Warrantless Wiretaps Possible in U.S. By Dan Eggen, Washington Post Staff Writer
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales left open the possibility yesterday that President Bush could order warrantless wiretaps on telephone calls occurring solely within the United States — a move that would dramatically expand the reach of a controversial National Security Agency surveillance program.
Happy 4/7 everyone! Someone did a search of my site at 7:47am this morning. mjh
Tom DeLay is done-for. Lashing out at “liberal Democrats” to the bitter end, his reign is over. And just as his bully tactics helped expand Republican control, so, too, does his demise play a role in theirs. With his tax provided life-time pension (don’t expect him to renounce that), he’ll stay busy as a talking-head in conservative media — unless they shun him for a while, in which case, he still may return like Newty Gingrich.
I’m chortling and trying not to crow too loudly. I despise DeLay. But, current scoundrels have lead many of us to say semi-seriously, “I miss Nixon,” so, one day, I may miss this vile pissant, too. It should be a good long time before that happens. mjh
After DeLay, a New Approach? By David S. Broder
Symbolically as well as practically, the departure of Tom DeLay from Congress signals the end of an era of Republican dominance. The question now is whether the retreat that clearly has begun will turn into a rout. …
It is almost as if [Republicans] hope that by sacrificing their erstwhile commander, they can appease the public demand for change.
As much as Newt Gingrich embodied the aggressive strategy that enabled Republicans in 1994 to break the Democrats’ 40-year grip on the House, DeLay was the man who showed them how to consolidate — and use — their new power. As whip and then as majority leader, he built the GOP fundraising and policy alliance with the business lobbies and social conservative movements, then used that leverage to impose party-line discipline on almost every key vote. …
With DeLay’s departure, the Democrats lose their most convenient symbol of abuse of power by the Republican majority — but they have not lost the issue. …
The old game of muscling bills through by rounding up Republican votes through a combination of political and financial force — the game at which Tom DeLay excelled — is over.
When I was in junior high, I dreaded Saint Patrick’s Day. I had no idea who St. Patrick was, just that the day would be an occasion when I had to let my peer’s dictate how I dressed myself and, in effect, force me to choose sides in a senseless religious war involving two factions of a religion that means nothing to me. Choose the wrong side — or try to stay out of it altogether — and suffer physical and verbal abuse.
And then, just a short time later, along comes April Fool’s Day. I’ve always been troubled by April Fool’s pranks. Often, an effort is made to come up with a gag that is as believable as possible. When someone falls for it, the prankster jeers “April Fool!” If the victim raises any objection, the prankster berates the victim as humorless (for an example, see the discussion at www.dukecityfix.com). Perhaps there are superb pranks that leave everyone laughing, but I think many April Pranksters are simply bullies. Maybe, as Halloween institutionalizes extortion and vandalism, April Fool’s gives us one day to not only lie with impunity but to revel in it — but that’s every day of the Bush Era.
I’m sure each of us has failed to get a joke from time to time. We all seem to forget that when someone doesn’t get our jokes. But, when a joke falls flat, it may be best to keep moving and let it go. If you have to berate someone for not getting it, it’s no longer funny, if it ever was. mjh
I absolutely support the right of a Supreme Court Justice, and the Vice President, to say “fuck you.” We know we live in obscene times, and actual verbal obscenities aren’t the half of it.
I’m more troubled by the character it shows to say later, “no, I didn’t say or do that.” To deny one’s own actions — that’s cowardly.
And, while Scalia doesn’t claim to be a moral leader like the dishonorable Wm. “The Gambler” Bennett, he is one of our Eight Supreme Cardinals. And a hunting buddy of Dead-eye Dick Cheney, who makes no pretense whatsoever of being a moral guy.
And, to all the xenophobes and Radical Righters worried about the influx of foreigners: what does it say about assimilation when one of the most powerful Americans swears and gestures in a foreign language? Can’t we pass a law requiring public servants to swear in English, for god’s sake? mjh
Photographer: Herald got it right By Marie Szaniszlo
Amid a growing national controversy about the gesture U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the freelance photographer who captured the moment has come forward with the picture.
“It’s inaccurate and deceptive of him to say there was no vulgarity in the moment,” said Peter Smith, the Boston University assistant photojournalism professor who made the shot. …
Smith said the jurist “immediately knew he’d made a mistake, and said, ‘You’re not going to print that, are you?’ ” …
Smith was working as a freelance photographer for the Boston archdiocese’s weekly newspaper at a special Mass for lawyers Sunday when a Herald reporter asked the justice how he responds to critics who might question his impartiality as a judge given his public worship.
“The judge paused for a second, then looked directly into my lens and said, ‘To my critics, I say, ‘Vaffanculo,’ ” punctuating the comment by flicking his right hand out from under his chin, Smith said.
The Italian phrase means “(expletive) you.”
Yesterday, Herald reporter Laurel J. Sweet agreed with Smith’s account, but said she did not hear Scalia utter the obscenity.
Church fires photog over Scalia picture: Freelancer pays for ‘right thing’ By Jessica Heslam
A freelance photographer has been fired by the Archdiocese of Boston’s newspaper for releasing a picture of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia making a controversial gesture in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday.
The next time you’re faced with a moral quandry that could result in your spiritual ruin, try this: Stop, take a deep breath to calm your ass down, and ask “What the fuck would Jesus do?” WTFWJD?
[via NewMexiKen]