Pleasant Politicians
Today in the mail I received this letter from my local Member of Parliament (MP):
I was taken by surprise because I can’t ever imagine receiving anything like this from an American politician. I periodically write or call my US representatives when something of importance comes up, and the best I can ever hope to receive from them is a form letter explaining their position on the issue to me. Or they’re just condescending overviews or sales pitches. Here are a few recent ones I’ve received:
Maybe the New Zealand politicians are just blowing smoke, but I love the idea that my representative is proactively reaching out to constituents to gather public feedback on what issues are important and what our stances are on upcoming issues. It is also refreshing that this MP is providing contact information and holds regular events for people to engage in discussion, unlike my current senators who’s voicemail boxes are often full and unable to accept new messages. And forget about a town hall meeting. Even better is his belief that people are currently engaged in politics and want to contribute to the important discussions happening in government. I feel like in the US, politicians are trying more to keep people out than to be inclusive.
What’s even more impressive is that while I have the right to vote in New Zealand, I am not a citizen. Can you imagine how politics might change in the United States if everyone who had a Green Card could vote? That’s an additional 13.2 million people. There is a real effort to include people who are building lives in New Zealand and to ensure that people feel invested in their communities and neighborhoods. It is a refreshing change from the US.
On a side note, if you’re newly abroad, don’t forget to register to vote back in the US. Here’s a good resource to find out the rules and regulations for your state: https://www.votefromabroad.org/.
