The Statue of Liberty

Today is the anniversary of the dedication of the Statute of Liberty in 1886 by President Grover Cleveland. The statue, a gift from France, represents the Roman Goddess "Libertas". In France this deity of Freedom is personified as Marianne.

In Poitiers, one of my favourite cities in France, where I was once a visiting lecturer at The Sup de Co, and a student (part time) at the Universite - there is smaller replica of the Statue. If you are ever in that city, it's worth a visit - I did not know of its existence - but a friend, without telling me where I was being taken, surprised me as we turned the corner into La Place de la Liberte. An interactive map of Poitiers is available here.

The National Park Service website for the New York statue is available here.

The First Meeting of Congress

The Constitution of the United States came into effect when New Hampshire became the Ninth State to ratify it. (Article VII - "The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same."). That occured on June 21st 1788. However the Institutions came into existence on 4th March 1789. That was the date set for the opening of the 1st Congress.

There is a detailed description of the events of that day in Robert Remini's excellent history of the House of Representatives - "The House". I would thoroughly recommend the book to anyone interrested in American History - but particularly the history of the House of Representatives. It is both a good read (and I've read it straight through on a number of occasions), and an excellent research resource (of which I make frequent use).



The day was one of great ceremony. Flags flew around the city of New York, which was host to the new Government. The centre of attention was Federal Hall - which wasw at that time New York's City Hall. It had been converted for the nation's use by Pierre-Charles L'Enfant. Sadly, while the crowds were there, few elected Congressmen were. Travel had been hampered by the poor states of many "roads" - many "mired in mud, riddled with potholes or washed away by floodwaters". Ice-packed rivers also presented an obstacle. It was only on 1st April that the number needed for business - a quorum - was reached.

2010 Census and the 2012 Elections

The details of the 2010 census in the USA were released today. The political significance of the apportionment of Representatives is

• Some states will have more more seats in the House of Representatives - some will have less
• The Electoral College for the election of the President changes - again giving more "Electoral College Votes" to some - and less to others

Winners

• Texas +4
• Florida +2
• Arizona : Georgia : Nevada : South Carolina : Utah : Washington - all +1

Losers

• New York : Ohio : each -2
• Illinois : Iowa : Louisiana : Massachusetts : Michigan : Missouri : New Jersey : Pennsylvania - all -1

If these are compared with the 2008 Presidential Election - Obama would have only won 343 Electoral Votes and McCain would have increased his Electoral College tally to 168. On the face of it, not a great difference - but for 2012 it makes Florida more important (Obama only won it with 50.9% of the vote). Solidly Republican states gain in their proportion of the Electoral College seats [Texas (4) - 55% :  Arizona (1) 54% South Carolina (1) 54% Utah (1) 63%] while solid Democratic states lose their proportional strength [New York (-2) 63% : Illinois (-1) 62% : Iowa (-1) 54% : Massachusetts (-1) 62% : New Jersey (-1) 57% : Pennsylvania (-1) 54%. 

Of further concern to the Democrats is that as a result of the 2010 state elections - more of the redistricting within the States will be in Republican hands - which could significantly affect the makeup of the House of Representatives.

The details of the census data can be accessed here.

NY 15 - the Democratic Party Primary

One of the raft of primaries to be held on Tuesday 14th September is attracting particular attention. NY15 (New York's 15th Congressional District) is currently held by Charles Rangel - currently coming to the end of his 20th term. [he was first elected in 1970 - and is now over 80]. It is not his age which has made him vulnerable. The ethics charges which he is facing are the reason that this major player in US politics is facing a serious challenge.

There is a certain irony that the most most likely to topple him is the son of the long serving Congressman that Rangel himself toppled in a closely fought primary in 1970. Adam Clayton Powell was a prominent civil rights leader and pastor who was elected in 1944. A website about him can be accessed here. Rangel's main challenger on 14th is [Adam Clayton Powell IV] the son of Adam Clayton Powell by his third wife. [His half-brother, the son of Clayton Powell and his jazz (and classical) singer & pianist wife, Hazel Scott, is Adam Clayton Powell III].

Charlie Rangel's website can be accessed here and Adam Clayton Powell IV's here.

NY15 covers Harlam and northern Manhatten. In 2007 the district was 28% Black and 46% Hispanic - Powell is  the son of the most famous black of his time, and the daughter of a mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico - and was raised and educated in Puerto Rico after his parents separated.

The New York Times website is accessible here.

New York - More Key Races

The races in NY13 and 25 have already been covered by this blog. Two further races are exciting interest in the State. The Empire State has long been regarded as pretty solid for Obama. There will be no Senate election as Senator Schumer's term runs until 2010 and Hillary Clinton's to 2012.

NY 26

The district covers much of New York State, with about half the population living in the suburbs of Buffalo. It extends from the city limits of Buffalo to the city limits of Rochester. It was once a safe Republican seat, but retiring Representative, Tom Reynolds, held on to it with 52% of the vote in 2006. In 2002 he won with 74%!. Some argue that he was saved last time only by a freak snowstorm in October 2006, that allowed him to show to his constituents how much clout he had nationally by gaining disaster aid. Reynolds was Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Buffalo lawyer, Alice Kryzan will fight the seat for the Democrats - http://www.kryzanforcongress.com/ against Republican businessman Chris Lee - http://www.chrisleeforcongress.com/

NY 29

In 2006 the same two candidates as in this election faced each other. The winner by 6,033 votes was "Randy" Kuhl (pronounced COOL), the Republican congressman for the district since 2004. The district itself has been held by Republicans since 1987, though Kuhl's predecessor, Amo Houghton a moderate Republican. Kuhl has a solidly conservative voting record - voting with President Bush 90% of the time in the 109th Congress. His website is http://www.kuhlforcongress.com/

Eric Massa, a Naval Officer for 24 years, is again challenging for this seat. He was Special Assistant to General Wes Clarke in both Panama and at NATO - http://www.massaforcongress.com/

The district covers the area known as "the Southern tier". It also reaches north to take in some of Rochester's suburbs. Agriculture is a major industry - particularly dairy farms and wine production. This is also an important tourist area. The largest city is Elmira (30,940). Corning is well known as the home of Corning Glass Works.

NY 25

A couple of days ago this blog considered the vulnerable Republican seat in the south of New York State, NY 13. Upstate is another seat the Democrats hope to take. In 2006 the incumbent, James T Walsh, scrapped in with a mere 3,417 votes (For an English constituency this would be the equivalent of a winning margin of just 438 votes in Rugby - based on the total populations of NY25 & the new Rugby constituency).

The most important city in the District is Syracuse - although the district stretches west to the Rochester suburbs. The main industries are Agriculture (Dairy & Fruit); Services; Manufacturing; Higher Education and Health Care.

Representative Walsh is a moderate Republican, often at odds with the party's Conservative leaders. He announced his retirement in January this year. His challenger in 2006, Dan Maffei, will contest the seat again. Former Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland was selected by the Republicans in May.

Dan Maffei: http://www.maffeiforcongress.com/

Dale Sweetland: http://www.dalesweetland.com/

NY 13

New York's 13th District is another open Republican seat, made more vulnerable by scandal involving the current Member. Vito Fossella was arrested for drunk driving in Alexandria, Virginia earlier this year. A week later he confessed that he had been involved in an extra-marital affair with the woman who had bailed him, and had fathered a child were her. By the end of the month he announced that he would not stand in this year's House election. Fossella was controversial for a number of other reasons.

The District covers Staten Island plus adjacent neighbourhoods across the Verrazano Narrow Bridge in south west Brooklyn. It has the highest percentage of residents of Italian ancestry in the nation. The main industries are Health Care (Staten Island University Hospital); Retail; Communications and Construction.

Primaries will be held on 9th September. Details of candidates standing for each party can be found at http://www.elections.state.ny.us:8080/reports/rwservlet?cmdkey=candidate_32_statewide_cgs. The New York Times website is http://www.nytimes.com/