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CLICK ABOVEOCTOBER 20, 2010

WHY WE VOTEWHEN WE VOTEPHILADELPHIAFREEDOM

CONGRESSIONALMEDAL OF HONOR

AMERICANPATRIOT

WHY WE VOTEWHEN WE VOTE

46PHILADELPHIAFREEDOM

8TIP O’NEILLTHE CONGRESSMAN’S CONGRESSMAN

THIS WEEKIN AMERICANHISTORY

QUOTE OFTHE WEEK

14 15

CONGRESSIONALMEDAL OF HONOR

12

AMERICA’S FUN FOODSCOTTON CANDY

10

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4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

WHY WE VOTE WHEN WE VOTE

CHECK OUT THE FAIR’S WEBSITEFOR VISITOR INFORMATION

The Constitution (Article II Section I) providesthat Congress determines the date of elections.In 1845, Congress enacted a law providingthat Tuesday after the first Monday of Nov-ember as the national Election Day. Whychoose that day instead of 364 others?

First and foremost, it is key to remember thatAmerica was an agrarian society in its firstcentury. Congress felt that November wasthe most convenient month for farmers andcitizens living in rural areas to get to the polls.Preparing fields and planting crops consumedthe spring and summer months. But by earlyNovember, the harvest was over and yet theweather still allowed travel.

Second, Tuesday was selected because therewere very few polling places in 1845, andfor those traveling by foot or wagon, it couldmean an overnight trip. If the election wereheld on Monday, people would have to leaveon Sunday, the Sabbath. That was philosoph-ically and politically untenable. So Tuesdaywas the next natural day.

Third, the second Tuesday was chosen for acouple of reasons. One is to keep ElectionDay from falling on the Catholic holiday ofAll Saints Day (November I) and, also, mer-chants were accustomed to tallying theirsales and expenses, and doing their booksfor the previous month on the first of each

month. Congress feared interrupting thispattern and also feared that an unusuallygood or bad economic month might influ-ence the vote if it were held on the 1st.

That was then. But does the explanation stillhold up now that we are an urban and sub-urban nation? The answer is that, while thepremises for the decision no longer exist,there is also no pressing reason to change.School is back in session and most summervacations are over. The closest national hol-iday, Thanksgiving, is still almost a monthaway. And it is far enough from April 15 —the politicians hope— that we have forgottenabout the last tax day and haven't startedworrying about the next one. So why change?

Which leads to one final point. Free andstable elections are a terrific achievement ofAmerican democracy and American heroism.Any day is a great day to vote.

With the hotly contested mid-term elections hurtling toward us,the question arose here at American Patriot as to why we votewhen we vote. Here is what we found.

6 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Philadelphians can legitimately claim that their city is the cradle of Americanfreedom and democracy. Bostonians may squawk, but the City of Brotherly Lovebases its claim as the place where the Declaration of Independence and theConstitution were drafted, and where the principles inspiring those documentstook root at least 100 years before 1776. The historic downtown, planned ona grid by founder William Penn, is filled with landmarks from the Colonial andConstitutional period.

HERE ARE A FEW OF THEMUST-SEE LOCATIONS:

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

The Liberty Bell CenterThe Liberty Bell rang many times forpublic announcements, includingannouncing the first public readingof The Declaration of Independence.The bell, which weighs about 2,000pounds, was silenced by a crack in1846. The Center features exhibitsabout this icon of freedom.

THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTERLocated on Independence Mall, this the firstmuseum in the world devoted to dramaticallytelling the story of The United States Constitutionfrom Revolutionary times to the present throughmore than 100 exhibits.

INDEPENDENCE VISITORS CENTERVisitors discover a range of services, amenitiesand information you need to plan your visit tothe Philadelphia area including IndependenceNational Historical Park.

CONGRESS HALLConstructed between 1787 and 1789, CongressHall served as the U.S. Capitol, the meeting placeof Congress, from 1790 to 1800, when Philadel-phia was the nation’s capital of the United States.The House of Representatives met on the mainfloor, while the Senate assembled upstairs.

OLD CITY HALLThe United States Supreme Court met here from1791 until 1800 when the capital was movedfrom Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Earlymembers of the Supreme Court included JohnJay and John Marshall.

AMERICAN PATRIOT 7

LEARN MORE ABOUT THEHISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA

PHILOSOPHICAL HALLThe American Philosophical Society wasfounded in 1743 as a home for thinkersabout nature, machines, industry andgovernance. It was founded through theoutgrowth of an idea fostered by BenjaminFranklin, and continues as the oldestlearned society in the country.

FIRST BANK OF THE UNITED STATESCongress and President Washingtonchartered the bank in 1791 under thedirection of Treasury Secretary AlexanderHamilton. Architecturally, the buildingwon wide acclaim upon its completion in1797, and is an early example of Classicalmonumental design.

CARPENTERS’ HALLBuilt in 1770, the First ContinentalCongress met to draw up a Declarationof Rights and Grievances and an appealto King George III. This was in response tothe Colonies’ outrage towards the BritishParliament over punishing Massachusettsfor the Boston Tea Party. During the Revo-lutionary War, Carpenters’ Hall served as ahospital and an arsenal for American forces.

CHRIST CHURCHOften called the “Nation’s Church,”this Episcopalian church has been anactive parish since 1695, and the likesof Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross,Benjamin Rush and George Washingtonworshipped there. It is also where theAmerican Episcopal Church was born.The steeple was the tallest structure inthe Colonies for 83 years.

Betsy Ross HouseA row home built in 1740 has been restoredto about the year 1777, and it commemoratesBetsy Ross' legend and history. Ross wascommissioned by George Washington tocreate the first American Flag. The descendantsof Ross have passed her story down fromgeneration to generation.

Independence HallIndependence Hall was built in 1732 as thePennsylvania State House. The Second Con-tinental Congress met here, the Declarationof Independence was adopted on July 4,1776, and the Constitutional Convention metto draft, debate and then sign The UnitedStates Constitution in 1787.

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8 AMERICAN PATRIOT

TIP O’NEILLTHE CONGRESSMAN'SCONGRESSMAN

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

The son of a bricklayer, O'Neill went to

Catholic schools right on up through Boston

College. A natural politician, he was elected

to the State Legislature at the age of 21, and

was Speaker of the state house by 1949.

In 1952 he succeeded as the Congress-

man in John F. Kennedy’s old district when

Kennedy moved to the Senate. O’Neill was

part of the liberal wing of the Democratic

Party, but tempermentally was more a

pragmatist and political fixer, rather than

an ideologue. Consistently voting liberal —

but getting along with everyone and com-

promising where he need to — he rose to

speaker by 1977.

O’Neill held this powerful post for the next

ten years, longer than anyone. His tenure

was marked by support of what he saw as

the interests of the cities, the working peo-

ple, the poor, the needy, the unemployed

and the sick. “All politics is local,” he often

said. A big, loud, charismatic and shrewd

politician, he displayed effective leader-

ship in a decade of political upheaval and

became a good-natured counterpoint to

the increasingly conservative presidential

politics of Ronald Reagan. During his lead-

ership, the House adopted a new code of

ethics, placed limits on outside income and

introduced television coverage of its sessions.

In the superheated take-no-prisoners

politics of today, O’Neill is perhaps best

remembered as a guy who got things done

with a smile. Another former Speaker of the

House, Thomas S. Foley, called Mr. O’Neill

“the model of what a representative and a

leader of the American people should be.”

He mingled easily with Republicans and

was able to cut deals and reach compro-

mises in an atmosphere of trust. Robert

Michel, Republican House minority leader

in the mid-1990s, said of O’Neill at his

death in 1994: “Partisanship was put aside,

and we could be the best of friends.” Bob

Dole, then head of the Senate, said that

O’Neill “certainly will go down in history as

one of the great political leaders of our time.”

In one of the more polarizing Congressional elections in modern times, either

Nancy Pelosi will continue as Speaker of the House or John Boehner will take

her place. Neither has the reputation for reaching across the aisle and having

friends in both parties as did political legend and Speaker extraordinaire Tip

O’Neill. O’Neill served as Speaker from 1977-1987 and was best described by

political rival Bob Dole as “the Congressman's Congressman.”

BOSTON COLLEGE’S PERMANENTEXHIBIT OF THE SPEAKER’S LIFE

h

10 AMERICAN PATRIOT

CONGRESSIONALMEDAL OF HONORWhen Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti posthumously received theCongressional Medal of Honor late last year, he became the mostrecent in a line of roughly 3,400 winners of this highest militarydecoration awarded by the United States government.

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action againstan enemy force. It is bestowed on a member of the armed forces who distinguisheshim or herself “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his lifeabove and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemyof the United States.” Members of all branches of the military are eligible to receivethe medal, and each service has a unique design with the exception of the MarineCorps and Coast Guard, which both use the Navy's medal.

The first formal system for rewarding acts

of individual gallantry by American soldiers

was established by George Washington in

1782 as the Badge of Military Merit. This

fell into disuse until a similar award for

individual bravery was again instituted in

1847, after the outbreak of the Mexican

War. Early in the Civil War, a medal for

individual valor was proposed to General-

in-Chief of the Army Winfield Scott. But

Scott felt medals smacked of European

affectation and killed the idea.

The medal found support in the Navy,

however, where it was felt recognition of

personal courage was needed. A provision

for a Navy medal of valor was signed into

law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.

Shortly after this, a resolution similar in

wording was introduced on behalf of the

Army. Signed into law soon thereafter, the

measure provided for awarding a medal of

honor “to such noncommissioned officers

and privates as shall most distinguish

themselves by their gallantry in action,

and other soldier like qualities, during the

present insurrection.” Congress made the

Medal of Honor a permanent decoration

in 1863.

Since the beginning of World War II, the

medal has been awarded for extreme brav-

ery beyond the call of duty while engaged

in action against an enemy. Arising from

these criteria, approximately 60 percent of

the medals earned during and after World

War II have been awarded posthumously.

In all, 3,467 medals have been awarded to

3,448 different people. Nineteenmen were

double recipients, most by the Army fol-

lowed by the Navy and the Marines.

AMERICAN PATRIOT 11

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Army, Navy, and Air Force Medals of Honor

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORYOF THE MEDAL OF HONOR

12 AMERICAN PATRIOT

AMERICA’S FUN FOODS

COTTONCANDY

AMERICAN PATRIOT 13

The story of cotton candy goes back as early

as the 1400’s, when European chefs spun

elegant desserts out of sugar for nobility an

others who could afford it. The candy was

formed into golden webs, eggs, bird’s nests,

castles and other fanciful creations. Easter

eggs were a particular favorite among Euro-

peans. Up until the late 1800’s, spinning sugar

was a difficult undertaking. Loafsugar, made

of cane or beets was used, as granulated sugar

wasn’t invented until after World War One.

Sugar, water and other ingredients were boiled

in large pots until reaching the correct temper-

ature and consistency. Cooks were advised to

use only the best cane sugar and to use copper

bowls for best results. When the melted con-

coction was ready, the confectioner had a few

brief moments to pull it from the bowl with a

fork or whisk and then fling the hot mixture

through the air. The strands would quickly

cool and solidify in the air. Burns and blisters

were common, as was failure.

Enter American inventiveness. Several Amer-

ican inventors are credited with cooking up the

first modern cotton candy machines. The first

patent was given to John C. Wharton and

William Morris for their 1897 machine. The

two partners debuted their new ‘fairy floss’ at

the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 where it was

a success. Another American, Thomas Patton

patented a slightly different cotton candy ma-

chine a year later and teamed up with the

Ringling Bros. Circus, where it is still served

today. In these machines, sugar and coloring

is heated in a small, spinning container, which

sits a large metal drum. The spinner has tiny

holes, which send the liquid sugar flying out

in strands. Once the strands come in contact

with the air, they become solid and forms

threads on the sides of the bowl. In 1949, a

spring-based machine was introduced, which

sped up the candy making process. More im-

provements came in the 1970’s, when new

machines came online with high volume ca-

pabilities. These machines produce a long

continuous mass of cotton candy, which is

sliced, into rectangles. It can now be found in

stores packed in plastic bags. Special sugars

have also been introduced that create longer

strands to give the candy greater texture.

These days the most popular color for cotton

candy is pink, followed by blue. Other colors

are occasionally seen. Plain sugar is the best

seller, but flavors such as bubble gum are

increasingly available. Cotton candy has a long

and international ancestry, but Americans have

taken it to our hearts. We’ve even created a

holiday — National Cotton Candy Day — that

is celebrated each year in early December.

Cotton candy is associated in theminds ofmany Americanswith circuses,amusement parks, the ballpark, summer days. Swirly, sticky, sweet –the essence of childhood.

14 AMERICAN PATRIOT

QUOTE OFTHE WEEK

“In America, anybody can be president.That's one of the risks you take.”— ADLAI STEVENSON, 1900-1965Famous for his intellect and dry humor, Stevenson was twice Democraticpresidential candidate and was twice defeated soundly, in 1952 and1956, by Dwight Eisenhower.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR ADLAI STEVENSON’SPRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SPEECH

THIS WEEK INAMERICAN HISTORY

AMERICAN PATRIOT 15

1962.The Cuban Missile Crisis burst on the scene when the U.S. discovered Sovietmissile bases in Cuba at the height of the Cold War. President John F. Kennedytook an aggressive approach, quarantining the island and staring down Soviethead Nikita Khruschev. It ended well, but for several days the world was onthe brink of nuclear war between the two reigning superpowers.

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