Your Biography:

You have been in Congress for the last 20 years.  Although politics involves a lot to hand shaking and back scratching, you consider yourself a public servant and are a patriot at heart.  Your favorite television shows are C-Span and This Week in Washington.  You are honored to support the president by serving on this task force.  Hmm.. Maybe such a feather in your cap will help you in the next election.  Your image is that of a "grass-roots" politician.  You are down to Earth when you are talking to your constituents but can play hardball on the floor opposing the republican agendas.  What really interests you about this task force is how the various governments involved in the European Union came together to make all of this happen? However, before you get to the big ideas you have to cover some basic questions.

 
 
 

1.    Will the European Union be more democratic?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2.  What are the institutional provisions involved in such an undertaking as creating a European Union?  (Heck our congress can't agree on whether to use the surplus from tax money towards reducing our national debt or refund it!)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You are lying in your bed and begin to have a dream...         You are still in politics, however, you find yourself in this room with Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock,  Benjamin Franklin, and others.  You are all talking about the creation of a new type of country where states are independent, yet united together at the same time, for the purpose of the common good.  However, you are also concerned that each state within the United States have its own power to make certain decisions.  You are ready to unify for and break away from England and begin drafting the Declaration of Independence.  Suddenly, your alarm goes off and you are almost saddened to leave such an exciting time in history.

 
 
 
 

3.  Then you start to think maybe right now is an exciting time in history for the countries involved in the European Union.  You ask yourself, " Are that concepts that lead the states of the United States to come together similar to the ideas that are unifying countries of Europe together now?"  Although you are still in your favorite pajamas, you begin writing notes about your ideas so that you won't loose them, especially since they were so inspired by your dream.  You will than yourself later when you have everything set for your presentation to the president.