WALTER RUSSELL MEAD: Black Women Lead Shift To A Post-Blue World.

As increasing numbers of Black women enter the professional world, they are beginning to close the the earnings gap between themselves and their white peers. And the good news goes beyond the monetary: the survey finds Black women to be more ambitious, more religious, and more optimistic about their future than many other groups, with a strong understanding of the value of hard work and achievement.

Condoleezza Rice, in other words, is not alone.

One very interesting finding: more and more Black women are setting up as entrepreneurs. According to census bureau figures, 900,000 businesses are owned by Black women, a sharp expansion in recent years. Moving from bureaucracy to business is necessary to success in the 21st century; that so many Black women have figured this out and are acting accordingly is excellent news.

I wonder if their political views will evolve in response to this new entrepreneurialism?

WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Here’s what you won’t hear from Obama’s State of the Union address.

President Obama made his State of the Union address last year memorable. With Congress (the first branch of government) assembled before him, Obama (the second branch) rather rudely chided the justices (the third and least dangerous branch) for having “reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests” with their Citizens United decision. That elicited Justice Samuel Alito’s quietly murmured “Not true” response. It also prompted legions of liberal fundraising drives that put millions of dollars in Democratic campaign treasuries in the ensuing months by creating the prospect of unlimited corporate money forever corrupting American politics.

But tossing politically useful barbs at Supreme Court justices during a nationally televised address is one thing. It’s something else entirely for a sitting president to point a justly accusing finger at the Senate majority leader who will be seated nearby. This is especially the case when both men are Democrats and despite the fact that today marks the 1,000th day since the Senate Democratic majority he leads approved a federal budget.

If I were Alito, I’d bring a vuvuzela.

JEFF CARTER: “It wouldn’t surprise me if John Kerry paid less than or equal to Romney when it came to effective tax rates.”

Compare Romney to Bill Clinton. Clinton made his money by cashing in on his office. Romney made his money before running. Who’s more likely to be honest?

A HOT AIR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Feel The Momentum Growing!

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK: CDC: If You Drink Enough to Enjoy It, You’ve Had Too Much.

TAD DEHAVEN: State Dependency on the Federal Government. “State officials have become addicted to federal subsidies because they allow them to spend money taken from taxpayers across the country instead of having to ask their voters to pony up the funds.”

AT AMAZON, top deals in Electronics.

GEORGE SOROS channeling Frances Fox Piven?

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY: Media May Owe Arizona Gov. Brewer An Apology As Mexico’s Drug War Spreads To U.S. “Eighteen months ago, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer was excoriated for warning of spillover from Mexico’s war reaching our soil. Well, beheadings are becoming common now. Yet that war is still ignored.”

SUSANNAH BRESLIN: How I Got Three People Jobs.

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Lightsquared Trouble Deepens With Grassley Allegations.

UPDATE: Zerohedge: Obama Puppetmaster Warren Buffett Biggest Winner From Keystone Pipeline Rejection. “As it turns out, it is not just natural resources and aquifer purity that Obama had in mind when sealing the fate of the Keystone XL pipeline. No – it appears there were far more relevant numerial metrics that determined Obama’s decisions. Such as the bottom line number of Buffett’s Burlington Northern, which according to Bloomberg, is among U.S. and Canadian railroads that stand to benefit from the Obama administration’s decision to reject TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline permit. . . . So those wondering how it is that AAR railroad statistics continue to be so very strong, it is not because the economy actually justifies it.”

JOEL KOTKIN: The Last Patrician: Romney Falls From Favor as America Loses Faith in Old Money.

The forgers of American preeminence in the business world—Henry Ford and Alfred Sloan, the Rockefellers, Thomas J. Watson of IBM, David Packard and Bill Hewlett—embraced the ideal of growth where enriching themselves meant creating unprecedented opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Americans. These men built and financed things—from oil wells and high-tech instruments to autos and suburban tract houses—essential to the prosperity of the working and middle classes they employed and depended on to purchase their products.

But the last successful product of this class, John Kennedy, was elected more than a half century ago, to lead a nation that was ascendant, confident and economically vibrant. In the ensuing decades patrician politicians, particularly George W. Bush and his 2004 opponent, John Kerry, lacked the self-confidence and charisma to transcend their class.

Actually, that’s Romney’s biggest problem. He’s acted like he’s ashamed of his money. And he hasn’t been willing to get in their face, and punch back twice as hard — which are requirements in today’s political environment.

IRA STOLL: NBC’S DEBATE FLOP.

As unimpressive as the candidates have been, the networks have been worse. A new proposal: A Hot Air debate moderated by Ed Morrissey. Sounds like a winner!

THE COUNTRY’S IN THE VERY BEST OF HANDS (CONT’D): White House to miss budget deadline for third year.

TSA UPDATE: White House Sides With TSA In Rand Paul Patdown.

Ric Locke is worried about the potential for abuse.

ARAB LEAGUE CALLS FOR Syrian Regime Change.

TOM BLUMER: Barack Obama Is the Food Stamp President. “Saying so is factual, and certainly not racist.”

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND: IF YOU RUN AGAINST ME YOU MUST BE SEXIST OR SOMETHING. Gilibrand Challenger Tied To Blog Posts On Sex, Drugs, Dating.

Quelle Horror! Really, this is pathetic. The stuff she’s complaining about sounds like The Frisky. Which is a women’s site. Is it sexist to tell Kirsten to grow a pair?

BARRY RUBIN: Why Contemporary Western Elites Don’t Understand the World and Why Their Foreign Policies Fail.

KABOOM: Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7 Years.

AN UNMEMORABLE DEBATE, barely won by Mitt Romney.

Related: Most boring guy wins most boring debate?

TEN YEARS AGO ON INSTAPUNDIT: “The dirty little secret of structured finance is the degree to which they depend on appraisals that are driven more by the needs of the sponsor than a true determination of fair market values.” Well, that turned out to be true.

AT AMAZON, over 50% off on select DeWalt power tools.

Also, up to 65% off on Milwaukee power tools.

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: Bruins goalie skips White House ceremony honoring team in protest. “I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.”

Plus: “Thomas is a devoted tea partier, to the point where he wears the Gadsden flag motto on his mask. Anyone know if he’s endorsed a candidate for president?”

EUROPE: Eurozone finance ministers reject Greek debt offer. “Talks to restructure Greece’s debt hit a new impasse after eurozone finance ministers rejected an offer from private bondholders because the cost of sweeteners on new Greek bonds were too high.”

Related: 80%+ Immediate Downside To Par For New Greek “Fresh Start” Bonds.