The National Constitution Center

A few years ago, whilst on a family holiday in Pennsylvania - we drove down to Philadelphia - and part of that visit involved a tour of the National Constitution Center. Well worth a visit - though as with many buildings at the moment - it is closed during the Coronavirus Crisis.

However the work of the Center continues. There are some excellent resources available online. I spent some time exploring what is currently available - and was excited at what was available. The website to go to is https://constitutioncenter.org

I was particularly impressed by the range of videos available - which you can access here.

The Framers' Coup

Yesterday I visited the beautiful city of Oxford. I attended a meeting in Christ Church at which Michael J Klarman of Harvard University set out the story described in his forthcoming book "The Framers' Coup: The making of the United States constitution".  The story of the making of the Constitution is itself an interesting one - I've read quite a few books about it, and visited the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia (I would recommend à visit if you find yourself in that Historic City).

Klarman addresses the issue of why the members of the convention were able to successfully produce and have ratified a constitution which exceeded all expectations. In particular it shifted power from the states to a new, and as we have seen, ultimately very powerful federal Government.It also put a brake on some of the more democratic and revolutionary ideas that were current.

He began by setting out the expectations - which he argued were that the states would retain their supremacy and that democracy would be extended. Yet the federal government ended up with extensive powers over taxation, commerce and the military. Ideas intended to increase democracy - such as short terms of office; direct elections; and powers of instruction, recall & term limits were watered down or rejected.

The second issue is how these outcomes were achieved. If the analysis in the book is as clinical and extensive as in Professor  Klarman's presentation - then students of political behaviour and strategy (like myself) will find the book a valuable investment.

The third and final part of the talk addressed the question of how ratification was achieved.

The book is due to be published in November. Online orders are being taken now at www.oup.com/uk/politics - and I'll be ordering a copy today.

I'd rather be in....

....well the famous quote by W C Fields was "Philadelphia" - but of course today, with an important Primary taking place there, "Florida" would be the chosen place. [Having said that I love Philadelphia - it has so much history - I could (and have) spent hours exploring the sites associated with the American Revolution and the formation of the republic: I'd also rather be in Washington DC; and after starting my day with a cup of Pike Place Roast coffee - I wouldn't say no to a visit to the Seattle home of Starbucks.]

But, my attention will be on Florida today. Sadly at a distance of 4,338 miles (Great Circle distance) I will have to rely on the computer - useful internet addresses for today are

Miami Herald - http://www.miamiherald.com/
Bay News TV - http://www.baynews9.com/
CNN - http://us.cnn.com/POLITICS/
MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032553/ns/politics/
Fox News - http://www.foxnews.com/politics/index.html

Pennsylvania

The State of Pennsylvania is usually of electoral interest - but 2010 will focus national attention on a number of key races. The state has, as does every state - however large or small - two seats in the Senate, and 19 in the House of Representatives. The senior Senator in the 111th Congress has been Arlen Specter - who has represented the State since 1981 - 28 years as a Republican - but since April 2009 as a Democrat.

The Senate seat is being contested by Pat Toomey (Republican) and Joe Sestak (Democrat). Cook describes the race as a "toss up". Rasmussen reported on Friday that while Toomey's support has held up - Sestak's has increased sharply, bringing Toomey's lead down to only four points. President Obama will be in Philadelphia on Saturday.

A number of the House seats are also competitive

PA03 - is currently held by Kathy Dahlkemper (Democrat), serving her first term in the House. She is being challenged by Mike Kelly. This has been a Republican leaning seat - which in 2008, the year Dahlkemper was elected, McCain won the district - by just 17 votes. It is the most north-western of the Pennsylvania districts - which includes the city of Erie. Cook has this leaning Republican.

PA04 - is listed by Cook as leaning Democratic. The district is on western side of the state, to the north and north east of Pittsburgh. Jason Altmire has served two terms. He is being opposed by Republican Keith Rothfus.

PA06 - is held by Jim Gerlach, the Republican incumbent who has served this south eastern district since his election in 2002. Cook lists the seat as "likely Republican". It may be closer than would have been expected since Gerlach announced initially that he would not stand for re-election in order to run for Governor, but rejoined the race in January 2010. Gerlach's Democratic challenger is Manan Trivedi, an Iraq war veteran. The redrawing of the district for 2002 led democrats to claim that who argued it "looms like a dragon descending on Philadelphia from the west, splitting up towns and communities throughout Montgomery and Berks Counties"

PA07 - the seat which Joe Sestak is standing down from to run for the Senate. The resulting "open" seat is now listed by Cook as "leans Republican". Bryan Lentz is fighting to save the seat for the Democrats - and faces Patrick Meehan, formerly the federal prosecutor for Philadelphia. The seat covers suburban Philadelphia and most of Delaware County.

PA08 - The northern suburbs and Bucks County (named for the county in England that I technically live in - Milton Keynes is now a Unitary authority) make up the 8th District, held in the 110th & 111th Congresses by Patrick Murphy. He is another veteran standing in Pennsylvania for the Democrats. He is opposed by Mike Fitzpatrick. Cook regards this seat as a toss up.

PA10 - Chris Carney also has served in the 110th and 111th. Also like Murphy his seat is listed as a "toss up". The district covers the north east of the State. The republican challenger is Tom Marino.

PA11 - a district, to the south of the 10th, which includes Scranton (home of the American version of "The Office" - and a city which some of my family emigrated to in the early part of the twentieth century. When we spent a family holiday in the Poconos we visited the city - which struck me as architecturally reminiscent of the area in South Wales where my family came from) and Wilkes-Barre. For more on this area see my post of 24th February. Paul Kanjorski is the Democratic incumbent. President Clinton will be coming to support him tomorrow in his home town of Nanticoke (Tuesday 26th). His Republican opponent will be Lou Barletta, who is making his third attempt to unseat Kanjorski. This seat is also listed as a "toss up"

PA12 - Currently listed by Cook as "leans democratic", theis was the seat held since February 1974 by Jack Murtha. His successor, Mark Critz won the special election (the American name for what Brits call a "by-election) on May 18th. He is being challenged by the Republican Tim Burns. His website asserts "My name is Tim Burns and I am NOT a politician". I try to be balanced and non-editorial in this blog - but nothing irritates me more than candidates who make this claim. Not only are the people making it politicians in fact - they show the attribute they claim to hate most - they lie. The district in the south west of the state.

PA17 - Tim Holden's seat is listed as "Likely Democrat". He has represented the seat which CQ describes as "East-Central" of the State, and which includes Harrisburg, since 1993. His Republican opponent is Dave Argall.

So eyes will, again, be on Pennsylvania.

The Senate of the 1790s

When the US Constitution came into force in 1789 the Federal Government was established in New York City. The Senate met on the second floor of Federal Hall. In December 1790 it began a ten year stay in Philadelphia - in what is now the upper floor of 'Congress Hall' - a building close to Independence Hall.

The Senate chamber - and the adjacent committee rooms - can be visited by the public.

A list of the first Senators and Representatives can be found here. Of the Senators who served in the First Congress - William Paterson (NJ) William Grayson (VA) and John Walker (VA) - only served in New York.

Ben Franklin in Philadelphia

Ben Franklin was an incredible man - a scientist; thinker and key player in the events that founded the United States. There are a number of good biographies available. His own autobiography is well worth reading.

Franklin's ancestors came from the village of Ecton in Northamptonshire, England. He lived in London for many years - and now it is possible to visit Benjamin Franklin House, close to Charing Cross Station. But he was born an American - and he made his home in Philadelphia.

During my visit to that city this week I took this short video -