In My Orbit...
Robert Samuelson is becoming a modern-day prophet, shouting into the wind and the malaise about the lessons that we need to learn from Greece in order to save our own hide. The question remains, is anyone listening? A pull quote:
"Americans dislike the term 'welfare state' and substitute the bland word 'entitlements.' The vocabulary doesn't alter the reality. Countries cannot overspend and overborrow forever. By delaying hard decisions about spending and taxes, governments maneuver themselves into a cul de sac."
He says it best. Read it, and weep: The Welfare State's Death Spiral.
I find it interesting what gets trumpeted all over the standard-media newsfeeds. President Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court is all over the place, yet Tennessee still gets barely a mention. As always, I prefer to look at the political blogs to get the "real" facts that the mainstream media barely (if ever) mention. I find this post at The American Spectator quite interesting:
"While critics will take issue with Kagan's lack of experience as a judge, the advantage from a confirmation standpoint is that she's much more of a blank slate and won't have as much of a paper trail to go through, depriving opponents of ammunition."
The words, "blank slate" and "paper trail" stand out in this paragraph. Sounds like our President is positioning a mirror-image of himself for the Supremes. Stay tuned....
And the news junkie that I am, I can't believe I missed Lena Horne's passing. As I move into middle life, it seems that we are fast losing legendary people of weight and character, and I fear there are few to take their place.
Lena Horne was a standard-bearer to several generations of Black women. Like Ruby Dee, who, thankfully is still with us, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Madge Sinclair, they don't make them like this anymore: substantive, multi-dimensional, and prolific women of huge talent and humble grace. Seriously, if Beyoncé dies at a ripe old age, is anyone going to feel the loss historically or culturally? I seriously doubt it. Lena Horne Dies at 92.