On Tuesday 31 January 2023, we had a return visit by our local expert in American Politics, John Matlin. In addition to his expertise in the subject, he is also a published author with novels in the field of American life.

We cannot go into the detail of what John said, as that would be a large document and it would not remain up to date as events in the US change. However, some of the topics and questions put to him were:

• What are the differences between US Presidents in document retention?
• When did the USA settle on “President” as the title of their first citizen?
• Will the current US President stand for election again?
• What persuades US Citizens when they are voting in a General Election?
• How effective was the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution?
• What are the levels of US Judges, and how do they come and go from office?
• What will happen to the Rowe vs Wade Supreme Court judgement?
• What is the state of the US Electoral System today?
• Do US Citizens worry about political conspiracies today?
• How do the proportions of the US electorate, analysed by political preference and heritage, move over the years?
• How did the USA become such a wealthy country?

John was able to answer all these questions in his stride, without betraying his own personal bias. The result was a most enjoyable and informative talk.