you had told me four years ago that running for political office was the least effective way to impact long-term public policy, you would have received a skeptical stare. Nevertheless, when Republican former Michigan State Rep. Leon Drolet announced that politicians are the least effective conduits of social change during his guest lecture on Feb. 26, I found myself nodding in agreement. Drolet’s lecture emphasized a fundamental truth about politics: Politicians are not the most important part of the policymaking process; they are simply its final and most visible feature.
Drolet explained that during his years as a campaign director, staffer, and elected official, he had the opportunity to observe how politicians really make their policy determinations. According to Drolet, the majority of politicians operate according to a simple formula: They run because they want to be in office. When they succeed, they want to stay in office. The legislation that they propose and how they vote will determine whether they get re-elected. Therefore, the categorical imperative of the politician is this: Know what thy constituents will tolerate.
According to this theory of politics, what people will tolerate determines public policy. Generally, the policy a legislator selects will reflect his estimation of the odds that the majority of constituents will not be angry enough to vote him out of office come the next election. The range of policies that a lawmaker’s constituents will tolerate is referred to as the “Overton Window” within his district. Few politicians will dare venture beyond their districts’ respective Overton Windows, and consequently the Overton Window of each district limits the number of policy choices collectively available to lawmakers. Of course, a few brave politicians might vote based on their principles — but if their principles violently oppose those of their constituents, they might not get re-elected to another term.
It appeared that the Gadfly Group, which invited Drolet to speak, suspected that this theory might offend our Hillsdalian sensibilities. However, the Founding Fathers themselves recognized that the success of democracy ultimately depends upon the people. In the end, the Constitution is simply a piece of paper. It is not self-enforcing; it derives its power from the continued support of the people and their election of candidates who respect this consent. What a society believes regarding the purpose of government determines what policies it will tolerate, and consequently its public policies.
Ultimately, those who influence what people believe to be the role of government are the ones who direct public policy. Persuasive politicians might temporarily influence the beliefs of their constituents, but only those who shape the beliefs of generations will have a lasting impact on public policy. While Drolet’s statement about public officials being the least able to influence public policy may have been a modest exaggeration, we must understand and recognize the grain of truth in his claim if we want to change public policy for the long term.
The key to winning this battle does not lie at the polls alone; it lies in education at all levels, from K-12, to higher education, to community organizations and activist groups. Until we the people understand enough to identify and demand good policy, our elected officials will continue to implement misguided policies that usher America down the road to collectivist ruin. The Founding Fathers warned that our Republic depends upon the people to “keep it.” Keeping our Republic and the liberty it was created to defend will require an effective strategy on the battlefields of education because as Drolet’s lecture indicates, we cannot simply trust the future of public policy to our politicians.
