Christy Hardin Smith

Ted Kennedy, the lion of the Senate, has passed. His legacy of political achievement is long: his constant and continuing fight (YouTube) for the child health insurance program (CHIP), support and legal equality for Americans with disabilities, reforms of mental health programs, national community service, the voting rights act, substantial work for years on civil rights and civil liberties concerns.

Today, it’s another inane installment of the continuing saga of the GOP’s longest-running program wherein the buck stops anywhere but here. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the overwrought and not-so-dulcet tones of Kit Bond and friends, in Accountability For Thee, But Not For Me…

I couldn’t help thinking about all those kids in America for whom the start of school means something else entirely: two meals every weekday. How tough would it be to be that young and already have learned that lesson?

I don’t know about everyone else, but reading the news makes me tired these days. Downright bone weary, frankly, because it’s too much of “the more things change, the more things stay the same.” Which just is not exactly a bliss-inducing thought, now is it? So I thought I’d look around for something a little more unusual to share this morning. Behold! Some actual good news…

Elephants lined up weathervane via blackforgeart.

All signs point to yes.

Paul Mirengoff at Powerline has been the point man for the Federalist Society talking points on Johnsen’s nomination. And he recently went with the inaccurate hyperventilation technique here:

…Dawn Johnsen, President Obama’s aggressively radical nominee…

Note that for Paul, John Yoo and David Addington are jim dandy, and a government which willfully lies to you about violating

So, health care is being held up by a coalition of dastardly forces known as Blue Dogs, AHIP-sters, golden parachuted profit-sharing millionaire lobbyist-wielders.

And six self-important ginormous ego goobers in the Senate, including the ever-charming Chuck Grassley. All of whom who apparently feast on chocolate covered potato chips on the public’s time.

Several days ago, counsel for five Uighur detainees filed a motion to stay a recent Circuit Court decision which upheld broad governmental powers in transferring detainees without third party review by the courts.

The stay is requested pending their appeal of that order to the SCOTUS. SCOTUSblog has helpfully posted the full brief in PDF form.

On Friday at Netroots Nation, Digby, Marcy and I had lunch at a restaurant near the convention center. At one point, we were laughing so loudly at our table that I was certain we’d end up as someone’s “drunken bloggers” tweet from the restaurant (although we were having iced tea and water to drink because we had panels to contend with later). What set off the laughter? We were reminiscing about the media freak show absurdities the last time around during the Clinton years. And talking about the current circus side show atmosphere of the moment.

As a kid, I was fascinated by science fiction shows.

I loved the original Star Trek series a lot, especially City on the Edge of Forever, just superb writing in that one. (Even though Harlan Ellison still maintains his script got mangled.)

But my big love back then was Dr.

I wondered how long we’d have to wait after the Time Bush/Cheney legacy article a coupla weeks ago before there was crossfire.

Lo, and behold. Shooter fires back using Barton Gellman as a conduit for carefully worded scattershots. (yeah, bad pun.)

Anyone else feel like the whole fricking nation is stuck in an angry Alanis Morrisette song with those two just certain their 15 minutes never, ever ends?

More fun with