Working On Capitol Hill

WORKING ON THE HILL: Here’s What Modern ‘Tent-Making’ Looks Like

When Paul made his many missionary trips around the known world after his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, he supported himself by making tents.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), left, with Open The Books’ President Adam Adrzejewski, center. (Photo courtesy of Open The Books).

Being a highly educated individual who was formerly part of the Establishment in Jerusalem (Paul studied under Gamaliel, one of the most respected doctors of law in Israel at the time of Jesus), it’s instructive that Paul turned to what we would today likely consider a blue-collar job to support himself.

Without even remotely suggesting that I am in any way comparable to Paul, I am following his approach to supporting himself in his work. In other words, I do have a “real job,” covering Congress as a correspondent for The Epoch Times.

I love Congress and being an old-school journalist who puts a premium on being scrupulously factual, and now this 30-year career makes possible the great privilege of editing HillFaith “on the side.”

This photo is from a recent “pen & pad” session with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who is accompanied by Adam Adrejewski, the founder and president of Open The Books, a non-profit group that is achieving amazing successes in making government at all levels more transparent, and thus more accountable. That’s yours truly to Adam’s left.

Ernst was discussing a significant package of reforms in federal spending that I will be reporting on next week.

WORKING ON THE HILL: Women Staffers Turn To Wardrobe Rental Services

Many congressional staffers are in high-visibility, high-pressure positions that, unfortunately, also come with comparatively low pay, so there is a premium on making every dollar earned go as far as possible.

That’s a key to growing popularity among women working on the Hill of wardrobe rental services. Roll Call’s Mary Ellen McIntire has a great post this morning on services like Rent the Runway. Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Women Staffers Turn To Wardrobe Rental Services”

‘Undesigned Coincidences’ Provide Strong Evidence Jesus Really Did Feed 5,000 In The Wilderness

If you’ve been alive and breathing in recent decades, odds are good that you’ve at least heard about the miracle of Jesus in feeding 5,000 people in the wilderness near Bethsaida.

Jesus had been speaking to the crowd for a good part of the day and when evening began to approach, he asked Phillip and other disciples how they could feed the large assembly. The disciples wanted to disperse the crowd to head into town, but Jesus took some fish and bread and multiplied it sufficiently to feed everybody on the spot and still have 12 baskets full of uneaten food for leftovers.

“That’s just a fable meant to make Jesus look good,” claim the skeptics. Well, if you check out those “undesigned coincidences” in the four Gospels’ accounts of the miracle, Erik Manning and J. Warner Wallace tell us, it becomes clear their accounts are anything but fables. Continue reading “‘Undesigned Coincidences’ Provide Strong Evidence Jesus Really Did Feed 5,000 In The Wilderness”

WORKING ON THE HILL: Look Who’s Getting Promoted

Recent Moves, As Reported By Legistorm:

Drew Story is the new legislative assistant for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Story comes from a year-long stint working for Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.). He has a Ph.D. in chemical and environmental engineering from the University of California at Riverside in 2018.

Arjun Mody is the Senate Republican Conference’s newly hired staff director, under Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wy.). It’s a return engagement for Mody, as he previously served in the same job under Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) Arjun is a 2004 graduate of the American University Washington College of Law, as well as a 2003 graduate of the Arizona State University College of Law and a 2000 La Salle University graduate in political science. Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Look Who’s Getting Promoted”

THINK ABOUT THIS: Would You Give Up Everything For Your Boss?

If your boss called you into his or her office today and told you that, since nothing else matters as much as winning the allegiance of voters, you must sell all of your possessions, say goodbye to your friends and family, and focus your every ounce of strength and waking hour on the campaign until election day, would you do it?

HillFaith founder and editor, Mark Tapscott

Think about it: If the boss doesn’t win another term, you are out of a job. If you are out of a job, how are you going to pay the rent, buy food and clothes, or take care of your family if you have one?

And will you ever be able to get your career back on track after such a setback? What does it mean for your plan someday to go back home and run for Congress yourself? Continue reading “THINK ABOUT THIS: Would You Give Up Everything For Your Boss?”

Resources For Finding Community While Working On The Hill

By Bret Bernhardt

In my last post, we discussed the importance of community while working on Capitol Hill. The Fall is always a good time to take stock of your community, since it typically comes on the heels of time away from work during the summer and a break in your routine.

Bret Bernhardt, former chief of staff for senators Don Nickles and Jim DeMint.

Now it’s time to get back into that routine and discover the importance of your community.

Author Chris Crowley says that we are mammals in our physiological make-up. As such, we are designed to run in herds or packs. I believe this natural tendency to congregate was implanted into our being by our loving Creator. Continue reading “Resources For Finding Community While Working On The Hill”

HILL STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted

Recent Moves, As Reported By Legistorm:

Garrett Exner’s newest assignment is as military legislative assistant to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Exner is a 2019 MA graduate of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. This is Exner’s first Capitol Hill job.

Danny Jativa is Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s new communications director. Danny comes to Hartzler from a stint as a reporter at the Washington Examiner. Before that, he worked for Florida Republicans Daniel Webster and John Mica. He just finished an MA in governance at American University and earned his BS at Florida State University in international relations. Continue reading “HILL STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted”