Robert Caro, Master of the Senate. A book about legislative power. "I cannot conceive of a better book about Capitol Hill," Ron Chernow (author of the biography that inspired the play, Hamilton)
PDF excerpts from Danielle Allen, Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship since Brown V. Board of Education.
Complete and discuss (Sunday night at 9 p.m.) a weekly reading assignment. Discussions should be well grounded in the text we read.
Weekly blue-book reflections on the reading; DUE AT 9 P.M. SUNDAY. Not accepted late. What I'm looking for:
The reflection should be grounded in the concrete, specific content of the that week's reading.
Summary and quotation is okay, but there should also be analysis.
Develop questions that can be answer via information from the reading. EG, "What is Caro doing/showing with this story? Why did he include these details?"
Look for and write about tensions and paradoxes.
Attend screenings of 2-3 related films. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; Turn Every Page; All the Way .
Keep a WIP diary on your work in Congress and time in DC on a Google doc you will share with me.
Contribute to the Instagram. Extra credit: other WIP Promotions (e.g. Exonian)
Share photos I might post on the website
Responsibilities related to the weekly alumni seminar: Each of you will be assigned a presenter. The job: Correspond; develop questions and focus; prep the other interns (an article to read?); write a thank-you note.
Grade: Attendance at films and Sunday discussion; Meeting deadlines for above jobs; blue book reflections; WIP diary; attendance (BE ON TIME) at and participation in the alumnus seminars.
March 29: "Introduction" and "Desks of the Senate," ix-23 (38 this refers to the number of pages of reading)
April 5: Interlude: Read and write a reflection on two excerpts (PDFs) from Danielle Allen's book, Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship since Brown V. Board of Education. We won't meet Sunday night for this unit.
April 12: "Desks of the Senate," and "Seniority and the South," 23-56 (33)
April 19: "Seniority and the South," 65-68, Dick Russell, 175-206 (34)
April 26: "We of the South," 206-222 (16). Pay close attention to the cloture rules (see also, p. 93). We'll be skipping 100+ pages next week, so I'm giving a short assignment to discuss for the benefit of those who are trying to read the whole book. Not required, but admired.
May 3: "No Choice," 350-366; and "Gettysburg," 463-487 (37)
May 4 (Monday), 7:30: Film, "Turn Every Page."
May 10: "Zip, Zip," 598-609 (on 609-612 Caro shows how Johnson managed to get a raise in the minumum wage that had been stymied for six years through the senate; worth reading too!); and "The Rising Tide," 685-710 (36). If you want to understand how LBJ accumulated so much power as majority leader, read Chapter 24, "The Johnson Rule." (Chapters 27-29 address Johnson's heart attack, recovery, and return to the Senate).
May 17: 740-743; 754-760 and 832 (top) to 835 (middle) and "The Working Up," 886-894; and "Hell's Canyon," 895-902. (38).
May 24: "You Do it," 910-913; "Yeas and Nays," 967-989, "Omens," 990-998. (32)
Final grade:
A= at least 47 points.
A- =at least 36 points.
B+ =at least 31 points.
B =at least 18 points.
Grades based on:
Blue book reflections, depending on length and insight into and engagement with the assigned readings.
Hill Journal google document.
Extra credit (see below).
Points subtracted for:
Not producing a Hill Journal.
Missing a discussion even for a legitimate OOT (1)
Missing an alumni seminar without prior notice (2), or arriving late at same (1)
Extra credit points (updated May 18):
Visit at least three offices on Mr. Groneau's updated application list for next year. Hand the envelope to the intern coordinator, and return that person's business card to me. If you do this, you will also get 1,000 good karma points and I'll personally forgive you for not contributing to the alumni fund for the next 10 years.
Read and discuss with me (over "coffee" in a House or Senate cafe) one or more of the many articles I'll be sending you (on Maya's advice). In the last two weeks, my time is limited; we can meet only if I can squeeze you in.
Write an Exonian article promoting the program for the WIP. To qualify points, please submit article no later than Monday, the 25 to me and Mr. Groneau (he's the one you're doing this for) for review.
Forward to me and Mr. Groneau via email, three or more bulletin-board worthy photos to promote the WIP program next year. It should
Add to Master of the Senate google spreadsheet. To late. I won't count any added after our penultimate discussion (May 17).
Writing a thank you note.
Organizing a volleyball game. (Maya: Make sure you give me the ball back before you leave).