…and Then There Were Three

We've heard by now, with excitement, about the election of the Democratic physicist Bill Foster, in special election, to take over the long-corrupt seat of Denny Hastert, but I was also excited to hear the news about the election of the Democratic physicist Bill Foster, etc. Here's how fellow physicist Bob Park talks about it in this week's What's New (dated 14 March 2008):

PHYSICS BLOC: FERMILAB PHYSICIST WINS HASTERT SEAT.
Tuesday, on his first day in office, Bill Foster (D-IL) cast the deciding vote to prevent tabling a Congressional ethics bill that would create an outside panel to investigate ethics complaints against House members. He will have to run again in November, but Foster’s victory in a special election on Saturday to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Dennis Hastert looked pretty convincing. Hastert had represented the vermilion 14th District for 20 scandal-filled years. Foster’s PhD in physics is from Harvard (1984) and he had been at Fermilab for 22 years. Prominent scientists contributed both time and money to Foster’s campaign, and he becomes the third PhD physicist serving in the House. He campaigned against the Iraq War and called for research on alternative energy.

For those who wonder, the other two physicists are Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Vern Ehlers (R-WI). There are, alas, no physicists in the Senate.

I note with interest that Congressman Dr. Foster got his degree in the same year that I obtained mine. Perhaps it's time I consider public service.

Posted on March 14, 2008 at 17.27 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Common-Place Book, Current Events

2 Responses

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  1. Written by Melanie
    on Friday, 14 March 2008 at 19.32
    Permalink

    I am sure you would be an AMAZING public servant.

  2. Written by jns
    on Tuesday, 18 March 2008 at 22.13
    Permalink

    Melanie, you are entirely too kind, but I'm not going to insist at all that you stop it since I can use the positive reinforcement.

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