Big Ol' Smitty

I think if this was the contest, a lot of progressives would feel alienated and probably go Green or Nader.

Brilliantly stated.

Those are two very different politicians. The only thing they really have in common is the campaign finance reform bill.

Yeah, it's worse than the old Raven threads that were always interpreted as signs the Flock was returning. Am I the only one who thought this was going to be about Pataki deciding not to run for a fourth term as governor of New York? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Spitzer is going to own NY. He would also be a good future presidential candidate.

That's the last time you put a knife in me, Pagoda.

Another problem with this theory: Is the point of our whole counter-insurgency effort to bring peace and stability or to turn Iraq into a huge battleground? Edit: nocalmike already made this point--but it was a good one

The definition that I received for judicial activism in my class on constitutional law was something along the lines of "when a judge institutes his/her own policy preferences over that of the legislature". I think Jon Stewart put it best--an activist judge is one who makes decisions that you disagree with. I have no idea what you're saying here. It seems to me that striking down laws less would indicate more restraint. Conservative groups are the ones who complain that judges undermine the will of the populace or whatever.

That sounds horrible.

Does "legislating from the bench"=judicial activism? From NYT Op-Ed (Gerwitz/Golder)

Yeah, because that's why we were told we were sending troops to Iraq--as terrorist bait. Yeah they look and talk different, anyway, who needs 'em.

' No, they never even began the second phase of the investigation into "whether senior Bush administration officials intentionally exaggerated information and pressured analysts in order to build a case for invading the country last year." http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0704/070904c1.htm Senator Pat Roberts just kind of decided on his own that he didn't want to.

New hotness.

Two billion insurgents! Good God! I think you meant two million?

What does malt liquor taste like? I have considered getting some before. I love beer--but I'm afraid malt will taste like shit.

Miller doesn't have a senate website anymore, but there is a transcript here: http://www.visionamerica.us/temp/zellmiller.asp

Oh we can't discuss a public figure that we don't personally know now? When did this rule take effect? He's a fucking snake. Or did you not catch him bashing the hell out of the guy he once called "one of this nation's authentic heroes, one of this party's best-known and greatest leaders -- and a good friend"? Also, "Zigzag Zell" changed his positions on everything from gay rights to public education to the environment when he became a Senator. He told us it was "contrition" to think the naked-pyramid-construction at Abu Ghraib was wrong. And this gem:

1 out of 5 ain't bad, I guess (although it seems to me like you probably shouldn't spend so much if you're going to cut taxes...) He won't because the only reason he is a Democrat is to sell books. If he was a Republican, he would just be another right-wing Dem-basher. The fact that he remains D (INO) gives him a little pizzaz to help sell his crap and get him a spot with his good friend Sean Hannity.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0614/p01s03-usec.html?s=itm

Man, that Churchill was a sly dog. Going back in time to WWI and attacking the Lusitania so that the US would get involved in WWII!

I know about the gulag and I agree that it's a silly hyperbole and nothing but a PR move. That doesn't totally impugn Amnesty, as you suggested, though, nor does it make what's going on okay. So we are in essential agreement. Shut 'em down or open 'em up to groups like Amnesty. No more secrets.

I agree with you about the shooting in the mosque, although I'm not sure why it was such a major part of your post. Given IEDs and the like, I think that Marine did the prudent thing. My point is that a lot of people (like Jingus & Dr. Tom) are using this one hyperbolic statement to condemn everything Amnesty does and has done. These quotes prove that they have been *right* a whole, whole lot. Instead of disproving abuse claims--this would be really easy if you just let them into the facilities, by the way--some people, like VP Cheney, seem to just want to attack Amnesty. I think the gulag statement was just a PR move to try to get access to the prisons--for better or for worse. Look, man, I just don't want my government to have secret prisons into which people disappear, are held incommunicado without access to any judicial system, & I don't want my leaders to even consider using torture. It's wrong and it's useless. It's simple, really--just do what's right.

Easy, killer. Show me where I said ANYTHING RESEMBLING this. No, you didn't respond to what I posted at all. I posted a column by a prominent conservative columnist calling for Gitmo to be shut down and an essay about extraordinary rendition. Your post on the previous page didn't address either of those things in the least. Yet you felt like you needed to take my post out of context and post it over on the other board. Again I say--bitch move.

They are denied access to the facilities, Justice. They would have first hand information if this wasn't the case. Well, opponents of torture have tried other methods--reporting facts, releasing photographs, asking nicely, begging--all to no avail. Sometimes you gotta raise a little hell to get some attention. Then why the fuck are people so quick to pile on Amnesty? Show me some proof if they're such a biased organization. Cuz from where I'm sittin', if Red Russia, Idi Amin, China, & human rights villains of this ilk are bashing you then you gotta be doing something right. These are the problems that I see with this whole situation: -Detainee deaths http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/H...b873118fe22.htm -Ghost detainees -Abuse at Gitmo (confirmed by FBI) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Dec20.html -Extraordinary Rendition http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/internat...serland&emc=rss -Abu Ghraib -The fact that this stuff seems to be stemming from the the decisions of those in the upper echelons of the Bush administration http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/natio...emo20020801.pdf

You can't be serious. All of those quotes were from horrible human rights abusers. China in Tibet? Idi Amin? Soviet Russia? Sudharto's Indonesia? Amenesty has an excellent, decades long track record and has been critical of left and right wing regimes. Why don't you post some evidence before making statements that you borrowed from your right wing pals. Oh, and are you gonna go post this on the other forum and snicker with your buddies instead of debating here--like you did earlier? Bitch move.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...?referrer=email