FDR and Barack Obama and the Filibuster Proof Congress;

Why Often Nothing Gets Done!

June 19, 2009

Richard J. Garfunkel

It is interesting that the media seems to rarely do its home work. With regards to the comparison of Barack Obama and the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt there is quite a difference how the Congress operated then and now. As to “cloture,” which existed in FDR’s time, as it does today, the majority then needed 66% of the then 96 Senators or 64 votes to bring a vote to the floor or stop a filibuster. The term was derived from the Spanish filibustero meaning 'pirate' or 'freebooter'. This term had in turn evolved from the French word flibustier, which itself evolved from the Dutch vrijbuiter (freebooter). This term was applied at the time to American adventurers, mostly from Southern states, who sought to overthrow the governments of Central American states, and was transferred to the users of the filibuster, seen as a tactic for pirating or hijacking debate.

In those days it was rarely used. In the whole 19^th Century there were, it is estimated about twenty-three “cloture” votes. In fact, the filibuster, which is a tactic most commonly known from the 1939 film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, is a methodology used to prevent action on the floor of the Senate. Therefore “cloture” is the calling of a vote, and in FDR’s day, 64 votes were needed, to shut off debate, and allow a floor vote where today 51 votes are needed for passage. In the post war years, the filibuster was more common regarding Civil Rights legislation, which was often bottled up by Dixiecrats from the South. Southern committee chairmen, in quite often life-time jobs, representing one-party “rotten boroughs,” took advantage of the seniority system and could thwart needed legislation in their committee caucuses or  eventually on the floor of the Senate.

The idea of unlimited debate emerged in1806, as the Senate agreed to change its rules, which had been existence since 1787.This allowed the potentiality of a group of Senators to talk an issue to death. Because the Senate created no alternative mechanism for terminating debate, the filibuster became an option for delay and blocking of floor votes. In 1917 a rule allowing for the cloture of debate (ending a filibuster) was adopted by the Democratic Senate at the urging of President Woodrow Wilson. From 1917 to 1949, the requirement for cloture was two-thirds of those voting. In 1946, Southern Senators blocked a vote on a bill proposed by Democrat Dennis Chavez of New Mexico (S. 101) that would have created a permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to prevent discrimination in the work place. The filibuster dragged on for weeks and weeks, and Senator Chavez was forced to remove the bill from consideration after a failed cloture vote even though he had enough votes to pass the bill.

In 1953, US Senator Wayne Morse, (I.-OR)., conducted a filibuster for 22 hours and 26 minutes protesting the Tidelands Oil legislation, which at the time was the longest one-person filibuster in U.S. Senate history.

After a term as an independent, Lyndon Johnson (D-TX), the Democratic Majority Leader, convinced Morse to switch to the Democratic Party in 1955. Despite his change in party affiliation, and accusations of being a “loose-cannon,” Morse won re-election to the United States Senate in 1956.

He defeated U.S. Secretary of the Interior and former four-term governor Douglas McKay in a hotly-contested race, record-spending race for Oregon. He later filibustered against President Eisenhower’s appointment of Clare Boothe Luce as ambassador to Brazil. Morse chastised Ms. Luce for her criticism of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Although the Senate confirmed Luce's appointment in a 79–11 vote, Luce retaliated against him. In her acceptance speech to the Senate, Luce commented that her troubles with Senator Morse were attributable to the injuries he sustained from being kicked by a horse in 1951. She also remarked that riots in Bolivia might be dealt with by dividing the country up among its neighbors. Ironically, an immediate firestorm erupted against these remarks from Morse and other Senators, and Luce's refusal to retract the remark about the horse, led to her resignation just three days after her appointment.

At one time the procedure for preparing to filibuster was called “taking to the diaper,” which referred to the actions undertaken by a prudent senator before an extended filibuster. As civil rights loomed on the Senate agenda, this rule was revised in 1949 to allow cloture on any measure or motion by two-thirds of the entire Senate membership; in 1959 the threshold was restored to two-thirds of those voting. After a series of filibusters led by Southern Democrats in the 1960s over civil rights legislation, the Democratic-controlled Senate in 1975 revised its cloture rule so that three-fifths of the Senators sworn (usually 60 senators) could limit debate. Changes to Senate rules still require two-thirds of Senators voting. Senator Strom Thurmond (D/R-SC) set a record in 1957 by filibustering the Civil Rights Act of 1957 for 24 hours and 18 minutes, although the bill ultimately passed. Thurmond broke the previous record of 22 hours and 26 minutes which Wayne Morse (I-OR) had established in 1953 protesting the Tidelands Oil legislation. Strom Thurmond visited a steam room before his filibusters in order to dehydrate himself so he could drink without urinating. An aide stood by in the cloakroom with a pail in case of emergency.

The filibuster has tremendously increased in frequency of use since the 1960s. In the 1960s, no Senate term had more than seven filibusters. One of the most notable filibusters of the 1960s was when southern Democratic Senators attempted, unsuccessfully, to block the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by making a filibuster that lasted for 75 hours. In the first decade of the 21st century, no Senate term had fewer than 49 filibusters. The 1999-2002 Senate terms both had 58 filibusters. The 110th Congress broke the record for filibuster cloture votes reaching 112 at the end of 2008.

During the two years of the 110th Congress (2007-2009), Senate Republicans filed an unprecedented, legislative-delaying 142 cloture motions. How come we hear little or nothing about this activity? The GOP has been using delaying tactics for years and great credit must go to Bill Clinton for getting anything done.

In the 73^rd Congress, which was elected with President Roosevelt in 1932, the Democrats held 60 seats to 36 for the GOP. There were very few, if any, “cloture motions” in that session, despite all the complaints from some Senators that they did not have a chance to even read the bills being offered. If FDR had to worry or plan how to get 64 Senators to support each and every piece of legislation, rather than the 49 required in those days maybe nothing would have been accomplished. Those 15 extra votes would have been very difficult to satisfy!

Of course the House has different rules then the Senate, and in those days most districts were not “rotten boroughs” that were carved out of the State legislatures to make secure seats. Because of the tenure of the time, and the fact that the House stood for re-election every two years, popular sentiment could make for great changes in the make up of that body. In March of 1933, when FDR was inaugurated, the Democrats held a 311-117-5 advantage and could afford to lose 90 or so seats and still hold a majority. Just four years earlier, Herbert Hoover came in the White House with a House majority of 267-163-14 and Warren Harding enjoyed a 303-131-1 majority when he arrived in 1920. (By the way the 3^rd number indicates members of other parties.)

Today the Democrats hold a 256-178 majority and though that is substantial, the idea that even a very successful Obama first two years could eliminate some of those remaining GOP seats is speculative. If a Michelle Bachman, R-MN, can hold her seat almost any GOP troglodyte is safe.

As to reform legislation regarding healthcare, market place regulation, the deficit and the tax code, Obama will need a strong Democratic commitment. Other issues regarding, energy policy “cap and trade,” education, “gay rights” and entitlements maybe compromised to death.

The South Carolina Legislature should begin an investigation immediately of the Governor and his outrageous actions. His conduct and hypocrisy is sickening. How often are we going to have to tolerate empty and meaningless platitudes from philandering hypocrites on the public payroll? This is a man who called for the impeachment of Bill Clinton. This is a man who talks of family values; this is a man who deserves no pity from the public. This is a man who should resign or be removed. Former Governor Spitzer was forced out of his job in New York because of his indiscretions and no less should be required of this individual.

Personally I am tired and sickened by this faux silliness and the crocodile tears regarding sympathy for his selfish and disgusting conduct. How about sympathy for his tortured wife and family? How about sympathy for the folks of South Carolina who have been deceived and mislead? How about the average folks who have to explain his conduct to their children? When are we collectively going to be fed up with these miscreants?

Richard J. Garfunkel

Our Fortieth Anniversary- Where Has the Time Gone?

Richard J Garfunkel

With able assistance of Linda R. Garfunkel

August 1, 2009

Where has all the time gone? I am sure all of us ask that question quite often. This past July 27^th was our 40^th anniversary and we celebrated by having a party this past Saturday with 40 (or so) of our friends and family.. Some had other obligations that were long planned, others were too far away, and a few, here and there, had physical limitations. We wondered if all the invitees had been able to attend, would we have been able to accommodate them!

As Charles Dickens said in David Copperfield, “I was born…” on May 2, 1945, in one of the greatest weeks in the history of the world. On that day, the final reports regarding the death of the super monster and criminal Adolf Hitler were trumpeted around the world. The Russians took Berlin and the Nazis surrendered officially in Italy. In the midst of that happiness, my parents, like any other patriotic Americans, were mourning the death of our great leader Franklin Delano Roosevelt. My mother was certainly relieved at the news, because she rarely was able to sleep soundly during the war while her brother, Captain Aaron Kivo was overseas serving with a combat unit in Europe. Linda’s mother Anne Kulick Rosen, like millions of others, was relieved to hear six days later President Truman’s VE-Day announcement, and the capitulation of Nazi forces all over the world. Linda’s father, Corporal Morris Rosen, was serving actively with the 656^th Field Artillery Battalion, Fifth Corps, of the 1^st Army, under the command of Lt. General Courtney Hodges (the second man to rise from the rank of private to become a full general.) Anne was looking forward to her husband accumulating enough “points” to be sent home from Europe.

Pop Morris told us many war stories aver the years. When the war ended, as he and his buddies were still in occupied Southern Germany, they heard the news and went back to their card game, as life went on. His photo album of war experiences was enlightening, humorous and tragic. Many of his photos were of Dachau, the defeated and humbled “supermen,” and even the Munich Beer Hall where the whole mess was germinated. He even brought back a book put together by his outfit, “Battling Guns” which chronicled the 656^th Field Artillery’s history. His article “Lootin’ is Ferbootin” (but it doesn’t say positively) was a humorous view regarding the “spoils of war.” He also wrote, “Who Put the Put in Allas Kaput?”

By the way Corporal Rosen was awarded the Bronze Star and the following quote was taken from his citation, “For meritorious service in connection with military operations against an armed enemy from 12 December 1944 to 6 May 1945, in England, France, and Germany. The skill, courage, and dependability with which Corporal Rosen performed his duties as Survey Corporal contributed immeasurably to the combat effectiveness of his organization during operations on the Continent of Europe. His untiring initiative and accurate execution of his arduous tasks exemplify the finest traditions of the service.”

On a beautiful day, July 27, 1969, a bit over 24 years from those momentous days in 1945, we were married by Rabbi Perry Cohen at the Carleton House, which is still located at 680 Madison Avenue in New York City. Coincidently our ceremony was also held in a very spectacular time. Just a week earlier Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins of Apollo 11 circled the Moon and Armstrong, of course, became the first man to step on that barren orb. The whole world was absolutely ecstatic over this spectacular achievement. We, like tens of millions of others, watched the landing with our fingers crossed, our hearts palpitating and our hopes soaring. We were in Anne and Morris’s bedroom at 120 East 34^th Street that evening, and they amazingly were half asleep through the final moments!

I can recall few elements of the events that led to our wedding ceremony. As the groom, I was never really in the planning loop. The Rosens and Linda did all of the planning, and I was frankly amazed that they were planning a fairly large and elaborate ceremony. We met with Rabbi Cohen at a Near Eastern- Turkish style restaurant, where there was a belly dancer, and we talked about ourselves and discussed the up and coming wedding.  I was never really concerned who conducted the ceremony, and the only Rabbi I had any contact with as a congregant was the late Max Maccoby of the free Synagogue of Mount Vernon, who had died in 1956. In the years in between, I had attended services in other synagogues and had little connection to institutional Judaism. In a similar way, Linda did not have any special thoughts about who should conduct the wedding. My father-in-law knew Rabbi Cohen from the Junction Boulevard Jewish Center, a synagogue Morris founded in Lefrak City. Some of the board members were at our wedding. Years later we learned that Rabbi Cohen deserted his family and ran away with a younger woman.

As to the wedding itself, my best man was my first cousin Robert Kivo, who seemed interested in one of Linda’s friends, Amy Kessler. Amy was a roommate of Linda’s at Barnard College, and coincidently her parents, who were very sweet and gracious people, lived at 16 Lake Street, White Plains, where we had our first apartment. Linda’s other roommates were in Israel at the time of the wedding. As the glass of wine was passed to us by the Rabbi, Bob broke up Linda and me by suggesting that it contained hemlock. Many of our uncles and aunts were there. My grandfather, John Kivo who was passed 80 at the time, and the only surviving grandparent, cut the. challah. My father’s parents Abraham and Kate had died much earlier, and my mother’s mother Leah had died within a few years after my birth. Morris’s parents died in the flu epidemic of 1918, and Anne’s father had died in the early 1940’s. Her mother, Zelda Kulick, the matriarch of the family, died in the summer of 1960. She had lived with the Rosens for many years. We had a number of our friends there, including Henry and Madeline Littlefield. Three of my friends, Warren Adis, Stan Goldmark and Lew Perelman were in the armed forces and therefore unavailable to attend. Warren did send us a very interesting audio cassette.

Of course 1969 was a remarkable year, with many, many things happening. As we all remember Richard Nixon and his infamous Vice-President Spiro Agnew, were sworn in on January 20^th, officially ending both the era of Camelot and the Great Society. Nixon won in a three way race against Huber Humphrey and anti-war, third party spoiler, Gene McCarthy, but the Democrats retained large majorities in both the Senate (58-42) and the House (243-192), They would hold those majorities (and even greater) in the Senate until 1980 and in the House until 1994.

The cost of living was rising because of the expense of the Vietnam War. Ground beef was 57 cents per pound, bread and coffee were both 23 and 95 cents per pound. Eggs were 40 cents a dozen. One could get a house for $15,525 around the country. We paid about $180 per month for our one bedroom apartment. A new car cost around $3,247, and we paid about that for a 1969 Volvo. The average income was around $8,500 per year and we both made approximately that level working for Bache & Company in New York City and Sleepy Hollow High School in the then North Tarrytown.

Getting back to our wedding plans, Linda registered in B. Altman & Company for our china and sterling. A five piece place setting of the former cost $25, while the sterling pattern, Francis the 1^st, cost $55 for a four piece place setting. Some relatives gave us three place settings, which was a very extravagant gift! We bought our five piece bedroom set at Walter Grossman’s furniture store in Harlem. Walter was the father of my long-time friend Joel. For $500 we also got a king-size mattress and the bed had wooden posts. Our linen trousseau was bought on the Lower East Side, from one of Amrose Art Linens’ customers.

There was no Bed, Bath & Beyond in those days. Linda bought her wedding dress off the rack at Best & Company. Rather than wait to have a dress custom made, the off the rack dress cost $98 including the train. The veil had to be custom made and cost $35. The service at the store was as good as though the dress had cost $1,000’s. The formal wedding portrait was taken by JT Winburn in the store’s bridal photography area. They could not get the flowers correct, but Linda carried calla lilies down the aisle. They were supposed to look like they had just been picked.

The population of the United States was approximately 202 million about two-thirds what it is today. The unemployment rate was 3.5% and almost everyone was working or was in the armed forces. The war in Vietnam was still raging and our friend Warren Adis, who was just at our 40^th Anniversary party with his wife Mary, missed our wedding because he was still in Vietnam. In that year, bonnie Prince Charlie, Queen Elizabeth’s son, officially became the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Chester.  The Woodstock Music Festival was held in the Town of Bethel, in Sullivan County, on Max Yasgur’s 600 acre dairy farm which he rented out for $75,000. Over the 200,000 plus music aficionados who attended that seminal event, was childhood friend Charles Columbus. He bought tickets, was stuck on the Thruway, and spent three muddy, but exciting days there.

Along with the excitement of the Moon Landing, we were all shocked by the Manson murders, Yale and Vassar went co-ed, and Mary Jo Kopechne drowned after Ted Kennedy drove his car off the Chappaquiddick Bridge. During 1969, our enemy Ho Chi Minh died at age 79, and Golda Meir became the Prime Minister of Israel. The Vietnam War continued to rage despite the long and extended peace talks in Paris, and Nixon made little progress, but he did start a secret bombing of Cambodia and Laos as we escalated our involvement.

In the sporting world, the formerly hapless Jets won their first and only Super Bowl under the inspired leadership of Coach Weeb Ewbank and Quarterback Joe Namath, who later that year threatened to quit the sport when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, forced him to sell his share in the NYC bistro Bachelor’s III. Namath, of course backed down, and the incident was quickly forgotten. Another event that was remarkable was the World Series triumph of the NY Mets over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles, who had won 109 games that season. The Orioles rolled over the American League, and the once vaunted New York Yankees were wallowing 22 games behind the “Birds” on the weekend of our wedding. At the same time the poor and hapless Chicago Cubs were leading the 2^nd place Mets by 4.5 games. That lead would fade quickly in September, as the “Amazins” went on to baseball immortality.

At the end of the season, the Yanks would finish 80-81, 28.5 games behind the Birds and would draw only 1,067,996, their lowest attendance since 1945. In comparison, since 1999, when they first exceeded the 3 million mark, they have steadily increased their attendance. From 2005 through 2008, at the now closed first Yankee Stadium, they drew over 4 million! By the way a box seat in 1969 cost around $3.00. Last year, that same seat, was $200! This year they range from $800 to $2500, and few are buying!

In 1969, Rod Carew and Pete Rose led their respective leagues in batting, and Harmon Killebrew and Willie McCovey were the MVP’s of their leagues. Other significant sporting events that happened in 1969, were the repeat championship efforts of the Boston Celtics who won their eleventh NBA title in twelve years, the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, Steve Owens, the Oklahoma running back, won the Heisman Award and the University of Texas was king of College football. The Bruins of UCLA won another college basketball crown under the legendary Coach Johnny Wooden with his great star Lew Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabarr.

In 1969, Uclans were in the middle of a seven year National Collegiate title winning streak, and when Johnny Wooden retired after 1975, the Bruins had won ten championships in twelve yeas. Also in 1969 the heavyweight boxing crown, which had been vacated by Muhammad Ali because of his refusal to be drafted into the US Army was held jointly by Joe Frazier and Jimmy Ellis.

The mile record of 3.51 was held by the former Kansan running sensation Jim Ryan. Today the record for the mile is under 3.43. Wasn’t it just yesterday when in 1954, Dr. Roger Bannister broke the 4:00 minute mile, a barrier that had eluded many great runners for years.

In the world of horse racing, the favored Majestic Prince, who had won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, was upset by Arts and Letters, in front of about 90,000 people at Belmont Park, which included Linda, my grandfather John Kivo and me. In golf that year three virtual unknowns won the big major events; Orville Moody, the US Open, George Archer, the Masters, and Tony Jacklin, the British Open. In tennis the great Rod Laver won the Grand Slam, all four major Opens, and Billie Jean King won the US Open and Brit, Ann Jones won Wimbledon. Little known Mark Spitz, who had won a gold medal or two in the Tokyo Olympics won the 100 meter freestyle at the 8^th Maccabian Games and his sister, 15 year old Nancy, took a silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle.

In the following days after the wedding, pictures were brought back from the Moon Landing, Nixon made a quick trip to Vietnam from Bangkok, Thailand, and photos from the Mariner trip to Mars were released.

On Broadway, Ann Miller starred in Mame, Oklahoma ($6.50 Sat. night Orch.)was ending another revival run, 1776, Promises, Promises Zorba, Cabaret ($12 Sat. night orchestra), Fiddler on the Roof,  ($9.90) The Great White Hope, $9.50) Hadrian VII, Hair, The Man of La Mancha, Plaza Suite ($8)all were doing well. Pearl Bailey was starring in Hello Dolly, ($11.90) and Mickey Rooney was the leading man in George M out in Westbury.

Some of the films that graced the movie theaters in July of 1969 were; I Am Curious Yellow, True Grit, the Wild Bunch, Castle Keep, The Lion in Winter, Romeo & Juliet, Goodbye Columbus and The Graduate. We saw most of those films, but I must admit that I only saw True Grit with John Wayne and Castle Keep with Burt Lancaster years later on television. Other notable1969 releases were Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy, Alice’s Restaurant, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Paint Your Wagon. The Oscar for Best Picture was won by Midnight Cowboy and John Wayne and Maggie Smith won the Best Actor awards for True Grit and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie respectively.The price for a movie was around $1.50 per ticket. Off the beaten path of mid-town, one could also see Monterrey Pop, La Strada, the Blue Movie, and 2001 Space Oddesey.

The leading songs in 1969 were the Beatles hits; Come Together and Get Back, Honky Tonk Women sung by the Rolling Stones, P.P. May’s, Leaving on a Jet Plane and Stand By Your Man by Tammy Wynette. The top television shows in that year were, Laugh-In, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Mayberry RFD, Family Affair and Here’s Lucy.  I am positive that I watched very few of those shows. Nothing has changed too much; the top shows on television are still horrible.

The Nobel Peace Prize was won by the International Labour Organization and the prize for literature was won by Samuel Beckett.

Meanwhile, back at the Carleton House, the wedding was scheduled to begin at noon, and by 6 PM everybody was on their way home. I went back to our courtesy room at the hotel, which is now for permanent residents only, and my new raincoat was gone! We checked out, and drove to our new apartment at 16 Lake Street, White Plains. At some point that evening, we decided we were hungry. I drove down to the Mont Parnesse Diner on Central Avenue, where I bumped into my Uncle Aaron, Aunt Blanche and my grandfather John Kivo, who all lived nearby and were also in need of some refreshments. Since we did not have the time or money to go on a honeymoon, we postponed a trip to the following summer. On Monday, July 28^th, I went to work at Bache & Company at 40 Wall Street, while Linda had a few weeks to get the apartment in order before beginning teaching social studies at Sleepy Hollow High School.

So on this past Saturday, August 1^st, we celebrated our 40^th anniversary in our backyard and on the deck at our townhouse in Tarrytown. In between we lived three years at 16 Lake Street, nine years at 122 Greenacres Avenue and twenty-one years at 101 Prospect Street. We had a wonderful mixture of about 40 guests which Among our 40 guests were friends from childhood, Amrose days, tennis games, Barnard College, politics both WP and Greenburgh, and relatives including our wonderful children Dana and Jon.

“The Advocates”

 With

Richard J. Garfunkel

 WVOX – AM Radio 1460- 12 Noon Wednesday

July 29, 2009

All archived Shows at:

http://advocates-wvox.com

Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at 12:00 Noon, I am hosting my show, The Advocates on WVOX- 1460 AM, or you can listen to the program’s live streaming at www.wvox.com. One can call the show at 914-636-0110 to reach us on the radio.  Our guests are Jay Rosenberg and Malcolm Gissen. Our subject is “Surviving in the new American economy.”

Jay Rosenberg is the Principal and Chief Investment Officer of Arrival Capital Management LLC. He has been a finance and legal professional for the past twenty years, as well as an active investor. He holds JD (law)and MBA (business) degrees from Columbia University, where he studied value investing, behavioral finance, and valuation techniques from some of the foremost practitioners and academics in the field.

Mr. Rosenberg has served in government, as both a federal law clerk and as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Deputy Mayor for Finance and Economic Development of the City of New York. He has also been the Capital Finance Director of a publicly traded education management corporation. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of

Pennsylvania, where he studied economics and history. Jay grew up in New York and New Jersey, and graduated from the Horace Mann School. He now resides in Manhattan with his wife, Lilli, and three children.

Malcolm Gissen, a native New Yorker, who grew up in Mount Vernon, NY, has operated Malcolm H. Gissen & Associates Inc., an investment advisory firm in San Francisco, California, since its founding in 1985. The firm manages money for affluent individuals and for retirement accounts.

Three years ago Gissen and the firm's Chief Investment Officer founded the Encompass Fund, a SEC-licensed open-ended mutual fund. The Fund can invest in any sector of the market the manager’s desire. Since its inception, the Fund has emphasized metals and energy companies, but it invests in many different sectors, in companies of all sizes and in many Canadian mining companies. The Encompass Fund has gained 79% this year to rank among the top 10 funds out of the 18,000 mutual funds tracked by Morningstar. Gissen is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Meanwhile, the mission of The Advocates is to bring to the public differing views on current “public policy” issues. “Public policy,” therefore, is what we as a nation legally and traditionally follow.

One can find my essays on FDR and other subjects at https://www.richardjgarfunkel.com. One can also listen to all of the archived shows at: http://advocates-wvox.com. Our guests next week will be Steve Lamoreaux and Gary Leogrande revisit regional real estate, reverse mortgages and the changes they have seen over the last 15 months. One can find all of The Advocates programs archived at http://advocates-wvox.com.

Richard J. Garfunkel

Speaking of Homeruns

Richard J. Garfunkel

July 26, 2009

In 1884, the Chicago Cubs, who were known that season as the White Stockings also, played in Lake Front Park, where the dimensions in feet were from left to right: 186, 300, and 196. In that season where they played only 112 games, the 4^th place Cubs finished 4^th with a record of 62 and 50, under the legendary and infamous Adrian “Cap” Anson, who had a great deal with baseball’s “color barrier.”

The team hit 142 homeruns in that bandbox park. The Braves played in the South End Grounds during that same period and the measurements were: 250, 440, and 255. The Dodgers (Bridegrooms) played in Washington Park that measured 335, 445, and 215. In 1884 the next leading team in homeruns was the Buffalo franchise that hit 39. The top four homerun hitters in the league were all Chicago players: Williamson, Pfeffer, Dalrymple and Anson with 27, 25, 22, and 21. The mark of 27 set by Ned Williamson would stand until 1919 when Babe Ruth hit 29 with the Red Sox. Williamson would only hit 3 the next season when the Cubs (now Colts) moved to West Side Park which was larger dimensions. He would only hit a total of 63 homeruns in his 13 years career with 4553 at bats.

Frank “Homerun” Baker had his best power season with 12 homers in 1913 and would only hit 93 in his 13 seasons and 5985 at bats. He also hit 3 homeruns in 6 World Series appearances, but received the name, “Homerun” in the 1911 Series where he two and led the A’s with a .375 average. He hit one off Hall of Famer, Rube Marquand to win a game and was able to tie a game with his second homer when the legendary Christy Mathewson was pitching a i-0 shutout in the 9^th inning. With regards to the 3^rd baseman who played with the famous trio of Tinkers to Evers to Chance, it was not Baker, but Harry Steinfeldt. Steinfeldt starred on the great Cub club that set the National League record (also the Major League record for over 90 years) for wins with 116 (116-36). He led that team with a batting average of .327. The Cubs led the National League with a team batting average of .262, but were beaten by their light-hitting cross-town rivals, the White Sox, known also as the “Hitless Wonders.” The Sox (93-58) hit .230 which was probably the lowest batting average for a pennant winner in the history of baseball.

In 1968, the “Pitcher’s Year “of baseball, the Tigers, led by Denny McClain’s 31 victory season batted only .235. Oakland led the league with a .240 average and the vaunted 5^th place Yankees hit an amazing .214. Mickey Mantle his only .237 but 23 points above the terrible Yanks, and 7 points above the league average. “King” Carl Yastrzemski led the American League in batting with a record low .301.  The Mets that year actually hit .228 and the great Willie Mays hit .289 for the SF Giants.

With regards to the Bambino, Babe Ruth actually broke Williamson’s record in 1919 with 29 homeruns in only 439 at bats as he also pitched for the 6^th place Red Sox, who finished in 6^th place. The next two years with the Yankees and in the friendly Polo Grounds, he would hit 54 and 59. Ruth’s total of 54 over the previous record of 29, was the greatest spread between home run champions. I am sure that Ruth was the first 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 home runs.

The team hit 142 homeruns in that bandbox park. The Braves played in the South End Grounds during that same period and the measurements were: 250, 440, and 255. The Dodgers (Bridegrooms) played in Washington Park that measured 335, 445, and 215. In 1884 the next leading team in homeruns was the Buffalo franchise that hit 39. The top four homerun hitters in the league were all Chicago players: Williamson, Pfeffer, Dalrymple and Anson with 27, 25, 22, and 21. The mark of 27 set by Ned Williamson would stand until 1919 when Babe Ruth hit 29 with the Red Sox. Williamson would only hit 3 the next season when the Cubs (now Colts) moved to West Side Park which was larger dimensions. He would only hit a total of 63 homeruns in his 13 years career with 4553 at bats.

Frank “Homerun” Baker had his best power season with 12 homers in 1913 and would only hit 93 in his 13 seasons and 5985 at bats. He also hit 3 homeruns in 6 World Series appearances, but received the name, “Homerun” in the 1911 Series where he two and led the A’s with a .375 average. He hit one off Hall of Famer, Rube Marquand to win a game and was able to tie a game with his second homer when the legendary Christy Mathewson was pitching a i-0 shutout in the 9^th inning. With regards to the 3^rd baseman who played with the famous trio of Tinkers to Evers to Chance, it was not Baker, but Harry Steinfeldt. Steinfeldt starred on the great Cub club that set the National League record (also the Major League record for over 90 years) for wins with 116 (116-36). He led that team with a batting average of .327. The Cubs led the National League with a team batting average of .262, but were beaten by their light-hitting cross-town rivals, the White Sox, known also as the “Hitless Wonders.” The Sox (93-58) hit .230 which was probably the lowest batting average for a pennant winner in the history of baseball.

In 1968, the “Pitcher’s Year “of baseball, the Tigers, led by Denny McClain’s 31 victory season batted only .235. Oakland led the league with a .240 average and the vaunted 5^th place Yankees hit an amazing .214. Mickey Mantle his only .237 but 23 points above the terrible Yanks, and 7 points above the league average. “King” Carl Yastrzemski led the American League in batting with a record low .301.  The Mets that year actually hit .228 and the great Willie Mays hit .289 for the SF Giants.

With regards to the Bambino, Babe Ruth actually broke Williamson’s record in 1919 with 29 homeruns in only 439 at bats as he also pitched for the 6^th place Red Sox, who finished in 6^th place. The next two years with the Yankees and in the friendly Polo Grounds, he would hit 54 and 59. Ruth’s total of 54 over the previous record of 29, was the greatest spread between home run champions. I am sure that Ruth was the first 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 home runs.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Politics, Provocation and the Media

By Richard J. Garfunkel

July 24, 2009

The other day a black man was arrested and led away in handcuffs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Historically would that be a big story which would resonate around the world and be mentioned in a press conference by the President of the United States? In most cases it would not. There have been plenty of African-American people arrested and incarcerated in the United States for good and bad reasons for more time than anyone alive could remember.

Of course, times do change and we are supposedly living in a more open, transparent and tolerant era, where sensitivity training and political correctness, in some areas, seems to abound. Cambridge, Massachusetts, the ultimate college town is not Meridian, Mississippi and never was. It is where Harvard and MIT are located, along with a number of other smaller and less known institutions of higher learning. It is also the home of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, the only high school in the city. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the school was subject to criticism because of its seemingly inherent racism in its academic distribution of its student body, which led to the disbanding of its internal houses.

Almost by default, the original houses eventually represented a racial and/or class divide within the school itself. Pilot House was known for its “alternative” students who dressed and were perceived as counter-culture or alternative lifestyle, and who were allowed to address teachers by their first names in an era when this behavior was generally not acceptable. House A comprised mostly mid and lower class whites; B House was mostly African Americans; C House was mostly Latino, southern European, and Mediterranean; and D house comprised mostly students of various African descent. Finally, the vocational house known as Occupation Education or Oc-Ed (later to be known as Rindge Tech and finally RSTA) was a mix of lower-class students from across the municipality. Many may remember the well-known NY Knickerbockers basketball star Patrick Ewing, who was a graduate of Rindge, before he went to Georgetown University. He certainly benefitted by his basketball acumen as opposed to his academic achievements when it came to matriculating at that prestigious university.

Boston, as a community, was known at one time for its reputation of toleration, and was the home to many abolitionists including William Lloyd Garrison, who in 1832, at the Old African Meeting House, established the New England Anti-Slavery Society. One can also drive up Beacon Hill and see the remarkable Augustus Saint-Gauden’s plaque which commemorates the actions of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who led the 54^th Massachusetts Colored Regiment and its heroic, but ill-fated attack up the sandy hills protecting the Confederate stronghold, Fort Wagner, in Charlestown, South Carolina. Shaw, with many others, lost his life there and his actions were chronicled in the movie, Glory. But of course Boston and the communities that surround that old and historic city have also had a checkered past regarding integration, school busing, and racial tension. When I went to college there in the early and mid 1960’s the big story was about busing and South Boston, known as “Southy” The two main players in opposition to de facto segregation were Louis Day Hicks and Catherine Craven, the 2^nd woman elected to The Boston City Council. Anna Louise Day Hicks, who died in 2003 at age 87, was a politician and lawyer from Boston, Massachusetts. She was elected to the Boston School Committee in 1961. In January 1963, she became chairperson and seemed likely to be endorsed by the leading reform group, when, in June, the Boston chapter of the NAACP demanded “an immediate public acknowledgment of de facto segregation in the Boston public school system”.

At the time, thirteen city schools were at least 90% black — but the Committee refused to acknowledge the segregation. Hicks was recognized as the holdout, and within months she became Boston's most popular politician, but also the most controversial, requiring police bodyguards 24 hours a day. In 1967, she came within 12,000 votes of being elected mayor of Boston, running on the evasively coded slogan “You know where I stand.” The race against fellow Democrat Kevin White became so acrimonious that the Boston Globe broke an eighty-six-year tradition of political neutrality to endorse White. Hicks later served one term in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat from 1971 to 1973, becoming the first female Democrat to represent Massachusetts in the House. Hicks became nationally known in 1965 when she opposed court-ordered busing of students into inner-city schools to achieve integration. By refusing to admit segregation existed in city schools and by declaring that children were the “pawns” of racial politics, she came to personify the discord that existed between some working class Irish-Americans and African-Americans. “Boston schools are a scapegoat for those who have failed to solve the housing, economic, and social problems of the black citizen,” Hicks said. Her most notable campaign took place in autumn 1975, after a federal judge ordered Boston schools to expand their busing programs to comply with the 1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education decision. To counter the trend, Hicks started an organization called Restore Our Alienated Rights (ROAR) which actively engaged in incidents of massive resistance to school desegregation. In 1976, Hicks was elected the first woman president of the Boston City Council, largely on the strength of ROAR, which was then at its peak.

Hicks claimed that while 13 Boston schools were at least 90% “Black,” Chinatown schools were 100% Chinese, the Italian North End had schools that were 100% Italian American; and the neighborhood of South Boston contained schools that were mostly Irish American. The Boston Public Schools included a conglomerate of ethnic Caucasians with very few WASPs.

Of course that brings to mind the checkered history of African-Americans and their role in Boston professional sports. The Boston Red Sox were the last major league team to employ a black ballplayer. It took them until 1959 to sign one Elijah Jerry “Pumpsie” Green to a contract and in those 12 years after Jackie Robinson broke the so-called “color barrier” in baseball, Boston, which was a major force in baseball in the late 1940’s, declined to a second division club by the late 1950’s. With regards to the Boston Celtics, with their outstanding and progressive coach and general manager, Arnold “Red” Auerbach, they were pioneers with regards to playing black players. They also were the first team to put an all-Black starting lineup on the famous parquet floor of the old Boston garden. They were certainly rewarded with artistic and championship success, winning eight NBA titles in a row in the 1960’s, but were rarely supported by their fans until many years later. Their big star, Bill Russell, who was an individualist, and outwardly sensitive to the racial undercurrent in Boston, was unhappy with his treatment by the fans and the general citizenry of the city. Over the years since his signing with the Celtics in 1956, he voiced and wrote about his feelings over Boston and race. Be that as it may, times were different then, and Boston, like much of America has come a long way since those days.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a prominent Harvard professor, who is on many boards, and has been the recipient of nearly 50 honorary degrees and numerous academic and social action awards. Professor Gates was named a MacArthur Fellow in 1981 and was listed in Time among its “25 Most Influential Americans” in 1997. On October 23, 2006, Gates was appointed the Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor at Harvard University. In 2002 the National Endowment for the Humanities selected Gates for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S. federal government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities. On July 16, 2009, he was arrested by Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley, an officer who has been trained specifically in dealing with racial incidents and has taught a course on that same subject to fellow officers for five years

On the evening of the 16^th, Sergeant James Crowley, who was investigating the report of a burglary, met Professor Gates at his front door, and has stated that he had given his name when asked by Professor Gates.. When Professor Gates was told that the officer was investigating a possible break in, Gates then stated, “Why, because I'm a black man in America?” When Gates repeated a request for Crowley's name, Crowley replied that he would only speak to Gates outside. Crowley stated that he desired to go outside at that time as “Gates was yelling very loud [sic] and the acoustics of the kitchen and foyer were making it difficult for me to transmit pertinent information to EEC or other responding units”. Gates then followed Crowley from the house onto the porch, yelling at him. Crowley reported that he then warned Gates that he was becoming disorderly. Crowley reported that he then warned Gates again while at the same time withdrawing handcuffs to arrest Gates. Of course, how and why did this escalate and was it all necessary?

Gates told a different version of events, and stated that he established his identity, but demanded the name and badge number of the police officer, following him outside, at which time he was arrested for disorderly conduct, citing “loud and tumultuous behavior”  Gates and his attorney, Harvard colleague Charles Ogletree disputed the police report, with Gates noting that he has a bronchial infection contracted in China, which renders him incapable of yelling. The charges were later dropped by the Middlesex County district attorney's office, upon the recommendation of the city of Cambridge and the Cambridge Police Department, calling the incident “regrettable and unfortunate”.

According to published reports, Sgt. James Crowley, the arresting officer, says that he is not racist, pointing to his actions trying to resuscitate Reggie Lewis while working as a campus police officer at Brandeis University in 1993. Crowley has also served as an instructor for the Lowell Police Academy since 2004, teaching a course entitled “Racial Profiling”. Crowley stated that has no “ill feelings toward the professor” but that he has nothing to apologize for. Sgt. Crowley has received strong public support from his police department as well as his union.

In an article written by Ms. Abby Goodnough, in the NY Times, she wrote that, “The dispute between Gates and Crowley centers on two things: which one treated the other rudely and whether they properly identified themselves. Gates, 58, says the sergeant repeatedly refused to reveal his name or badge number; Crowley, 42, says the professor initially refused to provide identification, and then produced only his Harvard ID card, which included no address, to prove he lived in the house. Crowley told a local radio station Thursday that President Obama “didn't know all the facts” and that Gates — a prolific scholar of African-American history and a leading intellectual — had been oddly belligerent from the start of their encounter July 16.

With all of this in mind, what does it all mean? Has the media ballooned this story way out of proportion? Is racial profiling still alive and well in Cambridge, or is it a necessary evil? As to racial profiling, why did it evolve in the first place? Is it a vestige of stereotypical abuses of the past, or are stereotypes rooted in a priori experiences and ongoing statistical reality? On the other hand was Professor Gates taking advantage of this unforeseen, unfortunate and ugly opportunity? Was he carrying on his back all the petty insults, and abuse that African-Americans have weathered for uncounted generations? Did he see an excellent opportunity to make a sociological point in his home town, and did police Sergeant James Crowley become the victim of circumstance and his own professionalism?

Basically one would think that a 58 year old man, who was in his own home, could have easily explained who he was, and displayed his driver’s license, which has his address. But, maybe he doesn’t drive. Maybe it wasn’t handy, and maybe Professor Gates felt that he is so well-known, that anyone should not only know who he is, but accept his word without further thought or investigation. When a police officer has come to my door, and it has happened a number of times over the past forty years, I act with extreme politeness, and offer that office all the information he/she wishes. Inherently police officers face bodily threats all the time, and I can easily understand their sense of survival, caution and self-preservation. Knowing that the police officer has had a long history of training in the field of racial sensitivity when it comes to police work, it seems hard to believe that he would wish for some type of confrontation. It is also hard to believe that Professor Gates posed any threat to the officer. The question now arises to why Professor Gates did not defuse this incident by providing more information?

All in all, the truth always seems to lie somewhere in the middle. In many instances, cooler heads should have prevailed. Police officers can get on their “high horse” and the average citizen should avoid any provocation that can escalate the anxiety level that involves police work. On the other hand, maybe the officer should have backed off and understood that this older guy had gotten angry over past abuses and grievances that had nothing to do with him. But the police officer was in someone else’s home and anything could happen, there was another man identified in the initial report, and stranger things have happened in the past.

The other question always remains, has the media blown this incident way out of proportion, and has Gates fanned the flames of this small event into something it never should have been? Is this a lesson for society, or another exposure of the so-called abuses of “profiling?” Or is this a “tempest in teapot,” exacerbated by one side or the other? One could question the police officer’s motives if one wanted to peal back, layer after layer, regarding his character, but he seems the wrong guy to go after. As to Professor Gates, he may really have a case here, and he may genuinely feel abused by the whole incident. He may be overly sensitive, but so what? He may have felt that he was being singled out because he was a black man, who caught up in an all too familiar assumption by the police. The African-American community has had a long contentious history with police forces in this country. Has some of that contentiousness been deserved, I am sure the answer is yes!

As to the media, it should step back, have a “cooling off” period and not jump to any conclusions about this being a seminal event that will be a “game-changer” with regards to police and community relations. Maybe we should all take a deep breath, and move on to more substantive problems that we all face.

Letter to the Dallas Morning News

7-23-09

The problem with the flat-earth thinkers in the GOP is that they feel they are entitled to their low taxes, concealed weapons, and their hypocritical views on choice, family values, morals and the free market. As to choice, when their loved one needs birth control info or an abortion, don't you worry they'll get it and worry about their constituencies later. With regards to family values the newspapers are rife with the news of the Vitters, Craigs, Gingriches, Guilianis, Sandfords, Duke Cunninghams and many more who preached one way and played another. With regards to the free market, thay are all for capitalism when they want every break to get a piece of the market pie. But once in the door, they love monopolization, conglomeration, price-fixing, insider trading, phony stock options and bailouts when they fail. Just look at the record on Enron, WorldCom and numerous other failures, too long and extensive to list no less recall. Even the infamous Ross Perot, who blabbered that government, should be run like a business, and where did most of his business come from? You guessed it, the government.

Ms. Carly Fiorina, who after almost destroying Hewlett –Packard was sent off to be an economic advisor to John McCain with a bank-roll in the scores of millions. She of course, for a short moment, was being considered for vice-president on his ticket. Unfortunately after not being chosen, the scorned woman decided to tell the truth, and in an interview she stated that Sarah Palin could not be a CEO of a major Fortune 500 firm. When she realized her faux pas, she quickly amended her remarks to include John McCain. Of course since “there is many a truth said in jest,” her honesty really did hurt, and she has been declared persona non grata by the Steve Schmitt/John McCain campaign machine.

After Washington Mutual, a bank holding company, whose stock had traded as high as $45 per share dropped in mid-September of 2008 to as low as $2.00 and the price finally settled at 16 cents this week. The Chairman Kerry Killinger stepped down in June, but remained as the Chief Operating Officer. Later he was forced to resign because of pressure from the investors and Alan H. Fishman, a former CEO of the Sovereign Bank was named to head Washington Mutual on September 8, 2008. The depositors were not happy with what was going on and a massive run on their banks ensued as customers withdrew almost $17 billion in less than two weeks. Secret negations were started after the Office of Thrift Supervision seized the bank and placed into the hands of the FDIC. The negotiations over this past weekend proceeded and JP Morgan Chase became the new owner. The new CEO Alan Fishman, who was flying to Seattle when the transfer was consummated, was now out of job. He had held that position for 17 days, and for his time and effort he received a $7.5 million up front payment and a cash good-bye present for $11.6 million. As George Gershwin once said long ago, “Nice work if you can get it!”

This is how the “greed merchants” on Wall Street get compensated. They win when they lose!

Let's get some transparency and better regulation on Wall Street, and maybe these crooks will have a harder time in the future ripping every one off!

Richard J. Garfunkel

Host of The Advocates

WVOX Radio in NY www.wvox.com

Broadcasts archived at

http://advocates-wvox.com

Letter to the Dallas Daily News

7-23-09

My sense is that the wing-nuts of the lunatic fringe are so frustrated that their precious ideas have been rejected by the vast amount of Americas that they have turned to this silliness over President Obama's birth. I noticed yesterday there was a copy produced of a Hawaiian paper that had a notice of his birth! That must have been also planted retro-actively by the Obama-Manchurian Candidate Cabal. The fact is that he is president, and duly and fairly elected, not like the last fellow. He has a job to do and undermining him by appealing to the 8% who believe we staged the moon landing in La La Land is a fool's journey. What is the purpose? Is it to further divide the country and alienate the majority that supported him? He has a track record of achievement and the public accepted that record as a “free people” has a right to do in an open election. These fantastic claims about his legal expenses to suppress his background are ridiculous and a waste of time and energy. The politics of character assassination pay no freight. As to Obama being a socialist who is taking over private enterprise, how silly is that? He was elected because of the following: the failure of the Bush Administration, the economic collapse, the meltdown of many industries and the poor campaign team of McCain and Palin and their inability to convey a coherent message. If Obama had a name like Colin Powell Smith, was a two-term Senator and was 5 years older, and maybe even a veteran, he would have beaten McCain by 20 million votes despite not being of 100% WASP stock. The truth is that our country has been declining economically and educationally for many years. The policies of the GOP and their Dixiecrat allies have promulgated a spend and no tax policy, illegal immigration was encouraged to undermine labor, jobs were exported to low wage countries, we sunk into abject oil-dependency in the post-Carter and oil embargo era. We have reaped what we sowed. We are debtors in our own currency and we owe the world and our people trillions. The corporate strength of our auto, airline, financial, and retail institutions are hurting. Without timely intervention by the federal government, we could have seen a massive implosion that destroyed our total economic viability. Cascading bankruptcies and an economic meltdown may be favored by some nuts of the right-wing, but I am sure most Americans would rue that day. Let's get back to the real world and debate healthcare, education, taxation, deficits, and the future, not the idiocy that I have read on this blog by the many who have nothing better to do with their time.

Richard J. Garfunkel

Host of The Advocates

WVOX Radio 1460 AM

www.wvox.com

New Rochelle, NY

“The Advocates”

 With

Richard J. Garfunkel

 WVOX – AM Radio 1460- 12 Noon Wednesday

July 22, 2009

All archived Shows at:

http://advocates-wvox.com

Wednesday, July 22, 2009, at 12:00 Noon, I am hosting my show, The Advocates on WVOX- 1460 AM, or you can listen to the program’s live streaming at www.wvox.com. One can call the show at 914-636-0110 to reach us on the radio.  Our guest is Mr. Burt Solomon, author of FDR vs. The Constitution: the Court Packing Fight and the Triumph of Democracy, published by Walker & Company, NY. NY.

This fascinating, behind the scenes story is about FDR’s attempt to re-organize the federal court system and enlarge the Supreme Court. Historically many term this dramatic effort that started on February 5, 1937 as the “FDR’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court.” This story has “…special resonance today as we debate the limits of Presidential authority.” Burt Solomon.

Burt Solomon was born and raised in Baltimore, graduated Harvard College in 1970, worked for Texas Observer, Danvers (Mass.) Times, The Real Paper (alternative weekly in Cambridge, Mass.), went around the world 1975-76 when the paper was sold, The Energy Daily (as the editor), National Journal (covering the White House and other beats). It won the Gerald Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency in 1992. This is his 3rd book; the first one, Where They Ain't, was about baseball in the 1890s in Baltimore and Brooklyn (named by GQ as one of the 20 best books of the millennium); the 2nd, The Washington Century, was a 20th century history of Washington through three families. He is now a contributing editor for National Journal and lives in Arlington, Va., inside the Beltway with his wife and has two grown kids.

Meanwhile, the mission of The Advocates is to bring to the public differing views on current “public policy” issues. “Public policy,” therefore, is what we as a nation legally and traditionally follow.

One can find my essays on FDR and other subjects at https://www.richardjgarfunkel.com. One can also listen to all of the archived shows at: http://advocates-wvox.com. Our guest next week will be Mr. Jay Rosenberg, who will discuss, “Surviving in the New American Economy.”

Richard J. Garfunkel

Escape to the White Mountains

Richard J. Garfunkel

July 21, 2009

Franconia Notch is a wondrous stretch of real estate nestled in the White Mountains, not far from Lincoln, and Woodstock, New Hampshire. We spent time with our kids, Dana and Jon, at a marvelous time-sharing resort called the Villages of Loon Mountain. They drove up from Boston, a distance of 130 or so miles, and we drove up from the Mass Pike north on 495 to I-93 to Lincoln. It’s a five hour, 320 mile trip on wide-open 65 mph roads. Luckily there was very little traffic.

We were able to get in about four hours of singles and my elbow, which was recently the beneficiary of a cortisone shot, held up nicely. I have a bone spur, some tendinitis, and arthritis, but besides all of that I can still run and hit.

We took a wonderful drive up the Franconia North Parkway to the magnificent Mount Washington Hotel which is located in Bretton Woods. It was here, 65 years ago, on July 25, I944 that Secretary of Treasury Henry Morgenthau chaired the all-important United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference that was called for by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

As World War II was still raging, 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations gathered at the Mount Washington Hotel. The delegates deliberated upon and signed the Bretton Woods Agreements during the first three weeks of July 1944. Setting up a system of rules, institutions, and procedures to regulate the international monetary system, the planners at Bretton Woods established the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which today is part of the World Bank Group. These organizations became operational in 1945 after a sufficient number of countries had ratified the agreement.

The chief features of the Bretton Woods system were an obligation for each country to adopt a monetary policy that maintained the exchange rate of its currency within a fixed value—plus or minus one percent—in terms of gold and the ability of the IMF to bridge temporary imbalances of payments. In the face of increasing financial strain, the system collapsed in 1971, after the United States unilaterally terminated convertibility of the dollars to gold. This action caused considerable financial stress in the world economy and created the unique situation whereby the United States dollar became the “reserve currency” for the states which had signed the agreement. Meanwhile the hotel and the grounds are spectacular and we had a wonderful luncheon the wide veranda that overlooks part of their golf course, and the White Mountains. One could not have asked for a more awe-inspiring venue.

The next morning we headed back out to the Franconia Notch Parkway and to the Flume Visitor Center. In the shadows of the Liberty and the Flume Mountains we hiked our way up to the fabulous Flume Gorge. This gorge, which was discovered in 1808, is a natural water slide that races 800 feet downward from the base of Mount Liberty. It flows through the walls of the Conway granite opening that is between I5 and 20 feet wide and whose sides climb to a height on both sides between 76 and 90 feet. It is a great experience and well worth the two mile hike up and down the nature trails.

After our hiking, and a stop at the outlet stores in Hilton, NH, we part ways. The kids headed back to Boston, and we made our way back to Westchester, which included a dinner stop at Reins NY Style Deli at exit 65 on Route 84. If you are planning to get to New England, think long and hard about making a trip up to the Notch. It is well worth to the time and effort.