As an intern on Capitol Hill one of the regular of duties consists of constituent interaction. Constituents are priority as they are the reason a Congressperson is in the position of power today. Therefore it is important to maintain positive communication and interaction with constituents, regardless of the situation. Constituents come in all varieties and can make your day wonderful or a sad mess.

I find it shockingly interesting how offices of elected officials deal with such persons who many times can be quite belligerent. It’s humorous to recall the complaints of bureaucratic workers, such as a gentlemen from the Office of Management and Budget who mentioned the harsh personalities they must deal with on a daily basis. Now I recognize it is never easy to deal with people in general… but if you have never had to deal with a quarrelsome constituent I do not believe you have experienced true government interaction at its finest! The finesse that must be utilized in every day political life is quite admirable, including having to take  the stance of “leaving your political views at the door” to get the job done.

However, when dealing with aggressive constituents I believe you almost have to leave a bit of your dignity at the door. It is certainly a huge piece of dry, crusty humble pie that I have learned to swallow as an intern in DC. Patience is a virtue that I continue to remind myself of as I deal with people who believe it is their consistent duty to inform me of my worthlessness in life.

Ah, the DC life!