This document reflects on how a problem becomes a law through the legislative process in Connecticut. It notes that dozens of proposals will be introduced to address the health care crisis, from minor fixes to complete overhauls. Getting constituents involved through phone calls, letters, and conversations with their elected officials has a major impact on the legislative process. Ultimately, just 187 legislators will decide what kind of universal health care legislation passes, but less than 20 may truly understand the bill. The author argues that inaction is safer for politicians than action, and small changes are safer than meaningful reforms. Poor leadership and the power of insurance industry lobbyists contributed to defeating meaningful health care reform. A backroom deal between just a few people ultimately determined what became law

1. Reflections on how a “problem” becomes a law… A purely personal, unauthorized document that should not formally implicate anyone other than the author, Paul Wessel NOT! wrap-up review following the 2007 CT General Assembly Session

2. Training presentation prior to the 2007 legislative session:

3. Dozens of legislative proposals will emerge to “solve” the health care crisis – ranging from small band-aids to complete overhaul, from 10 year plans to immediate solutions.

4. There is a strong cadre of supportive lobbyists and advocates – good people who are consigned to spending five months this year keeping legislators focused and on task about important matters of government. They will take their cues from what we do around the state and will feed us information we need to know.

5. Any statement made to a state legislator while getting a haircut, shopping at the grocery store, appearing in a letter to the editor, or heard at a PTA meeting has 153 times the impact of anything said at the State Capitol… Each time the same comment is heard, the original impact is multiplied 10 times.

6. Getting 10 personal phone calls and 10 real letters from constituents on any one issue is a lot.

7. 187 women and men will decide what sort of universal health care legislation will pass this year – 151 state representatives and 36 state senators… Of the 187, less than 20 will really understand what the bill they pass means.

8. For an elected official, it is much safer to do nothing, than something…. and if you have to do something…it is much safer to do something small than something meaningful.

9. Health care is a really scary issue to have to take responsibility for… ….and real people with overwhelming problems can be even scarier – especially when they live in your district and come from all sides of the issue.

10. If the people lead, the leaders will follow. The best way for the people to lead is to get educated, get talking, get active , and work together.

11. Bold action comes out of crisis. People – normal people as well as elected officials – will take dramatic, courageous, often out-of-character steps when they feel like they have to.

12. Added to presentation after the 2007 legislative session:

13. We didn’t create a big enough crisis.

14. Poor legislative leadership, their strategic incompetence, the hegemony of the insurance industry, and a competent executive branch all snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory.

15. In the end – three people cut a backroom deal – two of whom had already squandered their power. Each of them claims victory… Each of them describes what became law very differently…

16. Likely no one – not even them – fully understood what they enacted. In the implementation, it will become something even different than they thought.

17. “ Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.” Frederick Douglass

18. “ If there is no struggle there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass