Volume XXXI
Page 62
MAKING OUR MARK IN AMERICAN POLITICS
Congressman Bob Ehrlich's successful re-election efforts in 1998 and 2000.
We are all products of our experiences and environments. Many of you know that I am running for the Maryland State Senate in 2006, but you may not know how I came to the decision to run. Knowing that may help you to decide if politics is the right path for you. I considered running for an office lower than State Senate, but none of those seats are available where I live (House of Delegates, County Council, etc.). I firmly believe that you need to "put in your time" before you run for office. In other words, it is difficult to run for Congress when you have not held another elected office.
In 2002, after four years as a prosecutor in Baltimore County, I decided to run for political office myself-for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates. Redistricting due to the 2000 Census created a District where there was only one elected incumbent out of three seats. However, Maryland's highest court, the Court of Appeals, threw out the redistricting map created by Governor Paris Glendening and substituted its own map in June 2002, two and a half months before the primary. That ruling put 40 percent of the doors I knocked on into another District--a serious blow to our campaign. Yet, I persevered and continued in my quest for elected office. Although I lost in the primary in 2002, future Governor Bob Ehrlich was favorably impressed with our campaign. The two of us spoke after the primary and he said that if he was elected Governor, he would like me to be a part of his Administration. I truly believe that "when one door closes, another opens." Although I lost my race to be a Delegate, I am in a better position as a result.
Politics -- The Last Frontier So, you must be wondering, how did I become so interested in politics--a still unusual path for Indian-Americans? Based on my upbringing, I have always been interested in politics, and the potential to make government more accountable to the people. Indians in America, with our unparalleled work ethic, have excelled in virtually all professions of American life, except elected political office. For us, politics is the last frontier that we must make our mark on, similar to the marks we have left in business, medicine, and law. To run successfully for elected office, though, you must become familiar with the political process (by studying and working on campaigns) and involve yourself in community affairs. My Background I was born in Baltimore to George and Elsie Paliath. My three older brothers who were born in India used to tease me that because I was born here, I was the only one who could become President! From my early childhood, I remember watching the news every night with my parents. My father still has an insatiable desire for current events, including the latest political news. That influence fostered a lifelong interest in politics for me. I majored in Political Science at Boston College, with an emphasis on American politics. In college, I interned for a summer for Congresswoman Helen Bentley in Washington, D.C. Later, I was involved as a campaign volunteer in
My 2002 Campaign
Working for the Governor My position in the Ehrlich Administration has been very useful for my personal decision-making. First, I have been able to see the legislative process up close to make a more informed decision about whether to run for office again. Second, I have been able to see another type of political job other than being elected-- that is the job of a behind-the-scenes policy advisor. In January 2003, I joined Governor Ehrlich's Executive Staff as Legislative Officer and Education Policy Advisor, a position I held for two Legislative Sessions. In August 2004, at the Governor's request, I took the position of Chief Counsel in the Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention. In this position, I work on criminal justice legislation and policy for the Governor, using my expertise as a former prosecutor to prevent future victims of crime. I am proud of the fact that I am the highest ranking Indian in the Ehrlich Administration, but it is important to remember that relationships I cultivated over the years have brought me to this point. So, too, I would advise you to network and build relationships. Build Ties in the American Community While working for the Governor, I have maintained and strengthened my ties to the community. I am in the Knights of Columbus, the Timonium Optimist Club, Chimes International Intervals Board of Directors, the Greengate Community Association, and I am a third-term member of the St. Joseph Parish Council. I also am a Mass lector at