Issues
Shaping America at the American Precision Museum: How the Machinists and Tool Builders Influence American History
"Our exhibit, Shaping America, explores how the machinists and tool builders of this region's 'Precision Valley' influenced the course of American history, helping drive rapid industrialization, the emergence of the United States as a world power, and the development of our consumer culture. The Tool Revolution tells the story of innovators in Windsor, Vermont, in the 1840s at the forefront of the push to create interchangeable parts and the American System of Manufacturing. more »
Often Referred To, Rarely Consulted: The 25th Amendment to the US Constitution; But The Constitutionality of Presidential Succession Has Been Challenged, Too
This Amendment saw multiple use during the 1970s and resulted for the first time in our history in the accession to the Presidency and Vice–Presidency of two men who had not faced the voters in a national election. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned on October 10, 1973, and President Nixon nominated Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed him, following the procedures of Sec. 2 of the Amendment for the first time. President Richard M. Nixon resigned his office August 9, 1974, and Vice President Ford immediately succeeded to the office and took the presidential oath of office at noon of the same day. Again following Sec. 2 of the Amendment, President Ford nominated Nelson A. Rockefeller of New York to be Vice President; on August 20, 1974, hearings were held in both Houses, confirmation voted and Mr. Rockefeller took the oath of office December 19, 1974.1 more »
Nomination of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; Nomination Hearing
Some background on Brett Kavanaugh's 2006 hearing on C-Span: "Mr. Kavanaugh testified at a hearing on his nomination as a judge on U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Among the issues he addressed were his qualifications and service as White House counsel, his rating by the American Bar Association, and various legal matters in which the administration had been involved during his tenure as counsel. Many members expressed frustration with his vague answers to specific questions. " Tune in this week to the Senate Judiciary hearings. more »
Ruby Violet Payne-Scott's Work Was Recognized as the Mathematical Foundation of Future Research in Radio Astronomy but Then She Married
On 8 September 1944 at the district registrar’s office, Ashfield, Payne-Scott married William Holman Hall, a telephone mechanic. In 1950 CSIRO management officially heard of her marriage. Since public service rules at the time required women to resign upon marriage, she lost her permanent position and became a temporary employee — a loss of status she indignantly protested in keeping with her fearless, unconventional character and passionate commitment to her political views. She left CSIRO and radio astronomy in 1951, when she was expecting her first child. more »
