The Washington Monthly

December 19, 2008

Random Cabinetry

I love this quote from Ezra:

"Word is that Congresswoman Hilda Solis is to be named Labor Secretary. I'd write a long post on this, and maybe I will later, but I think most of what I'd say is better expressed by the fact that Harold Meyerson just ran into my office doing everything but clicking his heels in the air."

I love this anecdote from Harold Meyerson even more:

"In 1996, when she was a back-bencher (and the first Latina) in the California State Senate, Hilda Solis did something that no other political figure I known of had done before, or has done since: She took money out of her own political account to fund a social justice campaign. Under California law, the state minimum wage is set by the gubernatorially-appointed Industrial Welfare Commission, and California's governors for the preceding 14 years, Republicans George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson, hadn't exactly appointed members inclined to raise that wage. So Solis dipped into her own campaign treasury and came up with the money to fund the signature-gatherers to put a minimum wage hike initiative on the California ballot. The signature gatherers gathered the signatures, the measure was placed on the ballot, it passed handily in the next election, and California's low-wage janitors and gardeners and fry and taco cooks, and millions like them, got a significant raise."

Even if you don't like the minimum wage, you have to like a politician who's willing to spend money from her campaign account on a cause other than herself. I find that incredibly heartening.

The main reason for this post, though, is to give me an excuse to post this picture of Tom Vilsack dressed as the crocodile from Peter Pan:

He's dressed up this way for a literacy event hosted by his wife. I may not like his views on ethanol, but I do like anyone who is willing to look silly in a good cause. Far too few politicians are.

—Hilzoy 2:08 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (9)

Comments

What kind of asshole doesn't like the minimum wage?

Posted by: Boronx on December 19, 2008 at 2:38 AM | PERMALINK

Alexander Downer (former Australian Foreign Minister and opposition leader) wore fishnets for a skit at an overseas jaunt.

He never lived it down, and I enjoyed laughing at him, but I kinda respected him for having the guts to do it.

Posted by: Kate on December 19, 2008 at 3:02 AM | PERMALINK

Conservatives seem to have this strange idea that the best way to sustain a consumer economy is to impoverish and bankrupt as many consumers as possible. The minimum wage doesn't hurt the economy. It helps.

Posted by: Hieronymus Braintree on December 19, 2008 at 7:31 AM | PERMALINK

"...but I do like anyone who is willing to look silly in a good cause. Far too few politicians are."

Ummmm...Maybe too few politicians actually support good causes.

Posted by: azportsider on December 19, 2008 at 7:36 AM | PERMALINK

Boronx, May I start with Elaine Cho in order to answer your question?

With Solis, perhaps the "Hope and Change Express" has been pulled out of that temporary ditch. Seemed to blow some tires and veered Right off the road with Salazar, Vilsack and "See no evil" Shapiro.

Oh, we need those 60 votes ever so badly, that we tolerate Reid protecting the 1872 Mining Act and Schumer for protecting Wall Street. That seems to be the price for trying to have a large majority of so-called Democratic Senators.

Was Warren down in that ditch praying with the tire changers "Oh, Lord, let them be safe and stay on the Right and Righteous side of the road forever"? Will 2008 go down as the ultimate con? There is more to bringing change than simply being anti-war.

Posted by: berttheclock on December 19, 2008 at 8:05 AM | PERMALINK

Did Giuliani dress up in drag for a good cause?

Posted by: RuSs on December 19, 2008 at 9:37 AM | PERMALINK

Vilsack will never live that stuff down. You have to think that his wife Christie, warm, smart and as fine a speaker as he is, must have a passive aggressive resentment toward him. Those are her events he appears at; he's done several, and never looks happy. Somewhere there's a photo of him dressed as Winnie the Pooh.

Posted by: ericfree on December 19, 2008 at 10:52 AM | PERMALINK

Minimum wage isn't globally competitive in the long run any more than GM wages.

Posted by: Luther on December 19, 2008 at 11:17 AM | PERMALINK

ericfree mentioned the far sillier Vilsack the Pooh photo. I knew that one would keep him out of the Oval Office. That shot, and a couple more, are at

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081218/NEWS09/812180352

(Sorry, since I never post I don't know how to embed)

Posted by: I never post on December 19, 2008 at 12:49 PM | PERMALINK

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