The Obama Chill: In 2012 Obama Will Run Against Democratic Congress
There's a lot to say about Obama's foolish call for a spending freeze in the middle of the Great Recession.
But for now, consider the point that Chris Bowers is making: the spending freeze won't happen. It won't happen because Congress, whose…
GM's Dick Cheney and TARP Loans and Chinese Cars
Yesterday, GM announced that Ed Whitacre would stay on as CEO, meaning Whitacre had pulled off the same stunt Dick Cheney pulled in 2000 when Cheney searched and searched and searched only to discover he was the best man for the job.
“I…
This Fed Chief Brought to You by Enron
Just wanted to throw two tidbits into the debate on Ben Bernanke's reconfirmation. First, this quote, which needs no explanation.
In the event that Bernanke isn’t confirmed, several sources say, Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman Donald…
Championship Sunday Trash
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bmazChampionship Sunday for the NFL is here. Vikings at the Saints and Jets at the Colts. Let's rock and roll.
The Brits Buried Evidence on David Kelly's Death
Jeebus. Larisa just pointed me to this.
A highly unusual ruling by Lord Hutton, who chaired the inquiry into Dr Kelly's death, means medical records including the post-mortem report will remain classified until after all those with a direct…
"MD's Sob Story"
I'm not Raul Grijalva or Jerry Nadler, but I thought I'd try to respond to TPM reader MD's "sob story" (as MD called it) because the story illustrates the issues at stake in health care reform. Here's the story.
Like everyone I have a sob-story…
A Barren Straight Wife Watches the Prop 8 Trial
I actually don't know whether I am officially (that is, physically) "barren" or not.
I know, though, that not long after I got married, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My doctors told me right away I'd go through six months of intensive…
Feingold, Durbin, and Wyden Demand the OLC Opinion on Exigent Letters
As I reported yesterday, the Dawn Johnsen-less OLC wrote an opinion on January 8 retroactively authorizing the FBI's inappropriate use of the exigent letters to snoop on Americans' telecomm records.
Now, Senators Feingold, Durbin, and Wyden,…
Some Thoughts on Healthcare
From the start, let me say I support sidecar reconciliation going forward--the passage of the Senate health care bill, tied to the simultaneous passage through reconciliation of some fairly substantive changes (eliminating most of the excise…
Vaughn Walker Dismisses Jewel
In the abundant free time left over from the Prop 8 trial yesterday, Vaughn Walker dismissed the Jewel case, one of the last suits against the government for conducting widespread collection of telecomm data. EFF says they will appeal this decision.
Walker's…
Clarence Thomas Speaks--to Engage in Anti-Gay Fearmongering
Adam Bonin notes this curious, short opinion in the larger Citizens United decision endorsing the idea that ballot supports should not have to reveal their identities.
I dissent from Part IV of the Court’s opinion, however, because the Court’s…
Obama Gorging Himself on Poison Fruit
Okay, I still haven't gotten through the IG Report on exigent letters. But Ryan Singel at Threat Level has--and he made a really disturbing find. Obama's OLC (the one that Dawn Johnsen might have been leading if anyone had pressured Arlen Specter…
Supreme Court Unleashes Corporate Campaign Cash In Citizen's United Decision
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bmazThe decision by the Supreme Court in Citizen's United v. FEC is in.
Matthew Alexander Points to the Abuse Still Permitted by the AFM Appendix
Jeff Kaye has been telling us for years that the Army Field Manual which the Obama Administration adopted as its standard for all interrogation still allows a great deal of abuse. (See his three part series from earlier this month, for example:…
The Exigent Letter IG Report
Remember how I suggested that yesterday's WaPo story on exigent letters might be an attempt to pre-empt the IG Report?
Well, here's that IG Report.
I'm working on a longer post, but MadDog can't wait, so consider this a working thread…
Outside the Courtroom: "Sassy Parody" and Cindy McCain Against Hate
Two updates on the Prop 8 fight happening outside the courtroom. First, Protect Marriage has just sued the Courage Campaign for what it says is trademark infringement. At issue is the logo (on the left) Courage Campaign is using for its trial…
Lanny Davis's Rent-a-Wisdom
Lanny Davis has wasted no time trying to spin MA voters' rejection of Obama's focus on corporations rather than people into an attack on progressives. He starts by ignoring that aspect of the liberal complaint and (as the Administration is doing)…
John Yoo: Much More, and Much Less, Than a "Mere Lawyer"
Yoo casts himself here as a mere lawyer, but he was much more (and much less).
So reads the Padilla response to Yoo's efforts to dismiss Padilla's suit against him.
Padilla's team goes on to argue why the 9th Circuit must allow Padilla's…
The FBI's Non-Emergency Exigent Letters
The WaPo has a story out describing how the FBI, from 2002 until 2006, used exigent letters to collect phone records without the proper underlying terrorist justification.
The FBI illegally collected more than 2,000 U.S. telephone call records…
Prop 8 Trial: A Tale of Two Lawyers
As I've been processing the three days I spent at the Prop 8 Trial last week, there's been a lot to think about: how much I learned about gay experience, both historically and psychologically; how odd a role I had as an observer (the journalists…
