A. Live In (2)

     Some suggestions: working people—a letter carrier, police officer, postal worker, ambulance driver, bus driver, long-­distance truck driver, grade school teacher, public defender preparing a case, welfare or social worker, public health nurse, doctor, dentist, judge. A newly retired man or woman, a man or woman on probation, a local journalist, librarian, foster mother or father, any member of a family on welfare, a die-hard fan.
     Usually, the Live In works best when the reporter becomes involved in an ongoing situation that engages the subject. For example, a Live In with a judge could involve the reporter's watching the judge try a case or observing the judge reach a decision on a sentence after conviction. Show the person in action.

B. Votes

     Make a voting record checklist for your state's representatives and senators. First, determine key votes over the past year (or two). Then find out how your representatives and senators voted on these issues. Third, make up a checklist.
     You can decide on key issues by interviewing political science instructors, local political leaders and various interest groups such as educators, bank officials, chamber of commerce personnel, etc.
     Make sure to prepare a tight summary of the issues so the reader can see what the vote was about. Not all issues were voted on by both houses, so you probably will have two groups of issues, one for the House, one for the Senate.

C. Pharmacists

     The organization Pharmacists for Life International has lobbied state legislatures and state pharmacy associations to adopt regulations that allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for contraceptives and abortifacients and to refuse to refer patients to other pharmacists. The group has been active in California, Louisiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and in South Dakota the legislature passed an anti-choice bill. What is the situation in your state?