Day 3 - "Capitol Hill Day"

Today was my favorite day of the entire week. We saw democracy in action, met the leaders of our democracy, and got to visit the historical landmarks funded by our democracy. To start, we attended a Nebraska Breakfast (apparently a 67-year tradition) where we saw Nebraska senators Ben Nelson and Mike Johanns. We also met Jeff Fortenberry (who represents Lincoln, Norfolk, and West Point areas) and Adrian Smith (who represents our district). We then met each of these people individually throughout the day and asked them questions. Then, we got to see the United States Senate in action as they debated extending jobless benefits. By far, one of the most interesting parts of the day was when we got to visit the Library of Congress. My aunt was absolutely right when she told me that it was the embodiment of Thomas Jefferson's idea of a national treasure (for those of you who do not know, this is actually what the National Treasure movies are based offf of). Jefferson, himself, contributed over 5,000 books to the library (that we got to see) and the library had many displays on American history dating from the Aztecs and Incas to the creation of the Bill of Rights. I was a little disappointed about the fact that we did not get to visit the actual library. The actual library, with tens or hundreds of thousands or millions of books was closed to the public. Instead, we got to see the library from a balcony that was sealed off by glass and where flash photography was not allowed. I would have to admit that this incredibly disappointed me, but I am sure the chief librarian and Congress have their good reasons. We also visited the Supreme Court (meaning that we have now visited the houses of all three branches of government), and saw a hillarious play "Shear Madness" performed at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. It was today that it really settled in (after three or four days) that I was here in the middle of history. At one point, I was less that one hundred feet from the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution (and even the Magna Carta). I also saw the Watergate hotel. It takes a little bit of time, but after a while, you really understand the history behind this city, and you truly appreciate how close you are to it all. I would encourage every American to try to fund a trip to Washington, D.C. It is not only patriotic, but it really helps you develop an appreciation for the history of this great nation. Thanks again to all who follow the blog!