Two separate events occurred since writing the last entry. The first was hearing the historian David McCullough speak at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site regarding his book The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, “the story of adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, architects, and others of high aspiration who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900.” Apparently, much has been written about the Americans who went to Paris at the beginning of our country, as well as those who went to Paris in the first half of the Twentieth Century, but there hasn’t been much about the middle group who also contributed to the American way of life. Several among this group to make the journey had played prominent roles in the triumphant return to the United States of General LaFayette in 1824/25 and how they journeyed to France because it was the center to learn the latest in art, science, literature, education, and medicine. Interestingly, Mr McCullough informed us that French policy was that no tuition costs would be charged to these foreigners, recognizing the value these aliens might provide to France’s quality of life. General Lafayette embraced these young Americans in the manner of an elderly uncle regarding the care and welfare of visiting relatives from afar, and regularly met with them and helped to open Parisian doors. As a hero of the American Revolution, Lafayette’s 1824/25 journey was part of our nation’s fiftieth anniversary and included a visit to Claremont while enroute from meeting with the NH Legislature to Windsor Vermont. So, as we passed the granite marker on 12A memorializes this American patriot’s visit, it seemed most appropriate to be travelling the same road used by Lafayette.
Among the Americans highlighted by Mr. McCullough was Augustus Saint-Gaudens whose home is now a National Historic Site. Saint-Gaudens, the son of a French immigrant shoemaker, became one of this country’s greatest sculptors and a member of the Cornish Art Colony. Exploring the spacious grounds of the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site is a wonderful experience – as it is one of the jewels of the Connecticut River Valley. Actually, it is an excellent example of how your taxes are put to good use! I also learned that David McCullough has connections to Claremont and the region, one of his oldest friends was former state representative David Allison, and that Judge Albert Leahy was his classmate at Yale (’55). Perhaps there is something to the theory that there exist only six degrees of separation between anyone in the world.
The second event was a meeting of the Legislature in Concord, which included speeches by five presidential candidates. Having presidential candidates address the NH legislature is not unusual, but having five at once was new. Interestingly, this provided the opportunity to focus on style, and content. After the opening ceremonies, the Speaker individually introduced each GOP presidential candidate to speak for ten minutes. First was Gary Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico, who completed a 500 mile bike ride across NH, and feels we are on the verge of a monetary collapse. He advocates for a fair tax, and would not have created the Department of Homeland Security. He ended by stressing that now is the time for mutual sacrifice by all Americans. Next was former US Senator Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania who is taller and slimmer than on television. He stated this is the most important election in the nation’s history and that NH’s position in the primary process is in jeopardy due Florida and Nevada, and how NH provides an opportunity for voters to ‘kick the tires’. His focus was we need a president who believes in us not the government.
The third candidate was former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich – who in the 1990’s came to Claremont with former President Clinton at the Bourdon Center. He stated we are in a period of enormous change and is working on a 21st Century Contract with America. Especially intriguing was his suggestion we adopt the Lincoln/Douglas debate as a model where each candidate would ask questions of their opponent. The fourth candidate was Georgia businessman Mr. Herman Cain who has an economic (999) plan, and was ecstatically received by house colleagues. Touting changes to social security, Cain stated we can choose the road to socialism and bigger government, or the road to more freedom, liberty and fewer taxes. I did find it odd that this overwhelmingly libertarian leaning (anti-tax) House would wildly applaud Cain who espouses a national 9% sales tax! The last candidate was Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachman who said we have the right to be free of taxation without representation, and she’d repeal health care, cut taxes, go after illegal immigrants and concluded by saying “we want our country back” and then repeated God Bless three times.
While driving home the comments of Thomas Friedman kept resurfacing regarding this disconnect between the presidential election and the problems facing the nation as being “two separate universes – with no overlap between the election regarding the economy and world situation and the race for president”!
