In Tribute to Women of Power

I’ve spent most of the last two days assembling facts and quotes about right-wing influence on modern American culture, and have come to the conclusion that this article deserves more time than I’ve been able to give the usual fare here. So, in lieu of making a sub-standard post on something inane, I’m going to refer you to AlterNet.org and two really insightful pieces of journalism.

The first is, of course, Molly Ivins’ column today about Texas State Senator Senfronia Thompson’s valiant attempt to derail some hate-based legislation against gay marriage.

“Rarely are the words of one state legislator worth national attention, but when Senfronia Thompson, a black representative from Houston, stalks to the back mike with a certain “get-out-of-my-way” look in her eye, it’s Katie, bar the door.“

It’s enough to make me wish Senfronia Thompson would come out of that Texas incubator and into federal-level politics. This country desperately needs more truth-tellers, and Ms. Thompson gets today’s prize for Freedom’s Best Bellringer.

The other article is on the phoenix-like rebirth of Hillary Clinton, by The Nation‘s Glen Sargent. To those who would dismiss the ex-First Lady as an ultra-liberal icon: You’d better take another look.

“What’s really happening is that Clinton, a surprisingly agile and ideologically complex politician, is slowly crafting a politics that in some ways is new, and above all is uniquely her own.

“Clinton’s evolving approach — call it Brand Hillary — is sincerely rooted in her not-easily-categorized worldview, but it’s also a calculated response to today’s political realities. In effect, she’s taking her husband’s small-issue centrism — its trademark combination of big but often hollow gestures toward the center, pragmatic economic populism and incremental liberal policy gains — and remaking it in her own image, updating it for post-9/11 America with an intense interest in military issues.”

I’ve been an admirer of Mrs. Clinton for many years now. It does my heart good to see her finally coming into her own and, what’s more, doing it in a way that defies simple partisanship. I am not failing to learn her lessons in this, and I hope that others (of both genders) are seeing the wisdom in it too.

Michael’s working on something over there at his keyboard, so I’ll get back to work too. Enjoy!

Quote of the Day: They can do all because they think they can. –Virgil (70 BC – 19 BC)

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