More Political Junk
I can't really get excited or outraged or whatever about the Foley story. Yeah, it's bad. Yeah, it's shameful that the Republican leadership apparantly tried to cover it up. Yeah, I'm glad that this will probably result in the Democrats taking both houses next month (still plenty of time for them to fuck it up, though, if they really put their mind to it!). But compared to the real issues, it's pretty minor.
For one thing, Foley is not a pedophile or a child molester. We're talking about 16-year-olds here. It's maybe illegal, it's definitely creepy, and I have a very low opinion of any adult who wants to have relations with 16-year-olds, but it's not the same thing as wanting to have sex with children. The biggest issue is the power imbalance, which puts it (for me, anyway) about on level with the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. It is a big deal, but not in comparison with a bill that codifies the government's right to torture and does away with Habeas Corpus (a bill that TWELVE Democratic senators voted for). This isn't just dismantling the constitution, it's reversing the fucking Magna Carta! Go for the source, I guess.
Or this bill, which is getting entirely ignored. I'll cut and paste because, as George Carlin says, I think this is vaguely important:
With little public attention or even notice, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that undermines enforcement of the First Amendment's separation of church and state. The Public Expression of Religion Act - H.R. 2679 - provides that attorneys who successfully challenge government actions as violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment shall not be entitled to recover attorneys fees. The bill has only one purpose: to prevent suits challenging unconstitutional government actions advancing religion. [...]
Despite the effectiveness of this statute, conservatives in the House of Representatives have now passed an insidious bill to try and limit enforcement of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, by denying attorneys fees to lawyers who successfully challenge government actions as violating this key constitutional provision. For instance, a lawyer who successfully challenged unconstitutional prayers in schools or unconstitutional symbols on religious property or impermissible aid to religious groups would -- under the bill -- not be entitled to recover attorneys' fees. The bill, if enacted, would treat suits to enforce the Establishment Clause different from litigation to enforce all of the other provisions of the Constitution and federal civil rights statutes.
Their is no justification for this law. It exists only to empower those who want to turn America into a Taliban-style theocracy. TWENTY-NINE Democrats voted for this one.
So you'll excuse me if I don't give a fuck about the dirty old man in congress. And frankly, if that's the only issue Democrats can find to win an election on, that's not a cause for celebration.
For one thing, Foley is not a pedophile or a child molester. We're talking about 16-year-olds here. It's maybe illegal, it's definitely creepy, and I have a very low opinion of any adult who wants to have relations with 16-year-olds, but it's not the same thing as wanting to have sex with children. The biggest issue is the power imbalance, which puts it (for me, anyway) about on level with the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. It is a big deal, but not in comparison with a bill that codifies the government's right to torture and does away with Habeas Corpus (a bill that TWELVE Democratic senators voted for). This isn't just dismantling the constitution, it's reversing the fucking Magna Carta! Go for the source, I guess.
Or this bill, which is getting entirely ignored. I'll cut and paste because, as George Carlin says, I think this is vaguely important:
With little public attention or even notice, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that undermines enforcement of the First Amendment's separation of church and state. The Public Expression of Religion Act - H.R. 2679 - provides that attorneys who successfully challenge government actions as violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment shall not be entitled to recover attorneys fees. The bill has only one purpose: to prevent suits challenging unconstitutional government actions advancing religion. [...]
Despite the effectiveness of this statute, conservatives in the House of Representatives have now passed an insidious bill to try and limit enforcement of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, by denying attorneys fees to lawyers who successfully challenge government actions as violating this key constitutional provision. For instance, a lawyer who successfully challenged unconstitutional prayers in schools or unconstitutional symbols on religious property or impermissible aid to religious groups would -- under the bill -- not be entitled to recover attorneys' fees. The bill, if enacted, would treat suits to enforce the Establishment Clause different from litigation to enforce all of the other provisions of the Constitution and federal civil rights statutes.
Their is no justification for this law. It exists only to empower those who want to turn America into a Taliban-style theocracy. TWENTY-NINE Democrats voted for this one.
So you'll excuse me if I don't give a fuck about the dirty old man in congress. And frankly, if that's the only issue Democrats can find to win an election on, that's not a cause for celebration.
posted by Chris Oliver at 8:26 AM
1 Comments:
Tell it like it is, Oliver! I am appauled, and a-stevened, that such a bill gets any consideration. When are we, as Americans, going to wake up and take the control back and stop letting the holy rollers of the world whip our asses?
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