"The most consistent and smartest thinking and writing about progressive politics isn't happening in Sacramento, but being churned out day after day on sites and by organizations like Calitics, Orange County Progressive, and the California Budget Project." - CalBuzz
Michelle Obama summed up for me today it means to be a progressive Democrat. At least, to me, this is what it's always been about.
She spoke at UC Merced's commencement today and told the graduates:
Remember that you are blessed. Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something back. (Applause.) You must reach back and pull someone up. You must bend down and let someone else stand on your shoulders so that they can see a brighter future.
As advocate and activist Marian Wright Edelman says, "Service is the rent we pay for living...it is the true measure, the only measure of our success." So, graduates, when times get tough and fear sets in, think of those people who paved the way for you and those who are counting on you to pave the way for them.
Of course this insults every cell of my being that Republicans are spending time worrying about what the First Lady is doing when they failed to regulate anything of signifigance over the last 10 years. They were having a virtual deregulation party and now they have Michelle Obama to worry about.
The Party of "NO" just doesn't know when to stop. Sure, they can have radio hosts refer to Michelle Obama as trash and criticize her for showing her bare arms but I don't see Republicans protecting the First Lady here.
House Republicans are pressing for a change in federal law that could force Michelle Obama and future first ladies to do more of their policy work in public. But Democrats warn President Obama may take the attempt personally "as an attack on his wife."
The GOP effort is being led by the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), whose initial salvo was rebuffed recently at a contentious committee markup session. Under Issa's amendment, any government policy group that Mrs. Obama or another first spouse regularly participates in would be subject to a law requiring meetings to be announced in advance and, in most instances, public.
Michelle Obam is doing such an amazing job of translating our values as progressives into real action in the White House and as a First Lady. That's what scares them, she symbolizes what every American can do to better our Country without having to be in office.
Plant a garden, work in a soup kitchen, or focuss much needed attention on military families that stay behind and have to bear the burden of OUR war. She's a breathing and talking representative for what we stand for and it irks them to no end.
It's the new meme that made it's way from the Los Angeles Times with this headline, "Michelle Obama serves food to D.C. poor and homeless, but..." The but of course is the man with the cell phone taking the First Lady's photo.
