I almost choked on my breakfast this morning–it turns out we still have a Secretary of Labor:

President Obama will welcome 12 labor leaders to the White House on Friday for yet another meeting. The purpose of the meeting, which Labor Secretary Hilda Solis will join, is "to discuss strengthening our economy, spurring growth, and creating good jobs for the American people, along with other issues of importance to working Americans," the White House said in guidance to reporters.[emphasis added]

   I thought Solis had been dispatched into the witness protection program. Seriously, has anyone heard anything from that building in two years?

   That partly reflects what I believe was a weak pick–good person but not much weight in political circles. But, more important, this isn’t about Solis: it also reflects the place the Labor Secretary has in the Administration. You may recall that Solis was the last person chosen for the Cabinet in 2008.  I think I have seen her in some photo ops from time to time but nothing of economic importance ever appears from the Labor Department.