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Jeff Smith — Redux

By Jonathan Miller, on Tue Apr 5, 2011 at 11:00 AM ET

We’ve been receiving some incredible feedback about the stunningly candid article posted yesterday by former Missouri State Senator — and current recovering politician — Jeff Smith. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, click here.

You will be hearing a lot more from Jeff as he contributes regularly to the site — writing about his past, his ideas for reform, and his musings on any number of issues. Stay tuned in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about Jeff and his story, go to his RP profile page (which also can be found on the blue menu at the top of this site under “Contributing RPs”); check out this article published recently in The New Republic; or watch his video interview with Dylan Ratigan, by clicking here, or on the picture below:

 

 
Jeff Smith    

Jeff Smith: The Long and Winding Journey to My Second Act

By Jeff Smith, on Mon Apr 4, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET

One year ago, I arrived in the small town of Manchester, Kentucky, a scenic spot tucked deep in an Appalachian mountain hollow, where I would be spending most of 2010. Before I was shown my new digs, the staff processed me. That meant going repeatedly through the standard battery of questions. The third questioner finished and sent me to a heavyset woman.

“Height and weight?” she asked.

“5’6”, 120.”

She examined my slight frame and frowned. “Education level?”

I winced. “Ph.D.”

She shot me a skeptical look. “Last profession?”

“State Senator.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, I’ll put it down if you want. If you wanna play games, play games. We got ones who think they’re Jesus Christ, too.”

She then sent me to the counselor, a small sandy-haired man wearing a light blue polo shirt and a wispy mustache. He flipped through the pre-sentencing report, pausing briefly to absorb the summary of the case, and shook his head. “This is crazy,” he said quietly, without looking at me. “You shouldn’t be here. Waste of time. Money. Space.”

A guard approached and escorted me to a bathroom without a door. Then another guard appeared. Gruff and morbidly obese, he spoke in a thick Kentucky drawl. “Stree-ip,” he commanded. I stripped.

“Tern’round,” he barked. I turned around.

“Open up yer prison wallet,” he ordered.

I looked at him quizzically.

“Tern’round and open yer butt cheeks.”

I complied.

“Alright, you’s good to go.” he said.

I wasn’t Senator Smith anymore, or Professor Smith. I was #36607-044.


Read the rest of…
Jeff Smith: The Long and Winding Journey to My Second Act

 
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Coming Soon: The Recovering Politician!

By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 4:41 PM ET

LAUNCH DATE: APRIL 1, 2011

In just a few days, a new entry to the blogosphere will revolutionize the way Americans think about politics.

All right…I doth promote too much. I am a recovering politician after all.

I can promise, however, that The Recovering Politician will present a unique forum for spirited, reasoned, civil dialogue — dispatches from a few dozen folks who’ve actually served in the arena; and now having left, are liberated to share their experiences and critiques of the system without partisan bias or interest group pressures.

Don’t expect interminable political blather; our contributors will also share their opinions and ideas about business, religion, sports, pop culture, you name it. And you’ll be encouraged to join the conversation through your comments.

Be prepared to join us on April 1.  In the meantime, feel free to surf around the bare bones of the site: check out our mission, sign up for my email notification list, and join me on the social networks: Facebook, Twitter, etc — you can find the links and forms above.

So strap in tight, liftoff is in T minus 12,000, 11,999, 11,998…

Best,

Jonathan Miller, The Recovering Politician

 
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