I'm a registered Republican, but my state legislative district in Beaver County has more Democrats living and voting in it than Republicans -- by a pretty wide margin. A little over a year ago, voters from both parties sent me to Harrisburg on a temporary, two-year agreement. The terms were simple -- be honest, don't abuse your power and keep your word.

The past 14 months have tested every belief and conviction I ever held about government and the political process. I've had a front-row seat to this year's political corruption scandals, closed-door budget debates and now, the race for governor. And if you're asking, no, Harrisburg doesn't function at all like the flow chart in my civics classes. State government is anything but textbook.

For starters, Harrisburg "friendships" are mostly conditional. Whoever said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," was just about right. Political relationships, like the stock market, are more volatile than stable. And while I'm certain I've made real friends, Capitol pals will turn on their own at the first hint of failure or scandal.

Second, while Ronald Reagan may have believed "There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit," Harrisburg doesn't really see it that way. I found this out when a piece of government reform legislation I drafted was abruptly stalled until a lawmaker from the other side of the aisle was assigned an identical bill under a slightly different name. Ultimately, the bill passed with bipartisan support, but only after my name came off the headline. I now believe that some of the most effective lawmakers rarely, if ever, angle for the spotlight.

Third, while the two-party system might be a good way to frame the major philosophical approaches to governing at the national level, the party labels tell me little, if anything, about an individual colleague. As a conservative, I've found plenty of Democrats who share my views on the right-to-life, the Second Amendment and a number of other policy issues. I've found them to be willing to compromise for the good of their district and extremely helpful when it comes to serving constituent needs.

Finally, after just over a year in the job, I know that keeping your word is the most important virtue for anyone in public service. Whether it's crafting agreements to pass an on-time state budget or getting a bill to move through the committee process, everything hangs on the thin thread of personal credibility and trust. When a politician breaks his or her word, the entire process unravels.

The personal and professional wreckage of Harrisburg's scandal-ridden culture is linked in large measure to the fact that too much of politics operates in a values-free universe. When truth is relative and honesty is confused with loyalty to leaders or party, a climate for corruption is created.

That's one view from under the Capitol dome. Serving in the state House of Representatives is a temporary trust, and knowing that, it's easier to keep an ego in check and feet on the ground. If there is anything this last year has taught all of us about the political system, it's that Harrisburg is only as good as the people who serve there.

Cartoonist Rob Rogers does "Rob's Rough," an early look at his work and his creative process, exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.