This article too warmed the placed where the cockles of my heart would have been resting.
Legislators praise Paulsen's skill for managing factions in House
By JASON CLAYWORTH • jclayworth@dmreg.com • December 22, 2010
Kraig Paulsen is about to begin one of the most arduous political jobs in the state: speaker of the Iowa House.
What the military veteran, attorney and self-described ordinary guy will face runs much deeper than wrestling with budget issues and shepherding legislation to create jobs. (He has said both will be his key focus when Republicans take over the House in January.)
His new job also includes juggling expectations and demands between fiscal conservatives who want to emphasize economic issues and social conservatives who will press for movement on hot-button causes like abortion and gay marriage.
Make no mistake: He's a social conservative. He opposes abortion and wants a vote to end same-sex marriage. It's a matter of focus. He continually steers conversations toward budget and economy issues and generally avoids discussion of so-called wedge issues.
Current and former colleagues say his background in the military and the Legislature has prepared him for the challenge of steering through competing interests.
"He's just a fair guy, and he's going to do what he thinks is right," said Andrew Kovich, who was trained by Paulsen while stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in the early 1990s.
This ought to be the only requirement to be a politician.
Paulsen, 46, was an Air Force weapons instructor who trained service members on the operation of the nation's missile weapons systems. Much of the work - located 65 feet underground - involved overseeing missiles that can travel more than 3,500 miles and deliver nuclear warheads.
He received the Meritorious Service Medal, the third-highest award given to members of the U.S. military. It is awarded to noncombat members for outstanding achievements.
"I just showed up and tried to do my part. It's just what I do," Paulsen said.
Self-effacting; modest. Typical mid-western values.
In that position, he had to meld personnel with a wide array of backgrounds, personalities and opinions into a cohesive and highly accomplished group, Kovich said.
Friends say that experience will prove useful in the months ahead.
"The thing about military leaders is that they have to deal with all kinds of folks - everyone has different ideas - but at some point you have to be the guy that says, 'Here's what we're told to do; now we need to figure out how to do that,' " Kovich said.
Another thing about military leadership background, it makes one a tad more sensitive to how the passions of the moment can cloud judgment in the civilian world; and to cut such people some slack when they've worn their wrath down.
Rep. Jeff Kaufmann, R-Wilton, who will be the speaker pro-tem, said Paulsen's even temperament and respect for everyone have reinforced civility in the House. He predicts that Paulsen won't work to thwart any member from introducing ideas, but that he will avoid becoming bogged down by issues without wide support across the state.
Lord, Grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the wisdom to accept the things, the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, and wisdom, always, to know the difference.
"Kraig is not moving forward on things because of a rigid ideology or what he personally wants to do," Kaufmann said. "He's trying to reflect what Iowans are telling him."
Watch TV or work? He chose mowing lawns
Paulsen, the second of four kids, grew up in Cedar Rapids in a family that he described as nonpolitical and average in many ways. He played drums in band, where he met his wife, Cathy, and launched his own lawn-mowing service while in high school.
His father, Kenneth Paulsen, is a veterinarian who in 1965 opened Kenwood Animal Clinic in Cedar Rapids. His mom, Marilyn Felker, is a retired hospital transcription manager.
Paulsen's sister, Kim King, describes her brother as an independent thinker, with good instincts complemented by common sense. He's always been purposeful, she said. He didn't watch television much; he spent his time as a teen launching the mowing business.
That same sense of purpose drove him to run for the Iowa House in 2002, she said.
"I think as you get older, you just start looking at the world around you and how you can make a difference, and that is a piece that is very important to my brother," King said. "I remember when we were talking when he was considering running for office that he felt the calling to make a difference."
Paulsen doesn't like to talk about himself.
"Some things are helpful for people to know, some aren't," he said. "There are no secrets. There's nothing terribly exciting."
But here's one hint of flamboyance behind his low-key manner: He loves loud music and listens to virtually every genre. His staffers say they can stand outside his car and feel the thud from his car stereo.
He is a self-taught furniture maker, making beds for his children in his spare time. This year he made four gavels that he will use throughout the coming legislative session and plans to give one to each of his children.
Family has chosen home schooling route
Paulsen and his wife were not satisfied with the elementary school their oldest daughter would have to attend while he was stationed in North Dakota. So, beginning in kindergarten for their daughter, Cathy Paulsen began to teach her at home.
Their daughter is now 21 and graduated earlier this year with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Their oldest son is in college. The couple's twins are 16 and taking a combination of home-school courses and classes at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids.
During his first three years in the Legislature, home schooling allowed the entire family to rent a place and reside in Des Moines through the week.
"It's not for every family, but it obviously has worked very well for us," Paulsen said.
Home-school parents have become an active bloc among social conservatives. However, Paulsen disagrees with members of his party who advocate for tax breaks for home-school families, saying he doesn't want the strings that come attached with government money. He didn't directly answer questions about the adequacy of Iowa's public education system, but said this: "Forty percent of recent high school graduates or better have to take remedial math or remedial English to start their college courses, and I think that's unacceptable."
He's credited with improving relations
Paulsen, first elected in 2002, took over the role of House minority leader in November 2008 after his party lost House seats in four consecutive election cycles. Christopher Rants, the fiery former leader from Sioux City, didn't seek re-election to his seat this year.
Paulsen said he doesn't like to talk about the leadership change.
"It's not something that's helpful to put in the paper," Paulsen said. "I'll just let that one go. Sometimes groups have to go through tough things, and that's a tough thing for a caucus to go through."
This year, the first election since he took the top House Republican leadership position, the party gained 16 House seats and regained the majority. They will hold 60 of 100 seats when the Legislature resumes in January.
However, legislation that sails through the House may face stiff opposition in the Senate, which is still controlled by Democrats.
Current House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Paulsen's steadying leadership in the past two years helped bring about a better working relationship at the Capitol.
Paulsen regularly met with Democrats and agreed to debate timelines that ultimately allowed the Legislature to adjourn early instead of being delayed by stalling tactics, McCarthy said.
The Democrats under McCarthy's leadership ranged from conservative to liberal. Similarly Paulsen's 60-member majority is diverse in its views, and the art will be keeping the party unified, McCarthy said.
"I think it's going to be easier earlier in session, and it will be an increasing challenge as the session moves on," McCarthy said.
