Dina I's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: The Iron Triangle in Action: Policy, Politics, and People
BASIS Advisor: Don Swantko
Internship Location: Arizona House of Representatives
Onsite Mentor: Representative Lorena Austin



Project Abstract

Policy isn’t just written, it’s negotiated, amended, and shaped by those in power (read: the House Majority). This internship places me at the intersection of governance and community, splitting my time between the State Capitol and the districts it serves. From drafting proclamations to analyzing bills, I will engage with the machinery of state politics, seeing firsthand how laws evolve from text to tangible impact. By conducting research briefings and collaborating on legislative initiatives, I will explore how principles are translated into actionable policy, observing political ideology and pragmatic governance. The legislative process involves political bargaining, from partisan agendas to bipartisan cooperation, with negotiations determining the policies that directly affect communities and everyday affairs. The legislative process unfolds through compromise and strategic alliances, where success is often shaped by the interactions within the iron triangle.

    My Posts:

  • Lessons in Partisanship: From Local Office to Capitol Hallways

    The Capitol may tower over the 500-square-foot Legislative District office where I started, but the two feel surprisingly alike. While the work itself has changed, the chaos and the partisanship connect them in ways I didn’t expect. No matter the level of government, partisanship doesn’t just exist; it defines the environment. At the local level,... Read More

  • How Many Hours In A Day?

    Hello everyone! Welcome to my third blog detailing “what I’ve done in the week,” or as the Speaker of the House would say: The Clerk will read the journal of the last day’s proceedings (referring to the official record of what happened in the previous session (meeting) of the House).  This past week has really... Read More

  • The Partisan Art of “Striking Everything”

    “Mr. Chair, I move to strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: …” Would you prefer a Senate bill on Hydrology Reports or Immigration? Kidney disease awareness or a housing grant program? Defensive driving courses or unmanned aircraft? Well, guess what, you can have both of them on the same bill... sort... Read More

  • “If Plan A doesn’t work out, the alphabet has 25 more letters.”

    Hello Everyone! Welcome to my blog, or, as they’d say at the start of a State House floor session: The House will come to order. “If Plan A doesn’t work out, the alphabet has 25 more letters.” This project took me all the way to Plan Z, but nonetheless, here we are! Friday marked my... Read More

  • Read More