Re: Michelle Obama pledging that her husband’s administration will institute compulsory shedding of cynicism, a correspondent writes that it reminds him of one of his all-time favorite cartoons:

The pointy-haired boss is passing out buttons that say, “I’m Empowered.” One employee recoils in horror. “I don’t want to wear an ‘I’m Empowered’ button.” Answers the pointy-haired boss firmly, “You have to.”

There’s a lot of that about.

[UPDATE: Here’s the cartoon.]