JULY 3, 2014

Representing District 15:
Midtown, University, and East Anchorage

I Answer to You!

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733 4th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 269-0265
(800) 465-4939
 
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Governor Sean Parnell
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907-271-5915
EMAIL: Sen. Mark Begich

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907-271-3735
EMAIL: Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Congressman Don Young
907-271-5978
EMAIL: Rep. Don Young

Channeling Scott McMurren
The 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Normally, legislators send out what are, in the common vernacular, called “E-Blasts” 1-2 times per month.  Topics are usually connected to social, economic and political events of the current day.

This E-Blast is a deviation from these common themes.  Today, I am going to report on a 9-day trip I took to the Lower 48 in late June.  I am going to channel my inner Scott McMurren.

Seattle

My trip began in Seattle.  My first college roommate was married there over Solstice weekend.  He turned 50 in May; I turn 50 this month.  My birthday will represent 50 years of Alaska residency, as well.

Following the wedding, Donna and I flew to Kansas City.  When we arrived, we learned that a presidential candidate (2016 election) was in town on a speaking tour.  We dashed over to witness this event, but it was sold out.  (To keep this non-partisan, I will leave you guessing as to who this candidate might be!)

Along with my wife, family, friends and Alaska, I am known for two great passions:  baseball and American history.  I worked toward satisfying these passions in Kansas City.

Kansas City

Donna and I attended a Kansas City Royals v. Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game, which the Royals won by a score of 5-3.  Earlier in the day, we drove to Independence, Missouri and toured the Harry Truman Presidential Library and Museum.  Truman spent most of his life in Independence and met his wife, Bess, in this small town.  As an armchair student of American History (I did receive a degree in history and taught it, too), I had forgotten how great a man and a president he was.  Truman lived from 1884-1972.  His career in the US Senate (just 10 years) was followed by 4 months as Vice-President, and 7 years as President.  Our country has been fortunate to have great leaders at key times.  At the death of Franklin Roosevelt, few knew that Truman would prove to be as great a president as he was.  This is not just me saying this: historians consistently rate him in the top 10.  I could spend pages writing about his presidency, but simply recall the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift, and the Korean War (which I would argue was a successful, albeit a painful experience).  Donna and I enjoyed listening to the Truman biography by David McCullough as we drove well over a thousand miles in the southeastern United States.

Of course Truman was also feisty.  Every time I hear his most famous quote:  “I don’t Give’m Hell.  I tell them the truth and they think it is Hell,” I grin.  Much could be learned from his whistle stop re-election bid in 1948.  There are real lessons about energizing the people and taking your “case” to them.

Nashville and Memphis

After visiting Donna’s parents’ ranch in northern Oklahoma, we headed through Missouri and southwestern Kentucky to Nashville.  Another love of mine is “contemporary country”.  In truth, this is country rock—plain and simple.  Think Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban.  Nearly every song refers to “tailgates”, “shotgun seats”, “neon lights”, and the occasional “tractor”.  Donna and I were lucky to watch a great 5-piece Bluegrass band led by the exceptionally talented Vince Gill at a place called the Rynan Auditorium.  I had never been to Tennessee prior to this trip.  I found both Tennessee and Kentucky (at least parts I saw) to be exceptionally beautiful.  The confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers is an amazing sight!  At any rate, Nashville is a combination of all things country with a touch of Vegas.

Returning to the history theme, Donna and I visited The Hermitage.  I had previously been to Monticello (Jefferson) and Montpelier (Madison).  The Hermitage mostly held its own with those great mansions.  The grounds certainly did.  Unfortunately, while President Jackson did some good things, he remains an enigma to me, because he did a great deal of harm, as well.  Jackson is known for expanding the powers of the presidency (not so much in a de jure or legal way, but as a matter of custom and practice).  And, he stood for keeping the union together, or alternatively, helped postpone the coming Civil War.  But he was obviously terribly arrogant, treated indigenous people with real disdain and contempt and didn’t care much for the rule of law.  As with Truman, perhaps remarkably, Jackson is rated as a top ten president.  After the visit to the Jackson estate, Donna and I also briefly visited Vanderbilt University, which had just won the College World Series!  It is a beautiful campus and also the alma mater of my step-mother.

Donna and I then traveled to Memphis.  Some of you may have seen the musical “Memphis” in May of this past spring.  The famous Beale Street is mentioned repeatedly in the story.  Although I am not a huge Blues fan, I saw the color of Beale Street.  Memphis is certainly grittier than Nashville.  The greatest experience of the trip, however was our visit to the Lorraine Motel-National Civil Rights Museum.  I have been fortunate to see many great museums in America and Europe. This museum is easily among the best I have ever seen.  This is reflected both in its outstanding exhibits, placards and organization, but also its comprehensive narrative and display.  Incidentally, this visit is especially topical, since today is the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  (I believe it is an open question whether our current US Supreme Court would have affirmed the constitutionality of this act, as did an earlier court in a famous case called “Heart of Atlanta Motel”).  At any rate, I would give the Civil Rights Museum my highest recommendation and rating.

Finally, for those who like dense history, during my trip I continued to plow through a biography of John Quincy Adams.  This book was on sale at Costco and I would recommend it to folks who like a detailed study through individual biography.  Quincy Adams was a great man, highly educated and intellectual, and had more direct foreign policy experience than any president prior to serving in that office.  Additionally, Quincy Adams was an early abolitionist (of sorts) and sensitive to rights of Native Americans.

I hope my readers have found this discussion interesting and enlightening.

While I had a good trip to the Lower 48, I couldn’t be happier to be home!  As always, please call or email with any thoughts, ideas, or concerns.

I Answer to You!

Sincerely,

Representative Andy Josephson
733 W. 4th Ave
Phone: 907-269-0265