Citizen lobbyists enter Maine's halls of power to represent the poor

Twelve volunteers with the Maine People’s Alliance, ranging from seniors to college students, stood Thursday morning in the busy hallway that connects the Senate and House chambers of the Maine State House, waiting for their chance to speak to lawmakers about where they stand on a proposed earned paid sick days bill that will be voted on this legislative session.

Some have nicknamed this hallway “the gauntlet,” as lawmakers must make their way past a line of reporters, advocates and lobbyists, each asking for a minute of their time, before they can enter the Senate and House chambers.

Many of these lobbyists are paid advocates for powerful corporations or interest groups.

“The biggest difference between corporate, paid lobbyists and citizen lobbyists is that they have direct experience with the issues they are talking about — whether it is having worked a job for minimum wage, or worked a job without benefits, or what it actually feels like to not have health insurance,” said Gen Lysen, an organizer with MPA, (which operates Beacon). “While the paid lobbyists probably have not had experience directly on any of those issues.”

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/citizen-lobbyists-enter-maines-halls-of-power-to-represent-the-poor/