Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 18:53:32 -0500
From: Charlie Ford <cford@altamaha.net>
Subject: AmeriCorps: A Common Servants Report on "The Hearing"

>Well "common service" folks I have had an interesting week.  On Wednesday
>the House Appropriations Comittee held hearings with Harris Wofford to
>discuss the 1999 re-authoization of funds for National Service.  I had the
>esteemed privilege to sit in on these hearings and see our government in
>action from the level of Capitol Hill.
>
>I woke up early on Wednesday morning and donned my finest cheap suit (all I
>have) and the only dress shirt I have, a band collar whitey that does not
>allow one the accessory of a tie (oh my God, what would people think).  I
>combed my hair as closely as I could to perfection, and headed out to take
>the metro subway system to the south Capitol juncture.  I will have to
>admit, I still look good, even at 41.  : )
>
>In the Metro subway terminal, no one speaks a word to thier present
>neighbor.  People just stand there like knots on logs.  They do not make eye
>contact at all.  This made this talkative, sociable southerner quite
>uncomfy.  I stood there thinking that this place could use an AmeriCorps
>program aimed at fellowship, an old fashioned word that simply means
>communicate with your neighbor, no matter where you are.  After all, they
>are just people.  
>
>I rode along in silence, packed into the rush hour train like dead sardines,
>or at least as quiet as.  My frame so large that I took up more space than
>most.  Finally, just when I could stand the silence no more, I exited the
>train, enjoyed an escalator ride to street level, and walked the two blocks
>up to the Capitol that stands like a white castle looking straight down the
>mall to the Washington Monument, and eventually to the Lincoln Memorial.
>Charlie Ford, the outspoken, opinionated, plain, simple advocate for
>National Service had arrived, like anyone cared.
>
>Most of the folks that work the 9-5 daily grind here in DC, look at this
>great and fine structure as being nothing more than just another office
>building.  Personally, every time I see this place, I am in awe, and
>approach thinking about the important matters of leadership that are
>discussed inside it's walls.  I am a patriotic cuss, to say the least.  I
>know it is politically incorrect, but I still love our process of government
>and respect it's decisions, even though sometimes I don't agree with them.
>
>Needless to say, in my haste to be a part of the process, as much as an
>on-looker can, I was the first to arrive, "fashionably early".  I visited
>the bathroom and spattered myself with cologne so that I could smell my best
>while sitting among the others clad in their finest business attire.  There
>is nothing worse than being close to others with more power than yourself,
>and smelling badly.  
>
>I stood in the hallway outside of H-143 on the House wing, waiting for
>permission to enter the conference room where the hearings were to take
>place.  Above on the ceiling there were murals of all the states painted on
>each section of the architecturally designed sections.  These were not
>painted by Michelangelo, but some other artist with a vision in mind.  I
>must say they had done a great job.  
>
>There were depictions of Lewis and Clark, probably one of the greatest
>"service corps" ever assembled.  There were drawings associated to the
>Louisiana purchase, and the desert southwest states aquisition.  Each mural
>drew a picture of America, and enhanced my imagination as to how much work
>it took to build our great nation.  I actually grew a bit wet-eyed as I read
>our history in the paintings.
>
>Finally others started to arrive.  Volly Madison and Katie Floyd from the
>AmeriCorps Alums strolled in.  I was to deliver an article to Katie for
>consideration in the upcoming Alums newlestter.  I found both of these
>"people of service" to be quite pleasant and real.  They were not as
>pretentious as many you see in these hallowed halls.  Power, or the illusion
>of it, does create a certain amount of hautiness in the ones either elected,
>or selected to serve.  
>
>We all stood and chatted about things that made us feel good, and the events
>about to unfold before us.  There were some former members in the group and
>they talked a little about their experience with their programs.  They told
>of how much they enjoyed the opportunity to serve and be served.  I remember
>thinking that this is the reason we exist, the purpose we are built around.
>
>The National Service Corporation leadership arrived.  Harris Wofford came in
>along with Stu Loeser, the Legislative Assistant with the Corporation.  They
>walked up and shared some welcomes with us.  The Senator shook my hand and
>exchanged some eye contact, thanking me for coming to offer support.  I
>explained that I will be here to the end, I hope he knows that as the truth.
>Some things are just worth fighting for, and this is one of them.
>
>Stu mentioned that he had read some of my radical outspoken post to this
>list, and I quickly apologized to him, saying "Man, I'm sorry", he quickly
>explained, to my surprise, that he had enjoyed them.  The two of them then
>retreated to the opposite end of the hall to re-brief on the testimony to be
>given by Senator Wofford.
>
>Next came the Senators enterage, the inner circle of the Corporation that in
>fact appears to be just that. There were about 6 or 8 that comprised the
>group, including the Director of AmeriCorps, Debbie Jostin; the Director of
>NCCC, Andy Chambers; Chief Financial Officer, Donna Cunninghame; Chief
>Operating Officer, Louis Caldera; Bill Bentley, the Director of Evaluation
>and Effective Practices; and others who I know are important but the names
>of new people are not my forte.      
>
>They all had serious looks of business on their faces, and walked with the
>determination to succeed in the endeavors of the day.  Of course that
>seriousness would change to a smile when the need presented itself.  One
>thing about Washington, the people in power can turn on the "Smiling Jack or
>Jill attitude" like a light switch, it is just a part of the power psychy.
>They can turn it off just as quickly.  Here you have to be able to switch
>gears and thought in a heartbeat.
>
>In this place, often times, the manners we learned as children take a back
>seat to business.  A good politician, or even staffer in this case, will
>talk to you with what appears to be the utmost concern and attention, then
>suddenly walk away and leave you standing, feeling quite foolish while you
>hold your hand out to shake the normal goodby handshake.    
>
>Washington is a city comprised of good hardworking people, do-gooders (who
>honestly do good), and migrant, ambitious, liars.  The last mentioned being
>the ones that move here to boost their ego's, thier pocket book, and their
>societal standing.  They have very little purpose other than that.  They are
>the folks that need to be culled out like sick cows that could possibly
>infect the entire herd, and honestly speaking, often times do.  
>
>Now many of you may at this time be asking "What is he doing there?" and
>that is a valid question.  I have been involved in the development of
>AmeriCorps since the beginning, and a good portion of that involvement has
>gone without pay. I have come here to try and find a job helping to develop
>it further.  
>
>My outspoken history apparently has followed me, and might just be my
>downfall in this "career search" endeavor.  I think some don't like it so
>much when I express myself "the way I see it".  I hope that it is not a
>deterent, after all in AmeriCorps we do teach "activism" in voice and
>action.  Is that not also a part of serving to one's fullest?  
>
>There was an amount of anxiety that could be read into each face of the
>leader group.  I guess the mystery of the impending scrutiny would play on
>one's mind like a great novel of mystery.  You don't know what exactly will
>be asked when you are facing politicians in this setting.  The anxiety was
>not one of fear, but more one of prepratory anticipation.
>
>The doors to the conference room opened and we were allowed to enter. The
>hearings began. We, the visitors, sat on a row of chairs so close that we
>melted our shoulders together in an un-intended, but much needed, show of
>solidarity.  There were only a few of us there, and just like facing a bear
>in the wilderness, you want to look as big as you can.  None of us spoke as
>the Chariman uttered the words, "This hearing will come to order" followed
>by the mannerly pomp and circumstance of introductions and welcomes.
>
>The room we were in was filled with memorabilia of NASA, including several
>pictures of Shuttle launches and even a pair of boots from somewhere, maybe
>even the moon.  I didn't know there were shoe stores on the moon, I know
>about the cheese shops, but not the shoe shops.  : ) LOL
>
>All intently listened as Senator Wofford gave his opening statements and
>then answered each question thrown to him with as much knowledge as he could
>gather from notes, memory, and on the fly.  
>
>On some questions he had to defer to his staff of "experts" to present the
>answer, and on others he sort of strategically sidestepped the answer with a
>story of success, this is DC remember.  "No man is an island"  even when you
>are a former Senator that is now leader of such a good organization. But
>also one that needs to get better. 
>
>(See the transcript if you want particulars).  You can order the full
>complete testimony if you like.  The Corporation can tell you how.  
>
>In my humble simpleton opinion the hearings went well.  I do have to wonder
>if we are playing catch up ball on the OMB findings concerning audit,
>evaluation, and measurement of success.  On these issues I am not sure we
>are as far along as we should be, but then who am I to question that at all.
>I am just a plain ordinary guy from the country that is not to bright to
>begin with, plus I'm not a politician, or a lawyer.
>
>My preference, like many of yours, is to enjoy the grassroots of our
>programming more than the battle of dealing with powers that be.  The
>problem is that it is apparent that the battle for National Service will not
>totally be won or lost on the front.  It will be mostly won or lost in the
>halls of government in Washington.   
>
>We, the common servants and believers of the field, have to be able to say
>that our leadership is representing us with fervor and pride and passion,
>not to mention knowledge, and experience.  I think we can at least have some
>confidence that the process is happening that way.
>
>After adjournment, we all stood and shook hands once more with as many folks
>as we could.  Everyone left and I lingered behind to tour the Capitol once
>agin as I have each time I visit it.  I love the story and the statues that
>unfold as you walk the halls of the buidling.  I evetually walked back down
>"the Hill" to the metro where I boarded a less crowded train to go home.  I
>walked away in a thoughtful mood, but with some concerns.  For now I will
>keep those to myself.
>
>This day had not been about Republicans or Democrats, at least on the
>surface it wasn't.  The representatives of each party asked questions that
>were valid, and then they asked and pushed for valid answers to those
>questions.  You can expect nothing more and certainly nothing less.
>Everyone in America wants the programs it funds to be of good strong
>quality, and the public expects it and deserves it, for the tax money spent
>on funding.
>
>The day was a good one.  I had smiled shook hands with the best of them.  I
>saw my $100.00 suit mingled in with $1000.00 suits, and both claimed to be
>worn by "public servants".  I guess in all honesty each could justifiably
>claim that role. 
>
>Thanks for tolertaing the ramblings,
>
>Charlie Ford
>
>
>
>
>
> 
>
>www.tiora.net/~keen/charlie/charlie.html
>Resume available upon request
>"Lessons learned are like bridges burned, you only need to cross them but
once."
>(703) 684-7689
>
>
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