Fun with the US Senate!

Patiently waiting to be graded, the tests are in my briefcase by the front door. There are times I just want a unit to go on and on because of the simple fact that I despise grading tests and ending a unit means giving a test. My unit on the legislative branch finished up this week; in this case I didn't want the unit to end because it was so much fun.

We started with a screening of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I used to be nervous before showing Mr. Smith as there was no way to know how students would respond to it. One, it is old. Two, it is in black and white (every time I show it a student blurts out in the first ten seconds in a voice of painful despair, "Is this in black and white?"). Third, it is about the U.S. Senate. Fourth, it has moments of such unflinching patriotism as to seem propagandistic by today's standards (in fact, Frank Capra would go on to direct the Why We Fight series for the War Department during World War II). After a few showings, I now know how students will respond: the majority of the class always ends up liking it, some students end up loving it, a few are bored to tears, and the entire class is disappointed at the abrupt ending (according to IMDB, the ending was cut down after a test screening).

Now that the movie had inspired the students, we went to my week-long senate simulation. This was only the second time I used this simulation, but I was encouraged that a plurality of the students agreed when a student asked, "Why can't we just keep doing this?" In retrospect, I suppose that could have just been a implicit criticism of my lectures.

The last major activity of the unit involved exploring Thomas. Thomas is the searchable Library of Congress database of legislative activity. I found it by accident while exploring the official website of the US Senate. On a whim and utilizing my SmartBoard, I took my students to Thomas and searched for the legislative records of John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. My students found the results shocking.

Hillary Clinton has sponsored or cosponsored 152 pieces of legislation this term.
Barack Obama has sponsored or cosponsored 113 pieces of legislation this term.
John McCain has sponsored or cosponsored 37 pieces of legislation this term.
On the surface, my students concluded that it looks like Clinton is a serious legislator and McCain is a no-show. Then they read through the bill summaries.

My students concluded that:
Clinton is a legislative lightweight, sponsoring bills such as
S.CON.RES.10 : A concurrent resolution honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 98th anniversary.
S.CON.RES.26 : A concurrent resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and commending recipients of the Purple Heart for their courageous demonstrations of gallantry and heroism on behalf of the United States.
S.CON.RES.27 : A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and ideals of "National Purple Heart Recognition Day".
S.RES.20 : A resolution recognizing the uncommon valor of Wesley Autry of New York, New York.
S.RES.92 : A resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of soldiers of Israel held captive by Hamas and Hezbollah.
S.RES.176 : A resolution recognizing April 30, 2007, as "National Healthy Schools Day".
S.RES.222 : A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
Obviously, this is a stacked selection and most of these types of bills fall at the top of her list while later bills are much more serious.

My students concluded that Barack Obama was driven by one interest:
S.CON.RES.5 : A concurrent resolution honoring the life of Percy Lavon Julian, a pioneer in the field of organic chemistry and the first and only African-American chemist to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
S.CON.RES.25 : A concurrent resolution condemning the recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against peaceful opposition party activists and members of civil society.
S.CON.RES.44 : A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued honoring Rosa Louise McCauley Parks.
S.CON.RES.46 : A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.
S.RES.133 : A resolution celebrating the life of Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson.
S.RES.268 : A resolution designating July 12, 2007, as "National Summer Learning Day".
S.RES.383 : A resolution honoring and recognizing the achievements of Carl Stokes, the first African-American mayor of a major American city, in the 40th year since his election as Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.
These are the first seven items on Obama's list. Like Clinton, he sponsored more serious legistation later in the term, but "National Summer Learning Day?" What?

Finally, my students concluded that despite McCain's relatively small sponsorship of bills, McCain is a serious legislator.
S.32 : A bill to reform the acquisition process of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
S.83 : A bill to provide increased rail transportation security.
S.84 : A bill to establish a United States Boxing Commission to administer the Act, and for other purposes.
S.85 : A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to clarify that territories and Indian tribes are eligible to receive grants for confronting the use of methamphetamine.
S.86 : A bill to designate segments of Fossil Creek, a tributary to the Verde River in the State of Arizona, as wild and scenic rivers.
S.166 : A bill to restrict any State from imposing a new discriminatory tax on cell phone services.
S.192 : A bill providing greater transparency with respect to lobbying activities, and for other purposes.
S.327 : A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the life of Cesar Estrada Chavez and the farm labor movement.
According to my students, even serious legislators have to occasionally sponsor light legislation like S.327.

As we were wrapping up the discussion, I told my students that light legislation is the bulk of legislation proposed by our esteemed members of Congress. They were genuinely angry and disappointed that so much time is wasted on feel-good resolutions. I a fit of hyperbole I assured my students that I was sure that some Congressman had introduced a bill glorifying the chili dog. They challenged me so I turned to Thomas, confidant that something would turn up. No dog, but this bill on chili, reproduced in whole for your enjoyment:

101st CONGRESS
2d Session
H. J. RES. 465
To provide for the designation of chili as the official food of the United States of America.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 30, 1990
Mr. INHOFE introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service
JOINT RESOLUTION
To provide for the designation of chili as the official food of the United States of America.
Whereas chili is an indigenous American cuisine that was created, refined, and approaches perfection only in the United States;

Whereas chili enjoys a universal popularity throughout the width and breadth of this great land that is unequalled by other American foods;

Whereas chili is a succulent, distinctive blending of meats and spices that has economically nourished countless millions of Americans since its historic inception in the nineteenth century;
Whereas chili's composition encompasses the best ingredients and hospitable traditions of the varied cultures that have been blended in the American melting pot experience;

Whereas chili's acclaim transcends America's regional and ethnic culinary favorites;

Whereas chili is a truly egalitarian cuisine whose vast popularity prevails with American people of every economic and social strata, unifying gastronomes and those with more proletarian palates as its devotees;

Whereas chili embraces the highly individualistic traits of America's heritage through its infinite varieties, highly personalized blending of ingredients, and many adaptive uses;

Whereas the state of the art of chili preparation has been signifcantly advanced in recent years through the phenomenal growth of a stimulus for culinary excellence known as chili cookoffs, which are unique, convivial festivals held in every State of the Union that often raise many thousands of dollars for deserving charities as an ancillary benefit;

Whereas chili is a definitive food whose hearty, committed character embodies the robust and indomitable American spirit; and

Whereas in view of the foregoing facts and of precedent whereby other appropriate national symbols of history, culture, and patriotism, such as the bald eagle, the rose, the Star-Spangled Banner anthem and the Stars and Stripes flag, have been declared official representatives of Americana: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That chili be designated as the official food of this great Nation and that the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to commemorate this designation with appropriate celebrations throughout our land.

Note: Congressman Inhofe spelled "siginifcantly" wrong, and Blogger doesn't know how to spell "Barack" or "Obama."
Peace
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