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Hell and Other Destinations
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ARCHIVE - HELL AND OTHER DESTINATIONS: A 21st-Century Memoir by Madeleine K. Albright - DISCUSSION THREAD - (June, July, August) (No Spoilers, please)
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Was there anything interesting that you would like to comment on before I begin posting regarding this week's assignments.
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Week Two: - June 15th - June 21st (pages 28 -
3 From the Ground Up 28
4 "Do Not Be Angry" 45
5 Quicksand 63
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3 From the Ground Up 28
Secretary of State Albright considers opening up a consulting firm. The firm acquires its first customer and Albright and company start their venture in pharmaceuticals and assist with the war on HIV/AIDS.
4 "Do Not Be Angry" 45
In this chapter, we learn about a previous secretary of state, John Sherman who served under President William McKinley. Sherman wanted to write a memoir; but had no takers - so Secretary of State Albright wanted to learn from his experience and not make it hers. How to write that memoir proves a learning experience.
5 Quicksand 63
Secretary of State Albright is preparing to meet National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice for dinner. The dinner would be delayed. Albright commented that when George W. Bush as president appointed an African American secretary of state as well as appointing and being the first to choose an African American woman as national security advisor; that this was a good moment for the party of Lincoln. The terrorist attack of 9/11 would set the stage for the George W. Bush presidency.
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Chapter Three
From the Ground Up
"I AM NOT SURE who came up with the notion that I should start a consulting firm.
It might have been Wendy Sherman, the State Department counselor during my tenure as secretary who had excelled in many positions in public life and the private sector and would later lead successful negotiations to curtail Iran’s nuclear program.
A second possibility is Jim O’Brien, a lawyer blessed with both wit and wits who had worked closely with me as special presidential envoy for the Balkans.
Another candidate is Suzy George, the State Department’s deputy chief of staff, whom I had known since her graduation from law school and who had a gift for running an organization. It might also have been some random friend; none of us remembers for certain.
We do know that the idea emerged gradually from conversations we were all having about what we might do when our days in government ended. Venturing into the business world was an exciting prospect that became more so as I considered and rejected other possibilities.
At my request, Wendy journeyed to Texas to visit Rice University’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. Named for the sixty-first secretary of state, the institute is a magnet for scholars of politics and world affairs. I had delivered speeches there. The thought of establishing something similar held appeal for us but would require a ton of money to implement.
The same drawback applied to starting a foundation dedicated to one or another of my pet causes. Bill Clinton was in the process of creating a body that would surely dwarf any organization we could forge and likely compete for the same funds".
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 17). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Discussion Topics and Questions:
1. What were your thoughts about Chapter Three?
2. How did Albright come up with the idea of starting a consulting firm and in what way was her firm unlike many of the others in DC? What were some of the focal areas that Albright wanted the firm to concentrate on? And how did their first client Merck help them achieve those goals?
3. How was the story of John Watson Foster relevant to the undertaking of starting an international consulting firm and what differences did Albright see between this specific predecessor and herself?
4. Why did Albright feel that certain questions should be continually posed of US firms and why did she feel that they had a "diplomatic role to play? How did she urge them to meet the highest standards of corporate responsibility". Why and how would the following questions that Albright posed help firms compete with the highest standards abroad: a) What are the obstacles to investment in emerging democracies? b) What must governments do to attract foreign capital and create jobs? c) What steps can the business community take to help blow the whistle on corruption? d) How can we aid local educators in equipping students with the skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace? e) How can we convince people who grew up in communist societies that free enterprise is a good thing?
5. How would it be a challenge for Albright to see the private sector from the inside versus the view from within government? What were her challenges?
6. Why did Albright and her firm chose not to represent tobacco or gun companies and to look carefully before taking a dime from anyone? They also decided that they would neither work for a foreign government, however sympathetic, nor lobby on behalf of a company seeking contracts with the United States. Why were these good decisions to make from your viewpoint?
7. How did Merck show itself to be a good corporate citizen in its dealings with Botswana and how did Albright's firm facilitate this arrangement? How did Albright and her team marry the needs of the government, the Gates Foundation and a business such as Merck?
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (pp. 20-22). Harper. Kindle Edition.
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Syllabus
Week One: June 8th - June 14th
Preface xi
1 Afterlife 1
2 Voice Lessons 14
Week Two: - June 15th - June 21st
3 From the Ground Up 28
4 "Do Not Be Angry" 45
5 Quicksand 63
Week Three: - June 22nd - June 28th
6 Clubbing 79
7 Professor Maddy 96
Week Four: - June 29th - July 5th
8 Bulls 111
9 Democrats with a Small d 127
Week Five: July 6th - July 12th
10 A Foothold 148
11 Things Unseen 162
Week Six: - July 13th - July 19th
12 Advise and Dissent 183
13 Companions 198
Week Seven: - July 20th - July 26th
14 Digging Out 213
15 Making of the President 2008 225
Week Eight: - July 27th - August 2nd
16 First Light 244
17 Thought and Purpose 259
Week Nine: - August 3rd - August 9th
18 The Serpent's Tale 274
19 Muscles in Brussels 288
Week Ten: - August 10th - August 16th
20 A Bigger Sea 307
21 Puzzles 319
Week Eleven: - August 17th - August 23rd
22 Inferno 335
23 R-E-S-P-E-C-T 352
Week Twelve: - August 24th - August 30th
24 "You Are Just Like Your Grandmother" 364
25 Leaving 383
Week Thirteen: - August 31st - September 6th
26 Cradle of Civilization 403
27 Breathless 421
Week Fourteen: September 7th - September 13th
28 Midnight 440
29 A Warning 455
Week Fifteen - September 14th - September 20th
30 Unhinged 468
31 Renewal 484
Week Sixteen: - September 21st - September 27th
32 Shadows and Light 498
Journal of Ruzena Spieglová 513
Week Seventeen: Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts - September 28th - October 4th
Acknowledgments 527
Notes 533
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Wendy Ruth Sherman (born June 7, 1949) is an American professor and diplomat. She is currently the professor of public leadership and director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. Additionally, she is a Senior Counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group and a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
She served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. Department of State, from September 2011 to October 2015.
She has formerly worked as a social worker, the director of EMILY's list, the director of Maryland's office of child welfare, and the founding president of the Fannie Mae Foundation.
During the Clinton Administration, she served as Counselor of the United States Department of State and Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State and North Korea Policy Coordinator. In the latter role, she was instrumental in negotiations related to North Korea's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs.
She was also the lead negotiator for the Iran nuclear deal.
Remainder of article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_S...
More:
Sherman's March
Link to article: https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/10/15/...
Bio at Harvard Kennedy School - Center for Public Leadership
Link to biography: https://cpl.hks.harvard.edu/people/am...
NATIONAL & WORLD AFFAIRS
On the brink of war
Link to article: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
Bio at ASG
Link to biography: https://www.albrightstonebridge.com/t...
In Sarasota, Obama Official Talks Foreign Policy, Calls Killing Of Iranian General 'A Risk'
By CATHY CARTER • FEB 17, 2020
Link to article and audio: https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/sa...
An Architect of the Iran Deal Sees Her Work Crumbling
Link to article and audio:
https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/pol...
Photo: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images
by Wendy R. Sherman (no photo)Source: Wikipedia, Foreign Policy, Harvard Kennedy School, The Harvard Gazette, WUSF Public Media, The New Yorker
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James O’Brien is Vice Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) and leads the firm's Europe practice.
A founder of the firm, he has worked extensively on issues affecting consumer goods, health, entertainment, environment, media (including free speech), information technology, telecommunications, and finance sectors. Mr. O’Brien is also a member of the management and investment committees of Albright Capital Management LLC, an affiliated investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets.
Mr. O'Brien has served two U.S. administrations as special presidential envoy, securing the release of Americans held hostage abroad and overseeing U.S. policy planning towards the Balkans. He has been senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State and served as the principal deputy director of policy planning at the State Department. He worked to end armed conflicts in Europe, helped develop non-proliferation initiatives after the Cold War, negotiated environmental agreements, and supported initiatives to investigate and prosecute persons responsible for war crimes.
Mr. O'Brien has been interviewed on U.S.-Europe relations by media outlets including the Associated Press, Reuters, the New York Times, NPR, and Time, among others. He earned a B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, a Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Mr. O'Brien is based in Washington, D.C.
More:
https://www.state.gov/remarks-to-fami...
https://www.albrightstonebridge.com/n...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-us...
https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/b...
Oxford Statement on the International Law Protections Against Cyber Operations Targeting the Health Care Sector
Link to article: https://www.justsecurity.org/70293/ox...
Interview with Mr. James O’Brien
MAY 15, 2015
Link to interview: http://acge.ge/2015/05/interview-with...
U.S. Policy and Bosnia: Religion, Human Rights, and Peace
O'Brien starts speaking at about 1:25:50
Link to panel presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM2M4...
by
Madeleine K. Albright
by James Dobbins (no photo)(no image) U.S. Policy Toward Southeast Europe: Unfinished Business in the Balkans - Scholar's Choice Edition by
U.S. Congress(no image) The Future of Kosovo by
U.S. CongressU.S. CongressSources: Albright Group, US State Department, Reuters, Atlantic Council of Georgia, Youtube, Harvard Divinity School
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Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, author of "Hell and Other Destinations: A 21st-Century Memoir," talks about the need for an alliance to gain victory over COVID-19
Link to interview: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/madelei...
Source: CBS
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Suzy George is ONE’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) where she oversees finance, human resources, information technology, and global operations departments.
Suzy previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President, Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council under President Obama and National Security Advisor Susan Rice. In this capacity, she oversaw administrative, budget and personnel matters and focused on strategic planning, operations and crisis management for the NSC.
Before joining the NSC, Suzy served as a principal at The Albright Stonebridge Group LLC, an international strategic consulting firm, on the operations committee of Albright Capital Management and as a principal with The Albright Group LLC. Previously, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Department of State for Secretary Madeleine Albright. She also served as Special Assistant and Assistant Counsel to Ambassador Albright, then the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Prior to her government service, Suzy worked at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.
Suzy holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a JD from the George Washington University Law School. She is a board member of the National Security Education Board, National Security Action, and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.
by Ann Blackman (no photo)
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13th and 19th White House Chief of Staff and 61st United States Secretary of State
James A. Baker, III, has served in senior government positions under three United States presidents. He served as the nation’s 61st secretary of state from January 1989 through August 1992 under President George H.W. Bush.
During his tenure at the State Department, Baker traveled to 90 foreign countries as the United States confronted the unprecedented challenges and opportunities of the post–Cold War era. Baker’s reflections on those years of revolution, war and peace — “The Politics of Diplomacy” — was published in 1995.
Baker served as the 67th secretary of the treasury from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. As treasury secretary, he was also chairman of the President’s Economic Policy Council. From 1981 to 1985, he served as White House chief of staff to President Reagan. Baker’s record of public service began in 1975 as under secretary of commerce to President Gerald Ford. It concluded with his service as White House chief of staff and senior counselor to President Bush from August 1992 to January 1993.
Long active in American presidential politics, Baker led presidential campaigns for Presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush over the course of five consecutive presidential elections from 1976 to 1992.
A native Houstonian, Baker graduated from Princeton University in 1952. After two years of active duty as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, he entered The University of Texas School of Law at Austin. He received his J.D. with honors in 1957 and practiced law with the Houston firm of Andrews and Kurth from 1957 to 1975.
Baker’s memoir — “Work Hard, Study . . . and Keep Out of Politics! Adventures and Lessons from an Unexpected Public Life” — was published in October 2006.
Baker received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 and has been the recipient of many other awards for distinguished public service, including Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson Award, the American Institute for Public Service’s Jefferson Award, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Award, The Hans J. Morgenthau Award, The George F. Kennan Award, the Department of the Treasury’s Alexander Hamilton Award, the Department of State’s Distinguished Service Award and numerous honorary academic degrees.
Baker is presently a senior partner in the law firm of Baker Botts. He is the honorary chairman of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and serves on the board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. From 1997 to 2004, Baker served as the personal envoy of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to seek a political solution to the conflict over Western Sahara. In 2003, Baker was appointed special presidential envoy for President George W. Bush on the issue of Iraqi debt. In 2005, he was co-chair, with former President Jimmy Carter, of the Federal Commission on Election Reform. Since March 2006, Baker and former U.S. Congressman Lee H. Hamilton have served as the co-chairs of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan blue-ribbon panel examining a forward-looking approach to Iraq.
Baker was born in Houston, Texas, in 1930. He and his wife, the former Susan Garrett, currently reside in Houston and have eight children and 17 grandchildren.
Winner of the 2018 Walter and Leonore Annenberg Award for Excellence in Diploma at 89! - Baker gives an excellent presentation
Link to award and video: https://www.academyofdiplomacy.org/re...
James Baker and American Diplomacy (Fall of Berlin Wall - 30th Year Anniversary)
Link to C-Span presentation in November 2019 -https://www.c-span.org/video/?466071-...
by
James A. Baker III
by
James A. Baker IIISources: The American Academy of Diplomacy, C-Span
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Quote One:
"A person who is learning has less time to think about growing old. I also enjoy surprising people, and this seemed a sure way to do it."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 18). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Quote Two:
"Where they differed from the current generation was in their pre-work routine: each morning when on duty, they drank holy water, bathed naked in a spring, praised Apollo, and inhaled hallucinogenic vapors. They also insisted that each client sacrifice a goat."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 18). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Quote Three:
"Promoters of free institutions, myself included, love to say that liberty is a universal yearning, but so is the wish to eat."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 20). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Quote Four:
"We also decided on the kind of firm we would be. Whatever the cost to our bottom line, we didn’t want our children to think of us as creeps. We chose not to represent tobacco or gun companies and to look carefully before taking a dime from anyone. We would neither work for a foreign government, however sympathetic, nor lobby on behalf of a company seeking contracts with the United States."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 22). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Quote Five:
"Much has been made of the so-called imposter syndrome. This refers to the feeling that one is not qualified for the position one occupies and is, therefore, essentially a fraud whose inadequacies may be exposed at any moment. The syndrome was originally thought to be a characteristic of stressed-out females, but is now considered more a feeling than a condition and something that many people of both genders experience."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (pp. 26-27). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Discussion Topics and Questions:
1. Above are 5 (five) quotes which are representative of Chapter Three and its contents. How does each quote in some way exemplify the type of individual and human being Albright was and is?
2. What humorous connection was Albright making with Quote Two?
3. Does anybody think that the fact that Albright for so many years was an at home Mom and felt that she had never had found her voice contribute to the apprehensions that she still seems to exhibit and "voice" in this book?
4. How in Chapter Three did Albright surprise you with her insights and courage?
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President Benjamin Harrison appointed John Watson Foster as Secretary of State on June 29, 1892. Foster assumed his duties on that day and served until February 23, 1893.
Foster was born on March 2, 1836, in Pike County, Indiana. He graduated from the State University of Indiana in 1855 and then attended Harvard Law School. Foster moved to Cincinnati, passed the bar, and practiced law until 1861, when he joined the Union Army as a major. Foster rose to the rank of colonel in 1864.
Following his military duty, Foster returned to Indiana politics, was appointed Evansville Postmaster in 1869, and worked to build support for the re-election of Ulysses S. Grant in 1872.
In return for his campaign work, Foster served as Minister to Mexico between 1873 and 1880. He then served as Minister to Russia from 1880 to 1881. After a brief return to private practice, Foster assumed duties as Minister to Spain in 1883 and served until 1885, whereupon he again returned to private practice and served as counsel representing foreign diplomatic legations in the United States.
In 1892, President Harrison appointed Foster as Secretary of State.
Influence on American Diplomacy
Foster served as Minister to Mexico during the rise to power of Porfirio Díaz in 1876. Foster supported recognition of Díaz’s rule, but was overruled by then Secretary of State, William Evarts. As the tensions rose between the two countries, Foster testified before Congress, carefully advocating recognition without appearing to undermine Evarts or President Rutherford B. Hayes. In the end, Foster was able to secure recognition for the new Mexican government. While serving in Mexico, Foster also began the negotiations to resolve U.S.-Mexico border troubles that eventually led to an 1882 agreement.
As Minister to Russia, Foster’s most pressing duty was to advocate for the rights of Jewish U.S. citizens living there. As Minister to Spain, Foster secured a reciprocal trade agreement for the Spanish colonies of Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1885, but the U.S. Senate rejected the agreement.
While serving as legal counsel to foreign legations in Washington, following his post in Spain, Foster provided legal representation for the Chinese Government seeking redress for an anti-immigration riot that killed twenty-eight Chinese laborers in Rock Springs, Wyoming in 1885. Foster also advocated on behalf of the Chinese Government during negotiations to overcome the exclusion of Chinese immigration to the United States and would continue to represent the Chinese Government in later years.
Foster became Secretary of State in 1892 and served for the remaining eight months of Harrison’s administration. Foster had already forged a close working relationship with Harrison, as he was involved in negotiations for numerous trade agreements in the Western Hemisphere, and continued to be as Secretary of State.
As Secretary, Foster also attempted to counter British attempts at imperial expansion in Samoa and the Mosquito Coast. Foster also worked to negotiate a 99-year lease for a naval base in the Dominican Republic, but financial demands by the Dominican Government made Congress unwilling to approve the lease.
Foster instructed U.S. representatives at the International Monetary Conference in Brussels to advocate for a fixed rate of exchange between silver and gold, but the conference came to no agreement on precious metal issues. Foster also unsuccessfully attempted to annex the Kingdom of Hawaii.
After leaving office in 1893, Foster represented the United States in international arbitration regarding seal hunting rights in the Bering Sea and before the Alaskan Boundary Tribunal in the 1890s. At the time of his death on November 15, 1917, Foster’s son-in-law Robert Lansing was serving as Secretary of State. Foster was also the grandfather of future Secretary John Foster Dulles.
More:
https://goldenbook.iu.edu/veteran-sto...
https://millercenter.org/president/bh...
https://www.allyoucanbooks.com/ebook/...
by
John Watson FosterSources: Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute, United Department of State, Indiana State, Miller Center, All You Can Books
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Week Two: - June 15th - June 21st
✓ 3 From the Ground Up 28 - Completed - Moderator entries, discussion topics and questions as well as ancillary material - members feel free to add any questions, thoughts about any part of the book up through the end of Chapter Five with no spoilers
4 "Do Not Be Angry" 45
5 Quicksand 63
Members - please post at a minimum at least once per week so that we gain your input and your thoughts regarding your reading and if you need any assistance we are here to help you.
That is all that we completed in the BOTM read this week so far.
Good Night!
Bentley
I’m glad there is someone with Madeleine Albright’s integrity advising companies who want to do the right thing. We’ve had so many stories recently of individual greed where the past members of government (and unfortunately current ones too) who just want to line their own pockets and will lend their names to shady dealings. I was glad to read in her chapter on starting her consulting company that she stuck to her guns and recognized that even though she was out of government, she still represents our country. I’m sure she hasn’t made the money she could have but having been in business many years, there is more to life than the almighty buck. You have to live with yourself and knowing that you’ve helped humanity even in a small way by your life, gives more satisfaction than more dollars in the bank. Kathy
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Chapter Four
“Do Not Be Angry”
"JOHN SHERMAN (1823–1900) was President William McKinley’s secretary of state.
He had previously enjoyed a stellar career as a lawyer, member of Congress, and secretary of the treasury. His name is attached to a landmark antitrust law enacted in 1890, and his older brother was the renowned (in the South, notorious) General William Tecumseh Sherman, who brought the Civil War to a brutal end by devastating Georgia on his march from Atlanta to the sea.
John Sherman was a celebrated figure in his lifetime, but he hoped also to secure his reputation beyond. In his final testament, he offered $10,000 to any respected scholar who would consent to write his biography. The money went unclaimed. The moral? If you want your story told, you’d better tell it yourself. That was my plan.
I OFTEN ASSIGN to the classes I teach books that were authored by former presidents and diplomats so that we might analyze how those leaders arrived at critical decisions. My students are quick to point out, however, that the baskets in which people collect their memories often have holes; it is not unusual for officials to recall the same event in ways that conflict."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 28). Harper. Kindle Edition.
More:
by
Dean Acheson
by
Katharine Graham
by
Gabriel García MárquezDiscussion Topics and Questions:
1. Why was Albright so hung up on writing a memoir like the one Dean Acheson had written? And how did Barnett talk her out of it?
2. Why did Barnett suggest to Albright to emulate Katherine Graham's book? Do you think that this was good advice? What bothered Albright so much about this recommendation and why did she reject it?
3. How shocked were you that Albright had chosen Harvey Weinstein as the publisher of her memoir? How difficult was getting the memoir off the ground? Why did Albright continue to have misgivings about her importance or how interesting she would be to readers?
4. What was the advice given to Madame Secretary Albright by Gabriel García Márquez? And how was that the best advice of all she received?
5. What problems did Albright have with editors? How did you view the advice that the editors gave Albright?
6. Why does logistics matter during book tours? What are the difficulties that Albright faced?
7. What are your thoughts about this quote:
"EVERYONE WHO CAN should write a memoir, whether for publication or just to deposit in a drawer or beam to the cloud. There is drama in every life. Fame is irrelevant to one’s worth and can sometimes be an obstacle to an appropriate appreciation of others. Further, the effort to reflect on our opportunities and choices is, for all of us, a challenge worth attempting.
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 37). Harper. Kindle Edition.
8. Albright wonders what kind of person she would have become if her father and mother had delayed and had not made the decision they did to get out? She contemplated what life would have been for her under a totalitarian regime? And she questioned whether she would have survived and whether she would have been a mother and grandmother. What are your thoughts regarding the Holocaust? What if her parents had stayed in Europe?
9. Albright concludes her chapter with this quote: "Instead, we prepare for the next jump, then the one after, until after a lifetime of motion is past, we are startled, at least a little, by where we are and by what we have become." What are your thoughts about how Albright concludes her chapter and the message that it gave?
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 38). Harper. Kindle Edition.
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Portrait of John Sherman - this is a Mathew Brady photograph (I visited his former studio) - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cwpbh.04797.
"John Sherman (May 10, 1823 – October 22, 1900) was a politician from the U.S. state of Ohio during the American Civil War and into the late nineteenth century.
A member of the Republican Party, he served in both houses of the U.S. Congress. He also served as Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State. Sherman sought the Republican presidential nomination three times, coming closest in 1888, but was never chosen by the party.
His brothers included General William Tecumseh Sherman; Charles Taylor Sherman, a federal judge in Ohio; and Hoyt Sherman, an Iowa banker.
Born in Lancaster, Ohio, Sherman later moved to Mansfield, where he began a law career before entering politics. Initially a Whig, Sherman was among those anti-slavery activists who formed what became the Republican Party. He served three terms in the House of Representatives.
As a member of the House, Sherman traveled to Kansas to investigate the unrest between pro- and anti-slavery partisans there. He rose in party leadership and was nearly elected Speaker in 1859. Sherman was elevated to the Senate in 1861.
As a senator, he was a leader in financial matters, helping to redesign the United States' monetary system to meet the needs of a nation torn apart by civil war. After the war, he worked to produce legislation that would restore the nation's credit abroad and produce a stable, gold-backed currency at home.
Serving as Secretary of the Treasury in the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes, Sherman continued his efforts for financial stability and solvency, overseeing an end to wartime inflationary measures and a return to gold-backed money.
He returned to the Senate after his term expired, serving there for a further sixteen years. During that time he continued his work on financial legislation, as well as writing and debating laws on immigration, business competition law, and the regulation of interstate commerce.
Sherman was the principal author of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison. In 1897, President William McKinley appointed him Secretary of State.
Failing health and declining faculties made him unable to handle the burdens of the job, and he retired in 1898 at the start of the Spanish–American War. Sherman died at his home in Washington, D.C. in 1900."
Remainder of article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sh...
More:
https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Ho...
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...
https://archive.org/search.php?query=...
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4234
https://history.state.gov/departmenth...
https://home.treasury.gov/about/histo...
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/time...
https://www.richlandsource.com/area_h...
https://insights.som.yale.edu/insight...
https://youtu.be/_DSN0uUNLOw
https://youtu.be/5M4Ypcqcazw
https://youtu.be/71j3ET_spI8
by Theodore E. Burton (no photo)
by Kenneth E. Davison (no photo)
by William W. Freehling (no photo)
by
Eric Foner (no photo)
by
Justus D. Doenecke
“The Bosses of the Senate” | Cartoon by Joseph Keppler depicting corporate interests—from steel, copper, oil, iron, sugar, tin, and coal to paper bags, envelopes, and salt—as giant money bags looming over the tiny senators at their desks in the Chamber of the United States Senate. -
From the Wikipedia: Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890
“…The antitrust laws proscribe unlawful mergers and business practices in general terms, leaving courts to decide which ones are illegal based on the facts of each case. Courts have applied the antitrust laws to changing markets, from a time of horse and buggies to the present digital age. Yet for over 100 years, the antitrust laws have had the same basic objective: to protect the process of competition for the benefit of consumers, making sure there are strong incentives for businesses to operate efficiently, keep prices down, and keep quality up….”
Friedman on Antitrust
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMvVm...
Milton Friedman on Anti-Trust and the Internet
Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgWh7...
Is antitrust law keeping up? - Fiona Scott Morton at Yale
Link to Video: https://youtu.be/kpFy9Zk_5LQ
Sources: Wikipedia, Library of Congress, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Find a Grave, Office of the Historian, US Dept. of Treasury, Richland Source, Yale Insights
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Chapter Five
Quicksand
"MY DINNER PLANS were set. I was slated to share a meal with President George W. Bush’s national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice. Concerned about being on time, I walked faster than normal along the narrow curving pathway that led to my garage.
Just prior to reaching the door, I caught a heel in the crevice between two bricks, twisted an ankle, and came down hard with my shoulder and forehead bearing much of the impact. Stunned and unable for a moment to find my arm, I groped in the dirt for the keys that had slipped from my grasp. Rising unsteadily to my feet, I circumvented the ferns in urns and stumbled back inside where I called Condi’s office to say that I would be late.
Not until entering the bathroom to rinse off did I realize from the mirror that blood was pouring from a gash above my left eye. I looked like Sissy Spacek in Carrie, post-prom. My brother, John, appealed to by phone, rode to the rescue, driving me to Sibley Hospital, but I was so shaken I forgot my purse.
That wouldn’t have mattered had the lack of proper identification not brought the paperwork process in the emergency room to a screeching halt. To get things moving again, I said to the woman who had stopped filling out forms, “Perhaps you recognize me. I’m Madeleine Albright, and I used to be secretary of state.”
The woman gazed at me with a blank expression, taking in my ragged, bloodstained blouse with leaves sticking to it, ripped stockings, and mud-spattered shoes.
“No,” she announced. “Colin Powell is secretary of state.” I replied,
“Yes, you’re right, Colin Powell. But I had the job before him.” A spark of comprehension flickered in the woman’s eyes, “So,” she said, “that means you’re unemployed.”
Discussion Topics and Questions:
1. Albright kicks off this chapter with a delightful but also frightening story of a fall that she took on her way to dinner. What lesson is Albright giving us by telling us this story?
2. What were Albright's impressions of her successor? Was Powell a bit pompous or condescending in his approach to Albright?
3. How was being the first to appoint an African American secretary of state and the first to choose an African American woman as national security advisor a good moment for the party of Lincoln? How was this a tribute to President George H.W. Bush? How was Albright's opinion of President George W. Bush different than was her opinion of his father?
4. What must have it been like to be the President during 9/11 and everything that went along with it? How did the second Bush's administration go astray and how did Powell unknowingly mislead the UN and the American people? Why did President George W. Bush believe that Afghanistan and Iraq would lead that part of world to democracy? How were Powell's advice and counsel ignored - "You need to understand that 28 million Iraqis will be standing there looking at us, and I haven’t heard enough of the planning for that eventuality."
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 39 - 44). Harper. Kindle Edition.
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Week Two: - June 15th - June 21st
✓ 3 From the Ground Up 28 - Completed - Moderator entries, discussion topics and questions as well as ancillary material - members feel free to add any questions, thoughts about any part of the book up through the end of Chapter Five with no spoilers
✓4 "Do Not Be Angry" 45 - Completed - Moderator entries, discussion topics and questions as well as ancillary material - members feel free to add any questions, thoughts about any part of the book up through the end of Chapter Five with no spoilers
✓5 Quicksand 63 - Completed - Moderator entries, discussion topics and questions as well as ancillary material - members feel free to add any questions, thoughts about any part of the book up through the end of Chapter Five with no spoilers
Members - please post at a minimum at least once per week so that we gain your input and your thoughts regarding your reading and if you need any assistance we are here to help you.
We have completed the moderator set up for this week in the BOTM read. Feel free to jump in and respond to the topics and questions for discussion.
Good Night!
Bentley
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Week Three: - June 22nd - June 28th
6 Clubbing 79
7 Professor Maddy 96
See you next week to begin the above.
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Bentley
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The last chapter dealing with her predecessor as Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, was especially interesting. There was a touch of irony as she related how in 1993 as UN Ambassador, she served along Powell in his role as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where they sometimes engaged in "edgy debates" particularly about the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia where she favored intervention and Colin Powell argued against intervention citing the high costs. Fast-forward to the events occurring post 9/11 when ultimately it was Colin Powell who raised concerns about the Bush administration's march to war with Iraq on the false premise that Saddam Hussein had "weapons of mass destruction." In spite of that, Powell recommended referring the matter to the UN Security Council. However, in February 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the Security Council declaring Iraq had a stockpile of chemical weapons and was in the process of manufacturing more. Powell was obviously misled as we all were with disastrous consequences. Madeleine Albright further opines that Powell, because of his military background, was unable to fight the bureaucracy and thus became an ineffective leader.
by
Madeleine K. Albright
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Did you get that impression?
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As all of this debate was ensuing regarding Iraq, I would spend many an hour on the porch of my dear neighbor and friend debating all of the current events. Harold was a retired Army officer serving in World War II with the likes of General Dwight Eisenhower. His words to me about Colin Powell were always to read his memoir in my library and then I would understand. He was trying to tell me what Albright said, his military discipline regarding the chain of command hampered him in ways that became very destructive, not only to his career, but to the nation.
I’m not sure it’s totally fair to blame Colin Powell or ultimately blame him or his training for his speech to the UN. Although we will perhaps never know,for sure how they did it, there appears to have been a deliberate attempt to mislead him. He was the most credible member of the administration and other members of the administration,seem to have purposely misled him so that he would give that speech. It convinced many in the world and the US public (including me who was following the arguments closely) that it was an unfortunate but necessary move. I’m not sure others would not have been convinced particularly since it was the general view of experts at the time that Hussein was still hiding WMDs.
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I think he is a good man but I think the rigidity of thinking and approach probably was the result of his military indoctrination. What were Albright's words - always show reverence to the King or something of that sort.
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It resulted in one of the biggest mistakes that George W. made and it has been disastrous for the world. Saddam was not a good man but he was the major deterrent to Iran in the region and that kept both in line. They sort of watched each other. Right now we have a mess over there again or should I stay still.
Telling America the truth does not have a good track record among our politicians.
But Colin Powell did his best with the hand he was dealt and he handled it well afterwards too. He was purposely misled.
Saddam was worse than not a good man but he did hold Iraq together and kept a check on Iran. What we’ve got now is a disaster in the Middle East and no apparent way out of it. Between Iraq and Libya, we also sent a message to all the other countries who have nuclear weapons - don’t give them up because the US will attack. Not a good thing when there are a lot of dictators who threaten the world with them.
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Yes, an absolute disaster and the Turkey, Iran, Russia conglomerate in Syria would also have not been an issue.
That part of the world has always been a quagmire and the last three years of American foreign policy has not helped.
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Week Three: - June 22nd - June 28th
6 Clubbing 79
7 Professor Maddy 96
Regards,
Bentley
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Week Three: - June 22nd - June 29th (pages 79 through 110)
6 Clubbing 79
7 Professor Maddy 96
Chapter Overviews and Summaries
Chapter 6 - Clubbing
This chapter discusses being in the company of others - and "drawing energy from other people" - whether traveling with others, attending social engagements, being with other dignitaries as the secretary of state, being a member of the 34th street group, or just growing up in politics as well as her up close experiences with presidential contenders.
Chapter 7 - Professional Maddy
Professor Albright affectionately called Professor Maddy by one of her students discusses life as a professor and how her experiences taught her a lot about her own father's career and work experiences. Albright discusses her life as a professor.
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Chapter Six
Clubbing
"I LOVE NATURE, TRULY, but there’s only so much zip I can derive from an oak, a bug, or a bee.
I draw energy from other people—not always positive energy, but energy. I’m happiest when bouncing thoughts off those who share my interest in trying to solve the world’s many riddles. So, it is in the pursuit of happiness that I set out chairs, pour drinks, and organize groups.
My hunger for companionship can probably be traced to my childhood in Europe and to a family that moved at short intervals from one apartment, city, and country to the next. Never in one place for long, I wasn’t able to acquire a settled circle of friends.
I had my parents for company, my little sister and baby brother, and a few play dates here and there, but was often alone and didn’t like it. Beginning a new life in America, I was resolved to blend in.
At church that first Thanksgiving, when singing “We Gather Together,” I “aaahsked” the Lord’s blessing with a pronunciation (picked up in England) that my Long Island peers chastened and hastened to laugh at. Because I didn’t want to be different, I soon dropped the accent.
Later, whenever I entered a new school, I started an international affairs club and named myself president. What better way to be sure of being included?
More:
https://www.oprah.com/relationships/g...
Books that made a difference to Albright:
by
Alan Paton
by
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
by
Gabriel García Márquez
by
0561] Václav Havel
by
Theodore Dreiser
by David Fromkin (no photo)Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 49). Harper. Kindle Edition.
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Colin Luther Powell (/ˈkoʊlɪn/; born April 5, 1937) is an American politician and retired four-star general in the United States Army.
During his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command (1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993). He played major roles in the invasion of Panama in 1989 and especially the Persian Gulf War against Iraq in 1990–1991. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under Republican President George W. Bush. He was the first African-American to serve as Secretary of State.
His term was highly controversial regarding his inaccurate justification for America's Iraq War in 2003. He was fired after Bush was reelected in 2004.
Powell was born in New York City in 1937 and was raised in the South Bronx. His parents, Luther and Maud Powell, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor's degree in geology.
He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years, during which time he held many command and staff positions and rose to the rank of 4-star general. His last assignment, from October 1, 1989, to September 30, 1993, was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
He formulated the Powell Doctrine which limits American military action unless it satisfies criteria regarding American national security interests, overwhelming force, and widespread public support.[5]
In retirement, Powell wrote his autobiography, My American Journey. He pursued a career as a public speaker, addressing audiences across the country and abroad.
Prior to his appointment as Secretary of State, Powell was the chairman of America's Promise – The Alliance for Youth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of young people.
Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations. Powell's civilian awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (twice), the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal.
Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country.[citation needed]
In 2016, while not a candidate for that year’s election, Powell received three electoral votes for the office of President of the United States.
On June 7, 2020, Powell announced that he will be voting for former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
Remainder of article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_P...
Source: Wikipedia
I have taught a bit myself at the college level and I had to laugh at the excuses her students give her. I heard many of the same things including the expectation on the grades when they don’t deserve it. You would think the kids wouldn’t have the nerve to say those things to someone in Madeleine Albright’s position but I guess they do. I know when I was a student I wouldn’t have dared even if I actually did it.
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Her chapter on teaching at Georgetown University was particularly enjoyable. I liked the parallels that Albright drew to her father and his political and teaching career. This particular quote from the book sums it up best:
"More than any other activity, teaching embodies my sense of who I am and what I aim to be. Here again my father's example serves as my North Star. In the words of one of his former students, 'Professor Korbel was always hoping to challenge those who felt themselves infallible, and to encourage those who felt themselves inadequate.'" (Page 68, Harper-Collins Kindle Edition, April 2020)
I'm finding the whole book very enjoyable. I've made it to Chapter 14 (I'm having a hard time stopping when I've finished the reading for the week so I'm always a week or two ahead). She would be tough to keep up with even at her age now. I don't have near the energy for her schedule and she's more than 20 years older than me. I guess that's how she was able to accomplish as much as she has and at a time when women had more trouble getting ahead. Women like her made my generation of women's careers easier.
Mod
And you are so right that she helped to pave the way for future generations of women. Madeleine Albright has always been an advocate for women. And as she points out in the preface, "There's a special place in Hell for women who don't help other women," hence the title of the book.
Mod
8 Bulls 111
9 Democrats with a Small d 127
Mod
8 Bulls 111
In this chapter, Madeleine Albright had been invited to serve on the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in May 2003. Ms. Albright describes the process by which she made her decision. This interesting chapter explores the history and "politics" of the NYSE.
9 Democrats with a Small d 127
In this chapter, Secretary Albright relates how when leaving office in 2001, she was offered and promptly accepted the chair of the National Democratic Institute (NDI). This is about her experiences with the NDI, one of four organizations operating under the umbrella of the National Endowment for Democracy.
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And so we begin:
Chapter Eight
Bulls
“YOU CAN RENDER a valuable public service,” said Senator Paul Sarbanes, a deep-voiced son of Greek immigrants who represented Maryland in the nation’s capital for more than a quarter century.
In the wake of scandals involving dot-com busts, accounting irregularities, revelations of insider trading, and calamitous bankruptcies, I had been invited in May 2003 to serve on the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the world’s largest public platform for buying and selling stocks.
I asked the senator, coauthor of the Sarbanes-Oxley financial reform legislation, if he thought I should accept the invitation. “Our system depends on trust,” he told me. “Right now, we don’t have it—not in banks, not in Wall Street, not in government. We need someone like you to transform the psychology.”
The call that led to my two years on the NYSE board had come a few weeks earlier, when a friend asked my permission to contact the exchange’s chairman and CEO, Richard Grasso, who was looking to recruit new members. Was I willing to be considered? Intrigued, I said, “Why not?”
Grasso soon invited me to New York, where he told me politely that although he appreciated my interest, the Democratic seats were already filled. I thought this a curious way to talk about a nonpartisan position but thanked him anyway and prepared to forget the subject.
Days later, however, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal that raised questions about Grasso’s compensation, hinting that his pay, which had not been publicly disclosed, might be excessive. Soon Grasso was back on the phone. “Madeleine,” he said, “I’ve changed my mind. If you’d like to be on the board, I can arrange it.”
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (pp. 70-71). Harper. Kindle Edition.
Discussion Topics and Questions:
1. Why did Madame Secretary Albright think that she could be of help to NYSE? Do you think that her asking for counsel from folks that she knew was a good idea. Did you find it curious that Albright's male friends were the ones predominantly that argued against her being on the board of the exchange? Do you think that was because they viewed the exchange as a male dominated environment? Or do you feel that they underestimated Albright because she was a woman?
2. What were your thoughts when you read this quote: “The last thing we need is some former secretary of state coming in here and acting like Saint Francis of Assisi.” Do you think that the folks who were in the room hearing this comment should have done more to rein in the rudeness of this participant and stop it entirely?
3. Was Grasso just being smart as well as cautious by forcing the issue of getting his compensation right away? And why did the change in course make Albright feel that she had been lied to? How did Grasso use Albright to try to improve his image? Did it work? Why or why not? Why did Albright feel that she had made a mistake becoming a member of the board? How did Paulson save the day?
Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 73). Harper. Kindle Edition.
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"For a US President to grant Kim a summit with no sign whatever of a strategic decision to renounce nuclear weapons—in fact, giving it away for nothing—was a propaganda gift beyond measure.
It was worse by orders of magnitude than Madeleine Albright clinking glasses with Kim Il Sung during the Clinton years. Fortunately, I had no Fox interviews that night because of the fund-raiser, so I had time to think about it. The next day, Sarah Sanders seemed to walk things back, saying our existing policy had not changed.
Source: Bolton, John R. . The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir (p. 33). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.
Discussion Topic and Question:
1. What are your thoughts about the shot taken by Bolton regarding Albright - a point that clearly did not have to be made?
by
John R. Bolton
My opinion is that what Bolton now says is worthless or less than worthless. If he had something to say about Trump's illegal, inappropriate or treasonous behavior (pick your adjective of what he describes) and his belief that Trump is unfit for the presidency, he should have reported it to the appropriate oversight committee in Congress at the time he was serving or he should have quit and then reported it. If Congress wouldn't act then he had a duty to report it publicly on the record. I discount all his views regarding Albright's book. Her comment regarding Trump's meeting with Kim Jong-un (knowing a little bit about the Kim family and what they do by reading books and newspapers articles on them and watching various interviews with Korea watchers) seems totally appropriate to me and very within the mainstream of most foreign policy experts. And as they say, the proof is in the pudding. As the recent breakdown in the North/ South relations show, our strategic interest were not advanced by Trump granting Kim that meeting and having a love affair with him (his words, not mine).
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What Bolton says is valuable because he was a primary source. And he is telling the truth even though he is not coming off as a likeable human being.
We cannot discount what he has to say or sweep it under the rug or stick our head into the sand. I like Bolton even less as I am reading his book; but it is an extremely valuable read.
I agree that Madame Secretary Albright acted appropriately and with dignity and with natural diplomacy. It is not necessary to hate our enemies - in fact we are taught exactly the opposite.
Kathy believe me - you are preaching to the choir. Allowing Kim to have a political win simply by meeting the American president on a level playing field was when we first lost a strategic advantage. In that, I have to agree with Bolton who I believe is sadly telling the truth even though I too have not warmed up to the man. He claims Trump is only out for Trump (which is true) but Bolton is "tarred by the same brush".
Thank you for posting your reaction. I too had a visceral reaction when reading what Bolton had to say. There was no need to bring up Albright whatsoever.
And yes, I agree that he should have testified and come forward on his own; not allowed his poor staff and underlings to do the right thing on his behalf while he waited for his book deal to come to fruition and be published. Very self serving. Yet he is like the smug self serving snitch in school; who feels superior to his classmates - yet who is absolutely telling the truth; but is also "absolutely" disliked for doing so.
I concede that over the long run his book will be valuable since it is a first person account. It is just in the moment right now he didn’t do his duty to come forward and make sure his views would help the country. Instead his actions show how self interested he is, not all unlike of what he accuses Trump. He definitely is not like able and probably never will be. I hate to give him any money by buying his book.
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My assessment is that he suffers from the same personality traits as Trump - only he is better read, better educated, more attuned to government operations and is an expert in international affairs; but it appears from how he is telling his own story that he is also quite the zealot in promoting his own views and policies (in terms of the Iran Nuclear Deal - he was like a dog on a bone); policies and positions which unfortunately have put us in a very undesirable position with our allies across the globe.
I fail to see how his tenure and advice advanced America's standing in the world and yet I also see clearly how Trump would be a nightmare to work for. He makes everybody else do his dirty work for him from what I can see. But in many respects Bolton and Trump are two peas in a pod.
I understand how you feel about paying for Bolton's book; but I look at it as an investment in a primary source document which is a "must read". The truth was covered up and never revealed to the American public. Certainly the Senate Republicans did not want to hear what Bolton had to say because they knew already what he was going to say publicly to the American people and that would have proven and expanded the impeachment proceedings. They certainly did not want that.
But getting in a dig because Albright joined in a toast that was memorialized by a photo op is really "small". You know that Bolton campaigned for Barry Goldwater and wrote that he was one of his influencers. Goldwater of course should only be judged through the historic lens for the time period in which he lived; rather than how we would judge his beliefs today - but he was at the time a conservative who was against the Civil Rights movement of 1964. It was interesting for me to read how Bolton perceived himself and who he considered his influencers and how they influenced his "thinking". What is remarkable to me is that 1964 even though it is 56 years ago is not that long ago in terms of a country's history. This was the climate 56 years ago in this country and Bolton was a part of it.
Excerpt from Mr. Conservative: Goldwater On Goldwater" (2006)
Link: https://youtu.be/JJyWWM9OHKA
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What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?
Link: http://www.sox-online.com/sarbanes-ox...
Senator Paul Sarbanes
Paul Spyros Sarbanes (born February 3, 1933), Democrat, represented the state of Maryland in the United States Senate for thirty years.
In 2002, Sarbanes was the Senate sponsor of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (The sponsor from the House of Representatives was Michael Oxley, a Republican from Ohio.) Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history; he served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006. His seat was won by Democrat Ben Cardin.
Political timeline:
Sarbanes began his political career in 1966 when he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. During his term as a State delegate he served on the Judiciary and the Ways and Means Committees.
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1970 from the fourth district of Maryland and was reelected in 1972 and 1974 from the third district.
During his time in the House, Sarbanes served on the Judiciary Committee, the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, and the Select Committee on House Reorganization.
In August 1974 Sarbanes was selected by the House Watergate Committee to introduce the first Article of Impeachment against President Richard Nixon.
In 1976 Sarbanes was elected to the United States Senate.
More:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/...
https://youtu.be/eeQagPytR-o
https://sarbanes-oxley-101.com/sarban...
Sarbanes-Oxley: The Impact 15 Years Later
Link:https://youtu.be/Bc2Dxl3EIF4
by Sanjay Anand (no photo)Sources: Sox-Online, Investopedia, Edspira, Youtube, Inside America's Boardrooms, Sarbanes Oxley 101
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Richard A. "Dick" Grasso (born July 26, 1946) in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York) was chairman and chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange from 1995 to 2003. He started in 1968 when he was hired by the Exchange as a floor clerk.
He later became embroiled in controversies and lawsuits about his allegedly excessive pay package and $188.5 million golden parachute.
The New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit which challenged the compensation as excessive for the NYSE, which at the time was a nonprofit.
However, on July 1, 2008, the New York State Court of Appeals dismissed all claims against Grasso because the NYSE had changed its status from a nonprofit to a for-profit organization, which meant that the Attorney General had lost standing to sue Grasso.
Remainder of article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard...
Source: Wikipedia
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The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street, Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York.
It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at US$30.1 trillion as of February 2018.
The average daily trading value was approximately US$169 billion in 2013.
The NYSE trading floor is located at 11 Wall Street and is composed of 21 rooms used for the facilitation of trading. An additional trading room, located at 30 Broad Street, was closed in February 2007. The main building and the 11 Wall Street building were designated National Historic Landmarks in 1978.
The NYSE is owned by Intercontinental Exchange, an American holding company that it also lists (NYSE: ICE). Previously, it was part of NYSE Euronext (NYX), which was formed by the NYSE's 2007 merger with Euronext.
Remainder of article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yor...
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterma...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_48
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trading...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Se...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://www.nyse.com/bell/history
About NYSE
Link: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/...
How the New York Stock Exchange Works:
Link: https://youtu.be/XRJBZIQrQAY
A Woman Has Been Named As NYSE President. It Only Took 226 Years - May 22, 20182:40 PM ET
Link to article and video: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...
How trading on the New York Stock Exchange actually works
Link to video: https://youtu.be/eL1c11K5DmA
Why does Wall Street still need humans? | I've Always Wondered...
Link: https://youtu.be/Uqv634REdMI
by James E. Buck (no photo)
by Charles R. Geisst (no photo)(no image) The Story of the New York Stock Exchange by Zachary Kent (no photo)
(no image) The Anatomy of the Floor: The Trillion-Dollar Market at the New York Stock Exchange by Leonard Sloane (no photo)
(no image) N. Y. S. E.: A History Of The New York Stock Exchange, 1935 1975 by Robert Sobel (no photo)
"THE NEW YORK Stock Exchange traces its roots back more than two centuries, to the informal street trading of bonds during the American Revolutionary War.
It had, over time, formalized a charter, beaten back and merged with competitors, adapted to such life-altering innovations as the telegraph and the telephone, and kept operating through harrowing investment cycles of climb, crash, and climb again.
“Many a rapid fortune has been made in this street,” observed Charles Dickens when, in 1842, he visited, “and many a rapid ruin.”
Sources: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p. 71). Harper. Kindle Edition, Wikipedia, Investopedia
The History Book Club
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Madeleine K. Albright (other topics)
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I think you will enjoy this book because Albright has a wonderful conversational style. She has done an admirable job at whatever she has undertaken; and is very thoughtful and observant as to some of the issues that women especially face. When trying to get into the workforce - after being a stay at home Mom - trying to find your voice when the children are older can be a challenge. But Albright was able to acclimate herself in a big way with much success.
I hope you enjoy the book and all we ask is for you to try and post at least one post weekly so that we know how you are doing and how you are reacting to the assigned reading for that week; as well as to hear what you actually enjoyed about the book and/or what you found puzzling.
I put up discussion topics and questions along the way and that is always a good place to start; but you can also come up with your own topics and quotes that you find interesting.
Enjoy!