If by "run the Government" you mean at least partially "are represented in Government", and by "have our people in government" you mean at least partially "be represented in the governing process," then I say your response is 100% accurate.
We've learned quickly that "influence" is a major portion of how things get done in Annapolis and elsewhere. Yes, some of our elected officials are attorneys, accountants, MDs and realtors, more the former than the latter.
But equally important, those industries have strong representation in Annapolis via well-organized lobbying efforts. Our industry did not. When it came time in November to find the money, the industries who were proposed by O'Malley for the new tax went to Annapolis in force and got themselves removed from the conversation.
When the legislators suggested a different Industry X or Y, those industries cried out in alarm. When the legislators proposed our industry...<silence>. Plus, to be fair, our industry came up as a strong target late in the session. But, still, our industry had no professional, on-the-ground representatives watching out for our interests 24-7 during the Special Session, or any other General Session. We had nobody to sound the alarm when we became a real target one week before the end of the session. And even if we had been notified, we had no grassroots organization to turn out our members to Annapolis.
And that is exactly why we created the Maryland Computer Services Association and engaged one of the top lobbying teams in the state and top political communications talent. Now we are fully engaged in the legislative process. And never again will we be caught unaware.
Tom, Co-founder, MCSA