From Congress to RGS
As part of our A Level Politics studies, Lower Sixth Politics students participated in a Webinar Zoom call organised by the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University. The event aims to bring the American political system to life despite being 4,242 miles away. The Webinar was on ‘How American Democracy works’ from the House of Representatives perspective. The two former Members of Congress, Ann Marie Buerkle (R-New York, 201-2013) and Ben Chandler (D-Kentucky, 2004-2013) provided students with insights into the American political system, through sharing their real-life experiences as candidates and office holders in the House of Representatives.
Ben Chandler explained how he had to spend a lot of time fundraising for his highly competitive swing district, spending enormous sums of money every two years to get re-elected. Having spent his early career in the UK Parliament, working as an intern when Thatcher and Foot were the respective UK Party leaders, he was able to compare the US system to the British easily.
Our second Representative was Ann Marie Buerkle. She was very concerned about the increasing polarisation of the US media, the 24-hour news channels and the lack of truly competitive US seats due to redistricting. Candidates clashed over some of the challenging issues that America faces in the years ahead.
The Webinar gave students a fascinating insight into the world of politics in the US, hearing the views from these two former Members of Congress.
Mrs Lucy Kent
Teacher of History & Politics