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When the person you thought you knew gets elected to the legislature, something miraculous happens as he or she takes their seat in the House or Senate chamber for the first time. His IQ increases 30 points. She’s more clever, more shrewd, more articulate, better educated and more of an expert on a thousand different subjects. And if it appears that his mouth has gotten larger and his ears smaller, that’s probably just an optical illusion. Or maybe not.
The differences you notice may be subtle, but the unpleasant surprises in his voting record will strike you as inconsistent with the values that got him elected. You may find yourself saying, “What happened to that guy we once knew and sent to Helena to represent us? He’s changed!”
The answer is Peer Group Shift.
I was first introduced to this term by its originator, H.L. “Bill” Richardson, during one of our annual hunting trips. A national conservative and pro-gun leader, Bill had served in leadership of the California Senate for 22 years, and had seen it all. (Read his book, “What Makes You Think We Read the Bills?”)
Having myself served a couple of terms in the Montana House, I can attest to the metamorphosis that occurs when legislators are suddenly surrounded by a new peer group, comprised of professional lobbyists, party hacks, caucus leaders and fellow legislators. Then there are the ubiquitous state and local bureaucrats, who on taxpayer’s time and money, crowd the capitol hallways. It’s government lobbying government for more government.
In Montana, there are 272 registered lobbyists – almost three for every house member or six for every senator. They are very adept at their trade – affable, flattering, and most generous with their free drinks and meals. Ever so gradually, the false friendship of these professionals influences a legislator’s point of view. In the process of becoming more pliable and “open-minded,” they become less principled and more “pragmatic” – something they likely didn’t tell you at your doorstep. These friendly chats and personal relationships make it much easier to compromise the core beliefs they once espoused. Peer Group Shift.
The transformation is almost imperceptible, unless you take the time to examine how their voting has changed. The constant flattery and attention they receive can become a real “head trip,” resulting in an attitude of self-importance, even superiority. Soon, they are saying to themselves, “Those people back home just don’t understand the whole picture, the complexities and intricacies of the legislative process, and the need for compromise. They just need to trust me.”
While there are very notable exceptions and varying degrees of Peer Group Shift, many legislators are leaving their constituent peers behind and don’t even realize it. One tip off is where they sit at banquets and public events once they get home. Are they always clumped together with other politicians at one table or seating area, or have they gone out into the crowd and actually sat with us “common folks?” Watch next time.
A shining example of this “arrogance of office” was a recent communication I received from Great Falls Representative George Nikolakakos. Responding to the “Twelve Questions Before Voting” mailing that Montana Conservative Alliance respectfully provides to GOP legislators every two years, “Niko” – who scored a 6% conservative rating in 2023 – called the MCA piece “spam,” demanded to be removed from our list and be scored a permanent “0.” He then labeled me “irrelevant” and inferred that I had no legitimate opinions to express because I wasn’t “in the arena” (meaning, the legislature.) True story.
Washington of course brings this to an entirely different level. The powerful special interests of the federal Swamp assure that it is the rare congressman or senator indeed, who does not succumb to their pressures and enticements. Matt Rosendale was one congressman who did not succumb, always remaining true to his hometown peers. So the Washington Establishment set out to destroy him. They failed, but we lost a great congressman. Yet frankly, expecting state legislators to remain loyal and connected to their true peer group while they are in Helena shouldn’t be such a tough assignment. We, as their constituents, must demand nothing less. Call them. Write them (and expect a reply!) Go to Helena and watch them in action. But whatever you do, never cease to remind them that they are working for YOU. You are their peer group. Guard that jealously. Representative government can work no other way.
