Gerrymandering

Students of Congress, weigh in! Which plan looks least preposterous to you?

Basic Assumptions

So, I've decided to take this blog in a new direction. It seems to me that with all of the number crunching and minutiae debating happening in DC, nobody is willing to address the big philosophical questions of governance. In the political world in which I travel it has become very posh to shit all over political philosophy and philosophy in general. "It's not practical!" "Where's the data?" "How does this apply?" I wonder, though, without engaging with the philosophy, how can we move beyond the pros and cons of specific policies written by FDR or LBJ? From the right we hear about eliminating government programs and from the left we hear about supporting them, but nobody proposes real alternatives to them which could be more efficient and effective and which could better reflect where we want to be in 20, 50, or 100 years.

So, my three readers, keep looking and soon I'll be pouring in my own philosophy, starting with the most basic assumptions about government. So please read and comment and build a conversation.

Seattle: Home of the 78-minute summer | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Weather Blog

My home... Seattle: Home of the 78-minute summer | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Weather Blog

McConnell Warns of Risk to Party, and Country, of Default - NYTimes.com

McConnell Warns of Risk to Party, and Country, of Default - NYTimes.com

You know, maybe this IS a good thing. The President didn't even need to stand on principles to push the Republicans into intransigence. Now, if he can continue to look like a compromiser and if Republicans continue to eat their proverbial young, Democrats can come out on top and set the stage for some real decision making moving into the election cycle. It would be interesting to see.

Michelle Obama orders 1,700-calorie meal at Shake Shack - 44 - The Washington Post

Michelle Obama orders 1,700-calorie meal at Shake Shack - 44 - The Washington Post

Op-Art: Like it or Unfriend It - Graphic - NYTimes.com

Op-Art: Like it or Unfriend It - Graphic - NYTimes.com

A rough reminder of our complicated history, as seen through Facebook.

Religious Action Center :: Supreme Court Term in Review

Religious Action Center :: Supreme Court Term in Review

People forget, I think, that with all of the bickering between Congress and the White House, the force most strongly affecting this country in the long run may well be the Supreme Court of the United States of America, or SCOTUS. While the House and Senate debate laws and the White House makes questionable executive decisions, SCOTUS deliberates on how laws can or cannot be applied and write opinions which effect how those laws get written in the future. SCOTUS decisions are far more wide-reaching than people care to see and the decisions themselves are being made by lawyers so removed from any sense of accountability that they will sometimes say and do whatever they like without a filter.

As important as it is that we have an independent court system, we all need to pay attention and react when they do things we don't like. We may not be able to change their decisions, but we can certainly influence the people who appoint them.

Air Force on the mall

The air force band is amazing. That is all.

Maryland

Today I spent my first day/evening outside of the district itself. More details to follow.

Midnight stroll

Last night, as Shabbat arrived, I made my way from Tikkun Leil Shabbat to a friend's appartment for a kind of potluck dinner swaray. It was wonderful,  one of the best conversations or discussions I've had since I've been in town. That was to be expected,  though. The hosts, two of my oldest friends, just run in that crowd. What was really notable, though was the walk back.

Being a resident of the "other Washington" I map/navigated my way back. Discretely checking my phone for turns as I went from 14 and N back to Fulbright and GW. On the way I walked through what I am pretty sure is the kind of bar or clubbing route for the Dupont / Foggy Bottom area. I've mentioned before how young this city is, but it really stands out when you look at the 20-somethings staggering their way down the streets and getting on massive lines for clubs and bars. Just seeing all of these fellow interns going from business casual to "I hope I get laid" and these are the people doing the leg work of politics  throughout the day. Ill be interested to see how the rest of the weekend goes, given the precedent.

Health insurer Humana to test Arizona job applicants for tobacco, says it won’t hire smokers - The Washington Post

Health insurer Humana to test Arizona job applicants for tobacco, says it won’t hire smokers - The Washington Post

I guess it says something about my creep towards libertarianism that this makes me mad. Frankly, I don't care what substances people are using, be it nicotine, alcohol, fatty foods, or whatever they have laying around. If you can't prove that it's effecting their work and/or causing direct harm to another human, how is it okay to deny them employment? I may not be a smoker, but I don't want anybody, be they a company or a government, telling me what I can and cannot consume.

Calling the meeting

Get ready, people. Yours truly will make a guest appearance in the RAC's official call to have the next URJ Biennial. This is a fun place to work. I highly encourage trying it out.

FDR... homeless?

I do not get the apparent maze of fountains. Among the beautiful Greco-Roman temples and monuments, we have this series of fountains, water pouring out between giant dark bricks. It's like the ruins of the Second Temple, but brownish purple, instead of white. This feels less like a monument to a President of the United States and more like a Holocaust Memorial.

Breakfast with Jeffy

Turns out a long walk is better for the head than more sleep.

Church, State, and Discrimination

There's a fundamental issue here. Nobody should ever be forced to pay for something which then discriminates against them. If a church accepts federal tax money as part of a "faith based initiative" they should not be allowed to choose who that money goes to on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, or orientation.

I guess the more time I spend here, the more I realize that that is my main issue. I'm pretty moderate on most issues, and fairly conservative on some (I'm lookin' at you, IR), but I just can't get over the systemic discrimination in this country.

If wanting equal rights for women, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and any other group here in America makes me a liberal, than I guess that's what I am, because if we were all made by G-d to be able to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, then everyone deserves an equal chance, just like G-d intended. And I am not being sarcastic.

A tale of two birthdays.

As I write, we interns are about to head to a press conference commemorating the 70th birthday of an executive order regarding church and state. This will be the first time we've "gone to the Hill."

While we prep for this legislative b-day, one of the girls in the program is turning 20, and our coordinator is baking a cake.

A press conference on the Hill, and cake. I think today is a good day.

Week 2, Day 1

The city is packed. A friend told me recently that that's why she loves intern season. During the year, DC, and Foggy Bottom in particular, are weirdly empty. Most of the workers are commuters, so the only folks around in these neighborhoods are students. Then the summer comes and its packed. All the apartments and dorms are full,the bars and restaurants rake in the business, and the excitement is palpable.

And so here I am, at the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, surrounded by fellow interns, as we learn about networking and how to be a good intern. We're all here on a program where we will take these classes and work at different lobby groups and non-profits. My internship is actually at the RAC, so I'm here all day.

It's funny, coming from Rochester where people wear whatever will keep them warm, seeing everybody my age sweating in their business attire feels like an act. Like we're all here in our Sunday Best, uncomfortably jogging to the nearest air conditioner.

As the days go on, I'll try to get this on the subject of what it is that I am doing, and how we're all fairing. For now, see you soon.