Decisions

 

My reading and my TV watching have converged on one subject: those brave public servants who have the courage to make difficult decisions and live with the consequences.  I'm reading Michael Lewis' book on the pandemic: Premonitions.  I've been a big fan of Michael Lewis starting with Moneyball.  I'm not finished with the book but so far I am fascinated with his coverage of one Public Health Administrator in California.  She is unsupported and underfunded, yet called upon to made unpopular decisions as drastic as forced evacuations.

The series Philly D.A. on PBS is riveting.  Larry Krasner, a former Public Defender, took over the District Attorney's Office.  He has been determined to change the culture of prosecutions.  What an enormous undertaking.  The series shows how it is met every step of the way with a chorus of naysayers.  The latest episode is about juveniles sentenced to life without parole.  A few years ago the Supreme Court ruled that the practice was unconstitutional based on scientific knowledge of the juvenile mind.  The current Court reversed that decision just a few weeks ago.

Larry Krasner is up for re-election.  We'll see.