Daniel Bliss
Washington Semester
dbliss@monm.edu
Hamilton, Illinois

December 1, 2005

Good evening!  

Well, I am working on my last few weeks here, pretty hard to believe. It looks like I only got one of these out in the whole month of November...but I went home for about a week and a half. There were some people I wanted to surprise, so I didn't send anything out telling people I was going home. Now that you are all confused, I will try to give you a brief rundown of the last few weeks.

Let's see, in the second week of November we went to the Office of the President and had a briefing with Marguerite Murer, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence. Hearing from someone who sees the President of the United States of America on a regular basis, whether you like the President's politics or not, this was another incredible experience out here! The amazing thing about this woman was that she had graduated from the University of Illinois with a secondary special education degree and now is working for the President!! It is crazy the tracks people take in life.

The next week we tackled tax reform (woo hoo!!  exciting stuff!) and the Federal Budget. While studying this we heard from representatives of 'Progress for America' and the 'Concord Coalition.'  The first is a well-known group from the left side of the political spectrum and the latter is more of a moderate group that supports a balanced budget. 

From there I went home and went to my cousin's David's wedding. We had a really good time and it was so nice to see most of the family. 

I left there and went back home. I stopped in at MC for one evening and saw a lot of friends, professors, and such. Went out with the guys of Bowers 215, and had a sweet time there! 

The next couple of days I spend back home with family cooking and eating!! 

My next week (this last week) was probably one of the best weeks to date. Monday we went to the building where American's for Tax Reform are based and have the well-known "Wednesday meetings". The President of this organization, a fellow by the name of Grover Norquist, spoke to our class in their "Wednesday meeting" conference room. Some very large and very influential interest groups meet with Grover to help determine Tax Reform Policy. Their basic goal is to have government "quit stealing" from the American people in the form of taxes. Mr. Norquist has been quoted as saying, "I want to make government small enough to drown in a bathtub." This was a great speech, not because of his politics -that I could have cared less about. The fact that we were meeting with him, in that meeting room, where so many influential people meet, helped to make it a once in a lifetime experience. 

The next day, we met with the opposite side of the Tax debate; Joel Friedman senior fellow for the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. This individual gave the Progressive perspective on tax reform.

The next day I had my internship, and nothing too exciting happened there--except that I have started writing something that Congressman LaHood could read on the floor and that would be published in the Congressional Record (which is a publication of the floor debates and proceedings). 

Today, our class toured the Pentagon. I had not been to the building because of time restraints and the fact that it is not in an easy location to get to. Looking back, I am glad I was able to take the tour. Initially, we had to wait outside the building for about 20 minutes. while they checked to make sure we had everyone we needed.  Then they took two forms of ID from us, and went through all of the bag/cell phone/jacket checking that is so prevalent here in Washington. After that we were let into the Pentagon. My, this was an experience. There were officers, enlisted men and women, civilians with important looking badges, all around us. Inside, I found out--it really IS like a small city!! We had two enlisted individuals (one from the U.S. Navy, the other from the U.S. Air Force) give us the tour and the one at the front of our line walked backwards facing our group the whole time--I am guessing to make sure no one in our group strayed away or took off! The other hung out at the back for the same reason. I figured there wouldn't be much to see there, which wasn't really false. There is so much that they don't show but you--but for good reason. I enjoyed being surrounded by so many influential people; it made me more excited to pursue a military career than before! I stayed and talked with the guides for about an hour afterwards. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Tonight we had our last rehearsal for the Choir Concert that will be held this weekend. We are singing Haydn's The Creation which was one of his last works! Through our choir, I was also invited to sing in the Christmas in Washington event where groups sing Christmas songs in a televised event for some "Big Timers" including The President and First Lady!!  Unfortunately, I have a commitment that weekend :(  so I will not be able to sing with them. I guess last year Rascal Flatts sang along with some other pretty big names. Disappointing, but the commitment is much better--SARAH!!!

Tomorrow I have my internship and then the weekend. I only have one more paper (one covering how my internship has gone) which will be pretty easy. I am participating in a debate on Monday where I will be supporting the death penalty. This is not exactly my position on this, but I volunteered because no one in class was going to take it. After that I only have my final exams to study for, and then I am coming home!!  I can not wait to see all of you again!

Thanks for Reading!!

November 9, 2005

Hello!

I have had a pretty good week. Let's see--where do I start?

I have been pretty busy reading and getting ready for the end of the semester. We have a little break coming up and I am going to try to make it so I am able to enjoy my Thanksgiving. I am currently studying about the Supreme Court, and getting a repeat of some of the information we covered in my Constitutional Law class back at MC. We have the "exciting" Tax Reform coming up next--Woo Hoo!!

At the beginning of the week we were required to attend open arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court. It was amazing to be in the presence of people like justices Scalia, John Roberts, Sandra Day O'Connor, Clarence Thomas, Ginsberg....These are people who help to protect the Constitution, and it is similar to seeing President Bush and his aides. The hearing wasn't all that exciting as far as substance.

The experience was the part that provided the rush. We also got to see first hand the little quirks of each Justice--like seeing Clarence Thomas staring off in space, the ceiling; not really paying much attention--I even caught him keeping himself entertained by quickly brushing his index finger up and down across his lips, like I used to get yelled at for doing when I was 5!!

I also saw Justice Scalia doing his infamous rocking back and fourth, slowly as the proceedings are going on. When he gets close to asking a question he begins to rock faster and faster--and with more velocity, until he is ready to ask--at which point he catapults forward against his desk and begins his question.

Justice Ginsberg standing a massive 4' nothing was sitting in her incredibly high backed chair--one that would make even Shaq look like he was sitting in the chair from Alice in Wonderland!! All in all it was a truly incredible experience.

My next experience---which occurred yesterday---is one that I knew was a possibility, but never dreamed it would be a reality. At 8:30 P.M. I found myself walking with four other class mates to 1600 and Pennsylvania--You guessed it--the White House. This was no ordinary visit though. We had been cleared through a staffer who had been in our professor's class three years ago, I believe, to take a West Wing Tour!!!

I can't quite describe the feelings I experienced while walking through. It was so unrealistic, I have waited to write this e-mail to make sure I had been able to ask enough people to confirm it wasn't a dream!! I have not seen the West Wing but the staffer giving the tour says it doesn't look anything like it does on the show. She did say that the movie 'The American President' probably has the closest West Wing reproduction.

We were able to see the Oval Office (of course), the Roosevelt Room, the Cabinet Room, the Press Room, the Rose Garden (even if it was at night), the Situation Room, the Mess Hall, and the pathway the President will walk from the residence part of the house to where his office is each morning.

The art, pictures, everything was amazing!! Dubya wasn't around and I didn't catch a glimpse of Laura, or the twins--not even the dogs!! But to be in the same place the President and every President since--well--Madison--if not Teddy Roosevelt has held residence and lead the country from--I'll just say that I was overwhelmed! I got several pictures, but they only let us take pictures out towards the Rose Garden and in the Press Room. I took as many as I could unfortunately, it was dark and even sprinkling a bit, so you can't see a whole lot. Here are some pictures the Administration has placed on their website--and you can do a virtual tour of most of the rooms I saw: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/

Tomorrow I have set up a meeting with Congressman Ray LaHood of Peoria, IL--for whom I am working, and my class. We are going to meet and initially go to the Capitol Building (hey I finally spelled it right--took me long enough--geesh, I'm an idiot) to sit in on a session of Congress and watch the Congressman preside over the House sitting in for the Speaker--as he does often.

If you are ever flipping through channels and catch C-SPAN at a time when he is speaking or sitting in as Speaker, you can see some pretty good stuff. He has a bit of a reputation in that position--He's entertaining to say the least. Anyways, (Betty, I know you are getting antsy--get over it!) he is going to meet with the class when he is finished--so it is pretty cool to be able to set something like that up for the class--I feel like I have connections!

I'll stop it there. I hope all is well. Thanks for reading!! I miss all of you, and can't wait to see ya!

Daniel

October 31, 2005

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I've had a pretty busy week! Last week was a relief to have over as the combination of a paper, a mid-term, and getting another mid-term back was a heck of a load!! I did O.K. on the mid-term with an 80% where the class average was a 72%. Not too bad, but not where I would like to be. My paper was on Interest Groups and I chose the National Education Association, which is basically a large Teacher's Union.

The Internship is going ok. I feel like I screw up a lot, especially as I am not used to the "Office Setting"--It is a bit different from the Meat Department at Duck's or the assembly line at Dial. All in all, I am getting pretty good at the tours and they are leaving me with more and more responsibility each week. I have met and talked to the Congressman on several occasions, and he is really personable, but extremely intimidating.

Last Friday, as I was leaving work, I had made the decision to walk around instead of going straight back to the dorm room as I usually do. I walked several blocks, not sure which direction I was headed and ended up on Pennsylvania Avenue, and in a short time found myself in front of the White House. It is so amazing to be able to leave work, and just walk for about 5-10 minutes and end up at the White House, the Vietnam Memorial, etc.

As I was standing there--being reminded I was in Washington, D.C. again, I noticed there were a few protestors standing next to me. One of them looked so familiar, but I couldn't place her. After about five minutes of staring blankly at her, one of the other people came up to her and said, "Cindy, are you ready to go?" I noticed right there that it was Cindy Sheehan, the leader of the Anti-War protest held outside of President Bush's ranch in Texas and then the rally that I had attended earlier in the semester, with several hundred thousand people attending.

I HAD to be obnoxious and get a picture. I was polite, and didn't bash her in anyway. I asked her if she would be willing to take a picture with me, and she obliged. I only had my phone, and handed it to one of the other protestors. She put her arm around me and I flashed the peace sign and a $#!t-eating grin. I later got home to find out my phone was out of memory for pictures and it didn't take :-(  So, I think next week I am going to try again if she is around.

Last night was a pretty big evening. Rosa Parks had passed away in the last week, and Congress voted on having her body lie in state at the Capital Building. The event was open to the public, so I and another student from American University decided to go. There are several significant facts about this event: First there are rarely civilians who are honored in this way. Besides her, the only others were the two Capital guards who were shot in 1998. We went around 8:00P.M. and they were going to open the doors around 9:30P.M. so we figured there would be a large line.

Instead of waiting the girl and I showed our Intern Badges to the security officers and we were taken to the staff entrance. Our waiting time was only about an hour and a half--and when we got inside, we had heard that the public had started lining up at 1:00P.M.!! We were really lucky to get in and out that fast! It was an honor to see her lie in state as she did so many things with one bold and ballsy move. There were also many influential people going in and out while we were waiting, including President Bush, Majority and Minority Leaders, many Senators and Congressmen---We only saw a few--and didn't get the chance to see "W".

Tonight was Beggar's Night and I went to Embassy Row with a large group of German Guys as a soccer team. We had bought AU shirts and all had the same color of shirts and long socks on...some had soccer cleats and one guy had a sports suit, fedora, marker board to draw up plays and a whistle. He was Hilarious!! He would blow the whistle and make us line up together and thank each Embassy we went to after raiding for candy--or other items.

He would occasionally make someone even do some push-ups!! It was really neat to get the chance to go into each Embassy, and meet either the Dignitaries or the maid's and butler's of each Ambassador! The buildings were AMAZING as well! I came home early and the guys all stayed out. Cash flow is low, and didn't really feel like going out tonight. So, now I am here!

I hope all is well!

Thanks for reading, and it would be great to hear from you!

Daniel

October 24, 2005

Greetings MC!

I have had an extremely busy couple of weeks! I apologize for not writing sooner.

Last weekend my mom and sister were to come here to visit. They told me that my sister was going to bring a "friend" and that "friend" ended up being my brother. I met them at Ronald Reagan Airport Thursday evening at around 10:30 p.m. and we took the Metro back to our hotel, passing over the Potomac, the Jefferson and Washington Monuments and other landmarks. I must say, they look amazing at night--with all of the lights and stone--a-flippin'-mazing!

Our hotel was just a block and a half from Union Station and two blocks from the Capital Building--so pretty decent location. Friday morning we got up pretty early to beat the early crowds at the Capital Building. I took them to Longworth House Office Building, which is where I am working, and showed them my office--whoa, that is a bit weird..referring to "my" office--I'll say Congressman LaHood's Office. I introduced them to the staff and got all of our tour information together. From there I gave them the tour of the Capital Building. The tour included the Hall of Columns, Statuary Hall/Former House Chamber, Current House Chamber, Small Rotunda, Large Rotunda, and the Old Supreme Court Chamber. It is a pretty good tour. Since this is part of my job duties for our constituents, I was able to give them a personal tour. It was pretty neat to show them what I had been doing for part of the time while being here. On average, I give about 4-5 tours per week, so I am getting to where I don't need to use any prompting cards--along with more confidence.

From there we toured the Supreme Court Building, Library of Congress, Holocaust Museum, and then walked down the National Mall towards the Washington and Lincoln Monuments. I took tons of pictures, and have all of them on my Yahoo! picture site: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dbliss9/my_photos

The pictures give a better idea of where I went..so I don't get too "verbose".

The next day, we had found what sports bar was going to show the Iowa Hawkeye Football game. The place we found was actually where the University of Iowa's Alumni Club from the D.C. area goes to watch the games. The place had somewhere around 50-60 televisions, and maybe 15-20 pool tables (which were used as eating tables), and tons of Hawkeye fans--we estimated at around 75!! It was great to see so much Black and Gold that far away from Iowa City--a pleasing reminder of home. *sigh* We also met someone from Keokuk, IA: Curtis Philp (sp?) who is working on The Hill for Senator Charles Grassley...who I just did a report on--strange small world! Anyway, my mom, brother, sister, and I enjoyed the game "among friends" and probably ordered too many pitchers...as we still had sightseeing that we wanted to do! Let's say, the beer was flowing, the Hawks were winning, people were cheering, oh, and the Hot Wings were tasty!! A good time was had by all--and mom's cheeks were a bit flushed when we were getting ready to leave!! It is good for us to have those times together--as we rarely get any time to sit down and laugh anymore. We took some goofy pictures, and had a really great time. We did our sightseeing after this, and visited American University, where I introduced them to my roommates and showed them my room. Later that evening, Ryan, my brother, and I went to an old Irish Pub next to our hotel called "The Dubliner", a place Ryan's father-in-law visits when he is in town. Again, we spent too much money, but we met up with Stefan, one of my roommates, and another guy from Germany, Tobias and we had a lot of fun. The Germans really enjoyed the pub-- it has a lot of character, and I found it similar to the pubs in Scotland!

We got up again the next day and visited two Smithsonian Museums: Natural History and National History. We saw so many neat things including the Hope Diamond, a T-Rex model, Kermit the Frog, etc. (check the pictures). My brother left that afternoon, and my mom and sister left early the next morning. It was great to see them, but I was really worried about taking my mid-term exam the next day after not studying hardly at all over the weekend.

I got through the mid-term and the last week. It has been a bit stressful, as homesickness has set in again--after getting a taste of home from their visit. I am working on several projects and have kept busy at work for Congressman LaHood. Money is also starting to stress me out, as I have about $50 for the remainder of the semester--eww 9 weeks! I stress to future students--don't be too frivolous at the beginning--wait until you are sure you are going to have enough for the rest of semester..especially if you are already working on a tight budget and aren't fortunate to be able to rely on parents help much. I would suggest trying to land an internship where you might get some sort of reimbursement--some pay for meals and transportation--mine, and many Congressional Internships have no compensation what-so-ever. They "pay you with experience." Which is good for people who have mommy and daddy to buy things for them. Getting a second job, I wouldn't recommend, as you might be too swamped or bogged down to enjoy your free time.

I do want to include that I went to see Senator Bob Dole speak this evening. I figured he was going to be pretty dry, similar to what you might expect a "book-on-tape" of applied economics (Apologies to Professor Johnston, if you are reading). He was actually very funny, and kept the crowd on their toes. He first spoke about the humorous events in politics, walking around the stage, neglecting to stand behind the podium. He grasped the audience's attention and ran with it for a while. He then transitioned into a more serious speech where he assumed the position behind the podium and disappointingly read a brief inspirational speech. Despite the reading, he still had my attention, and discussed a current visit to Europe; London, Paris, and Berlin. He talked about the opinions, and mis-perceived opinions of Americans, and American Politics. He also talked about how most Americans believed they were hated around the globe from actions in Iraq. He discredited this, and talked about how and why it was untrue. He had no political agenda, he has been out of politics for 9 years. His support of young people participating in public and civil service spoke directly to me, and fortified my dream of someday serving in the armed services and maybe as an elected official. There are many who take advantage of what has been given to them, but it is the others who are willing to give back that make this country so great. I came away from the speech with an extremely different opinion of the Senator, and a better understanding of why he was successful as a politician.

I am so glad I have had this opportunity--thanks to all who helped me get here!

Thanks for reading,

Dan Bliss
 

October 18, 2005

Greetings Friends!

I've had a tough couple of weeks and have some big days next week, so I have been extremely busy. To those of you whom I haven't been able to talk to, don't be offended, I have to be picky with my free time--whenever I might get some : }

I have two midterms next Monday. I am caught up reading-wise, I just have to make sure I review my notes well enough now, as my mom and little sister are coming Thursday evening and staying here until Monday morning. This doesn't leave much time for studying over the weekend :(

Anyway, as I said, I had a very busy week last week. I got my first paper back, and was a bit surprised at the result. My Professor scared me to death (along with my other classmates). She announced before handing out the papers that she was quite disappointed in them. She said that it wasn't what she had learn to expect from Washington Semester Students. I was literally shaking as I just had the feeling that mine was one of the papers she was talking about. I had spent a significant amount of time and effort on it, I think that was why I was so scared. The assignment was to pick someone who was holding federal office and do a quick summary of their background, successes, etc. and then why you picked them, and at the end analyzed their career. I chose Senator Charles Grassley, (R-IA) who is quite moderate, and has been the whistleblower on several occasions on issues from both sides of the aisle. He is an extremely respectable public servant and the state of Iowa is lucky to have someone in Washington representing with his qualities and accomplishments. I learned so much about him, I was really confused as to how my paper could have been so bad.

After getting my paper back, I was even more scared when with all of the red ink on the first page, my paper seemed to be bleeding. I flipped to the back page and saw that a big "B" on it. A sigh of relief, let me tell ya!

I was a bit disappointed, as I thought it was an "A" effort, but the comments included that I was too verbose--me? Noooo! Anyway, I started to talking to everyone else, and basically came to the conclusion that the average grade was a "B" with very--very few A's. I am not quite sure how to take this--is my professor just being easy on us because it is the first paper? Does she expect lots of A's? I don't know.


This weekend I went to a soccer--excuse me, Futbol game between D.C. United and the NJ/NY Metro Stars. It was really a great experience. I would like to go to a game in Europe or South America, where the fans are just as crazy, but there are just 4-5x more of them! I went with the group of German guys who I have become rather close to. They are really good guys, and I generally have a good time with them. Their English isn't too bad, but I am asked to help them--so I feel like a jerk correcting them all of the time.

To future students:

Living here is quite expensive, but if done correctly, there are some incredible things you can do and not spend too much money. To provide you with some of the hindsight I have, I would suggest to learn as many people as possible the first few weeks. The program is based on the internships--and nearly everyone has one. Some are at sports arenas like RFK, some at places like The Kennedy Center--where the Wizards play, and many plays/musicals are held...etc.

It is through these internships, people get certain perks--I went to the soccer game for free because a guy I had had lunch with early in the semester, who I just went over and sat with because I noticed he and I were both alone in the cafeteria. He saw me last week, and asked if I was into soccer at all--and if I knew anyone who might be interested in going to a D.C. United game!! I had actually just finished playing a pick-up game with the German guys, and well, put two and two together. He set us up with ten $24 tickets--It was amazing! I have had many other offers like that--so be aware that there are so many things you can do that don't cost money--which is good, as I am scraping the bottom of the coffee can and I'm only half-way through!

Ok...back to the game. It was pretty exciting. There weren't many fans, but the ones that were there were nuts!! I bought a scarf, as I noticed everyone had one! They use them for many things: Holding them up as signs that have their respected teams on them; they swing them like a lasso around their head; and can probably use them as protection or weapons if needed; and well, maybe to keep warm too :)

At the midpoint, the game was tied, and the fans were pumped up after a late goal in the first period. I went to grab a hot chocolate and stumbled onto this "Mosh Pit" of fans near the middle of the stadium in front of one of the concession stands. There were about 7 bass drums, cowbells, symbols..etc etc. The beer was flowing pretty heavily I believe. The guys sporting the drums had a cadence going and other fans were dancing in a circle. I decided to join--being a little on the tipsy side myself--hey, we all need to unwind a bit!

It was really a good time, considering I knew no one there. There were chants and songs I picked up, and sang/screamed along with unhesitatingly. It was great! Then one of the drummers signaled to someone and everyone just started walking back into the stadium.

I was going to go back to my seat--but this guy holding a HUGE flag that had their groups name on it just handed me a side. I grabbed it and danced/sang back to the crowd's seats. I scouted out a spot and sat about 5 rows back from the field (like $60 tix) the rest of the game--in the middle of this crazy section, jumping, cheering, heckling, with 75 drunken D.C. United fans. It was a pretty good time--

--hot chocolate: $2.50
--scarf:$17
--Dancing, jumping, and "yelling" songs with 75 drunken 35+ year-olds...Priceless!


P.S. the United Lost 3-1.


Thanks for reading--I'll try to get a hold of the people who have tried calling me here after mid-terms are finished.

I miss you all!!

Dan B.

September 28, 2005

Greetings!

I have been extremely busy the last week and a half!! My internship is underway, and I am beginning to learn my way around the office--and the confusing office buildings. My responsibilities are beginning to grow, and I am being trusted with more. Last week, I helped give a tour of the Capital Building. I am learning so much in just helping give these tours, and I am trying to take in as much as I can in the office. I am learning more about some of the issues and have actually had to talk to many constituents on issues I was definitely not familiar with several weeks ago. It is really a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get the hands-on experience that is available here.

This last weekend, I experienced my first real, hard-core protest. between 150,000 to 200,000 gathered in the streets of Washington, D.C. and marched to the ellipse which has been the sight of many---MANY protests in the past. The protest was sending a message that opposed the War in Iraq. Cindy Sheehan was leading the protest which has been going on for nearly a month. She recently was near President Bush's ranch with a group of people and has received a substantial amount of exposure from the press. There has also been many rise in opposition to her, in fair and unfair ways. Some have organized legitimate protests against her, when many have burned her over the air waves. I have also heard of a trucker demolishing signs and crosses she and others had put up near Camp Casey, which is named after her son who was killed in Iraq. Mrs. Sheehan has helped to organize the Gold Star mothers (I think is the name of the organization). This is a group of mothers who have sons and daughters who are serving, been injured, or killed (I believe). Also, in New York, she was speaking in Time Square and her microphone was turned off by the NYPD and the organizer of the protest there was arrested for not having the proper permits. Some have raised major concern and believe this is an infringement on her and others' First Amendment rights.

About the protest, I was in shock at the amount of people. It was a protest in the form that you might expect. People, of all different type of race, creed, age, sex, were marching. I met them at the ellipse where a stage was set i nthe south-east corner, as I remember. The Washington and Lincoln Monuments were with in several hundred yards from where I was standing, as well as the World War II and Vietnam Memorials. It was like a scene from one of my history books, or even Forrest Gump, where he jumps into the reflection pool running after Jenny (of which I so wanted to do!). I had the privilege of hearing Mrs. Sheehan speak at this stage, along with Al Sharpton, and two Congresswomen. Joan Baez and Steve Earle both sang their memorable songs ("Christmas in Washongton" and "F__ the FCC" to name two). I had a flood of emotions running through me, as it was like turning the clock back to the 70's where protests such as this one are remembered.

I couldn't help than to become excited. Why? I realized, while standing in the middle of a crowd chanting "Shame on You!" what this meant. It meant that the American people had a problem. Looking back in history, when the American people have had a serious problem with someone, they send a message. That message--sometimes fast, sometimes slower--spreads. It spreads until something is done about it. It is my personal belief that this is when the American Public demonstrate what is so unique about the Democratic system. By sparking the flames of the people, Cindy Sheehan has helped to create the fire of Democracy that has only been seen a handful of times in the United States. It is this fire that will--in my opinion--that will help to spur the federal government to respond to the fire, in a way that will help, that is if the fire is hot enough and burns long enough. I am not saying this as a Republican, Newly transplanted Democrat--I am saying this as an American, who loves the unique system we have. I just feel so privileged to be able to see this first hand. It's amazing.

On to another subject--I had a speaker Monday at the Federal Elections Commission building. She was one of the 5 present Commissioners and discussed the function of the FEC. She also touched on BICRA, or McCain-Feingold, or Campaign Finance Reform..whatever you want to call it. Currently, that is a very hot issue, and many people are talking about it. It is not the most exciting subject, but it is going to change how campaigns are run today. the FEC building is right next to the FBI building, so I was able to see that. I remembered from my last trip here that Ford's Theatre is right around the corner from there. Another student from my class and I went to the theatre to see if we could get in--as they were remodeling it the last time I was here, and didn't get the chance to go in. There was an aura about the place! It was almost chilling--from the first step I placed inside. I thought to myself--this was one of the last buildings President Abraham Lincoln set foot in...woah! The theatre is still in working order and has several shows playing currently. It is really nice inside--but quaint. They have the "President's Box" draped in flags, almost as it might have looked the night President Lincoln was shot. It was really a remarkable experience. Downstairs they had a museum which contained the long suit coat the President wore that night--with, supposedly his blood still stained in parts. There was also the pistol that was used to shoot the President and the dagger that was used to wound the Major Rathbone, by John Wilkes Booth.

I love the history here, and am really getting a better idea of how this city works!

Thanks for reading!

Dan B.

September 19, 2005

Good Evening MC,

Well, I had my first few bouts with homesickness---ever this last weekend. I only live a little over an hour from Monmouth and have never been a quick trip from home, my family, and my friends. I came here on a "self-induced" high in order to meet as many people as possible. I soon grew weary and didn't really want to meet anyone new. I wanted to see the old familiar faces from home and MC. I talked with friends online, and my mom on the phone, which helped immensely, but still had a tough time sleeping over the weekend. I basically sat inside and moped to myself. This is difficult for me as this is the longest I have been from home, without the comfort of knowing I can go there if I need to. I was also stressed the past week with trying to find an internship before the deadline and starting that internship. I was also feeling the pressure of buckling down for the semester as the newness of the classes wore off and I began to get geared up for everything.

Today, after long talks with my girlfriend, Sarah Braun, (who is studying in Florence Italy this semester), and my mom, I am feeling much better. For those of you who are wondering about studying off-campus, it is a great opportunity, but if you haven't left home really before, it might be a bit rough sometimes. I am hoping I have gotten over the toughest part and am beginning to build relationships to help me in the future when the separation becomes difficult to handle.

All of that aside, my Monday was another first for me. President Jimmy Carter came and addressed the American University populous today. One very important thing I have noticed, with the many experiences here is that before going to a speaker, (especially one with as much history, and political plout as the former President) one must check their ideologies at the door. I say this because if I, as a self-proclaimed Republican (only because that is where my foundations lie) would get nothing out of this semester!! Why? If I walked into the gymnasium today with the thought that what I was going to hear was going to be a bunch of B.S. just because I didn't believe it, I would have heard nothing he said, and missed out on the opportunity that was being presented.

President Carter was not only our 39th President (1977-1981) but he has accomplishments that many would love to have on a resume: Panama Canal Treaties, Camp David Accords, SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, strong environmental protection, and since leaving the office of the Presidency, has gained recognition as a mediator and peacemaker--winning the Nobel Peace Prize in October of 2002. Today, President Carter and former Secretary of State, James A. Baker, III presented their final report of the Commission on Federal Election Reform to President Bush, Congress, and the public. This report has recommendations on what they consider as what would be improvements to the U.S. electoral system (here is a link that has the report: http://www.american.edu/ia/cfer/. At the presentation, he briefly covered some of these recommendations and why they were needed. As well as being critical of some important legislation, President Carter criticized the current Administration's actions in Iraq, and the shady election tactics of the last two elections, stating formally, that Al Gore had won the 2000 election.

This was an amazing speech. Not because he was that poetic, stately. I was amazed just at the responses from most of the audience, who praised a lot of what he had to say. I had to say to myself that the people sitting around me were the future political movers and shakers. It was probably the first time I realized that my peers were the ones who were beginning to be excited about politics--they are the new age "hippies" or whatever you want to call them. They are hungry for leadership, or to be leaders themselves. I noticed this with the question-answer period President Carter entertained after his speech. I saw everyone from Alumni, professors, to Freshman, stand at the microphones and in (for the most part) a dignified manner addressed questions to someone who has held,
(arguably) the most powerful position in the world. The students questioned his actions as President, and also praised his long standing public service. They congratulated him on his current work on Election Reform, and asked for his advice on their personal future endeavors. I think, with all of the criticism my generation receives, they truly showed me something different today.

I am going to post some pictures on my Yahoo! site of the speech when I get them.

Thanks for reading MC!

Dan Bliss

September 16, 2005

Howdy Monmouth!

Well, pretty good week!! I was offered an intern position from two different places. One was an organization called American Legislative Exchange Counsel. This particular organization does research on certain legislation and policies, and helps to inform or even writes model legislation for Conservative Congressmen. It is amazing how partisan these organizations are! My other offer was with Congressman Ray Lahood (R-IL) who is the congressman for the 18th Legislative district. It is actually right next to Monmouth and runs from Peoria down to Rushville. (The district is attached at the right.)

It is actually the same Congressional district that have been Represented by "Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Scott Lucas (former Senate Majority Leader), Everett Dirksen (former Senate Minority Leader), and Bob Michel (former House Minority Leader)." http://www.house.gov/lahood/welcome.htm From the Congressman's website.

I had my first day of work today, where I assisted another staff member in giving a tour of the Capitol Building. This will give me so much more information that might be basic or simple, but it is a good foundation to learn some of the history of Washington. I also have a decent amount of responsibility in the office. When in the office of a Congressman, different from Senators, there are usually only a few interns. At Congressman LaHood's office, I am the only one. Today, to get a better idea of how the office works, I answered and directed phone calls. I was to determine what peoples' calls were pertaining to, and decide which Legislative Assistant should get the call--as they all have certain responsibilities. I also opened the mail and did the same with that. These will not be my only duties while being in the office. It was a slow day as most Fridays are. On Fridays, the Congressman serves his office hours in Jacksonville, Peoria, or Springfield. This being said, the office uses Fridays as days to catch up on their work. I am really excited about this opportunity as there will be many substantive things I will be able to take back to Monmouth with. I will also get to attend committee meetings and take notes for the Legislative Assistant from the meetings.

I am not quite sure what else I have to say---there is so much! I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading--I miss all of you!!

Dan Bliss

September 12, 2005

The end of the week last week was amazing!! I attended a Senate Hearing for the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The Senators, along with several witnesses were discussing Hurricane Katrina and its effects on the regions surrounding the most devastated. Because of the press exposure and the potential amount of people to view the hearing, plus the amount of witnesses, the format was changed to a roundtable-type hearing. I was amazed initially walking in and seeing Senator Edward Kennedy sitting in his chair, face as red as it could be with flaming white hair. He was the image you remember from television--only much more vivid features. I also saw Sen. Bill Frist's nametag on a table as well as Sen. Tom Harkin and Sen. Pat Roberts, all names most people have heard in the news lately. I did not, however recognize or see any of these people. I was a bit awestruck by being in the presence of such notable and influential people--in the same room. It was incredible.

Then---the hearing began. The testimony of the witnesses was utterly breathtaking. I know, some who know the processes are like--Senate hearings--breathtaking!!!?? They were educators, some superintendents of elementary schools, district superintendents, and college and university representatives. What these people were sharing included mostly of what they had witnessed in the last week and a half. The devastation, heartbreak, and loss that these people have suffered through is immense and incredible. They gave vivid descriptions as well as suggestions for what they needed to get through the disaster. Out of this hearing, the senate okayed the $50 billion--I think---to help start the aid.

I also did see Senator Clinton come in---late--and leave about 20 minutes later. She was probably busy.

The presence of the people of the Senate--the ones in the paper every day, was pretty cool. To hear the stories of service from the witnesses, was more of an honor to me.

The hearing is summarized here:
http://help.senate.gov/bills/hlh_100_bill.html

I went to another Nationals game--against the Braves. My roommate got tickets from his boss at Merrill Lynch...$40.00 tickets, for free!! We sat in the third row right behind home plate--I am working on uploading the pics on my picture site!!

Take care--I hope all is well, and thanks for reading!

Dan Bliss

September 7, 2005

Greetings MC,

I forgot to mention in my last post, that my roommate Sebastian and I went to a Washington Nationals game between the "Nats" (as they are referred to here) and the Philadelphia Phillies. We went with a group of 25 students from AU and they consisted mainly of international students who had never seen a baseball game before. The tickets were $10.00 and really weren't that bad as far as viewing the game went. The other students were extremely bored as the first half of the game was pretty dull and stood at a standstill for several innings at 1-3 (after some early excitement). In the second half of the game, though, the Phillies hit a Grand Slam Homerun (many go their entire lives without seeing one in person at a ballpark). Up to that point I was trying to keep Sebastian occupied by explaining some of the rules and strategies that are unseen to someone who has never watched the game before. In all we had a great time, and in the 9th inning, many of the fans had left. We took advantage of this, and "scalped" some seats closer to the field. We were sitting five rows back on the third base side--He enjoyed that much better--especially after we were shown waiving our $9.00 Foam Washington Nationals #1 Fan Over-sized Fingers on the Big Screen of the stadium!!

I had an exciting day Tuesday!! We had class in the morning and discussed elections and campaigns. I had taken a class with Professor Robin Johnson at Monmouth that helped me out greatly with discussion. We went into detail about the certain ways elections are run and the necessities in order to run a successful campaign. I reflected back on my other classes at Monmouth and was able to contribute to the point of Dr. Lowenthal asking the rest of the class if they knew anything about this. Needless to say, I was elated to be able to recall things I had learned at Monmouth and to utilize them somewhere else--and be correct!!

My group chose to finish our sight-seeing tour of Washington/scavenger hunt assignment for class. We had to go to our Representatives offices, two Smithsonian museums and the Supreme Court. I visited the Honorable Representative Lane Evans' office. He represents my district--and the district Monmouth College is in. He wasn't in yet, as most are still getting back in town from their recesses, but I did meet his staff and set up a potential meet-and-greet with him later in the semester. After visiting the Representatives of the people in my group, we ventured to the Supreme Court Building. We saw a line leading into the Building and were about ready to turn around and leave to come back later. I stopped someone who was coming from the building and asked what was going on. I was totally oblivious to almost every flag being at half-staff, and of the television cameras until the gentleman told us that we had stumbled on the Late Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist's public casket viewing!!! We couldn't resist, so we hopped in line and paid our respects and were on our way. The solemn, yet intoxicating mood of the inside of the building was intriguing mix. I was in the building that re-enforced the constitution set over 200 years ago by the founding fathers. Our country relied on the decisions that had come from that building. The casket was draped with the American Flag, in the middle of the Great Hall of the Supreme Court Building which is lined with the white marble busts of the Court's previous 14 Chief Justices. The casket, which I had heard in line, was lying on the "Lincoln Catafalque" (I think I spelled that correctly) which was the exact same structure on which President Lincoln's coffin rested when he was assassinated a century and a half earlier. I was amazed--and seemed to drift through the line, almost out-of-touch. This will be one thing I will remember for the rest of my life!
Video of the casket being carried in can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/06/rehnquist.funeral.ap/index.html

I have posted pictures of us in line--and the line behind us. As I said, it was amazing!

Thanks for reading!

Dan Bliss

September 5, 2005

Good Day Monmouth College!

I am enjoying my Labor Day, OFF!!!! Woo Hoo!!

Anyways, my roommates took a trip to New York with a group of students from American University. They left Saturday morning and are due back Monday evening (Labor Day) around 8:30 or 9:00. Sunday, I was a bit bored. So, I went sight-seeing by myself, as I didn't want to have to fit into anyone else's plans or time restraints. I wanted to see what I was wanting to see, and go where I wanted to go...when I wanted to. It was kinda nice. I ventured all around the vicinity of the White House. I had a really a great time, talking to people I didn't know, I have still yet to meet a stranger!! I just took sightseeing pictures as I didn't have anyone with me, but if you are interested, I will upload all of my pictures here: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dbliss9/my_photos. I found an interactive map online, so if you are trying to follow my route, (I put the pictures in the same order I took them) you can here: http://dcpages.com/Tourism/Maps/Washington_DC_Map/. The map is interactive, so if you click or put the mouse on a certain icon or building it will give certain information.

The news about Chief Just Justice 's death stormed the halls Saturday evening, just minutes after it was released. The people here are so in touch with everything. No more than ten minutes after it was announced to the public, everyone in the dorms had heard. They were all in rooms that had televisions, moaning, that President Bush will have another nomination. I was mourning, but not for that reason. I was more concerned with the fact that I thought Rehnquist had done a wonderful job, from my little experience in studying constitutional law, at what he did. He held a lot of respect in my eyes, not exactly for his beliefs in the system, but just the fact that he had served this country in the best way he could--and that was from the Bench--weird, if thought of in sports terms.

The catastrophic events in Louisiana and surrounding areas are becoming more realistic with the disturbing images and reports coming out of the area. There are many people in this city regularly did business down there, and don't quite know how to react--like, should they charge the people for their services..and if they decide to, where do they send the bill?!

Well, I am off to do more homework. I applaud those of you who are following my journey. To those who read in the future--this is an amazing program, even if you are not interested in politics. There are many people who have desires to be in law, journalism, international business, foreign policy, environmental policy....so many. Even if you don't know anything about politics...aside from what you have studied in school since 6th grade or grammar school civics, this is a great way to get an enriched view that starts as introductory, and ends very advanced. The interactions are amazing, as the students are extremely smart. The connections the professors have in this city run deep---very deep. I urge anyone who is considering this program, to take a chance..you'll be glad you did!

Congrats Fighting Scots Football team on your opening season victory---Go Scots!

Thanks for reading!

Dan Bliss
 

September 1, 2005

Greetings Everyone!

Well, another couple of days under my belt and I am getting more and more comfortable with mobility in the city (Hooray!!)

I still feel like little tiny fish in an amazingly large sea. To help ease my (and I am sure others') fears of coming to a large city, Dr. Lowenthal (my professor) assigned a "Scavenger Hunt" for groups in class. We are to do things such as: Take the obligatory tourist photo in front of the White House, Visit each person's respective congressmen's office on Capital Hill (a.k.a. "The Hill" here), think of another Washington, D.C. experience for everyone in the group to take part in, etc. etc. We have to take a picture of each task and bring the camera back to her when we are finished with the six objectives. This is a great way to get to know the Metro system (bus and train) and get better bearings with directions in the city.

Throughout the semester we will hear from important players in Washington, who have an expertise or interesting story to tell. This week, we had a woman who reads polls come and tell us about the history of polls, an overview of the current poll readings she has done, and current trends in the gaps (marriage, race, gender etc.) It was pretty interesting. Yesterday, however, we heard a very moving and informational speech from Ambassador Joe C. Wilson. I am not sure if any of you know who exactly he is, but he produced a very thick and very elaborate speech about his position as Ambassador to Africa, Iraq, and connections to the investigation of Niger and their suspected sale of 500 Tons of yellowcake uranium. He was also famous for being one of the last people from the U.S. to talk to Saddam Hussein before the beginning of Persian Gulf War II. His investigations (along with two others) found that there was no way yellowcake uranium could have been sold under a clandestine operation. The market of yellowcake uranium is one that is so controlled and so monitored, that secret negotiations would be impossible--in his opinion. Several other operatives sent to Niger at the time had the same findings and reported to the C.I.A. Regardless of these debriefings, and findings, President Bush carried out Operation: Iraqi Freedom on the terms of WMD's (a British report embellished by both sides to make it look like yellowcake uranium was sold to Iraq from Niger).

He had many other things to say, but his main point was that partisan politics do not belong in matters of National Security. They did in this administrations' terms and they are paying for it now. In addition, he made several other wonderful points.

Sitting here reading any of this, and knowing where I stand politically, some might be astonished. But, I must say, this is the first time I have heard an anti-war speaker and anti-bush speaker provide sufficient and credible evidence that persuaded the Bush administration handled the situation with Iraq carelessly. Other speakers have attacked Bush's presidency by questioning his legitimacy, stating he is a liar, questioning his intelligence, etc. Ambassador Wilson did none of this!!

I have not yet heard back from an internship. I called back to the Department of Commerce and left a message. I also contacted Congressman Ray LaHood's office to attempt to get an internship on "The Hill". That would be amazing, but many times, congressional interns usually don't have a substantive internship. I am hoping that the Department of Commerce works out!! My advice is to get an idea, and make sure you have a resume, cover-letters, and maybe even a writing sample prepared ahead of time.

I have no television in my room, but am well aware of the tragedy facing many in the southern states. Hurricane Katrina is a huge story in town and every newspaper, or poster, or news bulletin you see has something about it. I have been told that American University has offered to allow students from Tulane University to come to school here at no extra charge. Several floors in my dorm have already started to take collections to send to organizations supporting efforts to help people there. This tragic event will hopefully help to bring the people of this nation together again and bring back the patriotic spirit that is, in my belief unique to the United States of America. I pray for the families affected by this terrible tragedy.

I miss you all. Go SCOTS---BEAT CONCORDIA!!

Dan Bliss

August 30, 2005

I arrived in Washington, D.C. with another Monmouth College student in the program--Silvia Fabela. She and I flew out of O'Hare Airport together from Chicago on a direct flight to Raegan Airport in Washington, D.C.. We decided to use the Metro (train), as it could lead us several blocks from the University's Tenley Campus. I am sure the people watching us got a kick out of seeing a kid from a city of 3,200 lug two large suitcases a duffle bag and a laptop through the airport and to the train pick-up, and getting off at one stop to catch a different line to make sure he gets to the right place. It wasn't too tough, but I did struggle a bit, especially considering home town has only two stoplights!!

Silvia and I finally made it to the bus stop. We didn't know that the campus was only a block and a half away from the Metro station, but we hopped on a bus anyway--as many others were. The bus we decided to get on, passed by Tenley Campus (where we needed to go), and went to the Main Campus (where we didn't need to go). We got off from there and walked several blocks back to the Tenley Campus.

Getting settled was difficult as well, as we had packed for three months with only three bags. I found there were many things I thought I could have done without, that I had desperately needed, and things I thought would need I could have done without. I should have thought about packing a little bit longer.

After getting settled in, I walked around campus as neither of my roommates were around. I knew ahead of time their names and some general information about them, but had no idea what they looked like--I actually passed by one going to the bathroom without knowing it. They are both from Germany, and are extremely intelligent. I have been amazed that English is, in fact their third language. One is very fluent in French and the other in Spanish, (having German as their native tongue, of course). After meeting both of them, I found they are very congenial and just as excited about the program as I was. Talking with them more I have learned that their perspective of Americans is based generally on what they see in movies. This is kind of a funny story, as one of the first nights I was here, Stephen, from Berlin Germany, asked me if I would take him to a "real American College party". I hinted as to what he meant by that, as this could have been anything. His response was: "You know, the party in the big huge mansion, with a pool, maybe two pools in the backyard, everyone drinking...then a bunch of people in the kitchen or something, inside of the house, being all crazy and doing crazy things!" I laughed and told him, "Stephen, I think you have just described to me is one of the scenes from every teen movie I have ever seen--those kind of 'parties' don't really happen all of the time."

Sure enough, he was describing to me, what he had seen in movies. A big part of the perception people have of Americans is seen in the movies, or on television. I have had a great time helping them with their English, sharing stories, and telling them about some of the customs or ways of doing things here, to clear up the broken perspective they might have from watching movies.

As far as school is concerned, I have chosen to take an elective titled: Politics in the United States. It is a 110 course, that covers the basics, but papers and a very interesting professor will make the class exciting. I will have the class once per week and for two and a half or three hours. The professor is from New Jersey, and has a funny accent--even funnier than Dr. Smolensky's!! (just kidding) Anyway, teaching is his second profession and he does a lot of political work in Washington. He has, in fact, been invited to help Leaders of Russia set a democratic system (or something like that) I overheard say to another student. It will be fun to get different perspectives from different professors on the same subjects.

I have a seminar class I will take. The program I am in is the American Politics program. I have 30 people in my class and all from different corners of the world. Texas, New York, Connecticut, California, Georgia, South Africa, The Congo, Germany, the list goes on. Being in a classroom that is this diverse will be an incredible experience. All bringing their own teachings and beliefs into one classroom and sharing them with others. It is the best way to discover which policy works best for you...or which belief you hold as important. Our professor invites us to bring in our views, disagree with each other in class, and prove each other right or wrong--with sufficient evidence and grace. Shouting matches are not tolerated!! Although she wants us to disagree in class, she also encourages/promotes agreeing to disagree outside of class. She talked about how in Washington, congressmen used to go out and have dinner or lunch after a day full of debating and disagreeing---Now, they hop on a plane and hang out with the people who agree with what they believe. "What can you learn from that?!" she asked the class. I really like the professor and think she has some wonderful ideas. Dr. Diane Lowenthal is her name, and she also had another Monmouth College student two years ago---Joe Cross, 04 (I think was when he graduated) who is now working out here in Washington, for--whom I believe, he did an internship for while in the Washington Semester!

The internship leads me to my next, and maybe last paragraph of this entry. Part of the requirement of the program is the internship. Every student must seek out an internship, submit a resume, cover letter and/or sometimes a writing sample. It is a very long, formal, but well-worth-it part of the program. Some students come to American University with an internship already lined up. This is nice, as they have nothing to sweat over in the first week or so. The people who do not have an internship yet, such as I have not, are to an advantage, in my opinion. In explanation, not having an idea of where, whom, or for what organization you want to internship which leaves the student a wide open door to the city. Organizations or offices one might not consider if they had something lined up prior to seeing the options. I believe, therefore, that it is better to come to campus with a clear mind, but with some directions you might want to go, as I have. Yesterday, the school held what they call an "Internship Bazaar". This was like a career fair, but all for internships. They ranged from the People of the United Way, to Congressmen, to interest groups, to political actions committees, to government offices. I had an amazing time meeting as many of these individuals as I could, collecting business cards, and finding out about their particular offers for interns. I handed my resume to several places including, the U.S. Department of Commerce, American Enterprise Institute (AEI), The Presidential Classroom, and many, many more. I have not received a call from any of them yet and am considering applying for an Illinois State Congressman.

To conclude today's entry, I am so delighted to be here!! This is going to be an incredible experience and I will be able to do things I never dreamed possible, such as getting up and visiting the White House (as I did this morning). The opportunities this program has to offer me are endless, but not only limited to political science students. I am finding out, some of the students here aren't even involved in politics at their home school!! In addition to that, the diversity here will give me a better idea of the rest of the world and their views or perspectives.

Next time will be shorter, I promise!!

Respectfully,
Dan Bliss