Intern Blog:  2007 Fall

Each week, the interns in my Washington, DC, office share some of their thoughts, experiences and impressions about their internship.  During the fall semester of 2007, here are some of the thoughts of Shannon, Ryan and Joe.

December 13, 2007

Today I probably gave my last tour of the Capital saw the arching dome again. Brumidi’s mural was just as beautiful but strains your neck when you look up at it to long. But this time it was like I saw it for the first time. It is sad that when things come to an end is what makes us really appreciate how they were, but I suppose that is the nature of our lives. It is always at the end of the year that we resolve to live better than we did over the Holidays or at funerals when we promise to make our lives mean more.

 

As it often does time races by and then pauses for a moment as we move on. During my time as an intern I learned that government has an acronym for everything and they all expect you to understand it. Or that when you run into a Senator with a staffer it is going to be one you don’t recognize. It is also, apparently, inappropriate to point and shout when you see a Senator you do recognize. 

 

Or when you ask get asked questions on a tour it is always the one thing that you don’t know the answer to. It is so easy to forget when you look up at the cold stone walls of the inside of that dome that we built it generations of Americans did.  So only four months ago I had to ask directions to the Capitol and pretty much everything else on the Hill, but now I am giving directions and know the quickest way to the other offices.

 

I guess Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)  said it best:  "“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."

Shannon, Utah State University, Colorado Springs.

December 13, 2007

As my brief stint as an intern in Senator Crapo’s office comes to a close, I am compelled to reflect on the experiences I have gained working on the Hill.  I wonder if we, as Americans, truly understand and appreciate the freedoms and liberties that we have as well as the ensuing responsibilities and obligations inherent in our circumstance.  As a result of my experiences working for the Senator, I feel a greater desire and sense of duty to remain involved in politics, whether that is at the grassroots, local, state or national level.  As citizens of this great nation of freedom and opportunity, we have a responsibility to be informed about and involved in the affairs of its governance.  After all, we the people are ultimately responsible for defending and maintaining the rights and liberties associated with democracy.  Working for a United States Senator has helped me learn some of the procedures and processes that go into policy-making decisions.  More importantly, however, I have developed a passion for politics while also learning to have a greater respect for those who sacrifice much to serve their country.  I am appreciative of Senator Crapo and his staff for providing me with this wonderful opportunity, and I look forward to using my new-found knowledge and experience as I continue on in my pursuit of further education and profession.

Ryan, Brigham Young University.

December 11, 2007

Interning for Senator Crapo in Washington, DC has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.  I have had the unique experience to learn about the policy-making process as I have worked with Senator Crapo on his staff.  I have watched the debates and compromises that take place in order for legislation to pass through the Senate.  I have sat in on hearings the Senate has conducted in order to garner information.  I have become acquainted with the Capitol building and have developed a deep appreciation for the historic building and the legislative process it houses.  I will miss gazing up in the Capitol Rotunda at Brumidi’s Apotheosis.  I will miss occasionally meeting powerful Senators and government leaders Senate Office Building and the subway to the Capitol.

Working with a United States Senator, I have learned of the heavy demands and sacrifices that he must make in order to represent his constituents.  I have watched him as he juggles a day filled with meetings, votes, and phone calls.  I have been part of a terrific staff that assists in make the Senator’s job manageable.  They give the same service and care when handling their work that the Senator would provide.

It has been nice to feel a part of home in the nation’s capitol as I have met people from Idaho visiting DC.  The people of Idaho should be proud to have Senator Crapo and his staff representing their interests in Washington.  As I leave this internship, I will look at this time in the nation’s Capitol as an amazing growing and learning experience. 

Joe, Brigham Young University, Burley.

December 6, 2007

My Day in Court

On Wednesday my friend Jena and I decided to walk from a different metro stop to test everyone’s claim that it was faster. Unlike the walk from Union Station the walk from Capital South takes you past the Supreme Court. Today they were hearing oral arguments. The Court only hears oral arguments two hours a-day, a few days a week. The line to get into the case was already wrapping onto the sidewalk.

 

A light snow was falling and while Jena and I walked to work we chatted about how cool it would be to go see that case. So I walked into the office and asked Tim if I could go over and try to get into the trial. He said, “Sure, we don’t have a tour this morning.” Well the trial started at 10 and I left the office at 9:25.

 

The Court has two lines. One line gets to go into the Court and watch the whole trail. The other gets rotated in and can watch for five minutes. Well this trial was one involving detainees in Guantanamo bay so people lined up the night before to get in. So I stood in the snow in a jacket that is thin during a run to the metro. It was so cold.

 

But after about 40 minutes I finally cycled into the Court. The entire Court room was packed with spectators and the justices all sat facing a lawyer. In the Supreme Court the judges are your jury and they also get to ask question and in a lot of cases cross examine you. So Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice David Hackett Souter were both questioning the attorney.

 

But the five minutes were up and we left our little wooden chairs behind the curtain in the far back corner and filed out of the highest court in the land.   

Shannon, Utah State University, Colorado Springs.

 

December 6, 2007

One thing I have observed and come to respect about the Senator is his commitment to the needs and concerns of his constituents in Idaho.  He spends numerous hours every day meeting directly with constituents to hear and discuss their concerns.  He frequently travels to Idaho on weekends to visit with Idahoans and remain in touch with their needs.  The staff in Senator Crapo’s office has set an incredible precedent and example as well in the way they treat each and every constituent.  As an intern, I have the opportunity of dealing first-hand with constituents every day as I field their calls, respond to their letters and take them on guided tours of the Capitol.  I have tried to adopt the same attitude toward every constituent that the Senator and his staff have demonstrated.  As I have done so, I have learned the value and importance of Senator Crapo’s commitment to his constituency.  I believe this is at the core of representative democracy, as it facilitates a system in which the people truly are the sovereigns to whom the government must answer.  If only we could elect more individuals with the same commitment to the people that Senator Mike Crapo possesses. 

Ryan, Brigham Young University

November 15, 2007

In order to gain a broader perspective about how the federal government operates, it is important to not only learn about how the three branches operate, but how groups and individuals attempt to influence these branches.  In conjunction with the Washington Seminar, I have had the opportunity to meet with individuals representing various interest groups, coalitions and causes about how they approach the government to influence policy.  I have gained new insights by learning about specific issues from multiple perspectives.  I have attended briefings conducted by pro-life lobbyists, environmental groups, the NRA, the ACLU and DC Vote.  These experiences help refine my views on important issues and add to my breadth of knowledge.  Thousands of lobbyists and interest groups try to influence policy every day in Washington D.C. and there is so much to learn from their various positions. 

Ryan, Brigham Young University.

November 9, 2007

This morning we had a group of school teachers from South America who had just visited Idaho and they were on their way to the Embassy. It was a group of 22 people and I had taken 4 years of Spanish in high school. I walked through the winding corridor to the capital getting myself hyped up to pull out my rusty year and a half old Spanish skills.

It is amazing how much more you gesture and question to construct a sentence in a language were you have forgotten how to say surrender or see or heard…It so disarming not being able to communicate. I found myself using exaggerated gestures and spanglish.

It was interesting having to ask at the end of a phrase how to say surrender to the group at large…or explain that Washington was not accepting the surrender because Cornwallis wasn’t at the battle. It was really fun to try and show the Capital in a different light and it really showed that the beauty of the Capital can speak for itself. 

The large rotunda is impressive in any language but historic scenes portrayed in the paintings lose some meaning without explaining the extensive back story. But the artwork and architecture are a reflection of the buildings history. The winding staircase with a low ceiling had me calling for those following to watch their cabeza. Speaking in Spanish you feel like you’re trying to cram two paragraphs worth of information into a few garbled sentences.   

But it turned out well the group spoke some English and I spoke some Spanish and I think in the end most of the tour made sense.

Shannon, Utah State University, Colorado Springs.

November 7, 2007

One of my favorite places in Washington is the World War II memorial.  I could spend hours sitting on the firm stone benches, gazing into the water at the center of the memorial.  My ears are filled with the sound of crashing water that is created from the spray of the fountains. The rushing water creates a feeling of peace as the soothing sound overpowers any noise made by visiting tourists.  I image the sound to be similar to that heard by servicemen patrolling open seas in search of enemy submarines. 

The memorial was established to honor and pay tribute to the citizens of America that suffered through WWII.  As I sit there I feel respect for the role that all Americans played in the sacrifice to make Europe and our nation safe.  On the memorial’s peripheral are pillars with the name of a state inscribed on each one.  The pillars standing firm and tall represent to me the confidence with which people of those states stood during such a difficult time.     

Frequent visitors to the memorial are actual WWII veterans.  The last time I visited the memorial I watched as a daughter pushed her aged father around in a wheelchair.  I observed him as he gazed around at his surroundings.  I wondered with interest what memories must be resurfacing in his head adorned with an old navy cap.  I think of him as I read the truth spoken words of President Truman as I leave the memorial, "Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid.  They have earned our undying gratitude.  America will never forget their sacrifices."

Joe, Brigham Young University, Burley.

November 2, 2007

Congressional is the only word to describe DC, with strong blues and deep reds accented with the green and white. DC is a patriotic firework for the eyes. It is remarkable the concentration and speed that this city moves with. The staffers and Senators storm up and down the hall. If you are searching for a quiet life, then policy making is not for you.

The first thing that surprises you about DC is the fact that everything you learned in your history books is wrong. Somewhere in the translation of policy to law and history to paper, we lost personality behind the government. Because it has always been the flaw and blessing of any governance that it is run by mankind. Large personalities occupy the Hill and staffers flock back and forth from their boss.

We no longer remember the subtle influence that men and women have on America, rather than the impersonal machine that Government is easily reduced to.  We forget that our government was and still is run by dynamic people.

Running back and forth to the Capital building is now easy, knowing all the little winding corridors and maybe encountering a Senator on the way. You can always tell when the building was constructed because generations of architecture can been seen starting from 1800s in the center of the Capitol and spiraling out to the modern sleek Senate office buildings. In many ways, the Capitol building reflects American government--a remarkable blend of tradition and modern buildings.

Shannon, Utah State University, Colorado Springs.

November 1, 2007

It’s all about attitude.  As an intern you get asked to perform tasks that you may not readily volunteer for.  Although these tasks may seem menial and insignificant, they are important nonetheless.  If you approach such responsibilities with a positive attitude, not begrudgingly, you not only gain the confidence and respect of fellow staff-members, you have the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the legislative process first-hand.  So much that I have learned during my internship did not come from formal training or direct involvement.  Rather, I have learned the most from observing processes, protocols, and behaviors while performing the day-to-day tasks I am entrusted with.  If you can be trusted with these “mundane” tasks, your staff is more likely to give you more substantive responsibilities in the future.

Ryan, Brigham Young University.

October 25, 2007

What better place to learn about American politics than Capitol Hill?  I am a political science major at BYU preparing to graduate in less than six months.  I have taken courses in American politics, international security, US foreign policy, and political theory, and as an intern in Senator Crapo’s office I have had the opportunity to observe the practical application of many ideas and theories discussed in those classes. 

Several weeks ago I attended a Foreign Relations Committee hearing in which Congressmen and expert witnesses were discussing nuclear proliferation, deterrence, and democratization.  I attended the confirmation hearings for Judge Michael Mukasey, nominee for US Attorney General.  Not long ago I was able to accompany a member of the Senator’s staff to a meeting with the Congressional Research Service to discuss the details of a pending bill.  I have listened to and helped address the concerns of Idaho constituents on issues that are important to them. 

These experiences have brought to life the lectures and discussions that I have participated in during my university experience and have enriched my education, affording me a unique perspective on the political process.

Ryan, Brigham Young University.

 
October 24, 2007

Close Encounters

About two weeks ago, I was sent to the Republican cloakroom to drop off a statement. Usually this corridor is deserted, but today, it was not. During a vote, the Senators were all outside the Floor. It was like the lunch room in high school during the last five minutes when study partners get together to quickly set up a meeting for later that night. The Senators quickly finish up any ad-hoc meetings they had been holding.

It’s funny--the posture of the conversation, it is strained. The Senator’s stance is like that of a party guest eager to make their way to the warmth of the car. The other is the eager host who is trying to tell a very important and detailed story very quickly. With one foot pointed towards the door, each Senator walks deliberately, slowly towards the line that their companion cannot cross.

I'm watching congressional heavy hitters like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has her head bent low, involved in conversation with the person on her left. Sen. John Conrnyn (R-TX) stands in the center of the doorway, facing away from the floor in brisk conversation with the shorter person in front of him.  At the same time, two Members in brisk conversation blaze right onto the floor.

As the suit-clad crew all mutter back and forth, I have finished my errand and walk straight to the elevator bay and head back to the trains that will take me back to the office. The bright tile outside the Senate chamber is almost uncharacteristically cheerful with bright yellows, reds and blues that date the corridors to the mid-1800s, when there must have been a very different idea as to what was a part of the Congressional color pallet.

But when you walk into the basement everything becomes gray as it would in the underbelly of most office buildings, particularly one that is about 200 years old. I head left out of the tiny, wood-paneled elevator to the trains, which screech as the wheels speed along the rails. The three-car trains are fully automated; if you are riding on the plastic seat alone, there is no one else is on the train. It is slightly eerie the first few times you ride to realize that no one is driving the squealing train. When I hopped off the train I headed over to another bay of the elevators. I walked over and was ready to push the up button when I saw a Senator standing beside his elevator.

"You going up?" he asked. "Yes, I am." He gestured for me to ride in the same elevator with him. He pushed the button for my floor and introduced himself as Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), and I introduced myself as an intern for Senator Crapo’s office. It just so happened that I have read his essay in Beyond the United Nations. Only two Senators had contributed essays to the book. 

Shannon, Utah State University, Colorado Springs.   

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