I keep key questions in mind when considering bills that come before my committees. Most of them start with a “W” and one important one starts with an “I”. While the below information isn’t necessarily my exact checklist (I can’t give away all of my secrets 😉), I believe it provides a good idea of how I generally will be approaching policy decisions.
Why do we need this bill? (Framing the Decision)
- Has something already happened that causes a need?
- Could something bad happen if we don’t pass it?
- Will this bill cause something good to happen?
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“To keep everyone invested in your vision, you have to back up a little bit and really analyze who the different stakeholders are and what they individually respond to.” – Alan Stern
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What harm could this policy do? (Risks)
The old saying that the “road to hell is paved with good intentions” sometimes comes to mind when I look at a bill. Often the goal is to legislate kindness, generosity, or benefit to a certain group at the expense of others. One also has to avoid creating a circumstance that erodes liberty, which is the very foundation of what makes us great.
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“We commonly approach problems by asking ourselves, ‘What should I do?’ Asking’ What could I do?’ helps us recognize alternatives to the choice we are facing” – John Beshears and Francesca Gino
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What else could be done instead? (Alternatives)
- Should the activity be kept in the private sector? Will the government be putting someone out of business or preventing free-market competition?
- Is this bill something that government should be doing, or is it out of the government’s scope? This is a big one, because it is really easy for the government to spread into all areas of our daily life, and this is where the USA was designed to be different from other countries. No worries though. If you like lots of government control, there are many options. North Korea and Venezuela particularly come to mind…😉 (See also item below).
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“Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries.” – Benjamin Franklin
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Where has this been done before? Lessons Learned?
- Failed paper projects that burned cash in endless studies, but never amounted to anything other than expense.
- Creation of physical infrastructure or additional bureaucracy that presents a burden rather than a benefit to the people.
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“Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries.” – Benjamin Franklin
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Is it Constitutional?
This is last but certainly not least because it’s the most important question. Our US and Alaska Constitutions are the basic instruction set for how our governments should operate. There has been, however, a great deal of compromise over the years, and we have drifted into uncharted territory in some cases. Still, this is always a big question for me, because I believe that bills becoming laws are doors that we are stepping through, and all doors should have good strong hinges if we are to avoid becoming ever more “unhinged”.
