Politics In America

Since 2001 I have been a serial purchaser and user of CQ's "Politics in America". (Covering the 106th to 111th Congresses - 25cm of shelf space in my office!). The current edition "PIA 2010" arrived at my home this week.

Congressional Quarterly has been producing this excellent guide to Members of Congress and their districts (States for Senators) since 1981. A biography is supplied of every member, with lots of statistics on the member and their district. Details of key votes and scores are given on 'party unity'; 'presidential support' plus the ratings by four advocacy groups

AFL-CIO - a federation of labour unions.

Americans for Democratic Action - liberal

Chamber of Commerce - founded in 1912 as "a voice for organized business"

American Conservative Union

There is a host of other information - including the order of seniority in each House; Youngest and Oldest Members; Women in Congress; Minorities in Congress - even "Members Who Have A Twin". Membership lists of groups within Congress (New Democrat Coalition; Blue Dog Coalition; Progressive Caucus; and the Republican Study Committee) are given - as well as details of committees.

Senate Races 2010

Yes it's a long time to go (and a British General Election will precede it!), but interest is already rising over the 2010 Elections in the US. This week we learnt that Senator Martinez (Republican of Florida) will step down early. This will ensure that the Republican Governor - Charlie Crist - can appoint a new Senator, who will be an incumbent for the 2010 election. There has been some speculation that he may appoint himself, though he has already denied this. (NPR Report).

The latest Race Ratings can be found at The Cook Political Report (30th July).

A Difference between Americans and Brits

I'm currently reading Michael Smith's "Station X" - a book about the work that went on in Bletchley Park during World War Two (although there are a good couple of chapters on the historical background). In it he recounts a story told by Barbara Abernethy (who went on to marry an American codebreaker, Joseph Eachus. She was PA to Alastair Denniston, head of Bletchley Park) - concerning a Fourth of July game -

"We were challenged by the Americans to a game of rounders. They nearly went home. Now in the United States, you don't need to get all the way home in one go to score. As long as you get all the way home eventually you score. Now our rules for rounders of course were very tough. You had to go all the way round in one go.

It was a lovely day, we all played well, and at the end of the game we all sort of clapped each other on the back and the Americans said: 'well, we're sorry we beat you' and the British captain said: 'I'm sorry, but we beat you.' The Americans were a little touchy. They were convinced that they'd won and it took a bit of explanation on somebody's part to soothe ruffled feathers. It all ended with drinks all round, actually we agreed we'd won by our rules and they'd won by their rules. So that was alright. But they never asked us to play again."

Neglecting our History?

Yesterday my travels took me to Runnymede, the meadows on which the Magna Carta was signed in 1215. It has struck me for a long time that this great document is honoured more outside Britain - particularly in the US. (Magna Carta Facts)

While this has been a really interesting week for me - it has also been a little depressing. I had the privilege of visiting two major sites - both of major national and international significance - yet felt that as a nation we are failing to live up to the responsibility to honour and pass on that history.

If I had been looking for Thorpe Park (Britain's third largest theme park - "catering to the thrill-ride market"), my journey would have benn easy. It was well signposted. Runnymede was not. When we eventually found it - I have to say it was rather under-stated. Here was the site of one of the most important events in British and world history, but there wasn't even a bookshop. The memorial - was built by the AMERICAN Bar Association. There were some "interpretation boards" - but surely we could be doing more to tell this story - to inspire the young - to keep alive the traditions which made Britain great. (we don't seem to have a problem celebrating less valuable traditions).

Bletchley Park is another national treasure that we have treated woefully. There has been some fantastic work done by volunteers to open up the history of what happened there. I am in awe of what they have achieved. A working model of Colossus was made - by a handful of volunteers - from photographs and partial wiring diagrams. When tested, it proved that the model was able to decode as the original had. There's an archive section which has processed masses of key documents - in a tiny area. Key buildings have been saved from destruction. Yet this is not a well financed, publicly sponsored operation. As the Save Bletchley Park Facebook Site says -

"The museum at Bletchley Park is in dire need of funding. Historic buildings are crumbling and need restoration. Despite its historical importance it receives no ongoing public funding and is urgently seeking donations.We owe it to both ourselves and to the men and women who served there to preserve Bletchley Park for our generation and the next, as computer users, citizens of the free world and simply as human beings."

I strongly recommend visiting Bletchley Park - it is a really interesting place. It's well worth a visit. Also I would urge your support. Join the facebook Group ; write to your MP to encourage them to sign the EDM ; if you like in the area consider becoming a volunteer.

History is a wonderful thing - we can honour the great things done in the past - we can also learn, and be inspired, for our future.

Historic Cooperation

The "Special Relationship" between the USA and UK is of course of great interest to a blog which looks at the legislatures of these two countries. This week I visited a place which historically played a key part in establishing and developing that relationship.

A BBC News Report from February began this year - "The US/UK intelligence-sharing relationship is incredibly close and has been all the way back to World War II. It is arguably at the centre of what is known as the "special relationship"." On May 17th 1943 the BRUSA Agreement was signed at Bletchley Park which was a formal agreement to share intelligence. http://intellit.muskingum.edu/liaison_folder/liaisonintro.html (For further references). That agreement was signed at Bletchley Park. It was preceded by practical cooperation at that important site.

Bletchley Park was the codebreaking centre which played a (if not, the) critical role in the Second World War. It is also of major significance in the history of mathematics and computing. (Significance).

The site is now open to the public. It is well worth a visit. (actually worth a series of visits, I will certainly be returning). Whether you are interested in military history; computing; or the extraordinary story of the activities and individuals at Bletchley Park - this will fascinate you.

Over the summer months, when both Parliament and Congress are on recess (the Senate WILL eventually rise!), I will write a few posts about this fascinating place and its history. Details of Bletchley Park and admission arrangements can be found at the Bletchley Park Website.