Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, not...
I don't think many Americans even knew Maine was a state in the union until now, but Olympia Snow has made everyone take note. I can only imagine the furor she has caused within the Republican Party.
ReplyDeleteThe vote was 14-9. If she had voted nay it would have been 13-10 . . . wouldn't it have gotten out of the committee for that as well? Jon Stewart made a point of that on his show Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteMy cousin Ginny is senior aide to Olympia Snow. Since Republicans are giving Sen. Snow grief lately, I think she should change party, even just to be independent. Republican Party is simply a disgraceful, narrow pit these days.
It showed she is willing to break ranks on the bill, which should prove key in the full Senate vote.
ReplyDeleteI liked one of the comments at the NY Times: "I didn't vote for Olympia Snow to run the country."
ReplyDeleteI doubt very much that any Republicans will follow her on this. She's known for being the moderate in the bunch.
ReplyDeleteThere are others as well like Collins of Maine and Lugar of Indiana who could go against the Repugs on this bill, since their states went with Obama and I would think their constituents are watching this bill closely.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there are a couple of Dems who might go against the bill like Nelson of Nebraska and Landrieu of Louisiana, which I imagine the Repugs are actively courting. Nelson is on record as being against any form of public option and the bill in general.
Still, I think the bill will pass and the Republicans will be forced to eat this one.
Next up the even more contentious Energy Bill.