TODAY'S QUOTEs

Robert Lipsyte, writing for TomDispatch.com, says: "The genius of Roger Clemens lies in the fact that he created the monster of himself. He is both Dr. Clemenstein, inventor of a more powerful man, and Clemenstein, the age-defying result, an ogre who defines ur-masculinity today. He is a big, white Republican who makes his own rules, lies, cheats, and mixes family values and intimidation."

I got this from TRUTHOUT, and I'm not sure I even agree with it (I wasn't there when he did or didn't do what he's been accused of). But I thought it was pretty well put, from the writer's perspective, (especially the last phrase, which captures recent Republicanism to a tee for me—a mixture of so-called* "family values and intimidation") and figure it will arouse the Republican counter attacks, but still interesting.

*"so-called" because in my view, the most important "family value" is being able to pay the bills that provide food, shelter and health care, at least, for your family, something the Republicans seemed to have lost sight of under Bush Junior. Which brings me to another quote from TRUTHOUT today:

Robert B. Reich, writing for The San Francisco Chronicle, says: "We're finally reaping the whirlwind of widening inequality. A recession looms because most consumers are at the end of their ropes and can't buy more. Median hourly wages, adjusted for inflation, are no higher than what they were three decades ago. Since then, most of what's been earned in America has gone to the richest 5 percent. But the rich won't buy much more because they already have most of what they want - after all, that's what it means to be rich."