Friday, January 19, 2007

Going ... Going ... Gonzales

Attorney General Gonzales got hauled in front of the Senate Judiciary committee this week. Ahhhh, Senate committees actually doing their jobs of oversight. It's like I'm living in America again. I'm sure the feeling will pass.

Anyway, my beef is not really with Mr. Gonzales. It just, when you look at the news that we'll now try terror suspects with hearsay and coerced evidence, without allowing their defense to see government evidence --

-- or the weird mid-term purge of prosecutors who were all, coincidentally, investigating political corruption --

-- or his bizarre position on habeus corpus:

Specter: Now wait a minute, wait a minute. The Constitution says you can't take it away except in the case of invasion or rebellion. Doesn't that mean you have the right of habeas corpus?

Gonzales: I meant by that comment that the Constitution doesn't say that every individual in the United States or every citizen has or is assured the right of habeas corpus. It doesn't say that. It simply says that the right of habeas corpus shall not be suspended.

(See Article 1, Section 9 for why this is vaguely insane) --

-- or how the warrantless wiretapping system that was so vital it needed to be done outside FISA has now, lickety-split, been brought under the court's jurisdiction ... except that Congress isn't allowed to see the conditions under which it's legitimized. And all this just two weeks before the first case regarding the program goes to court (seriously, there are like five just crazification level contradictions in there) --

-- it's just that, as we all know I don't care for the electoral college. I also favor public financing of elections. And several commentors made it clear that wanting these changes shows such reckless disregard for the Constitution, I might as well roofie the document, have my way with it and dump it in a ditch by the highway. The outrage!

Yet Cheney and Gonzales have dropped the Constitution into a hole in the White House basement and are currently dancing naked around the pit, penises tucked between their legs, screaming "It rubs the lotions on its Amendments!" at the shuddering, terrified document, and there's nary a peep.

Seriously, what the fuck?

Bonus points for Senator Pat Leahy on the Arar case:
Leahy: "We knew damn well if he went to Canada he wouldn't be tortured. He'd be held and he'd be investigated. We also knew damn well if he went to Syria, he'd be tortured. And it's beneath the dignity of this country, a country that has always been a beacon of human rights, to send somebody to another country to be tortured."

Syria, of course, being our enemy for helping insurgents in Iraq and backing Hizbollah, but not so much our enemy that we can't send people to get tortured there ... damn this makes my head hurt.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pardon my ignorance, but what can congress actually do to mitigate what the Admin is doing? Especially the prosecutor purge... that's so clearly motivated by politics.

Anonymous said...

Rogers,

I'm all in agreement with the spirit of just about this whole post. One quibble. I think the word "vaguely" in front of the word "insane" in the habeus section is inappropriate and that removing it would more accurately represent the reality of the AG's statement.

Heck, we could take his reasoning and toss out, at least, the First and Second Amendements with the same reasoning.

DJ said...

It is sad that a Senator from Vermont…from Vermont… cares more about a Canadian citizen than our Prime Minister. The again our Prime Minster is taking his battle plans from our only neo-con David…. Frum…. Sorry I always get a tough of vomit in my mouth when I utter his name. David “I’m the guy who wrote the axis of evil and dug up the term crusade while describing the conflict in Iraq” Frum. Who’s mom sent him to private school while cashing checks as the highest paid employee of Canada’s nation network, The CBC, which is fully funded by the Canadian government, Privilege on the back of the common man. Rebel young Frum…rebel. Do not fret David...Mr. Rove still loves you.

Anonymous said...

What's left of Barbara Frum has got to be spinning like a hard drive in her tomb or urn...

Noah Brand said...

I was fantasizing the other day about a news network that would treat news as news, not a personality parade. Put simply, when the president made a speech announcing a new policy, this network would not talk about how the president presented it, whether people would like the president better now, or who didn't like the new policy. Instead, they'd actually talk about the policy and how it might work in the real world. My fantasy slogan for this network is "Objective, not balanced."

I bring this up because I can only imagine, with an intensity bordering on arousal, what it would be like to have a news show examine the contradictory logic of the Bush administration and actually talk about it like adults.

Anonymous said...

My understanding is that the bit about hearsay evidence is actually an inheritance from US military law, which (I think) does allow such evidence to be introduced if the presiding judge agrees. It could be argued of course whether it's a good idea anywhere; my point is just that allowing it isn't out of left field.

Unknown said...

no, this actually contradicts court martial law, and that exception actually is only considered as long as the defending attorney can examine the evidence -- AND in this case, the hearsay can be "coerced".

Anonymous said...

...Cheney and Gonzales have dropped the Constitution into a hole in the White House basement and are currently dancing naked around the pit, penises tucked between their legs, screaming "It rubs the lotions on its Amendments!" at the shuddering, terrified document, and there's nary a peep.

Seriously, what the fuck?


Single best moment of commentary on these hearings I have read. Thanks for the image, as entertaining and humorous as it is appalling and grotesque.

Wasp Jerky said...

Syria, of course, being our enemy for helping insurgents in Iraq and backing Hizbollah, but not so much our enemy that we can't send people to get tortured there ... damn this makes my head hurt.

Sort of like how the head of the Pakistani ISI wired $100,000 to a 9/11 hijacker, but that wasn't enough for Pakistan to stop being our ally in the war on terror. Fun times.

Roger David said...

Play Roulette for free as often as you like, get a feel for the game and how to place you bets.
Free Roulette is a great game with many ways to bet so learn strategy and have fun.

Roulette is a casino and gambling game named after

the French word meaning "small wheel".

The roulette wheel is believed to be a fusion

of the English wheel games ... The American style roulette table with a wheel at one end is now used in most casinos.

Is a Free Roulette Systems 100%

Effective Or Should I Pay For One?

They are a dime a dozen, but there are only a few
roulette strategies that really work.

Unknown said...

自動車保険
派遣会社
派遣
自動車保険 比較
アクサダイレクト
ゼネラリ
チューリッヒ
自動車 保険 見積
高知 不動産
徳島 不動産
松山市 不動産
香川県 不動産
高松 不動産

Unknown said...

出会い系サイト
出会いサイト
不動産
成長ホルモン
ショッピングカート
東京 ホームページ制作
不動産投資

Unknown said...

水虫
三井ダイレクト
募金
盲導犬
自動車保険
自動車保険 比較
チューリッヒ
自動車 保険 見積
盲導犬
国際協力
出会い
出会い系

Unknown said...

岡山 不動産
婚約指輪
結婚指輪
浮気調査
賃貸
群馬 不動産
治験
出産祝い
結婚相談所 東京
アクサダイレクト
障害者
24そんぽ24
アメリカンホームダイレクト

Unknown said...

徳島 不動産
結婚相談所 横浜
高松 不動産
高知 不動産
ソニー損保
お見合いパーティー
広島 不動産

Anonymous said...

shanghai hotel
guangzhou hotel
shenzhen hotel
beijing hotel
china hotel
guangzhou hotel
shenzhen hotel
shanghai hotel
beijing hotel
回转支承
转盘轴承
slewing ring
slewing bearing
slewing bearings
slewing ring
slewing bearing
slewing bearings

Unknown said...

Bagi anda penderita Wasir atau ambeien mulai dari Stadium 1, Stadium 2, Stadium 3 bahkan Stadium 4 yang ingin mengobati penyakit tersebut dengan cara alami atau dengan pengobatan alternatif yaitu dengan obat herbal Ambeclear dan Salep Salwa adalah pilihan yang tepat karena obat herbal ini telah terbukti ampuh mengatasi penyakit wasir atau ambeien mulai dari stadium awal hingga stadium lanjut selain itu
obat ini murni dari tanaman herbal sehingga tidak menimbulkan efek samping apapun bagi pengggunanya dan bahkan obat herbal kami ini aman dikonsumsi oleh wanita yang sedang hamil maupun ibu menyusui. obat kami telah terbukti khasiatnya telah banyak pasien kami yang sembuh baik yang wasir dalam hingga wasir luar baik yang baru gejala wasir atau ambeien maupun yang telah stadium lanjut bahkan yang pernah operasi wasir pun beralih ke obat ambeienherbal kami ini.kami ini. kami ini.

teguh wibowo said...

pengobatan wasir yang bagus
obat wasir
cara ampuh obati wasir
obat wasir tradisional
obat wasir wasir alami yang ampuh
harga obat wasir de nature
obat wasir dan ambeien ampuh
obat ambeien atau wasir
obat wasir ambeien stadium 4
obat wasir ambeien stadium 4
obat wasir
obat ambeien
pengobatan wasir
obat kutil kelamin
cara mengobati kutil kelamin
pengobatan kutil kelamin
obat kutil kelamin de nature

Unknown said...

Bila anda sedang mencari Pengobatan alami untuk mengobati kutil Kelamin dengan menggunakan obat kutil Kelamin Alami Alami Tanpa Operasi kutil yang ada di alat kemaluan rontok Solusi yang tepat untuk mengobati penyakit wasir tanpa harus operasi, menggunakan obat wasir  Paling ampuh dari De Nature dan terbaik ada hanya di http://obatwasirme.blogspot.com untuk mendapatkan informasi yang lebih jelas mengenai pengobatan wasir silahkan kontak langsung di nomer 0852 808 77 999 atau 0859 7373 5656 Bagaimana mengobati Ambeien itu sendiri. pengobatan yang terbaik untuk Ambeien adalah dari luar dan dalam sehingga Ambeien benar benar tuntas dan tidak akan kambuh lagi. obat Ambeien terbaik "Ambeclear dari De Nature" Adalah obat Ambeien herbal yang memang terbaik untuk mengobati Ambeien, dan sudah terdaftar di badan obat dan makanan (BPOM) dengan nomer registrasi POM TR: 133 374 041. terbuat dari bahan alami antara lain terdiri Daung Ungu, Mahkota Dewa dan Kunyit Putih.

Unknown said...

Penderita Penyakit kondiloma atau Kutil Kelamin yang telah terinveksi disarankan untuk segera melakukan pengobatan secepat mungkin sebelum Virus HPV penyebab kutil kelamin makin banyak berkembang biak di dalam sel darah makin lama dibiarkan akan memperparah kondisi organ vital karena kutil kelamin akan terus membesar sehingga terlihat seperti jengger ayam untuk penderita yang baru tertular kurang dari satu bulan biasanya akan lebih cepat ditanggulangi obat kutil kelamin Paling ampuh dari De Nature dan terbaik ada hanya di http://obatkutildikemaluan.blogdetik.com/ untuk mendapatkan informasi yang lebih jelas mengenai pengobatan kutil pada kelamin silahkan kontak langsung di nomer 0852 808 77 999 atau 0859 7373 5656 Bagaimana mengobati Ambeien itu sendiri. pengobatan yang terbaik untuk Ambeien adalah dari luar dan dalam sehingga Ambeien benar benar tuntas dan tidak akan kambuh lagi. obat Ambeien terbaik "Ambeclear dari De Nature" AlamiAdalah obat Ambeien herbal yang memang terbaik untuk mengobati Ambeien, dan sudah terdaftar di badan obat dan makanan (BPOM) dengan nomer registrasi POM TR: 133 374 041. terbuat dari bahan alami antara lain terdiri Daung Ungu, Mahkota Dewa dan Kunyit Putih.

Anonymous said...

wasir ambeien bisa sembuh tanpa harus di operasi maupun injeksi cukup dengan obat wasir ambeien herbal ambeclear herbal de nature dari daun ungu serta mahkotadewa aman untuk ibu hamil

Unknown said...

Berapa Harga untuk Obat Wasir Ambeien alami daun ungu AmbeclearAmbeien adalah gangguan atau penyakit yang terjadi pada saluran pencernaan manusia

Unknown said...

Bukan hanya pengobatan medis saja tapi ada juga pengobatan rumah alami yang dapat digunakan untuk menyingkirkan penyakit kutil kelamin ini. Intinya, karena kutil ini muncul di daerah yang sensitif, maka anda harus mencari pengobatan yang terbaik pada kulit Anda dan jika diperlukan juga dibantu dengan tenaga medis yang professional. Sebab dokter akan menjadi sumber informasi yang baik untuk mengobati penyakit ini.

Unknown said...

Cara yang sering di lakukan untuk menghilangkan kutil kelamin adalah dengan cara pembedahah atau operasi, cara ini tentu memerlukan dana yang tidak sedikit. metode Pilihan pembedahan yang dapat Anda lakukan

Unknown said...

Kenali penyebab penyakit kencing bernanah sehingga cara mengobati
penyakit kencing nanah dan infeksi saluran kencing nanah dapat dilakukan
dengan benar.

Unknown said...

Kadang disertai
dengan sakit saat kencing, perih, organ intim terasa panas menyiksa,
gatal,..

Unknown said...

Sekitar Vagina Tumbuh Daging, Berbahayakah? Kutil Pada Kepala Penis mirip bunga kol atau jengger ayam, Merupakan Penyakit Yang diakibatkan Oleh Virus.Kutil kelamin, atau disebut juga condyloma acuminata, adalah kutil atau daging berwarna kulit atau keabuan yang tumbuh di sekitar alat kelamin dan

Unknown said...

Obat Ambeien Resep Dokter Ambeclear dari De Nature Ampuh Tuntaskan Ambeien Sampai Tuntas

Unknown said...

Ambeien bisa mengeluarkan darah(seperti invander salim yang terkena ambeien dan mengeluarkan darah)

Unknown said...

Sebelum kita membahas tentang pengobatan ambeien, dalam kesempatan ini
saya ingin menjelaskan sekilas tentang ambeien, agar kita semua bisa
memahami benar apa itu penyakit ambeien

Unknown said...

obat wasir, Adalah  Obat alami berkhasiat dalam bentuk kapsul yang berasal dari tanaman herbal seperti daun ungu, mahkota dewa dan kunyit putih, diberikan pada penderita jika penyakit masih dalam tingkatan stadium ringan

Unknown said...

manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur manjur