Bang

Zoom

I’ve had enough!

Your going to the moon !

Morning, Christy! How’s the weather out there?

Christy: I’m glad to hear that Barney Frank will be leading the Dems on this. At least he can speak clearly and get in a few jabs without sounding like a complete wimp.

Barney, the rabid Lambshers of the Left (dripping venom) have your back! Go get ‘em …

Good golly, if only I hadn’t made that phone call I could have legitimately roared “RITZ!”

every single Democrat needs to use his/her floor time in this debate revisiting the facts of the Plame case.

Morning, *ilson. Sounds like an updated Elton John song: “Barney and the (rabid venemous wooly) Pets.”

Nice to have you back, Christy! Have yourself a driving adventure to the airport and back yesterday? (Find some kitten-cuties on the roadside?)

Oboy, BARNEY! What time does it come on, anybody know?

I love Barney and remember the days when he was a rumpled looking nerd still rather closeted. He’s come a LONG way.

Tell them the truth, ahh yes.

Decided yesterday it’s time to graduate from a dumb little website on .mac to a real website with outside the church stuff. Thinking of calling it ProgressivePulpit.

One of the things I’m thinking of doing is going back over 7 years of the West Wing (my preferred alternate political universe) and mining it for the wonderful morsels of civics and what it could/should be as opposed to the poor excuse we have for a government now.

Just thinking

That means I’m gonna have to learn all of this website building stuff. ANYTHING for the cause!

I’m thrilled it’s going to be Barney Frank. I’ve met him, and he’s a fascinating man to talk with. In conversation, it’s readily apparent how much he loves this country and wants it to live up to the ideals that have shaped it.

I don’t know about everyone else, but “look, something shiny!” is not my idea of good governance. Is this GOP-controlled Congress planning on doing ANYTHING this year?

I have such simple pleasures in life! … now I have to decide whether to stay at home and watch Barney Frank kick ass on CSpan or else drift downtown and pickup my reserved paperback copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” …

I’m with lotus . . . Barney’s gonna have fun today!

Leslie in CA at 5 — We’re having our first sunny day in forever today. The birds are swarming my feeders, and are taking no crap from the occasional squirrel that comes by to pick some spill-over off the ground. The peanut is excited that she might get to go outside today. :)

What pornography – masturbating their base on any trumped issue from now til Nov.

Christy — I suspect the Rovinator not only panders with this useless crap, but he makes Norquist’s case for him that government is a waste of money, while preventing Congress from actually spending more money at the same time.

Because we all know if they weren’t trying to pass “sense of” resolutions that document their fascism, they’d be spending our money hand-over-fist on their cronies.

Call it a highly tarnished silver lining.

I am so completly fed-up with congress, the supreme court, this phoney-baloney administration and their phoney elections that I just want to send them “to the moon” honeymooners style(tip o’ the hat to Jackie Gleason). Perhaps our rallying cry for the elections should be “Everybody out, new people !!”

Rayne at 19 — SIGH I know, but it’s an awfully tarnished silver lining, isn’t it?

*ilson, that paperback can wait! Even now, BARNEY’s honing his edge to a glitter to confound the foolish and hearten the stalwart –
this is just what we’ve been begging them for:

Attack Attack ATTAAAACK

Good Morning FireLambs,

How Y’all Doin’?

kinda EPU’d

a job change has temporarily but harshly cut in to my FDL time AND my apparently hard of hearing family is around when I normally have the house to myself – SO I’M A LITTLE GRUMPY, but will get over myself

Inverse BS Formula – the more recalcitrant and harsh the Chimp response, the less he knew about what was going on (NSA, Dubai Ports) Seriously guys, what does he do all day while Pres. Cheney and Under Fuhrer Addington steer the ship of state ?

as to the abject political tone deafness of the Repubs in Congress, it would make a simple country gal believe they have nothing to fear come November . . . and that’s what ? another dozen ’scandals’ from now

Oh — I also meant to say in the post that I hope everyone in the Northeast is safe and sound today. What a mess with all the flooding! Stay safe and evacuate if they tell you to do so.

I posted this late last night as everybody was drifting off to bed, and I hope it’s OK to repeat for the morning crowd. S0 . . . in anticipation of celebrating any Dem spine we see on C-Span today, here’s an example to enjoy:

It’s the smackdown Jim Webb’s guy gave George Allen.

It’s fabulous. Not only a sharp (and quick) rebuke, but Webb’s people had done some opposition research – - very heartening.

The best part? George Allen’s middle name is Felix!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Here’s the link to the whole story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..g_burning; _ylt=Am

If this bill passes, maybe the dems could add a signing statement! Ha!

Christy at 17, hooray! Sunny days are a particular joy after what feels like endless rain, especially when there are energetic peanuts who need to play. Hope you get some good outside time today.

cbl at 23, what does W do all day? Well, we know he exercises. Decideratin’ is hard work, after all, and you gotta be in shape for it. And then he naps. After that? Maybe they’ve got an underground room somewhere filled with brush for him to cut.

ditto to lina #9.
Dems should be offering a counter-resolution to have Robert Novak’s press credentials, and Karl Rove’s security clearance, revoked.

Christy — yeah, more like a pile of silver oxide with fake silver leaf applied.

Ugh. What a sorry mantra: at least they aren’t spending money.

Or killing more citizens.

Yeh, Leslie, one time they tried letting him collect shinies for Unca Karl to distribute, but that din’t work out so good, so it wuz back to the brush wid ‘im . . .

“Decideratin’ is hard work,” Gawd, that is funny.

the Government of Thailand is running commercials on CNN honoring the 60th Anniversary of their King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, the longest reigning monarch in the world. Truly strange advertising!

btw, he was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts…

Leslie in CA at 27 — We have a playhouse out back for her on our patio. Once the sun has been out for a while and things have a chance to dry off a bit, I’m sure we’ll be out there. (I can get internet from the patio table…yay, me!) We had spent quite a bit of time out there earlier, but all the rain has made that impossible the last week or so. Plus, the weeds are taking on a life of their own in my flowers. lol

Oh, Christy – I cannot begin to tell you how this House resolution and all this noise about the NYT is making my blood boil, but I can try.

At the heart of this banking surveillance program is the same thing that is at the heart of the NSA wiretapping program: failure of the administration to properly brief the Congress, to abide by the laws that govern these activities, and to submit to oversight by the Congress.

Lashing out at the NYT – just the NYT – is meant to demonize the press for attempting to inform the public – and the Congress – not just that these activities are going on, but that this administration has once again exceeded its authority.

The administration, with the cooperation of the Kool-Aid Kids in Kongress and in the right-wing media, has launched a massive attack on the press, and any newspaper publisher who thinks this attack is designed solely to demean and disarm the power of the NYT is not paying attention.

This looks like and smells like a well-designed trap, laid with due care by the administration, and Karl Rove in particular. Discredit and disarm the press, and there goes another annoying pest in search of accountability and truth. More freedom to operate in secret – that’s what the administration wants and that’s what this attack is designed to get them.

And members of Congress, instead of being outraged that the administration has once again had its contempt for them on full display, have either joined in the attack on the Times, or are sitting on the sidelines oblivious to the fact that they are part of this absurd kabuki theater, not the audience.

Or are they now little more than the audience for this theatre of the absurd that the administration has become, where the executive branch is the only one with any power?

Congress is giving its authority away, and the donation seems to be a willing act, as if this is what you’re supposed to do when the guy from your party is the one sitting in the Oval Office.

Which brings me to the final insult: that with so much on the table, so many issues of real importance facing this country, Congress has spent the better part of the last month wasting precious time on gay marriage, flag burning and making the NYT sit in the corner with a dunce cap on.

Maybe this is all they’re good for anymore. Maybe this is reflective of just how much power they have ceded to the executive branch. They have been reduced to little more than a student government committee. What next? Congress planning social events? Car washes? Bake sales? The first Congressional Prom?

Grrrr. Sorry this is so long.

25 and your little dog, too . . . . says

the Webb smackdown of ‘Felix’ is a valentine AND blueprint for dems everywhere -

believe his handler is Mudcat, no ?

Oh, Hamdan comes down this morning, doesn’t it. This will be interesting . . .

Any ideas about the schedule for this hysteric historic debate?

lotus at 36 — yeah, have been waiting to see the decision. Nothing as yet…

. . . great minds, lotus . . . *g* . . . a very interesting day, indeed

Harry and Fristy are having a nice polite little fencing match on C-Span 2.

Barney & Co. not yet up

Peterr at 37 — I’m not certain on scheduling for this. We are watching an anime cartoon this morning (Spirited Away), so I don’t have C-Span on at the moment. (But debate hadn’t started fifteen minutes ago when I was able to have it on…). If anyone gets scheduling info., please let the rest of us know. Thanks!

I wonder if they are just debating this topic.
So when they go home July 3 – July 7th they don’t have to talk about corruption, Iraq, health care, minimum wage etc.

Anne at 34 — that pretty much sums up the whole, nasty cesspool, doesn’t it? SIGH

“Congress has spent the better part of the last month wasting precious time on gay marriage, flag burning and making the NYT sit in the corner with a dunce cap on. “

in poker it’s called a ‘tell’

apparently they have nothing to worry about come November

Well, John Stossel says all of this global warming stuff is trumped up nothingness. Besides you are all socialists that hate capitalism according to Stossel.

Plus he said most scientists support him. He didn’t name any, but who are you gonna believe, Stossel or some jerks at Harvard and MIT.

-GSD

Damn, I may have spoken too soon. It’s starting to cloud up here again this morning. Blergh.

Oh yeah, and what Bill Frist said. Leave Felix Allen and Turdblossom alone and start reporting of the glorious accomplishments of this Republican Congress.

-GSD

If, as they say, one pix is worth 10X10X10 words, then the kittie photos at the top pretty much express of my feelings toward Bush and the rest of his thieving band of Republicans. And not just a few roguish, so-called Democrats too. These hip-cat, Firecatlakesters are obviously liberal, left-wing, New-Deal, progressive Democrats.

Here’s the schedule on the CSPANs http://inside.c-spanarchives.o…..hedule.csp

Well Christy and Peterr, while we salivate, let’s peruse us a little WaPo:

DeLay’s Hollow ‘Victory’

Reliable Source: Jenna Bush to Decamp D.C.

Washington Sketch: Obama’s Liberal Amen Corner

Brownback (R-Kansas) speaking in the Senate…is it my imagination, or is he a complete nutjob?

Christy 33, so inconsiderate of those weeds. Too bad we can’t have non-proliferation treaties with them. ;)

ralphbon 28, a counter-resolution to revoke Rove’s security clearance would be an excellent idea. Revoking Rove, period, would be an excellent idea, but let’s at least start with the security clearance.

Had enough? Want a Congress that works on issues that actually matter to you? Vote for Democrats

Now I’m no fan of Repubs but that last part is freaking hilarious. Democrats working on issues that matter! We live in a one party state. Its republicans and slightly less rabidly deranged republicans. Except for Kucinich.

Good Morning Everyone!

Rove is at his post pulling the strings of what the media should talk about.

My gut feeling is that it will backfire. As long as we ask the obvious question: Does Congress & the WH want to dictate what newspapers should write about?

To me that’s the question that needs repeating and I hope the Democrats do just that.

Kalina77,

That was the question that caused a right wing radio talking head on MSGOP to snap and run off the set like some pathetic schoolboy.

Keep hammering on that point.

-GSD

Anne @ 34 – who do you think they would nominate as the Prom King & Queen?

cbl 35 said

[i]the Webb smackdown of ‘Felix’ is a valentine AND blueprint for dems everywhere . . . . [/i]

A Valentine and a blueprint – - I love it. May I use it?

Can you hear the lambs now?

Maybe I’m cynical from watching ‘The Daily Show’ too much, but I am sure this whole thing is a Rovian plot. Remember he said a few weeks ago that liberals’ defense of civil liberties in the war on terror would be used against them. Feeling especially frisky after his near-death Plamegate experience, I believe he arranged for the leak of an intelligence gathering method that sounds secret, but really isn’t. Everyone knows that financial records were being tracked – hell, Bush SAID we were tracking them. The details did not really matter to national security. He expected a bigger firestorm of protest from liberals than what he got, which he planned to use in his usual way to portray liberals as soft on terror. When that did not happen over the weekend, he decided to turn it against the NYT instead and got the troops fired up for that. Manufactured outrage raised to a new level.

What will he leak next? Something to do with airport security…wait for it.

so the WaPo says “Jenna Bush to decamp DC” ? perhaps she and her lovely sister, not-Jenna, can go to de camps in Iraq …

*ilson,

yeah, maybe they can get on the same flight as Congressman King’s wife and family . . .

An attractive idea, *ilson, except that I wouldn’t wish on ANY of our troops having those two flakes at their backs.

beard5 — that’s affirmative, Brownback’s a far right-wing nutjob of the first water.

And a likely Republican candidate for POTUS in 2008.

What you are seeing is both the mind dump of a whackjob (even Abramoff’s henchman Scanlon referred to this type as “wacko”) — and the pre-campaign bloviating of a candidate in training.

Bleccchhhh…

GSG at 55:

The next question is: How soon can you guys give yourselves a raise?

and your little dog, too . . . .

you betcha

House revving up on CSPAN 1. Sendoff to retiring chaplain.

Diane at 56 – I don’t know, but you can be sure they would take the better part of a week to debate it.

I meant politicians giving themselves a raise….

Off to work-

“An attractive idea, *ilson, except that I wouldn’t wish on ANY of our troops having those two flakes at their backs.”

au contraire! I saw some soldier complaining about how gawdawful it is over there but he said that perhaps having Jenna around for ‘fun’ in the barracks … a sexist remark for sure!

Hamdan’s in — 5/3: UMCJ not complied with — commissions not properly constituted and ARE NOT VALID. Remanded.

Kucinich is gonna let ‘em have it!

Lotus – to add to what you just mentioned -

From MSNBC: Supreme Court rules Bush overstepped authority for Gitmo trials.

Thanks lotus! KISS!!!

See, Mary?

lotus says
June 29th, 2006 at 7:09 am
Hamdan’s in %u2014 5/3: UMCJ not complied with %u2014 commissions not properly constituted and ARE NOT VALID. Remanded.
———————————————————-
Okay, can someone translate this from the Legalese?

OMG!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13592908/

Fitz! The Rule of Law!!!

on the Hamdi decision : 5 to 3 (Roberts recused) … were the three Thomas, Scalia and Scalito?

YAY! YIPPEE!

Speaking of not telling them the truth; David Broder is delusional and should retire.

Thank you and now back to your regularly scheduled topic

SCOTUS Blog -

http://www.scotusblog.com/mova…..ons_5.html

Now there Christy goes again, all rabid and lamby!

Morning FDL, what GOP nonsense did I miss while sleeping hehe.

Everyone -

The Hamdi decision will be posted as a PDF file here: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/…..inion.html

Why did Roberts recuse?

of course these pigs will now offer up a resolution to condemn the SCOTUS’ traitorous stance on National Security

Roberts recused because he was on the circuit ct of appeals panel that ruled in th egovernment’s favor below.

*ilson

Just to be clear about Roberts. He voted to support the government’s position as a member of the lower court. That’s why he recused himself . . . so count this 5-4.

Of course, as Jeffrey Toobin said just a moment ago on CNN, in practical terms, a 5-4 ruling is as binding as 9-0.

Leslie in CA says
June 29th, 2006 at 7:19 am
Why did Roberts recuse?
———————————————————-
Per MSNBC, because he was on the appeals court panel that already ruled on this case.

Never mind, answered in the article linked by Zergle.

Hey, we still have a teensy bit of justice left in the US. Unfortunately, more limbo for the detainees on our own island of dr. moreau.

In your face, Bushco.

Leslie, per MSNBC: “Chief Justice John Roberts, who was appointed by Bush, had removed himself because he previously was on a U.S. appeals court panel that ruled for the Bush administration in the Hamdan case.”

I’m a little fired up about this NYT issue. They’re gonna ban the Times and yet Jeff Fucking Gannon got credentials?! Classic.

Correction – my 7:18 comments should refer to the Hamdan decision.

Ah, but thanks for all the responses anyway! Should have refreshed before I posted.

Frank Probst: translation

The prisoners might be tried in a military tribunal, but they must comport to the UCMJ (Unitary Code of Military Justice) — no ad-hoc tribunals.

Ace Cowboy says:
June 29th, 2006 at 7:21 am
I’m a little fired up about this NYT issue. They’re gonna ban the Times and yet Jeff Fucking Gannon got credentials?! Classic.
———————————————————-
Perhaps it will encourage the Times to finally investigate Gannon.

Leslie -

“Refresh Comments” is my other friend . . .

It’s not as if they don’t waste massive amounts of time already – introducing endless numbers of stupid resolutions honoring people and naming structures and calling for this and that day. This is just more of the same. It’s how our Congress works.

OT, I know, but…um… net neutrality? We lost yesterday and Net life as we know it could be in the toilet forever. Is there really any reason to talk about anything else??

No Internet, no netroots. Bye.

My new favorite quote: “Republican Sen. George Allen attacked his Democratic challenger’s opposition to a flag-burning amendment, and James Webb retaliated by calling Allen a coward who sat out the Vietnam War ‘playing cowboy at a dude ranch in Nevada.’“
in Wednesday’s Wapo.

WHAT???? I’m SHOCKED! At last, a bit of reprieve from all the horrible nonsense of the last several years……

Let’s turn this around for a moment. Maybe the NYT has learned the danger of playing nice with shrubco.

John — good point, go start a blog and we’ll catch you over there!

immanentize says
June 29th, 2006 at 7:22 am
Frank Probst: translation

The prisoners might be tried in a military tribunal, but they must comport to the UCMJ (Unitary Code of Military Justice) %u2014 no ad-hoc tribunals.
———————————————————-
Whoa, so the Supreme Court just told Bush he has to obey the law? This is huge! He’s going to be so PISSED. Does Congress know about this?

So the question now is will they accept the decision or run around screaming about activist judges?

No, the more likely is some other loophole that will allow them to avoid trying these guys legally.

imm 101 — HEE!

I can’t wait to read the dissent — it is always were the bile is. The best way to understand the scope of a majority opinion is to see it through the eyes of a pissed-off minority Justice.

But, SADLY, NO! I have to finish this effin report by 11:30 today!

Those three; Scalia, Thomas, and Alito; are just plain and simple un-American. And Roberts might be as well.

have a very large lump in my throat thinking of the JAG attys who pressed this – talk about your Honor, Duty, Country . . .

SCOTUS supports the Geneva Conventions.

Just think about the implications of that having been a question at all . . .

Peterr,

“What a friend we have in Reeeefresssh . . .”

Re: net neutrality – the vote was 11-11 in the Commerce Committee, which will send the bill to the floor for debate, but the bill has not passed yet.

Amen, cbl 106!

SO proud of them.

Let’s see, I wonder what Mrs. Smith could be reading and writing about right now…

Coalition of the leaving:

RFE: Romanian Premier Wants Troops Out Of Iraq
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has asked his defense minister to withdraw Romania’s 890 troops from Iraq.

Good to know the news vacuum won’t be filled with that stupid NYT resolution tonight. That is unless you’re tuned in to Pox News.

They also smacked the Congress…

about time.

Bush to react at 11:30 according to a seemingly disappointed D. Kagan.

heh heh heh.

cbl 106, lotus 110 – hear, hear. Thank god for people who still believe in the rule of law.

AP on Hamdan decision:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06…..r=homepage

ditto cbl, lotus. The JAG attorneys (both defense and prosecution) I have worked with in the military death penalty context were some of the most honest, ethical, and smart folks I have ever had the pleasure to work with. No BS, just a zealous attempt to get to the truth AND protect rights. That can happen in a closed community — it is just such a joy to see it applied to our enemies.

John Adams was in/famous for representing the British troops who killed colonists in the Boston Massacre.

Now THAT is what it means to be a citizen of this country.

That KAPOW! that some of us within 50 miles of DC heard today was probably the sound of a large vein on Karl Rove’s head exploding…gotta wonder what fresh hell and slime he’ll start up with to distract from the Hamdan decision.

Can’t wait to read the full decision.

Off to work, pups. Catch you all later.

Still in shock. Could this be a little vestige of democracy rearing its righteous voice? Remember when…….Hope is on the way, and not a moment too soon, peeps.

Imm –

Scalia’s footnotes in dissent are particularly fun. Far from being dry and dusty, the footnotes are often where the best snark can be found.

This little Homeland Cyber-Security piggy makes public service pay! Chertoff’s go-to guy for cyberstuff makes over half a million a year, and his employer has over nineteen million in contracts with DHS.

Got oversight?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01903.html

“No conflict, nothing to see here, move along….”

I’m really busy at work and can’t hang out but while Bush was out campaigning on social security or something, he mentioned that he was following the money trail and even used the “Swift” in one of his talks….

Fitz!

Anne – Laughed out Loud at that one.
KAPOW!

I’ll assume I can use that one sometime…

I read this yesterday by somebody somewhere who had the actual quote………

hmmm, how long before we hear about those activist justices…

it wasn’t just Rove exploding in disappointed fury — poor Addington must be crying in his beer right about now … Yoo in Berkley is just awakening to a horrible day too !

Anne, I was just wondering the same thing: what will Rove devise now to distract us from this huge hot air balloon getting the life popped out of it.
Ahhhh, the Understanderrrr is having a presser? Wouldn’t it be great if he got some real questions lobbed at him?

…a little about the SCrOTUS decision:
http://www.scotusblog.com/mova…..ons_5.html

-via thinkprogress

“poor Addington”? Dunno, *ilson, we’ll hafta take that one under advisement . . .

from the BBC : A top Russian legal official says three teen magazines should be shut down for ‘promoting sex and drugs’.

sounds kinda like Joe Lieberman and Lynne Cheney, eh?

See, Mary?

*G*G*G*G*G*

Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
Imman was HUGE RIGHT, I was HUGE WRONG,
. . .

However many times you want Imman. And with a smile.

CNN: VA announces the missing laptop has been recovered.

I figured out what Pox News is going to be covering tonight if roverturd is still incapacitaded due to his aneurism.

BRITTANY SPEARS POSES NUDE!
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBI…..index.html

We forgive you this time, Mary. But yer scathing on thin ice, keed. ;-}

T- at 125 –

By all means! I think KAPOW! (veins popping), PHHHHhhhhhtttt (air going out of ballon) and POP! (bubbles bursting) are sounds that may be louder than the level of cacophony that Rove and his minions are trying to maintain to drown out the truth.

*G*

TeddySanFran@122
Another side-effect of The War on Terra is that computer security services cost significantly more. We in the private sector must compete with DHS dollars.
The upside is that more Federal agencies now have a clue about how they handle their computers.
(not that they do EVERYTHING right: witness the VA compromise of vets’ personal info… but there has been a marked improvement)
Note that one of Duke Cunningham’s co-indicted benefactors was selling digital snake oil.

It is easier to siphone off funds for projects the ‘average person’ doesn’t understand.

Raw Story headline: Trent Lott, back in Sen. leadership?… Soon…

Anderson Cooper of CNN is doing a big whoop tonight about the Miami 7 : Terrorists or Wannabes? It’s good to see some questioning going on …

Mary {HEART}

As a rule, I am way too optimistic. In fact, it was a joke among my defense attorney friends in Texas. I always had a reason why the latest terrible ruling was good for my clients. But it is nice once or twice to have that attitude rewarded….

By the way, I read from a late post yesterday that you post at Huffpo? I didn’t know — sorry if I am hopelessly out of the loop. Please give a link because I love what you write.

And no, my son’s name is not (luckily) Jerry.

:~)

Courtesy Americablog:

Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a strongly worded dissent, saying the court’s decision would “sorely hamper the president’s ability to confront and defeat a new and deadly enemy.”

The court’s willingness, Thomas said, “to second-guess the determination of the political branches that these conspirators must be brought to justice is both unprecedented and dangerous.”

Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito also filed dissents.

Oooooh, Christy, what adorable kitties!

Somebody else may have already mentioned this, but I think we also should get much more aggressive on contacting the media about how they cover stunts like this. ABC’s recent nightly news coverage of the flag amendment was as pathetic, pedestrian, pedantic, pissant poor as Mark Potter’s MSNBC reporting on the Limp-bough incident.

The kitties need to be roaring lions. No more media-shilling as usual. We want our real journalists back. The facts are on our side.

BIG PROPS TO THE SUPREMES for slapping down the activist executive in Hamdan [sp?].

Happy 4th, everyone! Watch out for what’s behind the curtain, and remember to keep moving those small stones.

Also from Raw Story:

SALON has learned that interrogators working at Guantanamo Bay were given instruction in tactics and technique from a US Army school that trains soldiers to survive torture.

Salon magazine uncovered evidence of the link between the two military entities in documents turned over to the American Civil Liberties Union. The report shows that interrogators at Guantanamo Bay received instruction from the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape school at Fort Bragg, N. C.. The Army declined a request for an interview, and commented that “We do not teach interrogation techniques.”

Excerpts from the registation restricted article follow…

A March 22, 2005, sworn statement by the former chief of the Interrogation Control Element at Guantanamo said instructors from SERE also taught their methods to interrogators of the prisoners in Cuba.

“When I arrived at GTMO,” reads the statement, “my predecessor arranged for SERE instructors to teach their techniques to the interrogators at GTMO … The instructors did give some briefings to the Joint Interrogation Group interrogators.”

“This is the missing link,” declared Leonard Rubenstein, executive director of Physicians for Human Rights. “It is proof that the SERE training was in fact used, for a time at least, as a basis for interrogations at Guantanamo.” “That is what I inferred had happened,” agreed retired Brig. Gen. Stephen Xenakis, former commanding general of the Southeast Regional Army Medical Command, “but I have never seen this documented anywhere.” The sworn statement suggests that Fort Bragg was the incubator of the abuse that later migrated from Guantanamo to Abu Ghraib, and is further evidence of the systematic nature of torture in the war on terror.

The interrogations chief, whose name is redacted, but who is listed as serving at Guantanamo from December 2002 until June 2003, asserts that instructors from the SERE school taught techniques to interrogators at Guantanamo sometime before his arrival, a period when the Department of Defense was developing some of the aggressive and controversial interrogation protocols that later surfaced in Iraq.

. . .

And SCOTUS awaits all of this . . .

NEW THREAD

Marty Lederman at SCOTUSBlog (a generally non-ideological legal blog) has this in his fast reading of the opinions:

More importantly, the Court held that Common Article 3 of Geneva aplies as a matter of treaty obligation to the conflict against Al Qaeda. That is the HUGE part of today’s ruling. The commissions are the least of it. This basically resolves the debate about interrogation techniques, because Common Article 3 provides that detained persons “shall in all circumstances be treated humanely,” and that “[t]o this end,” certain specified acts “are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever”-including “cruel treatment and torture,” and “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment.” This standard, not limited to the restrictions of the due process clause, is much more restrictive than even the McCain Amendment. See my further discussion here.

This almost certainly means that the CIA’s interrogation regime is unlawful, and indeed, that many techniques the Administation has been using, such as waterboarding and hypothermia (and others) violate the War Crimes Act (because violations of Common Article 3 are deemed war crimes).

If I’m right about this, it’s enormously significant.

The emphasis is Marty’s, but the sentiments are Justice Stevens.

And mine.

Does anyone now doubt that we CANNOT confirm Bush another SCOTUS nominee, ever, ever, ever? Also, what’s become of Roberts’ efforts to achieve unanimity on important cases?

Imman – not a post at huffpo – I mistyped, just a comment on one of the NYT posts.

I was so braced for more bad. I feel like a cancer screening just came back clean.

I want to read it later – the AUMF gets some attention too.

Thanks lotus and Peterr. Just a refresher on the war crimes act:

>>>>>
Section 2441. War crimes

(a) Offense. – Whoever, whether inside or outside the United
States, commits a war crime, in any of the circumstances described
in subsection (b), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
for life or any term of years, or both, and if death results to the
victim, shall also be subject to the penalty of death.

(more here)
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/….._2441.html

Anne at 109, and all my fellow firepups re: net neutrality consideration in the Senate.

Sorry to jump in OT, but I’m really steamed on this issue, & can’t see a more appropriate thread. Forgive me, lest my head explode if I don’t unload here.

I recently had written our senators (OH – oogh) about Net Neutrality. DeWine is on the Commerce Comm., & running for re-election (currently behind in the polls, trailing Dem. Sherrod Brown).

Just today I received a “reply” of sorts from DeWine, supposedly addressing the issue of Net Neutrality, but sounding more like a big jumble of teleGoliath “talking points” cobbled together in no particular order, and avoiding any direct mention of where he stood on the issue.

I fired off a reply to him (copy below), and would strongly urge other Ohioans to join me in holding his feet to the fire! PLEASE, anyone, everyone, contact your senators — They can’t be allowed take our Net Neutrality without a fight!
p.s., Sen. Cantwell has started a petition on the issue also. Go thou & sign, pretty-please, ;-> (in fact I used 2 excellently-worded paragraphs from Cantwell’s petition message in the letter below).

—————————

Dear Senator DeWine:

Why are you unable to come right out and make clear your position on Net Neutrality?

Are you afraid you will be seen as favoring giant telecoms over the whole rest of the nation, short-changing schools, universities, libraries and small businesses, short-changing anyone else who wants to communicate, do research or conduct business on the Internet, and use what they’ve already paid for?

[snip]

Net neutrality is a simple concept – it has enabled equal access to the Internet to spread ideas, develop commerce, and build movements online without financial discrimination from the companies controlling the Internet.

But now special interests are asking Congress to end the openness and freedom that built the Internet. Large telecommunication companies want to create a two-tiered Internet, unfairly favoring those who will pay top dollar to guarantee their online content gets priority over those who can’t pay.

Your own willingness to state openly what your position is on this issue, Senator DeWine, is of particular importance this year, considering the upcoming election.

Sincerely, ____________

This debate may look like Rovian diversion. I differ in my opinion. I live on the canadian border and get canadian tv. They have a new pm who is a bush wannabe. He got elected, started trashing journalists on day one. Even said they should be jailed. The canadians didn’t believe he was serious. I did. Then they had a terroist scare. The supposed terroists wanted to cut off the new PM,s head. I’m not making this up. Now the terroists are captured and the govt. won’t release their evidence. NY Times, AP, and Toronto News are suing for the info. This display in the House is a bullying tactic which has worked pretty well.”Don’t mess with my terroist plots or you will be punished.”

Every time you vote republican, God kills a kitten.
Please, think of the kittens.

hm, on second thought:

God Frist

I hope Barney informs the Republicans that the Democrats have no intention of playing these little games any longer, and the Dems file out of the chamber……..

Cat pic:

“MMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!”

“He’s doing it again!”

With the GOP Circus in full swing on the way
to November elections the sideshows and carny
action will be pushed aplenty.
Curiously THE DECIDER continues with his way
stale “the problem is WashingtonDC” red meat
crowd pleasers after having been at 1600 PA for
the last 5 years. Or maybe Darth Cheney has not
told him he actually is POTUS and his party,the
GOP aka “Why think when you get farther raising
a big stink?” run the town.
As with any circus or carnival the idea is
to distract with lots of sound and light– that
keeps the crowd distracted from the tawdry and
run down “backside” of the canvas tents.
The RoveBrain does make a very good Ring
Master undoubtedly as he misdirects and puts
in motion suspended disbelief.
Thrills,spills and circus clowns galore wins
the easily distracted everytime.
Too bad this bunch gets away with this crap.
The Democrats really need to get a roadshow
up and running that strips the GOP of its flim
flammery and pulls the curtain back on the GOP
clowns and simplistic hucksters show.
THE DECIDER should have to fess up and toe
a few lines during 07 and 08. He has been quick
enough to draw lines and preach the virtues of
freedom these last 5 years. Well it is time for
lots of Americans to gain some freedom from
this Texas “all hat no cattle” rancher and his
fact and truth averse dog and pony show.