It is hard not to think of Nebraska without thinking of its greatest writer. Here is a marvelous piece by Capote, Remembering Willa Cather . I remember seeing a stage production of O Pioneers! and being deeply moved by its raw emotions. I had read My Antonia before, and soon found myself hooked, like Capote was by the simple elegance of her prose and the way she was able to evoke so many feelings through her characters. Much of it came from the fact that she had lived those experiences herself. Her father dragged the family from Virginia to Nebraska in 1883, when it was still a young state, settling in the town of Red Cloud. named after one of the great Oglala chiefs. Red Cloud was still alive at the time, living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, in the aftermath of the "Great Sioux Wars" of 1876-77. I don't know whether Cather took any interest in the famous chief, although it is hard to imagine not. Upon his death in 1909, he was eulogi
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.