The phrase “labored mightily and brought forth a mouse,” which I thought was Shakespeare but turns out to be from Aesop’s Fables, crossed my mind while reading the latest cover story in Seven Days. It chronicles the experiences of two rookie lawmakers in their first session in office, not a bad idea in itself. But the longer I went on reading (it’s long), the more I realized that this story was a mile wide and an inch deep. It traded in the obvious, provided little context, indulged the outsized expectations of the two lawmakers, and did little to justify its length or the sheer quantity of reporting that went into it.

And reporting time, in these days of diminished media outlets, is an extremely precious resource.

The story is the latest installment in “Ways and Means,” billed as “a deeper read on the Vermont Legislature.” It’s been heavily promoted by Seven Days, which secured special funding from “Vermont philanthropists”(see below) to hire reporter Hannah Bassett to explore the Legislature’s competence, efficiency, or lack thereof. It’s been an underwhelming effort so far; Bassett’s been on the case for six months and produced a mere five stories, most of which trafficked in the obvious (Lobbyists have influence! Legislative disclosure rules are weak! The Legislature’s lawyers work really hard!). Still waiting for an in-depth look at The Marble Palace.

A lot of Bassett’s time was invested in this latest effort. She followed the two lawmakers throughout the session, from early January to adjournment in mid-June. The story is rich with detail about their hopes, dreams, and blow-by-blow experiences. But that’s what it is: a compendium of details, a prime example of what editors disdainfully call a “notebook dump.” There was no effort to provide perspective or other points of view. Everything is seen through the eyes of the two principals.

This whole “Ways and Means” venture was flawed from the start. The money came from the very Republican Bruce Lisman and maverick independent Paul Ralston, a disaffected former Democrat. It aimed to investigate one branch of state government — the branch controlled by Democrats. There was no corresponding effort to determine how well the executive branch serves the needs and interests of Vermonters, and believe me, there are plenty of questions worth exploring on that front.

The two lawmakers chosen, by means not explained, could easily be stand-ins for the two benefactors. Michael Boutin is a conservative Republican and Shawn Sweeney a centrist Democrat. No liberal Democrats were chosen, nor were any progressives, capital P or small. The selection of Boutin and Sweeney fed into a narrative borne out in the finished product: Democratic leadership holds the reins tightly, and liberal special interests wield outsized influence in the corridors of power.

Both men arrived in Montpelier with grandiose expectations doomed to end in disappointment. Both came with preferences for committee assignments, and neither one got their first choice. News flash: It’s extremely rare for any rookie to get their first choice. Boutin was relatively fortunate to get his second choice.

Boutin came with “a wish list of bills,” seemingly unaware that rookie lawmakers seldom make an impact, especially if they’re in the minority. Look: 521 bills were introduced in the House alone this year. The vast majority were fated to go nowhere. It’s always that way, and it has to be. Legislative committees have time to fully consider only a handful of bills in any given session. And priorities are set by majority leadership who, after all, won their authority fair and square at the ballot box. Democratic voters rightly expect that elected Democrats will pursue Democratic priorities. That’s kind of the point of elections: winners get more power. And Republicans, despite their historic gains in 2024, are still on the short end, especially in the House.

Sweeney came to Montpelier with hopes of downplaying (if not ignoring) party labels, but he quickly became dismayed by ““the… undercurrent of political machinations on the House floor” and “the tug of partisanship” emanating from leadership and caucus meetings.

Now there’s a shock. A political body operates on political principles. And that word “machinations” is a nice way of putting the worst possible face on the internal dealings that keep the always-creaky legislative process moving forward. There are times when leadership has to pull strings, twist arms, and frustrate the hopes of rookie lawmakers. The process was bound to disappoint the likes of Sweeney and Boutin.

This is nothing unique to Vermont. You’ll find similar dynamics at work in any legislative body. As Winston Churchill put it, democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others. It’s messy, unwieldy, and inherently political. For good and for ill.

Bassett’s enterprise could have had some value if she took a broader view. Are there ways in which Vermont’s Legislature is uniquely dysfunctional or obstructive? Bassett doesn’t even try to answer that question. I know the Statehouse can be tooth-grindingly vexing. I’ve got the wear and tear on my molars to prove it. But there are reasons why it works the way it does.

The “Ways and Means” series is especially disappointing in light of Seven Days’ general retreat from consistent Statehouse coverage. A few years ago the paper had two full-time reporters plus a political columnist on duty in the Statehouse every single day during the session. Those days are long gone. The political column is a fading memory, and no Seven Days reporter is assigned to the Legislature full-time. This series, funded by a prominent Republican and an ex-Democrat with an ax to grind, represents a significant portion of Seven Days’ total commitment to coverage of state government.

“Ways and Means” is billed as a one-year project, presumably ending in December. Guess what? The Legislature won’t be back in session until January. So is this it for “Ways and Means”? Perhaps not; the Legislature is not entirely inactive. There are occasional meetings and public hearings. Lawmakers will be communicating with their constituents. But regular business is concluded for the year unless the governor calls a special session. The prime opportunity for “Ways and Means” to deliver on its promise has come and gone. It was flawed from the beginning, and the product — so far — has been underwhelming.