Connie Lawn: Dog Days in Washington, D.C.

I do not know why slow summer months are called dog days – I love dogs (and cats). But the sleepy, hot, humid, and bug infested days of summer have set in. I look with longing at the ski reports in New Zealand, and vow to return as soon as I can.

The world is falling apart, and brave allied soldiers (and civilians) are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is tension and uncertainty in Iran and North Korea. The Chinese economy is getting stronger, and is set to dominate the world. But, none of this received much notice here this week. Instead, all the major cable t.v. and radio outlets focused their attention on the tedious, drawn out 4 day confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayer to be the next Supreme Court Justice.

Judge Sotomayer is a terrific person, and will be confirmed with a large Senate majority. This will put her on the Court in September. Judge Sotomayer is believed to be very Liberal, but she wisely refused to give any clear answers during the hearings. This left her few Republican detractors “dangling in the wind” as they tried to find something bad to say. Again and again, they went back to her phrases about having “empathy” and being “a wise Latina woman.” Talk about beating a dead horse!

When she is confirmed and sworn in, she will be in a position to help shape American social and legal policy for years to come. She will be the third woman, and first Hispanic, on the U.S. Supreme Court. She fought her way up from the projects in the Bronx, New York, to graduate at the top of her class in College and Law School. The Judge is a role model for many, and will be one for years. Conservatives know they must brace themselves – it is likely President Obama may have the chance to appoint two more Supreme Court Justices in the future, and they are anticipated to be even more Liberal than this Judge is expected to be.

While the hearings dominated the news, there was little more of interest from here. President Obama is fighting for a major overhaul of the inadequate health care system. The U.S. debt is over a trillion dollars. Unemployment is close to 10%, and over a million people have lost their homes to foreclosure this year. But some major banks have started to make money, and General Motors is restructuring . President Obama predicted two years for the turn around – let’s hope this is a start.

In the meantime, many Americans look to history – this is the 40th anniversary of the American landing on the moon. Many of us remember the phrases, “the eagle has landed,” and “one small step for man…one giant leap for mankind.”

So, there are some good things going on. There are also the mundane. This week, my husband and I were attacked by ferocious wasps in our back yard. One of my cats was mangled by a neighbor’s dog. Life is a constant battle. But skiing in New Zealand – even with earthquakes – looks better all the time!

Connie Lawn has a passionate love for NZ. She worked for Radio New Zealand for 20 years, and then for Radio Live for a few years. Connie has covered the White House and the world since 1968. Her other passion is skiing, and she calls herself "the skiing White House reporter." Her ski stories are on dcski.com and other outlets. Connie is also heard on thousands of radio stations, but firmly believes the internet is the future. She can be reached at connie@scoop.co.nz

© Scoop Media