Intern Blog: Fall 2010

Each week the interns in my Washington, DC, office share some of their thoughts, experiences and impressions about their internship. On this page, you will find entries from the interns who are working in my office in the current semester.  To read entries from previous semesters, please visit the Intern Blog Archives.

 

July 15, 2010

Today I experienced one of the highlights of my summer internship: I was able to attend a lecture given by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  As we showed up to the Supreme Court ½ hour early, we were ushered away by the police informing us that there was no room left for us.  I decided to turn back and take a look for myself.  I went upstairs to where the lecture was to be presented and got in line.  I was one of the last ten interns admitted into the event, and since there were no seats readily available as I entered the Supreme Courtroom, they ushered me to the front and I was asked to sit in the chairs reserved for foreign dignitaries; very cool!  Justice Ginsberg spoke about the 9-0 landmark Supreme Court decision in the case Loving v. Virginia (1967) where the Supreme Court overturned Virginia’s “Racial Integrity Act of 1924” banning interracial marriage.  The Supreme Court overturned this law, claiming that it violated both the Due Process clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

Justice Ginsberg then used this case as an example to show how the Great Clauses of the Constitution (Due Process, Equal Protection, etc . . .) were marvelously created by the Founding Fathers to govern a society in the future without tying them to social norms of the 1700s.  As an example, she quoted the preamble to the Constitution, “We the People of the United States . . .” and asked who “We the People” referred to in 1789.  The answer was white, property-holding males, no other races, and no women.  Currently, the term “We the People” holds an expanded definition that includes all citizens of the United States: male, female, black, white, property holder or not.  She applied this same concept to other areas of law that have evolved over time.  Would a statesman from 1868 say that “Equal Protection” meant that a woman had an equal right to vote?  Probably not; however, nowadays we would consider that connection obvious.  Her conclusion was that these “Great Clauses” were genius because they allow for governance irrespective of the cultural standards of the time and permit the evolution of law to match whatever timeframe in which they are placed.

Justice Ginsberg also entertained one of my questions, which was as follows, “Increasingly, modern legislation is only a prelude to a court case.  Those who disagree with a particular law sue and a court decides what the law means.  How do you feel about this trend?  And what can be done to remedy it so that laws are debated and decided in the legislature rather than in the courts?”  Her answer included a statement from Tocqueville that alluded to fact that every issue that creates divisive parties will eventually end up in court.  She also noted that in other countries when an issue creates divisive parties, the parties go to war to decide the outcome and suggested that it is much better to fight our battles in court that on the battlefield.  Although she didn’t address my second question regarding what can be done to remedy this trend, she seemed to feel that this is the natural course that any divisive issue will follow and that it is the best, most civilized way to deal with these kinds of concerns.  She also noted that most decisions of the court are very unanimous and that the media over-hypes the few, divisive issues that split the court into near-equal factions.

Overall, I was very impressed with Justice Ginsberg and her wonderful insight into current legal philosophy.  It is also amazing that a person who was turned down as a law clerk by Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter apparently because she was a woman now sits on the highest court in our country.  Certainly she has witnessed the evolution of the interpretation of The Constitution in her lifetime, and we will see how that same document will shape our legal framework through the next century.

Colton, Brigham Young University, Idaho Falls

July 8, 2010

The Senate was in recess again this week for the Fourth of July holiday. It was pretty relaxed; the halls were empty and no ties were worn. I was even able to wear casual clothes for two of the days, but not just to lounge around the office. The “Guys” were put to work. We had to go up to the cage and face chaos. There were so many boxes and pictures and who knows what else. Ok, pretty much just a lot of boxes filled with a plethora of different things. The pizza and the Subway sandwiches kept us going. After two grueling days of hard labor (wink wink), we had completed what we set out to do. The cage was recognizable as a storage unit and there came order from the chaos. I truly was just glad to be able to wear shorts and t-shirts for a couple days. That incentive almost had more staff helping us.

We got off at five o’clock, which is always nice. Because of this extra hour, I was able to go to some of the tourist sites I have wanted to see. I went to the Air and Space museum. There is so much there it is hard to see everything in the short time until it closed. I also was able to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They were faded a lot worse than the Magna Carta, which I found surprising since this particular Magna Carta was drafted in 1297, almost 500 years earlier than these other documents. The Fourth of July was amazing. I watched the fireworks from the Lincoln Memorial, and it was by far the best firework show that I have ever seen.

I learned all the names of the past interns from a project that Ryan gave me. That might be relevant information at some point down the road. Oh and I must add that I learned the correct answer to “How are you?” It is so common and easy to say “good” but that is grammatically not correct. The correct response should be “I’m doing well.” I will try to overcome this habit and respond appropriately.

Chris, Idaho State University, Twin Falls

 

July 1, 2010

This week I have been able to see some interesting events. I attended a hearing for Elena Kagan’s nomination. I was only there for about a half-hour because they just rolled people through. I was able to hear her be questioned by Senator Grassley. It is interesting to be a part of such an event because it is history in the making. I sat next to a couple girls that were very pro-Kagan, but to each their own.

I also attended the viewing of Senator Byrd, who passed away in June, as he laid in the Senate Gallery. As you know, he is the longest-serving Senator in United States history. It was interesting to learn about his background and to see how far he has come on certain issues. It was a good change.

Today will be my first meeting with Senator Crapo. He has time scheduled to meet with the interns and we are able to ask him any question. I really enjoy being on Senator Crapo’s staff and having the internship.

The upcoming weekend is the 4th of July and there are so many different things going on and thing to do. I am looking forward to all the festivities and especially to the fireworks. Our nation is going to be 234 years old, which is really fairly young.

Chris, Idaho State University, Twin Falls

 

June 30, 2010

This week has been amazing!! I'm getting the hang of everything.  I even made it through the Capitol's tunnels to the House side without getting lost!! Being more familiar with everything is making me feel more relaxed and I'm able to take in so much more of this experience.  I knew my summer on Capitol Hill was going to be full of opportunities I never imagined I would get, I just didn't realize how true that was going to be!!

I have the opportunity within the next few days to sit in on some of the Elena Kagan Supreme Court Justice hearings. Never did I think that I could take part in such an amazing event. There are opportunities like these all around me and I can't wait to get involved with them.

I realize that I'm only a month into my internship, but I can feel that I have grown already through this experience. Not everyone is able to do the things that I have been able to. I am surrounded by some of the smartest people I've ever met. Their knowledge is combined with that of the Senator and his decisions, based on this collaboration, change the country and the lives of millions: I get to live in the middle of all of this, and at such an exciting time!

I have experienced things thus far that I will never forget and I know that things are only going to get better!!

Susan, Brigham Young University, Blackfoot.

June 24, 2010

This week has gone by very quickly. I have been keeping very busy in the office. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of down time, which I like because I like to stay busy. What I should do is write a little each day about some activities that I have done or things that occurred. I am not the best at remembering and I have already forgotten most of what I did on Monday. I can recall it was busy. In general, I have answered phones, researched bills, wrote a constituent letter, given tours, went to the Senate Gallery, ran errands all over, did flags and helped transfer all the old computer equipment among other things. I liked that though because I got a faster computer out of the deal. No stopping me now on the research end of it.

The weather is definitely getting warmer. I think it is going to get warmer yet so that will be fun. I really don’t mind. I played in a softball game for team Idaho on Tuesday. We are the Lucky Spuds and we won, but it was more because of our skill than our luck. I think we have a pretty good team. It is the best location for softball that I have ever seen. Not so much the best fields, but to play on the Mall right in front of the Capitol is really amazing. I went to Philadelphia over the weekend and did the tourist stuff there. It was a neat experience. I have yet to really explore D.C. There is so much to do and I realize that time goes really fast. I guess I need to budget my time.

I did go to a hearing this week on intellectual property. It was held by the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Building. That was the first one that I got into thus far, and I barely made it in at that. I was part of a group that was stopped right before we got in and then they realized there were a few open chairs, so we just managed to get in to listen to the hearing. I am glad I was able to make it in though because I find that sort of thing interesting. Intellectual property accounts for a great portion of our economy, but there is a threat to it due to all the counterfeiting and pirating that is occurring.

I am really having a good time out here and learning a lot. A toast to the weeks ahead.

Chris, Idaho State University, Twin Falls

June 17, 2010

It has been very busy and eventful since my last entry. I believe right after my entry last week, our intern group took a tour of the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congress. It was very impressive. I did attend the Nats game, which they won thank goodness. My weekend was full of activities so that was fun.

Monday rolled around and I was able to give my first official tour to a family from my hometown of Twin Falls. Their daughter attends the same junior high that I did so naturally the family really liked me. Nothing like Cub pride. I really enjoy getting to meet people that come out from Idaho and see what brings them out here. Monday was full of other events that kept me busy and running around all day. On Tuesday I attended constituent coffee and was able to meet Senator Crapo for the first time. It was great to hear him speak and talk with the constituents. I then had to give a “last minute” tour to a group from Idaho Falls. That was pretty hectic but nothing that an intern with two weeks experience couldn’t handle. Wednesday is the day everyone had been waiting for all summer--ice cream on Capitol Hill. The line was so ridiculous around four o’clock that I gave up and came back to the office to get some work done. Some others from the office were kind enough to bring back a root beer float. After work, I ran back over and walked right up to the table and got some. Again, a strategy that only a two-week intern would know. But there are many strategies and different motives in obtaining the ice cream. One strategy is getting out of work and out of the office for a good hour or so to wait in line. That has its perks, too, if you are sick of sitting at the desk.

It has been a great week. The time really flies. I will be writing again next week.

Chris, Idaho State University, Twin Falls

June 15, 2010

This past week has been amazing!! I had the opportunity to give my first Capitol tours!! I absolutely loved giving them and meeting some constituents from Idaho! All of the history that is in the Capitol is so interesting to me and it is such an honor to get to share that with the people from Idaho who come to visit.

I have also had the opportunity to attend a couple briefings about topics I am very interested in. I learned a lot from these briefings and I am excited to be able to go to others. I never thought that I would be able to listen to some of the country’s most prominent experts in their field speak to me about the work they are doing!! I especially never expected it would be in a small scale meeting; in a room of twenty or thirty other people.

I'm in love with DC! This city has such great history behind it and it is amazing how beautiful it is! It is definitely not as beautiful as Idaho but I'm adjusting really well!!

I'm so excited to see what comes this next week … we (the other interns and me) get to go to the White House and I'm sure it will be amazing! There are so many opportunities I am lucky enough to experience that I never thought, in a million years, I would ever experience!!

Susan, Brigham Young University, Blackfoot

June 10, 2010

This week has been quite the experience. I have really enjoyed it though. We arrived on a week when it was recess, which doesn't mean everyone gets to play around. I had the wrong impression, but it was great because it allowed us to familiarize ourselves with some of the procedures in the office. That doesn't mean I am a pro yet; there is still a learning curve but it is coming along very nicely. This week Congress is in session and there is a lot more activity which is really exciting.

Monday we went to sexual harassment prevention, which is to help us stop harassing. It's sad to think we need seminars on that topic. Tuesday was the CHIPS training and that lasted pretty much all day. I may, or may not have, nodded off a few times while the people were speaking. It is definitely interesting material, but only so much one can take in a given amount of time. I signed up for two different committee hearings this week; the hearing on competition, consumer protection, and antitrust was completely full and I wasn't able to get it which was heartbreaking. Thursday I would have been heartbroken yet again if it weren't for the tour that I helped give. The line to the Economic forum between the U.S. and China had a line that was extremely long. There was no way that I would have made it in, unless I threw down my sleeping bag the night before.

But yes, Thursday Susan and I gave our first tour to a group from BYU-Idaho. It was fun and I look forward to having that opportunity throughout the summer. There is so much information to present on tours, or that could be presented.

It has been a great week. Stay tuned to the Intern Blog, because there is more to come in the following weeks.

Chris, Idaho State University, Twin Falls

June 8, 2010

WOW!! This first week has been … amazing!! I honestly had no idea what to expect but I absolutely love everything about it!! I'm not just saying that … I honestly mean it. I have learned so much in this first week and I am so excited to learn more. I have enjoyed meeting the staffers and other interns!! They are all so amazing and I have learned a lot from them.

I've gone to two briefings thus far and I have enjoyed both of them! The one that really interested me was about animal ethics and biotechnology. It was really interesting to hear from these experts how the research is going to increase production but also how they are doing it in an ethical way so as to please more people.

One thing that I know I am going to enjoy is giving Capitol tours!! I love history and I love talking and people so this is going to be a great opportunity for me to do what I love!

Also, I went to watch the softball games. That is going to be so much fun to watch and participate on!! The Idaho team is so energetic and everyone is so much fun!! (Not to mention we won!)

I have really enjoyed this internship thus far! I am excited to learn more about the way everything runs. I never realized how much everyone in the office (yes even I, a lowly intern) helps the Senator out. It is such an honor to be here and I can't wait to see what the summer brings!!

Susan, Brigham Young University, Blackfoot

June 7, 2010

Things are new and exciting for us interns in the Crapo office.  We have been here slightly less than a week and we were excited to receive our official assignments today.  I have been assigned to work in the press shop.  I’m not sure exactly what I do here but I’m convinced it must be the most important part of the office.  Susan (the press boss) has lots of articles framed on her wall and it makes our room look pretty official.  I'm ready to learn how to do my job here and be an asset to the office.

DC is finally heating up.  I arrived here in mid-May and the weather was cool and springy.  Now, the humidity and heat are on the rise.  Walking around in long pants and a suit coat under the sun is definitely not the way to get around.  So we interns are enjoying our newfound powers and discovering the underground passageways and subways that connect the whole capitol complex!

Today I spend my lunch break exploring these underground tunnels and the Capitol building.  I felt a little less official when I had to ask the guards for directions before getting on the subways, but never mind the lack of knowledge, I had access!  I explored a few parts of the Capitol building and was duly impressed with the beautiful statues of Johnny Hancock and the other early statesmen.  I also found my way to the original Senate floor where the senate convened back in 1807.  The curator told me a story about a Senator who was beat up in the room by another Senator after giving a fiery speech on slavery.  And I thought politics was brutal nowadays!  The Capitol is a beautiful building and it was an honor to be able to stroll around some of the hallways where the great leaders of our nation, past and present, have walked and contemplated the future of our nation.  May we all take a moment to pause and think about the direction that our country is headed and how we can influence our nation for the better.

We have been in recess since our internships started last week, so we're excited to see these building resurrect and get to action; that's what we all came here to see!  More about that from the next intern…

Colton, Brigham Young University, Idaho Falls

 

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