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I’m having some site issues this morning. The thing just isn’t loading very fast, if at all. I’ve contacted the hosting company and they say they have their top people working on it. We’ll see what happens. [Update: The problem appears to be fixed for now.]
Anyway, here’s the setup, from an Illinoize post by OneMan…
OneMan and OneDaughter (the third grader) are going to be in Springfield next week on Wed for an educational/lobby event (they are not calling it a lobby event, but I know that is part of it). They have some stuff planned for us including talking to a legislator or two along with some of the classic Lincoln stuff.
Since we have family down in Springfield she has seen the Lincoln stuff before, I am open to suggestions on what we can see/do that will give her a better idea of the legislative process without gaining the cynical edge that her dad has at times.
Now, the question: What suggestions would you have to help OneMan’s daughter understand the legislative process while she’s in Springfield?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:06 am
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Bring her to Saputo’s around 7:30 and see who is sitting with Madigan in the corner. Then have her order whatever he is having.
Comment by anon Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:14 am
Tell her to attach a $10 bill to a piece of fishing line, and observe what happens as she drags it behind her as she walks through the statehouse.
Comment by Leroy Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:36 am
The Capitol Building is beautiful. It can help steer a presentation towards the intent of government. It’s inspiring ceilings, and statues of remarkable Illinoians will help keep a focus on accomplishments made within its walls.
There are many murals on the walls there too. They present the ideals that created the Capitol Building. There is a noticable difference between the classic murals and the modern ones in who are in them, how they are represented, how the painting is made and the colors chosen.
We have each governor portraited. Without knowing the controversies behind each painting, it should be noted that each individual brought to Illinois a personal desire to help it’s citizens. Even those who ended up in jail have their best faces on, and this demonstrates that our state can survive even poor governors and continue.
Then a trip to Maid Rite to see one of the nation’s first fast food places, eat in ancient booths - too small for today’s lard-butts, and drink root beer.
History is best served with cheese fries, a sense of humor, and an invitation to take part in it.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:38 am
Exposing a third grader to active politicos borders on abuse. Take her to Conservation World at the fairgrounds while it still exist.
Comment by Ali Bin Haddin Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:54 am
Despite the sign being gone remember: the magazines are NOT free.
Comment by ThePiper Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 10:27 am
Taking a peek at the Senate committee hearings posted for 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday (re: governor’s health / education / revenue plans) could provide some insight for a Springfield newbie into the way the legi process works. May or may not run afoul of OneMan’s “cynical edge” concerns.
Comment by Cap'n Crud Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 10:40 am
Call the Senate secretary (or a Senator who really likes you and will pull for you) and see if you can get her signed up to be an “honorary page” for a few hours (dress clothing is perhaps required). Little little egypt #2 was a page in the Senate for a while during high school and said this thing happened occasionally. Not much is expected of them but they get to be on the Senate floor and interact with the Senators - at least they used to.
Comment by Little Egypt Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 10:45 am
The Capitol on a session day is a confusing, chaotic place for adults, let alone a third-grader. Don’t focus on the non-sensical floor action or the three ring circus by the rail. You can’t avoid them — but it shouldn’t be the focus because it will make OneDaughter as cynical as her old one man.
The one positive thing I’d want a kid to take away from Springfield is that almost all the state electeds are willing to talk to you. They might not listen to what you have to say, but almost all are accessible and even a third-grader can have her opinion noted.
Send in a note to talk to her legislator about something important to her (in addition to the lobby agenda of the trip). Find out if there’s a bill that’s up in committee that she has an opinion on, and have her file a slip supporting or opposing the bill. (When the bill’s up, her name gets read — that’s gotta be a kick for a kid!)
When she’s older, the cynicism will come. But it’s good to temper the cynicism with some hope that the process is not totally skewed.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 10:47 am
OneMan, I would drop Bill a line and see if he will be in the Capitol on Wednesday. Whatever else some of us might tease him about, he is a consistent optimist with a pretty good view as to what goes on under the dome. Really.
Hope you all enjoy the trip. I can still remember my first trip to the Capitol as a kid.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 11:04 am
Bring cash, cynicism, and a tee shirt saying “Don’t Mortgage My Future for a “Pork” Sandwich Today!!!”
Also, take her to see Lincoln’s house in New Salem and his house in Springfield, and ask the tour guide how it is that a guy who went bankrupt in virtually every business he started was able to become one of the wealthiest lawyers in Springfield once he was elected to the State legislature.
So much for “Honest” Abe.
The more things change………
Comment by PalosParkBob Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 11:36 am
Take her to a committee hearing–in 3rd grade the notion of committees doing the legislative work is hard to understand and if you can find a decent hearing, it gives her a good understanding of what legislators do.
And shame on you all for the comments above–lord knows I’m fine with cynicism, but let’s get a 3rd grader to understand the decent parts of the system first.
Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 12:09 pm
For a quiet and sobering break during the day, walk across the street to the Supreme Court Building. Court will not be in session. However, they should let you walk the halls. Being in the midst of the place where the constitution is upheld migth give her, and you, an appreciation for the corrective measures that can be taken when the legislative process goes awry.
Comment by Shadoobie Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 12:09 pm
For some reason I was reminded of lyrics in Les Miserables to explain how things are done here:
Master of the house
Doling out the charm
Ready with a handshake
And an open palm
Tells a saucy tale
Makes a little stir
Customers appreciate a bon-viveur
Glad to do a friend a favor
Doesn’t cost me to be nice
But nothing gets you nothing
Everything has got a little price!
Comment by If It Walks Like A Duck... Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 12:23 pm
Vanilla Man pretty much nailed it. Attend the house or senate gallery for a few minutes for some of the circus atmosphere. She’ll be very impressed by those morons whistling like the sound of dropping bombs when they don’t like a bill. She’ll see legislators reading the paper or playing solitaire or web surfing on their laptops. She’ll see people reaching over to the desk of the missing seatmate next to them and pushing their voting buttons for them.
Attend the committee hearings, where the actual part of the sausage-making is visible to the public. Committee is where the real deal happens, usually the floor vote afterwards is a formality.
Another vote for an architectural tour of the Building. It was much more obvious before they sanded it down a few yers ago, but the thing that struck me most when I first came here was feeling how 100 years of shoe leather had worn the marble steps of the grand staircase into grooved trenches. Gives you a real sense of time. Cap that with a trip next door to the state museum, see how tiny a blip in time our existance is and how Illinois looked in prehistoric times. Good for the sense of perspective.
Finish the trip with a visit to one of the state’s better investments: The Dana-Thomas house on Lawrence Avenue, around the corner from the YMCA.
Comment by Been there too often Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 12:38 pm
Walk by Jesse White’s office and see if he’s in. He’s famous for giving spur of the moment tours of his office to groups of children. You could stop by the press room and stand in the back of the Blue Room during a press conference. You could show her the tunnels underneath the Capitol and explain how the Governor tries to dodge reporters. Remember. The large mural of the native Americans is “priceless” and pricelss does not mean value less. I always enjoyed that line in the tour.
Comment by fun day Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 12:54 pm
Do all the great things presented. (in fact, I might do some of them myself) Just around dusk take her over to the Springfield Lincoln Library and watch the bums starting to congregate for the night. Explain to her that though we have laws, there are always rights. Regardless of whether you are a bum disparaging others, or whether you choose not to follow the rules of those agencies trying to help you, you can still create a scene reminiscent of the old days on London’s back streets. Now days, for every bum, there is ten lawyers and twenty so-proclaimed Christians, none of whom will take them to their homes. Explain that to her. Then take her to the top of the Hilton for a great view. We welcome her to town and wish for her a grand education in our struggle to do better. Welcome back Rich!!
Comment by Justice Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 1:23 pm
Wow,
Thanks everyone.
As for the suggestion to hook up and meet Bill, Bill I am totally game.
One quick question however, how do you ask for someone off of the floor, if you even can?
I figure OneDaughter has handed out enough cards, emery boards, candy etc. that she should have the chance to say hi outside of a parade to some folks.
OneMan
OneManBlog@yahoo.com
Comment by OneManBlog Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 3:54 pm
At the door of the House Chamber, give your business card to one of the pages. Write your Rep’s name on the back with a short note. Chances are he/she will come out. You may even get him to announce your daughter’s name and school as a point of personal priveledge while she watches in the gallery. Ill be in the Capitol Wed and would love to meet you and Onedaughter but it is a pretty important and busy day and I’ll probably be in Senate committees.
Have a great day. She’ll remember her day with Dad in the Capitol forever!
Comment by Bill Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 7:32 pm
Thanks Bill,
I was thinking of wearing my Jack Ryan for Senate baseball cap to stand out but figured that might be a problem (as well as send the wrong message to OneDaughter) so if you see a large guy 6-2 with a tall 3rd grader wearing a t-shirt say hi.
That goes for everyone.
OneMan
Comment by OneMan Monday, Apr 16, 07 @ 9:14 pm