Those Who Do Not Learn From (Recent) History....

A lot has been happening in the political world that I've wanted to write about. Unfortunately, a lot has been happening in my life that I haven't had the time to get in detail about my thoughts. Suffice it to say, as I predicted six months ago. black has become white... or rather, red has become blue. Democrats and Republicans look at each other in the Congress and Senate and see their own reflection just over five months ago. There are so many parallels, it's almost as if we're experience a repeat of 2001-2007. And that concerns me. Because as I said six months ago, it's hard to be smug when there's a chance that the Democrats will overreach just as the Republicans did.

I don't support corporate welfare so I haven't been a fan of the banking and auto industry bailouts. Regarding the failing banks, I would have supported their assets - and, ideally, most of their employees - being absorbed by smaller, healthier financial institutions. However, dealing with the more tangible goods of the auto industry is something different. Granted, I would have preferred that the least profitable makes and models were allowed to be spun off or closed down. As it is, allowing the companies to simply shut down would have created a dramatic ripple effect that may have had more consequences than the bailouts. However, I do think that we've reached the point that enough is enough. Nonetheless, it looks like we're all going to own a piece of General Motors. I hope that we can all at least get a new car out of the deal...

And finally, Sonia Sotomayor. We all know that she is going to pass the nomination process (save the irony of a Republican filibuster against an Democratic call for an up-and-down vote). And we all know "the quote" about the judge's quote about being a "wise Latina woman" that does look admittedly prejudiced, at least without knowing the context. What I would want to know is what is "that life" that she refers to that would allegedly not be known by a white male. Is it the life of an minority and/or female? If so, then I would understand where she's coming from, albeit in the way that Chris Rock understands O.J. Simpson. If my theory is indeed correct, she would certainly be walking a fine line between the stereotype and reality of white males' relative socioeconomic status and the ability to relate to others outside it. But again, I'm making assumptions, as many of us are, without the total context of the quote. So I'm reserving judgement in the hope that we will see all of that information soon.