The Realities of Democratic Life and its Influence on Public Service

The opportunity to work at the Office of Senator Kaine has been a tremendous honor and a great mechanism to expose my academic understanding of political theory to the realities of public service.  It has been interesting to see how the geographic location affects our Office’s functional focus and those who we interact with as a result of our unique context. At Virginia Beach, we are extremely close to Norfolk.  Norfolk is one of the largest ports in the world and is economically dependent on military shipbuilding. Subsequently, our office is deeply embedded within the military community and related issues such as veterans services, military misconduct, and honors/awards are of high priority.

My first day of work I was able to attend a 20th-anniversary celebration of Operation: Homeownership which is a program that educates and assists veterans during the home-buying process.  While I was there, I learned how working for a Federal Senator rather than a State Senator changes the social context of a professional setting. Important officials and naval admirals were introducing themselves to me and conveying their gratitude to Senator Kaine for his support of the military. As a staffer to Senator Kaine, it seems as though everyone wants to speak with you. I think that this must reflect the high level of prestige that Senator Kaine’s public office holds.  This prestige is reflected in the formality of the office and how we interact with the public. Our correspondence is templated instead of personalized and records are meticulously kept. I’ve always wanted a job where I can wear a suit and tie to work every day and am ecstatic that I’ve already found a job I can do so. I’ve discovered that the type of work required while employed by a Federal Senator differs greatly from the work of a State Senator.

The Office of a Federal Senator spends a significant amount of time on constituent services.  We often file congressional inquiries on behalf of our constituents if they need individual assistance in dealing with a federal agency. This is referred to ‘casework’ and is an aspect of public service which I previously wasn’t aware existed. The main responsibility of those employed by the Virginia Beach office is tracking casework and this is reflective of Tocquevillian political theory, that democracy tends to cultivate a multitude of small undertakings driven by individuals who are dealing with the unique and personalized material realities of democratic life.