American Civilization

Last week I was able to visit Washington D.C.  I finally had a chance to see many of the politicians I read about regularly in action.

There was a lot going on in Congress last week as both houses (the Senate and the House of Representatives) were debating the budget proposal before adjourning for a recess on Thursday night.  Barbara Boxer, one of California’s senators, introduced a climate change resolution to the budget, but it didn’t pass.  It seems that for that vote the senators were voting by region rather than by political party.

The Senate’s Armed Forces committee meeting was open to the public, too, so it was possible to watch senators such as Carl Levin and John McCain question the administration’s representatives at the meeting, including General Petraeus, about the new Afghanistan/Pakistan policy.

I was amazed at how open all of the workings of government were…..sure, there was security all over the place, but once through security, it was possible to see just about everything – even the oral arguments at the Supreme Court.

For anyone who ever has the possibility to visit Washington D.C., I would definitely try to visit the city when the Supreme Court and Congress are in session.

And, I discovered a terrific place for food, books, and music called Busboys & Poets.  Check it out here.
The name of this place is taken from the African-American poet, Langston Hughes. 

Here’s one of my very favorite poems by him:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?