"Robert A. Heinlein - Take back your Government" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

arms. You have already caused a minor flurry at the downtown headquarters
by volunteering during "peace time"-other than immediately before a
campaign. It shocked them but they rose to the occasion and put you in
touch with your local leader. They are used to volunteers during campaigns -
and are aware that most of them are phonies who expect at least a
postmaster's job in return for a promise to work one precinct plus a little
handshaking at a few political meetings. If it should happen that you call up
during a campaign, you will be treated a little more warily until you have
established that you are in fact a volunteer and not a hopeful patronage
hound, but you will be received pleasantly and given a chance to work. This
applies to any political club anywhere at any time.
If Jim Ballotbox happens to be secretary of the other sort of club, the sort
unconnected with a powerful, well-financed machine, he will be even happier
to see you, although he may not be as schooled in the arts of graciousness
as his full-time professional opposite number. His club will be in a chronic
state of crisis financially, or even moribund; an enthusiastic new member is
manna to him.
He will have plenty for you to do. You can be chairman next term if you
want to be and share with him the worries about hall rent, postage,
secretarial work, and how to get people out to meetings. At the very least he
will place you in charge of one or more precincts (which will make you
nervous as a bridegroom; it's too much responsibility too suddenly) and he
will unburden his heart to you. You will learn.
There remain two other possibilities, which may result from your telephone
call to the downtown headquarters. The first is that there may be no dub in
your district, in which case you will make your start directly at the downtown
headquarters and will meet there the other active party members from your
own area. You will join with them in organizing a local club before the next
election. It is not hard to do; the process will be discussed in a later chapter.
The last remaining possibility is that your telephone book contains no
listings for your political party. This will happen only in small towns or in the
country. If you live in a small town or in the country, you already know at least
one party leader in your own party - probably Judge Dewlap, who served one
term in the state senate and has been throwing his weight around ever since.
Call him up. Tell him you want to work for the party. Perhaps you don't like
the old windbag. No matter - he likes you. He likes all voters, especially ones
who want to work for the party! He may suggest that you have lunch with him
at the Elks' Club and talk over civic conditions. Or he may simply invite you to
drop into his real estate office for a chat. But he won't brush you off. From
now on you're his boy! - until he finds out he can't dictate to you. But by that
time you are a politician in your own right and there is nothing he can do
about it
(That knife in your back has Judge Dewlap's finger prints on it.)
12
 We have covered all the possibilities; you are now in politics. As a result
of one telephone call you have started. Stay with the club or local
organization for several months at least. Attend all the meetings. Help out
with the routine work. Don't be afraid to lick stamps, serve on committees,
check precinct lists, or distribute political literature. Count on devoting a
couple of evenings a month to it for six months or a year. Your expenses