Q&A on Compulsive Legislation, a Political Addiction

Legislators Anonymous Q&A for Compulsive Legislators

What is Compulsive Legislation?

Compulsive Legislation is an illness, progressive in nature, which can never be cured, but can be managed. Before coming to Legislators Anonymous, many compulsive legislators thought of themselves as morally superior, or at times just plain "better" than you. The Legislators Anonymous concept is that compulsive legislators are really very sick politicians who can recover if they will follow a simple program that has proved successful for many Senators and Representatives with compulsive legislating problems.

What is the first thing a compulsive legislator should do to stop?

The compulsive legislator needs to be willing to accept the fact that he or she is in the grip of a progressive illness and have a desire to get well. Our experience has shown that the Legislators Anonymous program will always work for any law-maker who has a desire to stop. However, it will never work for the politician who will not face squarely the facts about this illness.

How can you tell whether you are a Compulsive Legislator?

It should be easy, but denial often makes it impossible. But here are a few questions you can ask yourelf:

Do you legislate without considering the constitutionality of the legislation first?

Do you legislate without considering the how your legislation will affect others?

Are you too intoxicated by raw, unchecked power to ask these questions?

A compulsive legislator is described as a politician whose legislation and desire to legislate has caused growing and continuing public problems.

Many Legislators Anonymous members went through terrifying electoral experiences before they were ready to accept help. Others were faced with a slow, subtle deterioration in electability which finally brought them to the point of admitting defeat.

Can a Compulsive Legislator ever legislate normally again?

Not really. The first bill a problem legislator makes is like the first small drink to an alcoholic. Sooner or later he or she falls back into the same, old destructive pattern. Once the politician has crossed the invisible line into irresponsible, uncontrolled legislating, he or she never seems to regain control. After abstaining for a few months or just between legislative sessions, some of members have tried to propose small bills, always with disastrous results. The old obsession inevitably returned.

Our Legislators Anonymous experience seems to point to these alternatives: to sponsor or even co-sponsor legislation, and risk progressive deterioration or not to do so, and maintain a better way of life for themselves and those they represent.

Why can't a Compulsive Legislator simply use Will Power to stop?

Most people, if they are honest, will recognize their lack of power to solve certain problems. Many problem legislators can abstain for long stretches, but when alone in Washington and placed in circumstances involving media attention, they start proposing bills and legislative agendas without any thought about the consequences. The defenses they relied upon, whether will power alone or support from home, are destroyed. Will power and even the pleas of constituents will not matter during these periods, but adherence to certain principles can help. Belief in a "Power" greater than the politician is necessary in order for the politician to sustain a desire to refrain from compulsive legislation.

I only go on legislative binges periodically. Do I need Legislators Anonymous?

Yes. Compulsive Legislators who have joined Legislators Anonymous tell us that, though their legislative binges were periodic, the intervals between were not periods of constructive self-analysis. Symptoms during these periods included nervous babbling on Sunday morning programs, intollerance towards questions about the legislator's authority, and a continued breakdown in public relationships.

But these same politicians have often found the Legislators Anonymous program the answer to the elimination of character defects and a guide to moral progress in their lives.

LEGISLATING, for the compulsive legislator is defined as follows: Any sponsoring or co-sponsoring of legislation, for self or others, whether well intentioned or not, or even for money, no matter how seemingly slight or insignificant, where the ultimate effect is uncertain or depends upon chance or wishful thinking.

If I join Legislators Anonymous won't everyone know I am a compulsive legislator?

Most politicians have already made quite a name for themselves as full-fledged compulsive legislators by the time they have turned to Legislators Anonymous. Their legislation was not usually a well kept secret. It would then be unusual if the good news of their abstinence from legislating did not cause comment.

If I stop legislating won't it make it difficult for me to keep some desirable business and social contacts?

It shouldn't. Most of the world's work of any consequence is done without the benefit of legilsation. Many of our leaders in business, industry and professional life have attained great success without knowing one politician from another or even having a hired professional lobbyists. In the area of social relationships, the new member will soon find a keen appreciation of the many pleasant and stimulating activities available - far removed from anything that is remotely associated with legislation.

How does someone stop compulsively legislating through the Legislators Anonymous program?

It requires a character change within oneself. This can be accomplished by having faith in -- and following -- the basic concepts of the Legislators Anonymous Recovery Program.

There are no short cuts in gaining this faith and understanding. To recover from one of the most baffling, insidious, compulsive addictions will require diligent effort. HONESTY, HUMILITY, AND INTEGRITY are the key words to remember for recovery.

What are some characteristics of a person who is a Compulsive Legislator?

INABILITY AND UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT REALITY. Hence the escape into the dream world of legislation.
EMOTIONAL INSECURITY. A compulsive legislator finds he or she is emotionally comfortable only when "in action". It is not uncommon to hear a Legislators Anonymous member say: "The only place I really felt like I belonged was in Washington. There I felt secure and comfortable. No great demands were made upon me. I knew I was destroying myself, yet at the same time, I had a certain sense of security."
IMMATURITY. A desire to have all the good things in life without any great effort on their part seems to be the common character pattern of problem legislators. Many Legislators Anonymous members accept the fact that they were unwilling to grow up. Subconsciously they felt they could avoid mature responsibility by pompously displaying power and providing vacuous sound bites for a mindless press to echo, and so the struggle to escape responsibility finally became a subconscious obsession.

Also, a compulsive legislator seems to have a strong inner urge to feel important and a need to feel all powerful. The compulsive legislator is willing to do anything (even lie) to maintain the image he or she wants others to see.

Then too, there is a theory that compulsive legislators subconsciously want to lose to punish those who dared to challenge them. There is much evidence to support this theory.

What is the dream world of the Compulsive Legislator?

This is another common characteristic of compulsive legislator. A lot of time is spent creating images of the great and wonderful things they are going to do as soon as they get "the big one" passed. They often see themselves as quite philanthropic and charming people. They may dream of providing families and friends with new cars, mink coats, and other luxuries. Compulsive legislators picture themselves leading a gracious life, made possible by the huge sums of money they will accrue from their "system." Servants, penthouses, nice clothes, charming friends, yachts, and world tours are a few of the wonderful things that are just around the corner after "the big one" is finally signed into law the President.

Pathetically, however, there never seems to be a big enough win to make even the smallest dream come true. When compulsive legislators "succeed," they continue to dream still greater dreams. When failing, they legislate in reckless desperation and the depths of their misery are fathomless as their dream world comes crashing down. Sadly, they will struggle back, dream more dreams, and of course cause others to suffer more misery. No one can convince them that their great schemes will not work. They believe they will, for without this dream world, life for them would not be tolerable.

Who can join Legislators Anonymous?

Any nationally or locally elected law-maker who has a desire to stop legislating for sake of legislation itself. There are no other rules or "laws" concerning Legislators Anonymous membership.

We are here to help.

How does someone stop compulsively legislating

There is only one sure way ... they get their sorry butts voted out of office.

Brilliant satire! Best post I've read all week.

Since we've met here before, I am sending you a ping so you can find, and hopefully enjoy, my latest attempt at satire.

THE TWELVE STEPS OF LEGISLATORS ANONYMOUS

1. We admitted we were powerless over legislating × that our nation has become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves(our constituents) could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care our constituents.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to our constituents the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings before our constituents removed us from office.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
So, there's a slim ray of hope since legislators do NOT have absolute power although they delude themselves into believing so. We still have the vote.
I'd say that everyone who has ever voted for Ted Kennedy is more of a traitor than he is and moreso, those who have voted for him in later years. The same to the voters who pulled the lever for sKerry, Durbin, Rodham, Schumer, Boxer, Feinstein, Feingold and last but not least, our very own McCain.
The voters need to quit the Kool Aid and wake up to reality. It's our job to hold legislators ACCOUNTABLE.