Crescent-News.com - Todd Helberg - Goodwin tells it like it is at chamber's first luncheon series event

Maybe he just didn't know any better, but new Ohio 74th District Rep. Bruce Goodwin showed remarkable political honesty during a speech at the Defiance Area Chamber of Commerce's inaugural "Food for Thought" Series Friday at Charlie's Down Under Restaurant. Or, perhaps, this is just what we should come to expect from Goodwin during his next two years in the Statehouse.

Goodwin, who in January replaced term-limited Steve Buehrer in a district which represents most of Defiance County and all of Fulton and Williams counties, simply told people Friday how things in Columbus work. He especially focused on two topics that get the average voter easily excited: Fundraising and lobbyists.

On the latter topic, Goodwin said he welcomes lobbyists because they provide so much information on either side of an issue. From this, said Goodwin, it is easier for him to make an informed judgment.

Such honesty should be applauded, and so should some clarity about what lobbyists actually do. Many people seem to think that their only job -- especially at the federal level -- is to wave a hand of campaign contributions in front of a politician and quickly pocket their support for the duration.

This may happen occasionally, but advocates of this or that position, who try to influence elected representatives on behalf of a constituency, are an integral part of how our system is supposed to work. This is, after all, a republic which elects people to represent someone else's views, not a direct democracy in which the constituents do the legislating. So it is helpful when someone is available to summarize a constituency's position for a legislator.

It may not have occurred to anyone that there can be lobbyists on both sides of a particular issue, each trying to influence the same legislator. Goodwin made that point quite clear Friday, saying there is always a lobbyist somewhere working for you or against you.

He also didn't shy away from another reality in Columbus and Washington -- that, since the party in the majority is the party that makes policy, the necessity of winning and maintaining a legislating majority in the Statehouse is paramount. Which, of course, requires funding campaigns to bring this about.

Goodwin noted Friday that when he first joined the Republican House majority in Columbus he was asked by Speaker Jon Husted how much he would help raise for this cause. This might not be what voters want to hear, but it's a fair question since the minority party will otherwise be playing second fiddle. In which case the legislator you thought you were electing to change public policy might only be engaging in wishful thinking.

On a side note, Defiance Area Chamber of Commerce officials can be forgiven for doubting the success of their first-ever "Food for Thought" event.

Luncheon speeches, after all, don't always generate much excitement. Add to this the fact that Friday was probably the warmest, most sunny spring day in a couple weeks. Chamber drector Tim Small said he thought 25 people might show up. But his expectations were far exceeded when approximately 60 people turned out.

Small said another "Food for Thought" event may be held in October and, based on participation levels, a quarterly program might be considered in 2008. Small is even working on corporate sponsorship to help defray costs.

Certainly, Friday's event got Small and the Chamber off to a good start. In an age when so much information is exchanged via the Internet and e-mail, it's refreshing to see that events like this are still viable.

(Todd Helberg is city editor and editorial page editor of The Crescent-News.)