A Blog on McConnell Center Life

Just recently in Political Science 299, the freshmen McConnell Scholars read a book entitled You Gotta Have Wa ("harmony"), written by Robert Whiting. The book compares American baseball to Japanese besuboru ("baseball") and, by extension, analyzes the differences and similarities between American culture and Japanese culture. The book includes many anecdotes of American ball players who have had their skill (and in some cases, patience) tried in Japan. As Whiting notes, "it took a special kind of person to play in Japan. A man had to deal with a different type of pitching, a wider strike zone, and unpredictable umpires. The life of a ballplayer was so regimented by club rules that many Americans compared it to being in the army . . . or worse" (p. 8). Japanese managers, coaches and players are very different from those in the United States, and some American players experience difficulty in adapting to this new way of playing baseball. "If yo...

Earlier in the afternoon on November 8th, 2010 I had the chance to hear Dr. Rosalind Remer speak about Benjamin Franklin. However, due to some prior commitments I had to miss her evening seminar. In the public lecture I saw Dr. Remer’s passion as she spoke about Franklin and knew that studying his life was something she found extremely interesting. I personally enjoy reading autobiographies, I feel as though by reading that person’s book I am connecting with them, and you get a sense of whom the person really is. I found Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography interesting. The things you learn in high school that Franklin is glorified for he barely mentions in his book. I appreciated his ambitious life he tried to lead, even his honesty to his son about trying to fulfill those virtues and then failing at some. Again, I am sorry that I had to miss out on Dr. Remer’s private seminar with the scholars. Yet, overall I did like the autobiography. I can appreciate almost any historical ...

On November 8, 2010, the McConnell Center had the pleasure of hosting Senator Scott Brown, the notoriously good-looking Republican senator from Massachusetts, for a public event at Bigelow Hall. The event was particularly engaging, as we experienced firsthand the man who shook up Massachusetts politics tell about his life—his intense exercise routine, relationship with his family, and even (after being prodded) his appearance as a model and centerfold for Cosmo magazine. It was immediately obvious that Senator Scott Brown is a, “good ole’ boy,” from his stories of campaigning in his truck and farm jacket to his wholehearted refusal to be anything but a “Scott Brown Republican.” From his talk, I was able to better understand the kind of focus and stubbornness that it took to win a 44-year Democratic seat formally held by the late Ted Kennedy. Senator Scott Brown spoke of how he plans to vote in the future, with five key guidelines that he uses to decide whether or not to vote for ce...

On November 8th, Dr. Rosalind Remer visited the McConnell Center to enlighten young students with her lecture "Benjamin Franklin and the Meaning of America." Dr. Remer was Executive Director of the Benjamin Franklin Tercenternary from 2004 to 2008, a professor of early American history for fourteen years at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Director of Planning and Programming for the National Constitution Center. She also holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in U.S. History from UCLA. Dr. Remer emphasized many unique aspects, and even misconceptions, about the life of Ben Franklin. She especially highlighted the absence of any detail about Franklin's role in the American Revolution in his own autobigraphy. Dr. Remer said Franklin felt that he would not be remembered for the man he really was had he only discussed his role in the revolution. He desired for people to read his autobiography and truly understand his c...

On Friday, October 29 th Dr. Barbara Perry visited the McConnell center to give a lecture entitled May it please the court: How to give an effective oral argument (before the Supreme Court). Dr. Perry is the founder of a Civic Center at Sweet Briar College and is considered a Supreme Court expert (based on her books and personal experiences). The lecture had an accompanying PowerPoint which both consisted of tips for someone who might have to argue before the Supreme Court. An effective argument should show knowledge of the facts (and remove doubt), how it fits into common law, and how it creates justice. One should “look at questions as an opportunity,” and only use comedy when the judges invite it. She also suggested a book ( Making Your Case by Antonin Scalia), stressed the importance of practice (in the mirror or in moot-courts), and advised that we should listen to the masters of the trade (such as Ted Olson, Elena Kagan, etc.). She then broke down the individual judges b...

This past Saturday, the McConnell Scholars bundled up to tackle the needs of low income, elderly, and disabled people in the Louisville community. The McConnell Scholars paired up with LG&E to help insulate homes and reduce energy costs. Twenty four scholars divided into six groups to insulate twelve homes. It is amazing what a blessing a group of four people can be with some clear tape, thin plastic, and a pair of scissors. My group, consisting of Michael Zeller, Trisha Maclin, Hunter Davis, and me, had the opportunity to speak with one of our clients, who had come here from Jamaica several years ago. She had interesting stories to share in between fixing insulation on 10 foot tall windows. Life is a constant learning experience, whether you are sitting in a lecture by Dr. Barbara Perry, insulating homes of the less fortunate, or listening to Senator Scott Brown. Glean wisdom where you can. Up next: Senator Scott Brown visits the University of Louisville.

On November 2nd, Dr. Thomas Mackey joined the McConnell Scholars to discuss the realities of law school and legal education. This Senior Fellow of the McConnell Center warned the scholars not to assume this professional path without reflection. Although a great number of undergraduates claim law school as the next step in their academic pursuits, most fail to comprehend the difficulties of their goal. Throughout American history, the legal profession produced leaders in all fields—public and private. In earning the elite status of a lawyer, individuals pay taxing dues. This test of fortitude begins as an undergraduate. Dr. Mackey explained that the developing student controls the possibilities for his or her legal education. Obtaining admittance to law school hinges upon the undergraduate's ability to improve analytical reading and writing skills. These skills dominate both the study and practice of the law. Law schools require prospective students to study no particular di...

The next 4-5 years will mark the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, and today marks the 150th Anniversary of the election that sparked the crisis. On November 5, 1860, in one of the most important elections in American history, the new Republican Party achieved its first electoral victory with the election of Abraham Lincoln as president. The Republican Party at this point in history was a brand new party, consisting of former Whigs, Free Soilers, and some Northern Democrats. From the beginning, the Republican Party embraced the ideology of free labor as the best economic system for the states. There were many divisions within the party on issues such as slavery in the South, tariffs, etc., but the ideology of free labor held the party together. The Democratic Party was not so lucky. Throughout the 1840s-50s, the Democratic Party had maintained a fragile union between Northern and Southern wings by simply ignoring the slavery issue. By 1860, the issue of slavery in the Western...

As I begin to collect my thoughts about this past Tuesday, I speculate about what will happen over the coming six years. I wonder if change will be made in significant ways, if we can turn back to the tide of government spending and control, and if we can continue to stop the most insidious ideas of a Washington elite, e.g. "cap-and-trade". Currently, the outlook is positive, but will the message of voters ring true in Washington or will a compromise that reeks of outright concession be unavoidable? With so much campaign rhetoric still circulating, I find myself ruminating on two ideas. As Frederick Douglass pointed out on July 5, 1852, the belief in the America that our Founding Fathers envisioned seems antithetical with the pragmatic approach that seems to underlie every political player's ideology and make us weak against our selfish desires. Our imperfectability has encouraged us to unreservedly support candidates of instant gratification, both Democrat and Repub...