Tuesday, April 28, 2026

In the past week, I’ve heard from friends all across the political spectrum, each pointing me to Ben Sasse’s recent 60 Minutes interview.  The former U.S. Senator Sasse is purposefully sharing many of his thoughts with us; from the vantage point of his battle with terminal cancer.  Here’s a link to the extended interview, where he discusses citizenship, AI, human nature, and all manner of questions associated with the messiness of being a person on the planet today. If you don’t follow his podcast, Not Dead Yet, I’d recommend it, too. He speaks with a kind of urgency and clarity that feels well-suited to the moment we’re in.

In the 60 Minutes interview, he referenced something attributed to George Washington during the Constitutional Convention; that in a healthy republic, elected representatives in the house should serve a small enough number of constituents that people could actually know them. Not recognize their name, or be familiar with their stances.  But actually know them.

It’s a simple idea, and it can sometimes feel out of reach now.

We’ve grown. Districts are larger. The distance, physical and otherwise, has widened. And yet the functionality hasn’t really changed. The system still works best when the people making decisions understand the people those decisions affect.

Which raises a practical question: How many of us actually know our elected representatives?  Not just who they are, but how to reach them, how to engage, how to be heard.

For those in the title and settlement industry, this matters very much. Policy decisions aren’t built in a vacuum; at least not the good ones. They’re shaped by conversations; by the people who show up consistently and constructively.

Knowing your representative doesn’t require grand gestures. It can start small:

  • Attending a local town hall
  • Reaching out to a district office
  • Offering to be a resource on issues you understand deeply
  • Following up, not just when something is wrong, but when something is working

Over time, familiarity builds. And familiarity creates something valuable: context. When an issue surfaces, you’re no longer just a name in an inbox.

For a shortcut, organizations like ALTA can play an important role. They don’t just advocate, they connect. For anyone unsure where to begin, the ALTA Advocacy Summit is one of the most direct ways to bridge that gap. And even outside of that setting, there are people at ALTA ready to help make those introductions.

Because the idea Washington (and Sasse) pointed to still holds up. A functioning system like ours depends, at least in part, on whether people continue to work together to ensure its healthy functioning.  Those representing you will take the time to listen and understand.  But that kind of relationship doesn’t happen by accident.  It takes work, outreach and a willingness to be part of the solution.

Until Next Time,

Mary Schuster
Chief Knowledge Officer
October Research, LLC