The Crazy Story of How Some Politicians Make Decisions

We all relate to situations that we have experienced more strongly than those we have not. If you have never had chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), then it is probably difficult for you to imagine what that would feel like. But that does not mean that you cannot have empathy for the person who is having that experience. And for politicians who represent vast constituencies, empathy is an important character trait. However, we seem to have a major empathy problem in many of our legislatures when it comes to enacting laws that help people who are truly suffering.

Politicians hear from all types of people trying to sway their opinion, primarily lobbyists and constituents. One would hope that they would take that information in, and then have their staffs collect unbiased data so that they can make an informed decision. But watching the North Carolina Senate move through their decision-making on legalizing a medical marijuana bill called the NC Compassionate Care Act demonstrates that many times these decisions are based on personal experiences or those of their friends or family members.

North Carolina Senators use personal experience to make law

While I applaud Senator Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) for bringing the issue of medical marijuana legalization to the legislature, it was his personal experience with cancer that motivated him to do so. Over the years, several marijuana legalization bills have come before the legislature, but they never went anywhere. It was not until a powerful Republican senator sponsored a bill that it received attention. When Senator Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston) spoke at last week’s Senate hearing, her voice caught with emotion as she told the committee that six months ago she likely would not have voted for the bill, but now that her husband has multiple myeloma, she understands the need for it.

I have compassion and empathy for Senator Harrington and her husband, but why does an issue have to be personal in order for a legislator to have compassion for others? Legalizing medical marijuana can help thousands of North Carolina citizens.

When Senator Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) was asked by fellow Senator Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg) why chronic pain was left off the list of approved ailments that the bill allows, he said they decided to exclude it because of a conversation that he had with a man who thought that his son’s drug problems started when he got a possibly-bogus prescription for marijuana in another state claiming to have chronic pain. Perhaps Senator Lee should discuss this with chronic pain doctors and patients rather than basing such an important decision on the comments of one father.

A national issue affecting millions

This is a problem across our government, not only here in North Carolina. We have seen that time after time some of our elected officials have not done their homework, yet vote on important issues that affect us all. While I understand that legislators have limited staff and time to prepare, I certainly expect them to make informed decisions based on their research rather than personal experiences. Whether it is octogenarian U.S. Senators who do not understand modern technology or male legislators displaying their ignorance of the female reproductive system, major decisions affecting millions of lives are affected negatively.

The members of the public who spoke at the North Carolina senate hearing shared personal stories of chronic physical pain that would crush most of us. But there they were, advocating as if their lives depended on it. These folks have lobbied the legislature for years to no avail. Only now because some legislators have had personal experiences that changed their minds on the issue do we have an opportunity for help at all. Some would say to be grateful for progress, but this system of lawmaking is not serving people well.

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This post was previously published on Medium.

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