The Week Ahead

This will be a "Washminster Week". The British Prime Minister will travel to Washington DC, and on Wednesday he will address a joint session of the US Congress. [10.45 EST (15.45 UK)].

The President's Budget for Financial Year 2009/10 was delivered to Congress last week - and the budget process now begins in Congress. The current system is described at http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/98-721_20080307.pdf. Reform ideas for the process can be found at http://wikileaks.org/leak/crs/R40113.pdf

The Senate begins consideration of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

At Westminster another busy week is expected - with some bills due to complete their progress through the Commons.

Full details can be found at -

House of Representatives: http://democraticleader.house.gov/docUploads/8WeeklyLeader30209.pdf?CFID=7017212&CFTOKEN=43085550

UK Parliament: http://services.parliament.uk/Calendar/2009/03/02/week.html

Eroding Liberties

On both sides of the Atlantic there are concerns that ancient liberties are under attack. The response to 9/11 and the threat of terrorism is one reason - but the increased sophistication of surveillance techniques and computer databases also give rise to concerns.

A number of organisations in the UK are promoting a "Convention on Modern Liberty" this Saturday - http://www.modernliberty.net/

You may find the following document disturbing

http://www.modernliberty.net/downloads/abolition_of_freedom.pdf

It's certainly worth thinking about!

Enfranchise the Lords

There are some people are are not allowed to vote in General Elections -

• EU citizens resident in the UK (although they can vote at elections to local authorities, devolved legislatures and the European Parliament)
• anyone other than British, Irish and qualifying Commonwealth citizens
• convicted persons detained in pursuance of their sentences (though remand prisoners, unconvicted prisoners and civil prisoners can vote if they are on the electoral register)
• anyone found guilty within the previous five years of corrupt or illegal practices in connection with an election

and members of the House of Lords.

It is unusual for members of one house to be barred from voting in elections for a fully elected chamber. The original reasons were forgotten, though I discovered that Thomas Jefferson had explained the origin of the ban.

Today Lord Dubs will ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend the right to vote in general elections to members of the House of Lords.

The Week Ahead (and beyond)

Both Parliament and Congress return from their breaks. On Tuesday President Obama will come to the Congress in the evening to deliver his first State of the Union Address. At Westminster there are a number of interesting committee meetings on some key subjects.

For more details -

House of Representatives: http://democraticleader.house.gov/docUploads/7WeeklyLeader22309.pdf?CFID=7017212&CFTOKEN=43085550

Westminster: http://services.parliament.uk/calendar/2009/02/23/week.html

As you may already know, I will be a candidate in the European Elections in June. While Washminster usually appears on a daily basis - due to the additional workload, I will be reducing the number of posts, by approximately half. Please do keep coming up on a regular basis - and I will continue to post details of particularly relevant developments.

My Favourite City

Ten years ago today, I made my first flight to Washington DC - a city I have returned to on a frequent basis. If you haven't been to DC it is well worth a visit. Some people don't like it. During that first visit in 1999 one woman told me "the trouble with Washington is that the place is obsessed with politics" - well!

There is so much history there - if you stand at the base of the Washington Monument you can see - just by moving your eyes, not even your head - the White House; Congress; the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery. Scenes of some of the most important events in our lifetimes. A visit to see the Senate and the House of Representatives is a must! Thanks to my friends I have become interested in the US Civil War - and as well as researching the role of the Committee on the Conduct of the War during one of my visits - most of the key battlefields are within easy driving distance.

For more information on visiting the area go to
http://www.washington.org/;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/visitorsguide/whattosee.htm

http://www.thedistrict.com/index.htm

http://www.wmata.com/