The Humphrey Institute’s State and Local Policy Program will co-host a public lecture and luncheon called “Performance Driven: A New Vision for U.S. Transportation Policy” from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, November 23, at the Humphrey Center. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s National Transportation Policy Project (NTPP) has begun a dialogue across the country regarding recommendations contained in its report Performance Driven: A New Vision for U.S. Transportation Policy. The forum will be held at the Humphrey Institute in conjunction with the Martin Olav Sabo Lecture Series. Former Congressman Sabo, NTPP co-chair, will speak at the event. This event will bring together state transportation officials, federal and state legislators, academics, the business community, and other key stakeholders in a conversation about the need for reform in the next federal surface transportation bill. Registration is required as space is limited. Please RSVP by completing the online registration form at http://www.cts.umn.edu/Events/SaboLecture/2009/index.html.

The Humphrey Institute will host Congressman Keith Ellison for a brownbag to discuss Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, November 23 in Freeman Commons. The discussion is free and no RSVP is required.

In Which the Ladies of Washington Help Build a City and a Government by Catherine Allgor Discussants: Lisa Norling Associate Professor of History, University of Minnesota Professor Norling teaches a course on women in colonial America and specializes in gender and class in early America. Description: In this scholarly yet animated and thought-provoking, analysis, Allgor presents her groundbreaking research on the critical role that women played in the early days of Washington politics. Any connection whatsoever between women and government had been firmly opposed by Thomas Jefferson, the first president to make Washington his permanent residence, because a female presence reminded him of decadent European court life and offended his republican sensibilities. However, when Dolley Madison became first lady, she initiated a social life in Washington that enabled the political players to gather at "levees" (large parties) and dinners, presided over by Washington matriarchs, which not only redefined the social dimension of politics, but also gave women more freedom to participate in public life. In fact, during Andrew Jackson's administration, a scandal over the virtue of Margaret Eaton, who was married to his secretary of war, forced the resignation of the entire cabinet because their wives refused to speak to Eaton, much to Jackson's fury. Allgor, an assistant professor of history at Simmons College, combines excellent research, which draws on primary archival material, with a flair for expressive writing.