Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

. . . stepping up to soap box . . .

Just how far the US government has gone with its overt destruction of civil liberties is astounding. Not only has habeas corpus been thrown out the window, selectively, but communications are wiretapped illegally, people are rendered to other countries to be tortured (torture itself being something we "don't do," while splitting hairs over the definition), due process in general is pissed on, and all the while the government asserts it has the right to conduct its business - in our names - secretly.

I don't have any editorial for this one, as if any would matter to the masses *still* driving around with W stickers on their cars, right next to their anti-Darwin "truth" fishes.

Bush Edits Out Jefferson's Religious Views

Bush (4th of July address at Monticello):

Larry Lessig is, for lack of a better word, a hero of mine. Really. I can think of very few people alive today I have more respect for. He has, however, completely jumped the shark with this one.

McCain wants to have town halls.. Good for him.

Someone ask my question:

Senator McCain, the press has unfairly beat up on you for saying the American people would be happy if the US presence in Iraq looked that the US presence in Germany or South Korea.

Given that we have ~34,000 troops in the the RoK, a) how long will it be under your administration before we have a similar number in Iraq, and b) how long will we continue to suffer casualty levels commiserate with the last two years before you begin to withdraw troops?

On Day 2 of being in charge of the DNC, Obama bans lobbyist and PAC Money from the whole pary

Chew on that for a while.

So, you know, I watched all three of the major speeches yesterday. McCain was soft. Hillary was crass and her closing line was horribly written. Obama was off his game.

What struck me, interestingly, was the Obamas before the speech. Right before Barak walked on stage, Michelle smiled at him and gave him respekt knuckles. Somehow this was really endearing to me. Because really, the correct sentiment from a spouse in that situation isn't, "Oh dear, I love you." It is "Go out there and kick its ass, bitch." And that was what Michelle said to him. I really, really liked that.

Update: Wow. It is going to be a long election season.