HistoryShots
Via an ad on TPMCafe, I found HistoryShots. They offer graphical representations of various historical trends.
- posted by C @ 9:53:00 AM 
Via an ad on TPMCafe, I found HistoryShots. They offer graphical representations of various historical trends.
- posted by C @ 9:53:00 AM
Gorgeous cloudless blue sky.
Deliciously strong coffee.
Catching up on the news/blogs. Wirelessly.
The Masters.
- posted by C @ 9:49:00 AM
Today, the Court announced its decision in Georgia v. Randolph.
There is already a large amount of discussion online -- not the least of which can be found here on Fourth Amendment expert Prof. Kerr's new blog -- and I don't have anything particularly special to add. (For Kerr, the subject and timing of the Court's opinions this week seem to be an attempt to market the new blog; they not only handed down opinions in Georgia but also United States v. Grubbs which involves anticipatory warrants. Prof. Kerr's take here)
See also SCOTUSblog, PrawfsBlawg, ConcurringOpinions, and WaPo's Charles Lane.
Linda Greenhouse takes the opportunity to acknowledge that the Court's Era of Good Feelings may be over. (Sidenote: thanks to Cranium and a certain Monroe Scholar, I will never mistakenly identify the president who oversaw the real EoGF)
- posted by C @ 7:41:00 AM
Colin Powell's former chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson spoke today about the hijacking of the Republican Party. Many -- Taegan, Andrew -- have pulled this money quote:
The Republican Party that I knew, that I grew up in, a moderate party, a party that believed in fiscal discipline, a party that believed in small government, a party that had genuine conservative values. This is not a conservative leadership. This is radical leadership. I called them neo-Jacobins. They are radical. They're not conservative. They've stolen my party and I would like my party back.
- posted by C @ 6:18:00 PM
The National Organization for Women's PAC and the Feminist Majority PAC endorsed Democrat Alan Sandals in the primary race to unseat Sen. Rick Santorum. I briefly expressed my take on this eventuality last June.
After finding an article from the Democratic primary in 2000, I drafted a meandering blog post. I'm going to review it (when I find it) and may post it. Of course, by the time I find it and read it, I will have lost interest.
- posted by C @ 6:12:00 PM
Mr. President,
Because no one really knows the extent of the Administration's surveillance of its citizens, I don't know if you are aware that I'm not a fan of your work. Since the early days of the 2000 presidential campaign, I've preferred nearly any alternative to you.
But, contrary to what your advisors say, it's time to come together and solve our nation's problems and avert future chaos. Actually, it's not time; it was time to come together a long time ago.
We've read in recent weeks that Iran has sought out a meeting with a U.S. representative to discuss, among other things, the "situation" in Iraq. Almost immediately, your National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley last week said publicly that the invitation was a ploy and, in a press briefing on the President's trip to India and Pakistan, mentioned the "challenge that Iran poses for stability in the region." Well done! Not that your Administration has a strong track record of diplomacy, but can't we at least give it a try? Today, the Administration renewed its skepticism.
Does Iran's posturing pose a "challenge" to stability? Perhaps. As does the chaos in Iraq (politely speaking), the posturing of the "government" in Saudia Arabia. But further isolation of Iran is not the answer, is it?
In today's editorial, the UAE's Khaleej Times makes the crucial observation:
[The US's] suspicions cannot be without basis.
However, the potential benefits of a US-Iran dialogue far outweigh these apprehensions. First and foremost, a possible US-Iran engagement can bring peace and stability to Iraq which is not only the immediate concern of the US and Iraqis but also of all the countries in the region. Even if Iran, responding to such an initiative, manages to control its own borders, it could dry off vital support to Iraq insurgency. Secondly and more importantly, a dialogue between the US and Iran could create opportunities to resolve the issue of Teheran’s nuclear programme. Which would not only address the international community’s — and West’s — concerns over Iran but also spare the volatile Middle East another dangerous and completely avoidable showdown...They should sit and talk Iraq before this endless conflict spills over to the rest of the region.
Via Concurring Opinions, an artist has generated a visual representation of the federal budgets allocations. I'd encourage you to check it out, but it may be too depressing. Truth is stranger than fiction, eh?
- posted by C @ 12:13:00 AM
NewDonkey addresses some of the same concerns that led me to abandon reading MyDD.com. He actually proposes a solution. I think.
- posted by C @ 12:05:00 AM
An interesting post at Washington Monthly draws attention to today's ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on the definition of "any" when considering whether a company has to install pollution control equipment. In today's environment of no boundaries for double-speak by the executive branch (E.g. "torture," "success" in Iraq, "enemy combatant," warrantless searches of American citizens is "legal"), I'll welcome such small measure of pushback.
UPDATE: Pitt's JURIST has this report.
- posted by C @ 11:38:00 PM
The Bull Moose responds to the NYTMag profile of Mark Warner by predicting a Draft Al Gore movement within the Democratic Party.
Moose believes the article makes clear that Warner's attempt to run a centrist campaign) allegedly to the right of Hillary is not the "anti-Hillary" angle that may prove to be successful. Rather, he argues, Democratic voters (read: primary voters) want a more liberal candidate than Hillary, not less liberal. Moose believes Gore is the answer.
- posted by C @ 12:38:00 PM
Via Andrew Sullivan, Jamin Raskin's money quote in the debate in Maryland over the proposed "marriage protection" amendment:
Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible.
Ed at NewDonkey found a "little-known nexus between" abortion and immigration in a column written by two AJC political reporters. Ed quotes:
Democrats have been buzzing about comments made by state Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville) at a recent eggs-and-issues breakfast in Hart County. We quote from the Hartwell Sun newspaper: "Commenting on illegal immigration, Schaefer said 50 million abortions have been performed in this country, causing a shortage of cheap American labor. 'We could have used those people,' she said."
Now that's a novel talking point that even the eager abortion-criminalizers of South Dakota haven't thought of yet: overturn Roe v. Wade, and replenish the supply of cheap, English-speaking help. (emphasis in original)
In the wake of my announcement yesterday about MyDD, I learn that Orin Kerr (GW prawf) is starting his own blog. While his post on Volokh explicitly states that he will not cease his posting on Volokh completely, I am concerned. Over the past several months (especially in the days following Hurricane Katrina), the contributors and their posts have taken a noticeable turn to a certain realm of the Right. I do not automatically find all bloggers on the Right to be uninteresting or grating; at least I try to give them a chance. However, the addition or increased post-frequency of contributors such as David Kopel and David Bernstein has resulted in a discourse of little interest to a reader like me (Note: I revised this sentence several times...suffice to say the word ignorant was removed). Indeed, at times the posts bordered on the insane (especially in discussions relating to gun rights).
During these times, it was Prof. Kerr (rather than the Conspiracy's namesake, Eugene) who stepped in to provide at least the appearance of balance and inject reason into an otherwise irrational discussion. In recent weeks, I have resigned my reading of Volokh to scanning down the page for a post by Prof. Kerr. In a few weeks I may find even those few seconds spent at Volokh to be a waste.
Related coverage:
As a follow-up to yesterday's asked the Senate to censure President Bush for the so-called wiretapping program.
- posted by C @ 8:20:00 PM
Andrew Sullivan's assessment of the politics of North Dakota's abortion ban. (Via the author himself)
- posted by C @ 6:24:00 PM
I've removed my bookmark to MyDD. I just can't take "it" anymore. For weeks (if not months), I have simply been clicking past it in my auto-tabbed collection of blogs. Over the past year, the site has trended further and further from reality and/or educated/informed discussion.
While there are any number of boneheaded/self-righteous posts, comments, etc. I could point to as reason alone, I think Stu Rothenberg's opening sentence in this statement sums it up. The internet is a powerful tool. The internet gives ordinary people the chance at equality with the knowledgeable and experienced. The internet can assist in the creation or furtherance of dynamic political action. However, its power can be hijacked by those who may not fully understand those concepts individually -- dynamism, politics, action -- or as a whole.
- posted by C @ 10:59:00 AM
Roxanne Cooper, holding down Kevin's fort this weekend, has this 15-second analysis of the chances of the most prominent Republicans vying for the presidential nomination.
BTW (as the kids say)...if you haven't read the profile of Mark Warner in today's NYTMag, read it...and, Amy Sullivan mentions the Arkansas Times's piece on Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
- posted by C @ 10:34:00 AM
While I personally am excited for the Academy Awards for a "real" reason (Jon Stewart), there are some good movies out there. Kevin has begun discussing the nominees which quickly devolved into a discussion about Crash.
He includes his top five films of the year (Crash; Capote, Good Night, and Good Luck; Brokeback Mountain; Munich). I haven't seen Good Night, and Good Luck or Brokeback Mountain but I would agree with him that the other three were certainly fantastic films. I would likely add The Constant Gardener and possibly change the order a little.
- posted by C @ 6:52:00 PM
"The United States is the greatest nation by default." And, he continued, it could be the greatest country ever if we would be open and honest about who we are as a nation (paraphrased).
- posted by C @ 9:59:00 PM
Amidst all the political posturing about Iraq and the proper course of action/timeline for the U.S. withdrawal, somebody (Zogby) asked the troops. Kevin Drum has a summary of the results. Zogby release here.
I guess firing 'em all for insubordination would be a constructive withdrawal, right?
- posted by C @ 12:38:00 PM
