The United States is currently a very political place to live. Amid a global pandemic and a hotly contested presidential race, almost everyone has something to say about the state of our country and its politicians. COVID-19 has allowed me to understand the importance of state and local governance. 

Through the New Jersey Leadership Program, I am spending this summer at the office of Assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy.  So far I have worked under her Chief of Staff John J. Mulholland. One of the best parts of my experience so far has been pestering him with hundreds of questions! John has fielded all them with unwavering enthusiasm. It has really helped me understand the ins and outs of New Jersey’s governmental system. Recently, John and I got into a discussion about a bill that Assemblywoman Murphy was looking to introduce this upcoming session. I was able to explore the bill and brainstorm amendments after doing my own research on the topic. I presented my amendments to Assemblywoman Murphy and am now working on contacting OLS to make the revisions! Relatives of mine have warned me not to go into politics because they believe I will be frustrated with a lack of progress. This amendment experience has proved otherwise. 

For this week’s Speakership Series, Dan Schuberth, a current councilman for Robbinsville Township, kicked things off. He stressed to me and the other fellows that there are no two ways to get into politics and policy, but he explained how one of the easiest ways is to volunteer for positions within your town. Dan additionally provided great insight into the life of a part-time legislator. He described being a councilman as an “evening and weekend job.” The most interesting part of our conversation was centered around a key part of his platform-- keeping the tax burden low. Dan explained the strategies Robbinsville used to court Amazon when they were looking to place a fulfillment center. He described how bringing business into a municipality can drive tax revenue without using many of the town’s resources.

Our next speaker was Ishan Shah, who has held numerous positions under former Governor Chris Christie and worked on Bob Hugin’s 2018 Senate campaign. We discussed the Senate race first, particularly how the campaign attempted to sway minority groups in urban settings to vote for a Republican. I thought the approach the campaign took to sponsor local events was ingenious, as long as their sponsorship of the event wasn’t too obviously about garnering votes. As a Republican who is part of the South Asian community, Ishan provided a unique opportunity for myself and the rest of the fellows to address his experiences with the party. He tried to dispel a stereotype that the Republican party is often not welcoming of minorities, citing examples of how some Republicans have disavowed and criticized other members of the party for racist or discriminatory actions. 

Our final speaker of the day was Nadia Hussain, a Maternal Justice Campaign Director at MomsRising and a member of the National Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). For much of our time, Nadia focused on her bid to run for school board in her town. I got to ask her a few questions about her approach to schools reopening, including what working parents would do with their children if they stay home. Nadia explained her view that health and safety comes first when it comes from elementary-aged kids and the coronavirus. On the flip side, many American parents are concerned with the quality of virtual education for these kids. Nadia’s opinion on the matter is really representative of a debate occurring all around the country right now. This fall, school board’s across the country will have address these issues about reopening schools. 

Nadia also pointed out that it is a shame that younger people, who these types of decisions affect greatly, aren’t as involved as older citizens! In order for us to shape our future, young people must vote and get politically active on a scale we have never seen before!  Not all older Americans care about the issues they leave for us.  I see my involvement in NJLP as doing what I can… at least until I can vote.