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U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft Resigns
andyring writes "In a move that will undoubtedly make many /. readers jump for joy (although perhaps not myself), Attorney General John Ashcroft announced he will resign, according to multiple news sources. While many here dislike him, others have more favorable opinions of him. He became the point man on the USA Patriot Act, which typically ignites harsh opinions on both sides of the aisle."
Reader cnsc1rtr , referring to the AP's version of the story, writes "He gave Bush a five-page, handwritten letter in which he stated, 'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'"
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
That is the BEST NEWS EVER! How come he didn't tell us about this before?
There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
Tomorrow Cheney!
oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please
...Rob
The American Dream isn't an SUV and a house in the suburbs; it's Don't Tread On Me.
does that mean i can take off my tinfoil hat?
I thought that it was the overthrow of Saddam Hussein that did that....
/. If the government wants us to respect the law, it should set a better example.
I'm going to commit crimes just to spite him.
./revolution
Good riddance! I wonder how long it will take to undo what he has done.
Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my hard disk?
Guess he thought it was better to stop while he was ahead..... or as ahead as he could be.
My name is a variety of floral rose, and no, it's not blue
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
Yey we won! Now we can pull out of Iraq. No more airport security lines. I just hope W. can read script.
when are Collin Powell and Condoleeza Rice resigning? No, seriously. They seem to have taken a hit in their personal status because of these last 4 years.
But even so, I never would have seen this coming.
I spent 30 seconds reading the lead before posting.
I think the collective response from slashdot has been "shock and awe" - so much so that we don't see the typical "first post" crap.
Either that or everyone's popping a beer to celebrate.
--AC
And not anytime too soon !
"The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved."
Phew! Finally. Guess we don't need a DoJ anymore.
At what cost?
Well, the USA PATRIOT act isn't a good mark on anyone's resume. John Ashcroft was a good, Christian AG. He respected the RKBA and went after child pornographers.
I'm sad to see him go.
In all honesty I can only say good riddance.
It's almost unbelievable that the USA would allow him to work on bills such as the Patriot act.
What I don't understand is why are you guys not protesting?
Have you given up?
-={ Security does not exist - give up }=-
Is it possible that Bush will appoint a more conservative replacement for Ashcroft? That's been the danger, especially since up to four Supreme Court positions may open up this term. How would a more conservative Attorney General affect the US?
US businesses that currently accept chip and PIN/signature
Although I am afraid of the person that will replace Ashcroft, it is certainly a good thing for civil liberties and freedom that he is leaving. I think this brings to light the fact that Bush is only a part of the worry when it comes to the Bush administration, it is the goons behind him whispering in his ear that cause much of the worry.
Damn. This means that my site is obsolete. Hope the next guy is as photogeneic ...
This isn't as much "normalization" as it is "don't take so many drugs when you're designing tables."
as it may win you a long holiday in cuba.
For the Supreme Court...
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Set them free. Freedom is a good thing, right? :-)
a letter! A five page letter!
With names of KNOWN TERRORISTS
in the US Senate.
Due to the dangerous nature of this information I cannot disclose it until the end of my term. But I will need additional powers.
And, if you should ever notice a Senator missing - do not worry - it is for their safety. We will furnish a replacement as soon as possible. Please don't infer anything about their loyalty, or let this affect your voting!
I hear there's a former Iraqi Information Minister who's still looking for a job.
I pulled this from one of the first google links I found.
"...customary practice is for the entire cabinet to resign at the end of the term and the POTUS then reappoints those who he wants to stay on."
nm
Whoa whoa whoa whoa...this is the PATRIOT ACT (TM) guy. Is a "more police-statist" candidate possible, short of ?
Glad to see him go. He is probably one of the most dangerous people to American civil liberties. Lets not forget this is the guy who takes Americans and holds them without legal help. And lets not forget this is the guy who lost his senate seat to a dead man. If Missourians elected a dead man over him, what does that say about the president appointing him? Gesh... dumb republicans.
Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."
"Mission Accomplished"
Glad to see him gone, but what worries me is who are they going to get to replace him? I seriously doubt it is going to be someone better than him (and, at this point, I do belive Atila the Hun would be better).
cheney is real, he don't give a fuck
I for one can't wait for his music career to jump off!a shcroft.si ngs.wbtv.med.html
"LET THE EAGLE SOAR, LIKE SHE'S NEVER SOARN BEFORE!"
http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2002/02/25/
Do you see how my mind works? It's like a laser!
You know, when you look back Ashcroft wasn't so bad. He turned the FBI around and changed its mission radically. While the FBI has had a lot of false positives, it hasn't had many false negatives.
Compare that to the last AG, Janet Reno. The only thing I remember her doing was frying a whole bunch of fellow citizens down in Texas...and refusiing to prosecute/investigate a bunch of Clintonistas.
In any case, I don't know whether you were intending to but you've alluded to an interesting point. Justice Ashcroft anyone?
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
While many here dislike him, others have more favorable opinions of him
In other news, while many disapprove of the war in iraq, some do not...while many people enjoy eating meat, others do not, while many people are cat people, others are not and while many parts of a sentence are not redundant, others, in fact, are.
Seems I saw that somewhere else as well....
"He gave Bush a five-page, handwritten letter in which he stated"
;)
I have a new found respect for John Ashcroft, it's pretty respectable that he thinks Bush will read five-pages of his letter.
At least he "still believes"
Error 407 - No creative sig found
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
Am I correct in assuming that his resignation is what is bringing this achievement to pass?
Giuliani.
Well, I can dream, can't I?
"There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." - Bertrand Russell.
...over Ashcroft, but he did remind me of the type of person who was mortally afraid that someone, somewhere was having a good time, and was determined to put a stop too it.
Thank God. I wish Ashcroft could read this.
I am a Christain and a Conservative and I am glad to see him gone. His record on states rights vs federal law proves that the current administration cares nothing about the will of the people and only about the power of Federal law. I dont want the state coming in and telling me what I can and can't put in to my body or who I can have sex with. I could just see this guy dragging homosexuals in if the amendment had passed. I dont want the state to come in to my marrage or a gay marrage anymore than I want the state to come in to my relationship with God.
This guy got his rocks off dragging people in to court over matters that should never have been law in the first place.
See you around John.....
Free Unix? Free Windows. http://www.reactos.com
I've waited for this day for a long time!!!!
because I have been enjoined by this Holy Office to abandon the false opinion which maintains that the Sun is the centre
And Bush had to have someone read it to him.
Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."
the serious 2- I recall a quote attributed to the then director of the patent office, requesting the patent office be closed, as all concieveable inventions had been made.. both the quote and the historical snip I give seem to have a spooky similarity
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
... is I think I speak for all of us when I say, w00000000t!!!!
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
FUCK YOU ASHCROFT! GET THE FUCK OUTTA THERE, YOU NAZI PIG FUCKER!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
(lameness filter encountered. post aborted! reason: don't uses so many caps, it's like yelling)
But there is another kind of evil that we must fear most... and that is the indifference of good men.
Most liekly hes looking for an appointment to the SC. 3 or four are expected to come around in the next 4 years.
Ashcroft will be nominated to one of those Supreme Court positions next week.
wherever I go, there I am.
The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.
Does that mean the Patriot Act can be repealed now?
Although I am scared about the prospects of his replacement being a bigger freak, I do not recognize many of the names being speculated upon. But I like how many of their top qualities are being reported:
.. An African-American and a strong conservative, Thompson could appeal to several constituencies.
Larry Thompson
White House general counsel Alberto Gonzales, a Hispanic
'cause these are really important qualifiers
So they figured out how anthrax from US Army labs was mailed to various members of congress and media outlets, and captured those responsible?
Oh...they haven't done that, eh?
Well, at least gays can't marry.
Theres no way bush is going to read all 5 pages its just to much work and as he says "its a hard job" or he might be on vacation
They want to replace him with Zell Miller. We can now look forward to the day when all matters legal will be settled with duel at sunrise.
The days of the digital watch are numbered.
YEAH!
Like who, Joseph Stalin is dead?
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Laziness is the father.
I knew I should have hurried up with my idea for a four horsemen of the apocolypse t-shirt, now one of the horsemen has resigned....
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Ashcroft is pretty much a Christian Fundementalist, it is pretty hard to be more conservative than that, unless maybe Jerry Falwell gets appointed.
The only question now is whether Giuliani will take the job as Bush Enforcer, or wait to be installed as a Supreme Court Justice. He'll probably go for Enforcer, because he's used to running a "Chief Prosecutor for Emperor" race, setting him up comfortably for 2008. Unless Sir Giuliani runs afoul of the Constitution:
Article I, Section 9, Clause 8:
" No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State."
--
make install -not war
There's really nothing like a soarn eagle. It's breathtaking. I suggest you try it.
Don't you first have to be an attorney to be an Attorney General?
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
this has been a fear among civil libertarians lately. it seems an easy move for Bush to make. he has already proclaimed that the American public has given him a mandate. the hard part is where to look for a more conservative AG...I am sure the Bushie's are up to the task though.
So who else can we force to quit, and get someone better?
Why, pray tell, are you not overjoyed by this turn of events?
- A.P.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
Your thinking short term. Now that he isn't a AG, he can be a SCJ.
1) Firefox 1.0 Released
2) Halo 2 Released
3) John Ashcroft Resigns
4).... Profit!!!
What a day it's been!
There is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. -- Boondock Saints
Mod this parent up. It's not a troll - it's the simple truth. I guess the slashdot moderators care more about political correctness than the simple truth.
Is Mr. DMCA himself, Orrin Hatch.
You will long for the days of Ashcroft.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
note kiddies if this was a democratic government we should rejoice but this is a Neo-Con republican government. Quake in fear as you will soon be faced with a far greater evil soon. In a bad analogy of sorts, Think of this like say the death of apocalypse from marvel comics, when he died onslaught took his place
"to be like god we make our own dolls to play with, but what does that make us, but dolls for god to play with?" Ikari,
He resigned so that he could become Director of the newly formed Secret Police.
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[ United States ]
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Why not Upgrades?
Game: Player 'Donald J Trump' now has AI skill level 'experimental'.
Don't rejoice too soon. Things can definately get worse. I have heard Orrin Hatch's name thown out as a possible replacement. Being from Utah I am torn. I would love to see Hatch out of the Senate, but is the AG office any better?
Before 9/11, Ashcroft's top priority was targetting pornography. Since 9/11, he has been embarassingly ineffective in capturing terrorists.
There is a god.
something all you asses reciting the latest sheep ba seem to forget is that we have not been attacked since Ashcroft got involved. I suppose only a liberal moron would believe that is due to luck, or being more "understanding" towards the cowardly murderers. Why don't you liberals pull your collective head out of your ass, and have a look around. There really are "mean people" out there want to kill us, regardless of how compassionate, and understanding we are. If that means some Muslim will get a look by the government for checking out a book on nuclear bomb design, then so be it. I won't lose a second of sleep over it.
...That I get to see lady Justice's boobie again?
That may be worth a trip to D.C. for that alone!
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
one less jackass in the US gov't! Next is Bush? Please, dear God?!
Ding, dong, the witch is dead!
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
Whoa ... Stalin was an authoritarian communist. Probably the complete opposite of what is considered "conservative".
Take a look at http://www.politicalcompass.org
This guy should get a medal of honor. In the face of all the fake Michael Moore type attacks and Dan Rather slanted news stories, he just kept on quietly and persistently doing his job. We are a safer, better nation because of him. God bless you Mr. Ashcroft.
Supreme Court Justice John Ashcroft.
I think it happened the same day that the war in Iraq ended. Remember Bush in his flight suit costume with the big "Mission Accomplished" banner? You see, the Iraq "war" ended because the US had successfully attacked Iraq, which had bombed the ... oh, jesus, forget it. I can't even keep up with all of the bullshit our government spews out anymore.
I don't respond to AC's.
"Set them free. Freedom is a good thing, right? :-)"
Tsk, tsk. And a man of the cloth too.
> Ashcroft is pretty much a Christian Fundementalist
And something of a k00k even among them. I forget the details, but I read somewhere that he likes to dress up as a Hebrew priest and hold ceremonies, or something like that.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
And thanks for all the fig leaves.
It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
Like who? Former Nazi war criminal, perhaps? Slobodan Milosevic?
perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
The official reason he's resigning is for health reasons. The un-official reason is that he's a horrible screw-up.
Sounds interesting. Do you have a good recipe?
Ok, so the asshole is gone, who's next? The bumbler, the bitch or the flunky. I'm pretty sure the moron and the crook are going to stay another 4 years.
The difference between Canada and the USA is that in Canada healthcare is a right and gun ownership is a privilege.
You are most certainly wrong. I'm not even sure if Palmer was the worst one. With all due (dis)respect to Mr Ashcroft, nothing even remotely like Palmer Raids happened during his tenure. Palmer was the key factor behind the 1917 and 1918 "Espionage Act" and "Sedition Act", comparing to which Patriot Act is a teddy bear. According to this law, an elected member of Congress was refused a seat because of his pacifist views - and sentenced to 20 years of prison just because he didn't believe that America should join the slaughter of World War I (more on Victor Berger you can find here. The Palmer Raids themselves rendered the question of American "constitutional rights" simply irrelevant - it appeared there were none of them. To quote Wikipedia:
Starting on November 7, 1919, Palmer's men smashed union offices and the headquarters of Communist and Socialist organizations without warrants, concentrating on foreigners. They arrested over 10,000 people (...) In January, 1920, another 6,000 were arrested, mostly members of the anarcho-syndicalist union Industrial Workers of the World. During one of the raids, more than 4,000 Communists were rounded up in a single night. All foreign aliens caught were deported.
The public reaction to these raids was favorable, stirring up a storm of anti-communist sentiment. In a murder eerily similar to the lynching of Germans during World War I, a group of young men in Centralia, Washington hanged a radical from a railway bridge. The coroner's report stated that the communist "jumped off with a rope around his neck and then shot himself full of holes." For most of 1919, the public seemed to side with Palmer.
I don't want to defend Bush & Ashcroft, but it's simply naive to see them as "the worst that happened". No, it's not the worst in American history. When you look on the whole American history it turns out that only the post-WWII period really resembles contemporary understanding of constitutional democracy (and even then there were authoritarian hiccups of McCarthyism or Watergate).
So the does this mean the 'War on Terror' is over? Can someone please let the terrorists know?
in bed.
....Colin Powell is also expected to resign in the near future. So if you are celebrating the fact that Ashcroft, the biggest loonie in the Bush admin, is leaving, also be fearful that the only semi-sane dude in the building will soon be gone, too.
B) I hope his replacement isn't worse.
You are not the customer.
It is typical for all cabinet members to resign at the end of a term. The President then hires back any one he wants to keep, and appoints new people to vacancies.
*Who* likes having John Ashcroft as AG? And why?
Now Ramsey Clark http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsey_Clark/ can serve a second term.
------ Take away the right to say fuck and you take away the right to say fuck the government.
"He gave Bush a five-page, handwritten letter in which he stated, 'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'"
I hope he attached an audio book version to the letter.
Something intruiging...
That's one fricken scary thought!!!!
--- Nothing To See Here ---
He is a moderate and would go a long way to make Democrats more comfortable.
There is no explicit requirement, but I doubt that anyone will be appointed who isn't an attorney. Who did you have in mind?
Come play Heroes of Might and Magic Mini online.
"Is it possible that Bush will appoint a more conservative replacement for Ashcroft?"
And where exactly would you find someone more conservative than Ashcroft? (yeah I know, we just captured someone in Iraq who's a possibility)
No, Ashcroft is moving to the bereau of weights and measures to serve as the standard of "Absolute Conservative". As such, it is impossible to appoint a more conservative replacement.
Doubtless, Bush will attempt to redefine the "Absolute Conservative" standard when selecting Ashcroft's replacement, but experts agree that he's likely to appoint a "Facist Extremist" by mistake.
The entire text of the letter is here.
Taken out of context, it loses very little. The man claims we've beaten both crime and terrorism.
Have we?
- A.P.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
I'd love that to happen. I know thousands of slashdotters would have a heart-attack from the resulting shock, which would make it all the more worthwhile.
this can be a no win situation:
If we have no more "events" then the gov't can say look we made things safer. Bush thinking he's right makes more problems.
If we have another "event", then they'll say to bring him back as he's the only one to keep us safe.
Tomorrow it's almost certainly Colin Powell. There is general agreement that he will leave, having been forced into an outsider's viewpoint by the ranks of the neoconservative faction of the Bush administration, i.e. Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Wolfowitz to name just a few.
While I am absolutely elated that Ashcroft has resigned, I have no doubt that we will most certainly see four more years of the same foreign policy that has dogged the US since Bush's first inauguration. That, combined with the fact that Ashcroft has already done significant domestic damage viz. the PATRIOT act paints a rather bleak picture for the US in the coming years - even if the inside players are different.
The stage has already been set.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
I had a 'soarn eagle' once, but a liberal application of aloe vera soon removed the stinging redness.
Vino, gyno, and techno -Bruce Sterling
Actually, by defenition, Joseph Stalin, being a communist was ultra-liberal.
And Hitler was ultra-conservative.
However, its more of a circle, cuz the ultras on each side seem about the same.
So he is finally starting his singing career ?
Five pages with 5 inch letters written in crayon so he can understand it.
Maybe this famous father figure
or this popular strongman
One of the worst aspects of soviet communism was how it was authoritarian. While Ashcroft may be a conservative, he is also shown himself to be quite authoritarian. He pushed for laws such as the patriot act, which among other things allow for warrentless searches of things such as the books you take out of the library, and allowed the infiltratation of protest groups under the guise of fighting terrorism.
.. why the democrats lost, they have lost touch with reality. I mean all of these "tin-foil hat" views, while very interesting and good reading, are not what I would consider "main-stream". Most people in this country like the status-quo. They are happy with suburban houses, 2.5 kids, a dog etc. Whether this is right or wrong does not change the facts. I think that the popular vote reflects this. Any major change to how things are done is scary and must be have a damn good justification for it to take place. (Take blowing up the world trade center for example)
So Ashcroft left, big deal he will be replaced by another competent administrator who will work within the laws in place. If true change is desired, it will be becuase the American heartland gets sick and tired of the status-quo.. And that will take place eventually, history says so.
Come play Heroes of Might and Magic Mini online.
Gee, it must suck to have a label like "conservative" misappropriated and turned into an insult meaning "authoritarian". See how it feels when the President does the same with the word "liberal", which has been turned into an insult meaning essentially "communist"?
Cry me a fucking river. After the besmirching that my state, Massachusetts, got from nutjob Shrub, I really feel bad for the poor conservatives that their ideology has been wrested from them by authoritarian whackjobs like Ashcroft. Boo-fucking-hoo.
I don't see humor in any of this.
Now that Mr. Ashcroft is out due to health reasons (God is punishing you John, for being so wicked!), I suppose we can look forward to a new, better Bush administration.
An administration that is pragmatic, wise, free of ideology, and a true tribute to core conservative values: less government, more freedom, and a belief that people should be left to think and act for themselves. A belief that success is its own reward and failure is its own punishment, and that government exists simply to enforce our sacred constitution and protect our borders.
HA HA HA HA HA I had you going there didn't I!! LESS government!! HA HA HA!! FREEDOM?? BWAH AH AH AHHAH *cough*.
Anyway I hope whoever they replace him with 1) isn't such a nutjob and 2) doesn't SCOWL so damn much. I swear, Ashcroft constantly looked like a cross between an angry parent and a KKK member. "Now son, you know daddy's tired, why are you making me burn you on this cross? Why did you have to go and be black?"
Justice Department, where they could keep an eye on him.
Loose, and not surrounded by watchful eyes, who knows *what* he'll get up to?
Hexayurt - open source refugee shelter,
Stalin was about as much of a communist as Adolf Hitler.
what a nut bar
Tonight I'm going to party like it's 1999
I would not be surprised in the least if Ashcroft decided to run for President, in 2008. Nor would I be surprised if he won, given the current state of mind of the nation. Particularly as he's very prominent in people's minds when it comes to the war on terror, the key issue that won the election for Bush.
On the flip-side, we've known for a long time that Ashcroft was going to resign. He's not exactly made a secret of it. It's a pity he's waited so long, but there you go.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
That is fucking frightening!!!
- Kill Yourself, spare us all! -
Me thinks we are in the middle of another one...
Well /.ers will just love the name flying around my state today, Orrin (servant of the RIAA) Hatch. The only good thing about that appointment is that it would get him out of the Senate.
I'm too lazy to compose a creative sig.
The Drudgereport is stating that Alan Keyes has shown interest, but it's unconfirmed. God help us.
If you think
Stalin's at the top left, Ashcroft's at the top right. They're both on the top, which is the "authoritarian" side. They differ on economic issues, but that's irrelevant, because the attorney general's job is not an economic one. On the relevant issues, they're similar.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Any chance we could add a "scary" modifier?
web design experiments
a16/opt/data/pix# dict terrorism
i ti on.html
0 40 .htm
2 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Terrorism \Ter"ror*ism\, n. [Cf. F. terrorisme.]
The act of terrorizing, or state of being terrorized; a mode of government by terror or intimidation. --Jefferson.
http://www.blackboxvoting.org
http://letsroll911.org/articles/controlleddemol
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/video1
http://tinyurl.com/globalwarmingisascam
There is no end to the Legion of Stoopid.
Yield!
My guess would be everybody's favorite ex-Mayor Rudi Guilliani. He's got government experience. He's a former district attorney who fought the mafia. He's conservative. AND he's been shilling like hell for Bush the last few months.
My guess is that this has all already been worked out and the resignation and nomination were all worked out weeks ago. All part of the plan to groom him to run for Prez in '08 or '12.
--
RumorsDaily
Conseravatism is a very subjective word. I wouldn't consider any neo-con to be a conservative, but I tend to use it in casual conversation to mean someone that tends to vote Republican.
... and before I get flamed, fascism is simply authoritarianism on social issues and a corporatist economic policy.
In my opinion, Ashcroft is a fascist
Hey, now that the (s)election is over, the counting continues, and the FSCKING CAMPAIGN ADS are gone for another couple of years, can the editors expand the focus of the Politics section to events around the rest of the world? Barring that, can it be shelved? There's a whole world of political shenanigans outside the US, but I don't want to see /. become just another politics site with some geeky entertainment/tech stuff thrown in.
:-). However, That Editor Who Shall Remain Unnamed does manage to grate on me, even when I might possibly agree with his POV.
:P )
For that matter, can the editors come to some kind of consensus regarding when and if the Your Rights Online section is appropriate for a particular article? Some of the stuff that appeared in YRO over the past few months would fit better in Politics, while some items had no place in any section aside from the general mish-mash.
I know, I know--"you can hide a category if you don't like it". My problem is not that I'm completely fed up with the articles in a category, like some are with the SCO stuff, but that I think certain categories can be made better through some judicious, minor effort on the part of Taco and crew. Expand or dump Politics, tighten up the definition of YRO.
I'd also say "dump a certain editor whose name starts with an 'm' since he's one unrequested front-page comment away from making me hide all of his posts", but that's probably asking too much
I think I just convinced myself to go through with The Banishing.
(this will get modded down as offtopic, but I have karma to spare, so nyahhhh!
Someday, you're going to die. Get over it.
His legacy lives even now; check the front page of CNN.com.
You'll see a huge photo of Ashcroft's face under the main headline, next to another headline, "Airport X-Ray Sees Through Clothes."
Paging Dr. Freud.
Office of the Attorney General Message from the Attorney General to Justice
Department Employees
Nearly four years ago. in my first message to the Justice Community, I wrote to each of you of my goals for this noble Department: to "uphold the American justice tradition that strives to bring protection to the weak, freedom to the restrained, liberty to the oppressed, and security to all."
Today I write to you at the close of my time as the Attorney General, gratified that together we have accomplished our goals.
On November 2nd, I submitted to the President my intention to resign from the office of Attorney General of the United States, effective upon confirmation of my successor.
As I take leave of this high office, I am filled with gratitude to you, the men and women of the Department of Justice, for an extraordinary period of service that has ushered in an extraordinary era of justice and security for the American people. We live today in an America that is safer and stronger than ever before; an America where freedom is not a promise but a birthright, not a dream but a reality.
In partnership with the American people we have compiled a record of achievement that is remarkable if judged merely by peacetime standards. But for a time of war, your record is awe inspiring.
For three years since the worst attack in our nation's history, and in defiance of all expectations, America has not endured another major terrorist attack. Violent crime is at its lowest rate in three decades. We have engineered double-digit reductions in the rates of sexual assault, robbery and assault. Gun crime prosecutions are at a record high and violent crimes committed with guns are at a record low. Drug use among the nation's youth is declining. Corporate criminals are facing justice, and integrity has been restored to the nation's marketplace. America's values, as set forth in our Constitution, reflected in our laws, and cherished in our hearts, have been honored and defended.
Throughout our nation's history - throughout the history of civilization - men and women have struggled to define and to achieve justice. The opening words of the Constitution tell us that "to establish justice" is one of the founding reasons for the United States. Justice is the great striving of our nation, and the eternal hope of our hearts. But still we are left with the question: What is justice? After three decades of public service and four years as your Attorney General, I am confident in this answer: You are justice. You are the eyes that watch over the nation. You are the hands that uphold equal justice before the law. You are the feet on the street that nurture and protect our inalienable right to live in freedom. I join with the American people in humbled gratitude for your service to the nation.
Lastly, speaking for myself, I express my gratitude to God for the each day the sun rises on a free and safe America. For the past three years, my every working day has begun with a report - a catalog of the murderous acts being plotted against Americans, That we have passed these three years in safety and security is a credit to you.
But it would be the height of arrogance to assume we achieved this alone. The Psalms remind us: 'Vnless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stands guard in vain," My friends and colleagues, for four years we have stood watch together. We have endured many things and we have accomplished many more. It has been the honor of my lifetime to stand beside you. And as I take my leave of this privileged post, I know that our efforts have not been in vain. The Builder of our city and the Author of our freedom has stood beside us. He stands beside us still.
Help fight continental drift.
You're already at +5, so here's a +6 for you.
It's rare that you're presented with a knob whose only two positions are Make History and Flee Your Glorious Destiny.
What will all the liberal wankers complain about now that there object of hatred is gone!?!?!?!
Maybe somebody forgot to update the website.
Al Qaeda has ninjas!
The Democrats still have enough votes to block an incredibly bad nominee (like Ashcroft). Hopefully they have the balls to do it this time around.
It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
Halle-FUCKING-lujah!!
Eisenhower, Bradley, Halsey, MacArthur, etc all were permitted to accept honorary knighthood from the Brits. It's just something cute nowadays. Back in 1787 it was a real consideration.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
It's unlikely that Ashcroft would make it onto the Supreme Court, but Bush might use him as a stalking horse. Nominate him, watch the country go crazy, watch the Democrats use up all their time and political capital fighting off Ashcroft... then when everyone is worn out from blocking the Ashcroft nomination, Bush appoints a relative unknown who turns out to be as bad or worse.
The Democrats need to watch out for this, and keep up the resistance against anyone on the right wing that Bush tries to put on the Court. We still have 45 seats in the Senate, that's enough for a filibuster. The ability to filibuster is there for a reason -- to stop a President and 51 Senators (or in this case 55) from the same party from putting an extremist on the Supreme Court. The Democrats need to make sure Bush comes up with nominees that are at lease somewhat moderate.
Remember the days when Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility?
WTF are you talking about? I suggest you find the definition of the word "liberal". Hint: it is related to concepts like "liberty" (i.e. freedom). Like "liberal" (laissez-faire, or free market) economics. Stalin, Bush and Hitler are perfect examples of what liberal is NOT.
Are you kidding? You are comparing Ashcroft to Palmer and your point is, "hey it could have been worse!"? That is insane.
I'll just make one point about this comparison. We are in the year 2004. The emergence of advanced technology and data centralization has a very real effect on how these laws affect our freedoms in more powerful ways then they did in the pre-World War I era. If you don't see that you are not realistic in my opinion. Not to mention that the ideological wars being waged today are not as threatening as they were then (feel free to disagree). I do not believe that muslim fundementalism poses the equivalent risk of the communist/socialist movement of the early 20th century. You don't live in fear of Mulah Omar leading a popular rebellion in which all of our property is seized and redistributed do you? No, we fear (stupidly I might add) bombings of the thousand plus level using terrible weapons we invented. Before I cease I will just say that I think if terrorists had these types of weapons they would attack Isreal, not NYC.
Where? I could use a few. My Pentia are running too hot.
Sure, they differed on economic principals, Stalin wanted his government to own everything and run all the companies, Ashcroft wanted the coporations to own everything, and run the government. Though I would bet that Stalin would have been just as happy to have a capitalistic system under him, as long as he was in charge and could rule with an iron fist.
Where they show a particular similarity is on the way they approched dealing with criminals, take them off the streets, throw them in a hole and deny them any sort of due process. Yes, Stalin tended to just kill them, but I'm convinced that Ashcroft would have done the same if he thought he could get away with it. The guy seemed to have a wet dream about the US being a police state. The fact that he is now gone is a good thing for the US.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Laziness is the father.
Oh man, don't make me cry again. I'm trying to stay in denial for the next four years.
The best posts are both flamebait and informative.
I agree. The language has changed too much to be able to use "liberal" and "conservative" in a very direct way.
I call myself a libertarian democratic socialist. Its a mouthful but it helps for people who understand what those terms mean. I'm for returning power to states, universal health care, pro-2nd amendment, free education through 2 years of college, a balanced budget amendment, etc. Its hard to say I'm "liberal" and equally hard to say "libertarian" or "conservative" and obviously not a "centrist".
On the graph in question, I am approximately (-7,-7), fyi.
Does this mean that we'll finally be able to see Lady Justice's Li'l Kim breast again at press conferences?
...Ashcroft's statue was seen disrobing upon hearing of his resignation!
SourceHosting.net, LLC
Ready. Set. Code.
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... now enshrined, his words will last longer than the actual deeds or details?
A Bush presidency, sans Ashcroft and with Arafat dead, or as good as. That sounds just about right to me.
This being Slashdot, I'll likely get modded down for expressing heretical opinions, but I approve of Bush's hardline foreign-policy stance. It's his domestic policies I don't like -- cutting taxes while there's a war on, raising (some) trade barriers, and of course, the Patriot Act.
Actually, I should qualify that: I don't even oppose the powers given to the FBI. What I object to in the Patriot Act is the lack of transparency -- specifically, the lack of judicial oversight. If the FBI need certain powers to successfully prosecute the fight against terrorism, fine: but USE THEM IN THE OPEN. This National Security Letter bullshit is just that.
It seems to me that Ashcroft, with his "phantoms of lost liberty" speech, was the driving force behind the damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead approach that built the Patriot Act without the necessary democratic safeguards.
I'm heartily glad he's gone.
Now, if Arafat would only hurry up and die...
I'd like to think that his resignation had nothing to do with special interests, but you can't help but wonder when Slashdot produces a link to "Best Deals: United States."
Better the devil you know ..
<? include ('signature.inc'); ?>
Johnny boy release his first album?
Let the Eagle Soar, Feat Jay-Z and Nelly
Don't Crease the Weasel!
Not as bad as your spelling "They no longer need search warrents, and they have no respect of our civil liberties" And the proof that they don't repsect our civil liberties??? Do you even have a clue as to what civil liberties are?? You sound like a wacko liberal to me....
*--- Sometimes a majority only means that all the fools are on the same side. ---*
"I nominate John Ashcroft to the Supreme Court. Let the healing begin!"
"And a voice was screaming: 'Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?'" - HST
1) Each time he has been sworn in to political office, he is anointed with cooking oil.
2) He believes calico cats are signs of the devil
3) Sings Let the Eagle Soar, wants staff join. listen
4) In January 2002, a pair of 12ft statues in the atrium of a justice department building were covered by a blue curtain, on orders from Mr Ashcroft's office because the female figure Spirit of Justice was bare-breasted, and the body of her male partner, Majesty of Law, was not sufficiently covered by his toga.
Dyslexics have more fnu.
Dick Morris, Clinton flunkie, is one of the biggest proponents of the Patriot Act. Perhaps because he knows that the media would be up the administration's ass in a second if they abused it (hell, they've managed to use false documents and thoroughly unconfirmed information already). Or because he knows that it's already aided the intelligence community in stopping terrorist activity in New York.
Either way, you aren't going to get anyone much to the left of Ashcroft to replace him. And, should Rumsfeld resign, you will almost certainly get someone to the right of him. Even the Dems were kissing his ass when Bush appointed him.
Speculation is that former Deputy AG Larry Thompson will come back and take Ashcroft's place. From what I've read of him so far, he at least seems somewhat more sane.... did you know Ashcroft is opposed to DANCING!
--D
Actually the word is 'neocon'.. the term 'conservative' lost its meaning ages ago since a conservative would most likely oppose the patriot act. It goes against their values that gov. should have very little control over their life.
[ I can not bring myself to believe that if knowledge presents danger, the solution is ignorance ] -- Isaac Asimov
ok, here you go:
"The demands of justice are both rewarding and depleting. I take great personal satisfaction in the record which has been developed. The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved. The rule of law has been strengthened and upheld in the courts. Yet, I believe that the Department of Justice would be well served by new leadership and fresh inspiration."
What makes you think Bush won't appoint an evangelical Ghengis Kahn in his place?
Still there's a thin shred of hope that he couldn't do much worse. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, John. And, on behalf of 56 million of your fellow countrymen, good riddance.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
After arresting scores of innocent people at the instigation of this and other war criminals and convicting the big amount of 0, zero, zilch, nada of activities related to terrorism.
In one case the damning evidence was a video of the alleged terrorists spending time in Disneyland.
And the only ones the neo-ayatollahs have any hope of "convicting" of any terrorism related activities they have safely guarded them in Guantanamo or Abu Gharib, were confessions can be conviniently extracted at the pleasure of the torturers and kangoroo courts will sentence in accordance to the public, on record wishes of the reelected Orwellian master overlord.
And the poster of the article still has the indecency to find something good to say about this individual.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
Very surprised to see a link from news.google.com to slashdot covering this.
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
Now hopefully the Gods will kick him in the ass.
Can the president read five full pages?
Oh no. I wonder if Gilmore v. Ashcroft's replacement will have the same ring to it? BTW, ever since they put the legal page in chronological order there hasn't been any updates.. nothing has happened for over a month? The last thing on there was petitioning the court not to seal the court records. If they sealed em would the web page even be able to tell us they did? What's going on?!
How we know is more important than what we know.
Nicely put. For a bunch of supposedly smart people that read slashdot, their knowlege of history is rather appalling. It is not that they should have all of American or World history memorized, but they seem to have no historic context at all to use in judging the present to investigate further. If it wasn't so repetitive, it would be amusing.
If his heart doesn't get him, the allegations regarding Haliburton lapping at his feet will.
But, yo, Rumsfeld, you've worked a hard life. Isn't it time you thought about retiring and enjoyed the twilight of civilization?
But none of the desire. He stated during the campaign that he doesn't want to be part of Bush's cabinet. Hence my comment regarding dreaming.
"There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." - Bertrand Russell.
... We need a DOE head that doesn't consider conservation a 'life choice' but a 'patriotic duty'...
Ah, got you at last, ZiakII! You finally show up on our radar screens, and our agents will be at your door within minutes. Please cooperate fully. Thank you.
And now let the healing begin.
the difference is that liberals really *are* evil!
Now, Bush will probably appoint Ralph Nader or someone similarly minded to the post. Seriously though, this probably means that Ashcroft objected to the way government was being run. Think about that for a minute. His replacement will probably be crazier and a bigger tool than him.
Democracy Now! - your daily, uncensored, corporate-free
Oh, wait a second, they didn't do that either.
Check out the AP story here. Notice the statue in the background. I hope everyone appreciates the irony.
Then again, Bush could some a assbag worse than Asscraft and Rice.
Yes, but don't you understand how cool it is to bash Bush, Ashcroft, and the rest of the administration? All the kids are doing it.
Don't count your chickens before their replacements are appointed.
INsigNIFICANT
I didn't see it either, but right after the election they were talking about him being replaced as if it was certain (either replaced or resigning due to health reasons as he has). So it seems some people expected this!
I'm actually surprised no mention of this was made beforehand as I think it would have convinced even more people to vote for Bush than did already... I knew a few people that would have voted for Bush but were primarily voting against Ashcroft by voting for Kerry!
Now we'll see what comes next and if it's better... I didn't like him either but the sheer amount of utter hate and vitrol spread around here is pretty hard to take. I wish people would try to put the "civil" back in "civil discourse".
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
"The objective of safely securing Americans into crime and terror has been achieved".
inwhich they said that it is tradition for all of the President's staff to turn in their resignations and then the President decides whose he'll accept.
This is too late in the discussion, but I just saw it a little while ago and Ashcroft strikes a nerve. So here goes.
Ashcroft reminds me of Ministers of Interiors in Third World dictatorships. He is a tool for the dictator and the regime, and not there for his main job, that is protect the people.
His argument that he did achieve his objectives in protecting America from crime and terror is much like the guy who sprayed pepper on his front lawn, to ward off elephants. When his neighbor told him there are no elephants here, he says : "See! It works!"
Not a single case in the past 3 years was prosecuted successfully as a terrorism case, with conviction. All of the high profile arrests where Aschroft made press conferences with huge pomp, touting them as major victories in the war on terrorism, are just for show. For example, the Lakawanna Six (Buffalo, NY) Yemeni-Americans all pleaded to lesser charges and were convicted. The case of the African American bunch in Oregon is similar. The same goes for the Holy Land Foundation in Texas, and other Muslim charity cases. Most cases that Ashcroft said to be terrorism end up getting convictions for immigration irregularities or ID fraud (SSN, Driver License, Food Stamps, ...etc.). No terrorism at all, except the constant drumming up of fear in the masses, and no one remembers what happened to the poor souls who got caught and made examples of.
Of course, the Patriot Act, Secret Evidence, and the eroding civil liberties that goes with it, is exactly what is wrong, since terrorists have achieved an objective with these things.
There are other incidents that show his short comings as well, such as making a big deal of a statue with the bare breast, his fundamentalist view, him attacking Islam while in office, and more.
Someone should really make up a web site about Ashcroft Watch or something, lest people forget all this.
Well, his letter of resignation says "I believe that my energies and talents should be directed toward other challenging horizons." What does that mean? Is a Supreme Court Justice position waiting for him (despite the poster above who said that it has to be someone with judge qualifications)?
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Remember the Clipper chip? Ashcroft sided with the ACLU in opposing it. Even more ironically, Kerry supported it.
-- Will quantum computers run imaginary-time operating systems?
OMG, this is the best christmas present ever!
I've heard reports that he handed in his resignation on election day. Can anybody confirm this?
I have gas, but my car uses petrol.
He's remembered as the most effective mayor since LaGuardia. Just because you didn't like him - that's kind of irrelevant. I admire the guy for putting up with all the whiners in NYC, making the last few years I worked there a genuine pleasure. If he could have just gotten the smell of piss out of the subways he'd be perfect. Given a few more years he probably would have been out powerwashing the stations with bleach.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
John Ashcroft
Dyslexics have more fnu.
Great: We're getting rid of Ashcroft, but remember that bush is going to replace him with someone he likes more.
God only knows what he'll be like (Or is that Belzabub? We really don't know who he's listening to at night.)
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
Now, I may be unclear on conservatives here, but if conservatives avoid changes, then wouldn't an absolute conservative do absolutely nothing at all?
And the l33t shall inherit the 34r7h.
really? so tell me what has he done that would indicate he is a fascist?
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
*One time* foreign terrorists killed 3000 people in the US. It's a terrible tragedy, but so are the 45,000 people who died in car accidents that year. And the 700,000 people who died of heart disease.
:-(
We have gone insanely overboard in how we handle terrorism. America is founded on the freedom of the people. So much so that these freedoms are written into our founding document - the Constitution. When someone tells me that we need to "protect America" from something that had a negligible statistical effect by taking away my Constitutional rights, I'll rightly tell them they're stupid, crazy, or very ignorant.
1st amendment - "right of the people peaceably to assemble" - except near the Republican National Convention in 2004.
4th amendment - "no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause" - except when the Patriot Act says it's OK.
5th amendment - "nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law" - except if we can find some way to call them enemy combatants, or we declare they can't be tried publicly due to security considerations.
6th amendment - "accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial" - see above.
8th amendment - "nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted" - except in Abu Ghraib, or (maybe, how can we know?) Guantanamo.
10th amendment - "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." - this one's been shot to hell for ages
If I tried to live by the Constitution, I'd end up shot by federal agents inside of five years.
"Ashcroft wanted the coporations to own everything, and run the government."
This is more or less the definition of Fascism and Nazism. There were a bunch of giant corporations and industrialists working hand in hand with a repressive, authoritarian government. The government intervenes liberally in the economy and makes winner outs of their friends and party members and losers out of those who are not. The New Republican party does pretty much the same thing.
Needless to say the New Republican's haven't gone to the extremes of Franco's Spain, Mussolini's Italy or Nazi Germany which is why I call them "compassionate fascists".
Some numbnut can now invoke Godwin's law. Before you do realize its a sign that you lack something necessary to have have original thoughts, so you are just regurgitating moldy Internet cliches.
@de_machina
Now that he's gone, those terror alert level colors have simply got to go. I mean, helllloooo, ever heard of earth tones? And everyone knows pink is the new red. Sheesh.
Good Riddance! That fucker is a complete asshole. Search for his singing video on google - Hilarious!!
There's a 5th page - "I have handwritten this letter so its confidentiality can be maintained until the appropriate arrangements mentioned above can be made.
I am grateful to you for the profound honor of serving under your clear, principled leadership.
May God continue to bless, guide, and direct you and your family as you lead American forward in freedom.
Most Sincerely,
John Ashcroft"
"Probably the complete opposite of what is considered "conservative"."
Uh, so? The New Republican party is the complete opposite of what is considered "conservative" too, with the exception of tax cuts. Even there "conservatives" prefer the tax cuts are accompanied by spending cuts, instead of binge spending and using a credit card to create false prosperity.
@de_machina
You forgot the greatest qualification....
Giuliani is an huge dickhead motherfucker. He'll fit right in.
*waves hands furiously* OOOHH!! MEE!! MEEEE!!!!! *jumps up and down in little excited liberal hops*
"I have handwritten this letter so its confidentiality can be maintained until the appropriate arrangements mentioned above can be made."
Does anyone find it funny that he hand-wrote the letter to ensure an electronic copy could be forwarded around, but somehow the actual memo itself was photocopied and released to the press.
Sounds to me like Bush considers Ashcroft one of the "3 mistakes" he said he made in his first term appointments (stated during the Presidential debates) and possibly asked for his resignation.
until they find someone more concervative to nominate...
(waves beckoningly) (lulling voice) ...come on Dickie.... come on... resign... it will be so easy... everyone will like you then... you'll be the Cool Boy.... (keeps making encouraging waves)
I heard it mentioned Giuliani wanted the job. He as been trying to parle 9-11 into a bigger political career. He might be a lot worse, don't forget Giuliani started the NO TOLERANCE laws in NY and arrested the homeless. Giuliani has been shilling around for Bush these last few months. He has been shouting down anyone who doesn't agree and claiming they cannot disagree because we are in the middle of a war. As though being a lemming would get us out of this mess.
Euphemism, what is that a euphemism for something.
Asked this evening, Steve Spurrier stated that he has been in contact with representatives of the Bush administration, but he feels that Ashcroft completed his job at the Justice Deptartment and that they should look for a replacement who can stick with the department for the long term. Spurrier went on to say he is not ruling out a possible job in the NFL, possibly as lead counsel for the player's union.
His work here is done.
Wow, yeah, a stable Iraq and friendly Iraq would be incredibly helpful, wouldn't it? Hey, what a shame we didn't think of doing something similarly clever with Iran a couple decades ago...
Yeah! right on! He will meet the Terrorists with bullets and shoes.
"I forget the details, but I read somewhere that he likes to dress up as a Hebrew priest and hold ceremonies, or something like that."
I think you're thinking of "the pope".
-Erwos
Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
This now gives the president a chance to replace Mr.Ashcroft with a solid moral Christian like Pat or Jerry. Either of these men would bring a solid moral ethic to the DoJ and allow much needed reforms, Patriot Act part 2 etc., to be implemented. This would help bring about a well ordered, society expounding values of State, Work, Family and Law.
- Reinhart H.
From the CBS.com report:
"Several names have emerged as possible successors to Ashcroft. The biggest is Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York."
Oh, that's a good idea. Let's let Giuliani do for America what he did for New York City: turn it into a police state in the name of reducing crime.
America's homeless^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hterrorists be warned -- you will be shown no mercy.
Fuck. I miss Ashcroft already.
SIERRA TANGO FOXTROT UNIFORM
Sure has. Bush was ELECTED this time out. Goes to show that "People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference." - The American President
PREDICTION: Unless Bush has problems passing a law allowing Corporate America to loot social security (instead of the neo-cons looting it), the "Alert Level" thing is going to quietly fade away.
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
He also said that the odds of him actually being appointed were not tremendous, but his name is being kicked around as an option.
-Katie
No heaven can heaven be, if my horse isn't there to welcome me.
Does anybody else think a five page handwritten letter sounds a bit psychotic?
he's just skipping school so he could pickup halo 2 at ebx last night...
Sorry, already been done. See
http://www.cafepress.com/bettybowers/346082
Although I'm sure that Bush would love to have Ashcroft as a Justice of the Supreme Court, it's completely untenable.
Although Ashcroft served as Attorney General, he's never sat as a judge on any court. I'm pretty sure that a complete absence of bench experience would probably work against him even among a lot of Republicans. It would be pretty embarrassing to have a Justice who's never actually written a judgement before.
Ashcroft also has been having some health problems--he had his gall bladder removed earlier this year--so even if he was offered a position, I don't know that he'd take it. He might also retire or die during the next Presidency, which might lead to a less Republican-friendly appointment in the near future--or another unpleasant confirmation hearing, at best.
~Idarubicin
will the naked statues be back on TV?
While this saddens me... i quote my friend Josh: Josh: what Me: Ashcroft Josh: resigning Josh: good Josh: way too right wing Josh: it's his fault the censorship went on Josh: see ya nazi, I like boobs SlashX86: happy days! Now I don't have to be afraid of watching porn
So he wants to sit on the Bench with the other SCOTUSes and burn heretics?
Well you can just rock me to sleep tonight.
Don't get me wrong, I worship the Giuliani, but there's just no way GWB will nominate him for AG.
The compartmentalization of agencies was most certainly not for no good reason. It was to make law enforcement less effective, which was a good and important goal of our governmental design.
The thing that Mr. Ashcroft and the rest of the executive branch have forgotten is that we need to be at least as suspicious and limiting of our government as of the people from whom our government is supposedly protecting us. Instead, the executive branch has taken the absurd view that their enemies are "Evil", and thus that their own actions are--definitionally--Good.
This is a dangerous premise. History has taught us that governments very reliably stray from Good. Every single act undertaken by a government must be carefully evaluated with questions like, "Does this make us the bad guys? Is this worse than what we're trying to solve?" And even after such questions have been asked, we need to still assume that they've been answered incorrectly, and place harsh limitations on the fundamental things a government can do.
This is the origin of bans on interdepartmental cooperation, statutes of limitation, limitations on search and siezure, the specificity of of search warrants, and so on. After all, if your government were always the good guys, you wouldn't need any such protections, right?
Rumsfeld has the ear of the president. He's not going anywhere.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
One ultra conservative fundamentalist asshole out of the way!
GJC
Gregory Casamento
## Chief Maintainer for GNUstep
The Atlantic Monthly predicted his resignation awhile ago.
Ironically, the reason they suggested is that he has been unhappy with certain aspects of the Patriot Act he has felt obliged to enforce for the Bush Administration. If I recall correctly, the article sort of portrayed him as feeling a responsibility to do what the Bush administration has pressured him to do, which isnt what he actually feels is the best thing. In particular, there have been rumors that he has felt uncomfortable with aspects of the Patriot Act that involve unwarranted search and seizure, etc. They sort of portrayed him as drawing some line between constitutional enforcement of religiously conservative laws, and unconstitutional enforcement of laws period.
I'm not saying the article was correct, or that I want John Ashcroft in office. I can't stand the administration, nor did I ever want Ashcroft in the position he was in. But I do remember being surprised by that article, in that it portrayed Ashcroft as being uncomfortable in the Bush administration and feeling pressured to enforce certain provisions of the Patriot Act he did not agree with.
Why, Rehnquist's spot on the bench, of course!
The only thing scarier to me than "Attorney General John Ashcroft" is "Supreme Court Justice John Ashcroft".
Fortunately, the Democrats can probably block it. Either way, it'll be the noisiest supreme court justice hearings since Bork.
Remember, you saw it here first.
-- The reason it's called the right wing? Irony.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out, mein fuhrer!
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
Absolut Conservative
[I don't want to go into what would be in the vodka bottle]
I imagine there can be a large number of medical problems from having your head shoved up your ass that far. For instance, for a person with a brain the asphyxiation alone ought to be lethal. Wonder what Asshat's problem was, since that couldn't have been it. It couldn't be a distended rectum or bowl blockage as he's too much of a pinhead for those to be problems with the whole head/ass insertion bit either.
Polyps. I bet it's polyps. Something not necessarily problematic, just needs to get checked out and excised (in this case to the polyp's relief--I can't imagine the horror of being an abnormal growth stuck somewhere on Asscrack's body) before it gets worse. Something that most people would just take a couple days off for out-patient surgery to take care of and then go right back to work. But being a high-ranking neocon (new felon?) it is of course much much worse than us ordinary schmoes could possibly imagine. Just like Dick "Satan" Cheney's ass boil was just so gosh-danged awful bad he got another deferment from Vietnam...while some poor slob who "only" had congenital heart failure or something was drafted in his place. Yeah. Polyps.
If you thought Ashcroft was a good Attorney General you should see his work as a singer/songwriter! You'll be saying "Holy Sh*t! Is that for real?!"
Give this a listen and I think you'll agree that, in spite of the painfully strained warbling and occasional screechy howl, he makes a much better singer than... well, than an Attorney General
"Let The Eagle Soar" - words and muzak by John Ashcroft
Personally, I find his work to be similar to, but not quite as good as, such other unknown crooners as Seymor Weiner, Fanny Mussel, Uwe Fuchs, Stu Padassol (the one from Gaysport, Ohio, not the one from Dripping Springs, Texas) and the late, almost great, Pat Mydic.
Godwin is watching.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
What is this "elitist" bullshit? Giuliani was a jerk, about the most "elitist" mayor NYC has had in living memory - especially in contrast to mayors like LaGuardia, to whom some other creep had the delusion to compare Skeletor. I have to live in the NYC that Giuliani sacrificed on the alter of his political ambition. We don't shut up here - we shut *you* up, with our dogged attachment to being right. Especially when we're ahead by virtue of Giuliani having no official power, a state we'll all do best to perpetuate. Unless you prefer fascism, where at least the trains run on time (though Giuliani's *did not*).
--
make install -not war
- How could you tell how much of it was lies? It
might be true that the average human being was better
off now than he had been before the Revolution. The only
evidence to the contrary was the mute protest in your own
bones, the instinctive feeling that the conditions you lived in
were intolerable and that at some other time they must have
been different. -- George Orwell "1984"
Really. So constitution democracy includes locking people away without charges, trials, or lawyers? Constitutional democracy allows for the FBI to write themselves a warrant, plant bugs and video cameras in your home, and install a key logger in your keyboard for 6 months without telling you. Constitutional democracy intended for the 'Miami Model' of silencing peaceful demonstrations and public protest?I'll see your free speech suppression and raids on ______ists via the Sedition Act of 1918 and raise you secret searches and the elimination of habeas corpus via the "War on Terror".
I have handwritten this letter so its confidentiality can be maintained until the appropriate arrangements mentioned above can be made.
Gee, that says alot about their confidence in the security of their computer systems! If he's scared to type a letter of resignation for fear of it being broke to the media before they're ready! What the HELL!
but as far as the rest, thank the maker that crazy asshole is gone! lets just hope bush uses his common sense this time to replace him, rather than his f'ing religion. If only Cheney would resign/step down/die we'd all be in good shape. Bush ain't the worst about it, it's his asshole cabinet that 'causes much of the problem.
I would rather live with danger, then live without my freedom.
I agree, the funny/scary part is that he hand-wrote it to maintain confidentiality. Does he know something about government spying on electrontic communication that we don't?...
Here is a nightmare of a scenario. He resigns now so that he can be proposed for a supreme court seat later. Suck!
I second this. If folks mis-apropriate Stalin as an image of an 'evil conservative', it will ruin great wise-cracks like refering to Ted Kennedy as being 'a little to the left of Stalin.' No! You can't take the beat-stick of Stalin away!
Those of us in the lower-right quadrant are in favor of things like drug legalization and gay marriage that are almost never considered "conservative" issues. In general we're more in sync with the Democrats on social issues (with some exceptions), and not really in sync with either party on economic issues (they both supported that ridiculous "prescription drugs for the elderly" plan, for example).
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Wasn't this political business supposed to only be until the election? Or was that only if Kerry won?
OK Folks... is it going to be years and years of Slashdot being used as another soapbox for the DNC or are we going to get on with being geeks? We can't even escape the cheap adverts that are made to look like news stories.
This is a great day for American liberty! Finally, after 4 years, one of the greatest menaces to civil liberty is gone!
:-)
Maybe we can get back to being free again someday after all...
I'll drink to Ashcroft's resignation! Who's with me?
Is Capitalism Good for the Poor?
"well, he's just now resigning...."
Clearly due to the fact that his stint as Attorney General was interfering with his duties as Sith Lord.
Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead
You are entitled to be wrong .. even comically pathetically wrong.
That's your right and the mere fact that you and your big mouth ( and countless thousands of other similar mouths) have survived completely unscathed 4 years of this "fascist" proves that you have no fucking clue what you are talking about.
So Ashcorft resigns and you tinfoil hat nuts automatically assume he's gunning for the supreme court? Maybe the man needs a vacation. And look, this has nothing - nothing! - to do with Rehnquist's poor health. Really. I swear.
Shit. Marge, get a case of beer and my tinfoil hat. Gonna be a long couple of decades.
-Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat
Certainly their methods are different, and nobody said Ashcroft was the more authoritarian of the two. But they're on the same broad side of the political spectrum in terms of their views on the role of the state in private life.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Come on big boy, stop posting AC if you want to talk smack.
Yes, god damn Kerry, for actually running his presidential campaign instead of sitting around voting on every unimportant bill in the Senate like a good boy.
And it's amazing how conservatives care so much about Ted Kennedy's drinking habits, and Bill Clinton's blowjobs, but don't give a shit about our current presidents old-time predilection for nose candy, because he's accepted Jesus now. And how Mary Kopechne's life is sacred, and so are those unborn fetuses, but Iraqi lives count as about 1/100th of an American life. I'm sure Jesus would approve of those metrics.
Our President IS a nutjob. He believes that he is doing the work of god in the office of the Presidency, and that his foreign policy is effective in the Middle East. Frankly, anybody who puts religious faith ahead of rational thought probably deserves the label "nutjob".
Refutation. Say it all you want, you are still wrong. It's the conservatives who are always whining because they can never win an argument by reason alone.
Nope, an absolute conservative will destroy others to avoid having to change himself.
I've had this sig for three days.
I can think of several people off the top of my head who could be worse the asscroft. Don't break out the Champaign yet. This is Bush's house after all. Be afraid. Be very afraid of who he replaces him with.
-SiliconAddict
I hated that son of a bitch. Now if Arafat can just die.
is more appropriate:
Thank The Fuck Christ!
By this, I suppose the Bush administration means the defeat of John Kerry. Seriously, though. No matter how bitter and cynical you feel about the election of George "Dumber than a Lobotomized Chimp" W. Bush, just remember that Truth, Justice, and the American Way live on...
Shit
Really. So constitution democracy includes locking people away without charges, trials, or lawyers?
Who cares? A good number of people here on Slashdot probably spend more money and time waiting in line to buy games like Halo 2 than to vote or feed the homeless.
Constitutional democracy allows for the FBI to write themselves a warrant, plant bugs and video cameras in your home, and install a key logger in your keyboard for 6 months without telling you. Constitutional democracy intended for the 'Miami Model' of silencing peaceful demonstrations and public protest?
Have anyone here on Slashdot experience such a thing? If so, please share with us your method of detecting the bugs, video cameras, and key loggers planted by the FBI.
1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d
Maybe the next AG will be allowed to dance.
As opposed to neocons (like Ashcroft), who are authoritarian corporatists.
Hail Eris, full of mischief...
E pluribus sanguinem
Suddenly, caught by the level beams, Frodo saw the old king's head: it was lying rolled away by the roadside. "Look Sam!" he cried, startled into speech. "Look! The king has got a crown again!"
The eyes were hollow and the carven beard was broken, but about the high stern forehead there was a coronal of silver and gold. A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as if in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stony yellow hair yellow stonecrop gleamed.
"They cannot conquer forever!" said Frodo. And then suddenly the brief glimpse was gone. The Sun dipped and vanished, and as if at the shuttering of a lamp, black night fell.
It's times like these when those Americans and people in the rest of the world who are suffering as a result of the recent "election" result, can and should take hope. Evil is, by its very nature and definition, contrary to life and the continuation of it...and therefore if life is to continue, imbalances such as the current one can, should, and will eventually be rectified. The main thing that both watching the Two Towers, and Linux itself has managed to help me remember was that contrary to what the bastards have tried to indoctrinate us with, resistance is not futile. Night may come, and with it a blackness sufficiently deep that we may no longer be able to see our hand in front of our face, or temporarily remember our direction...but as night comes, so too eventually must the dawn.
The rest of Bush's administration should see Ashcroft's passing as a harbinger of what they themselves ultimately can expect, and like all the other tyrants of human history, they will be remembered only as a source of death and misery, and an obstruction to genuine justice and human progress.
I nominate Larry Lessig.
Yeah, yeah, I'll try to survive the reality whiplash.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Considering the drapes were ordered by Reno was AG, how can you blame Ashcroft?
Man I wouldn't mind putting Ashcroft in a sack and beating him with reeds.
Cheers
Stor
"Yeah well there's a lot of stuff that should be, but isn't"
"but you couldn't activate it until the 16th!"
His resignation does not lesson the fact
that he should be tried for crimes against
humanity and once found guilty killed by
dismemberment.
Cheers
Video of Ashcroft singing.
It all makes sense now, the one thing you need to be a part of this administration is gall. Without it he was sunk.
I lost my copy of the green golf ball joke can anyone find it for me?
John Ashcroft fought against against "third key" encryption laws in the 1990's. Laws backed by a certain Senator Kerry. Go figure.
i am sorry that you suck so bad that you like john ashcroft. the only better news than that he has resigned would be that you and all his other followers march behind him like rats trailing after the pied piper to a sewer from which you never return.
i'm sorry to pull punches in this public forum, but later i'll be happy to tell you how i really feel without censoring my views
Albania's greatest leader Enver Hoxha should be president of the United States Why? Because he transformed Albania from a 3rd world country to an industralized nation in the space of less that 40 years! He saved Albania from the evil Nazis, likewise he could do the same for evil Islamic terrorsts. I have an Idea for Vice president Ashcroft! Because he's a true blue American and could help the communist Hoxha win the south! Also this would be a split party tickets Thus uniting Communist and Republicans! Hoxha Ashcroft 08 FOR A UNITED AMERICA!
Hello world
i could really use a victory right now, and a nomination of the scum-sucking pig ashcroft for supreme court seems like a good place to get it. when i get home, i'm going to write to congress people to ask them to oppose this piece of shit who likes to have himself photographed with an oval shaped background around his head. i am prepared to campaign for and donate to, any congress people who will show enough backbone to do ANYTHING to oppose his nomination to SCOTUS
from the CBS article"Critics accused Ashcroft of civil rights violations but there was no second attack, Andrews reports. "br
And while you're at it, let me add a bit. Not only are people that inhale certain substances being locked up, but people SUSPECTED of doing so have been having their property confiscated.
If you have been SUSPECTED of trafficing drugs, any drugs including marijuana, the government can confiscate your property. You don't even need to be convicted. Say you were convicted, but found not guilty. Or even imagine you were wrongly arrested and never convicted, or even tried. The government STILL gets to keep your property. It seems entirely wrong to me that the police could just randomly "suspect" people of wrong-doings just because they like their car, or house, or savings. This isn't BS either, it has happened, although I admit there HAVE been cases where the police were nice enough to return the confiscated property... after a lawsuit.
Pst. Howd you like to buy a toll both I own on the Golden Gate Bridge? I'll let you have it for cheap! Call me at 800-555-1212! Good while supply lasts (did I mention I own several?)!
The grandparent was hidden by its -1 mod, and I actually went out of my way to view it, just to see what you were responding to.
./.
I couldn't get a third into that nonsense with the misspellings and such, regardless of the (il)logic.
But just because said fool cannot spell does not give you the right to abandon apostrophes. They exist in contractions for a reason - to indicate the dropping of a letter or several. "Wasnt" is not a word without the apostrophe, but "Wasn't" is. It's not hard to learn.
I chose not to finish your response to that idiocy, however intelligent it started, because it seems to imply yours.
And as a response to the grandparent and his/her "Is it bad" questions: yes.
I reserve the right of grammatical errors becos I pointed this out to the both of you. I am not a grammar nazi, I just play one on
You know, this is good news. But what would be a real treat for everyone would be if Ashcroft were torn limb from limb by a pack of wild dogs. Especially if nobody noticed and just went about their business while he bled to death! Now there's a cheerful thought!
It was Bill Clinton who Signed the Digital Copyright Act.
Not that I like John Ashcroft and I am happy to see him go.
However, a lot of you people are just bunch of morons and are just as stupid as he is, the only difference is that your a liberal masturbator and are crying like school girls that Bush got in. What a bunch of low down losers, go cry to your sister and then maybe you can hump her since you have nothing better to do.
Also, stop being lazy and get a damn job.
What I hate most about it is not the Act itself (though it has its despicable parts) - but the fact that as a citizen, I wasn't represented by my congressmen when they passed it. It came out of the blue, it was voted on, and nobody read it...
Worse, my fellow citizens don't seem to care about this important fact: that a law so broad and reaching as this Act became law without their so-called representatives reading it, understanding what it said, and debating its merits! This isn't what these guys were elected for, right?
But this is what America has become - don't read the fine print on that contract you sign - and don't read it if it only likely will affect others who elected you - fuck 'em, right? Because you are now in office, and who gives a damn about the people, right? Just give me some more cash, err, donations - Ms. Rosen and Mr. Valentti, all will be OK. The people - screw them!
Who cares about the people - they'll elect me again, right? Shit, Bush is the dumbest motherfucker on the planet (you know they are thinking this) - yet the people spoke up for him again, too. Me - I'm a shoo-in!
Damn - I would at least have a little more respect for my so-called representatives had they at least read it (how many pages was it - 500?), questioned it, debated it, discussed it - and then, only then - voted on it in full conscience on what they were voting for. Hell - you would have thought at least one of them (well, there was one guy - Russ) would have had issues. I also wonder why no one even bothered to ask how such a large piece of legislation just "suddenly" appeared out of thin air - like it was waiting in the wings for just this sort of thing (9/11) to happen.
Assuming, of course, that nothing more meets the eye on that little bit of history either - I still have my doubts on the why's, how's, etc of that day - questions that have yet to be fully answered in my opinion - things don't add up.
But maybe, just maybe, if we close our eyes, plug our ears, and scream "nyha, nyha, nyha!!!" - it will all go away - ya think?
At least, it seems that is how the rest of America is...
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
Rumsfeld could be considered one of the founders of neoconservative doctrine. The man helped give birth to Cheney's political career and is also close friends with Paul Wolfowitz - both authors of the PNAC doctrine.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
Why does he even need to be replaced? Save some taxpayer money and don't fill the job. After all, he eradicated all crime and terror. By his own admission: 'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
I feel sorry for President Bush, though. Now he's got to find someone even worse than Ashcroft for Attorney General.
"It's hard work. Hard work."
When all you have is an axe, everything looks like a grindstone.
Nah, he has a prior engagement. Kerry has already said he was interested in running in '08. There is lots of ground work to do if JFK will be ready. Bush lied and all of your intestines will soon be on fire!! Bush did not win. He is nowhere near the White House.
No. Justice Clarence Thomas' major experience was as in-house corporate counsel for Monsanto, a company noted for repeatedly obtaining fraudulent government licenses to market harmful chemical products.
But Ashcroft won't be a Supreme Court nominee. Bush will want a much younger person, so the appointment will have a longer effect on society.
Well, I was arguing that the 'conservative' side of him, whatever that means, isn't the important quality here. However, he is a social conservative, which in his case means being very anti-abortion, as well as pro-censorship, with his rediculous covering up of the breast on a statue and his attacks against adult pornography.
In my opinion, Ashcroft is a fascist ... and before I get flamed, fascism is simply authoritarianism on social issues and a corporatist economic policy.
Though I do agree when you get specific, the term fascism has just as obscure a meaning as conservatism, if not more so.
How about the 20 to 100 million death from influenza that were a pretty much direct consequence of the US involvement in WW1? (See "The Great Influenza" by Barry). After reading Barry's book, I really wonder if a lot of the inspiration for 1984 came from the US in WW1.
So constitution[al] democracy includes locking people away without charges, trials, or lawyers?
Ever been to Manzanar in California's Owens Valley???? 110,000 people locked away for simply being of Japanese descent by order of FDR (with considerable prodding from Earl Warren). I don't recall any court even contemplating granting writ of habeus corpus to these detainees. Many of these people got cheated out of some very valuable property when they were forced to move. Then again, a lot of people got screwed over in WW2 on the pretense that there was a war going on.
Anyway, back to WW1 - several members of my mom's family grew up speaking German at home, but refused to admit that they knew the language after the propaganda campaign of WW1.
A Shadeless room is a brighter room.
for starters
With all of the bare-breasted statues out there in America, maybe Ashcroft decided that he was going to have to take his show on the road if he was to get them all.
What an asshole
Perhaps he meant those goals have been achieved *thus far*, meaning the US has been safe from terrorist attack since 9/11. The idea that we are safe forevermore is so outlandish that it likely didn't occur to him that anyone would think that's what he meant. I disagree with the man on many points, but I know enough not to think him stupid.
Uh, you know, Commerce Secretary Don Evans has resigned with Ashcroft....that's sort of significant...I'm surprised no one's mentioned it.
Take off every sig. For great justice.
No it was more like a quarter. Scroll down to WHITE EVANGELICAL/BORN-AGAIN?
Nobody remembers Dmitri Sklyarov?
Ed Craig "Who cares what you think?" George W. Bush, 4th of July 2001
Good argument there. People are only angry because it's trendy to be. Gee, you're a bright one.
...But I hope this doesn't turn into a case of,
"Better the Devil you know."
I'll be praying to Cthulhu for you poor Americans.
There may be a logical explanation to all this news happening in one day.
...I have a rapture to attend to...
Can't say about any previous elections or Kennedy, but Kerry got elected to his current term because he ran unopposed. Kinda hard to elect someone else when no one is running against Kerry.
Hopefully next election the Republicans will run someone against Kerry (but I doubt it) because I really want to see him out of office. (Why this state elected an admited war criminal in the first place is beyond me, but - oh well, I couldn't vote at the time.)
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
"I've never understood why it's not okay for the government to enforce the law, but it's all fine and dandy to kill law enforcement officers."
Law Enforcement agents sign on to risk their lives to uphold the laws of the government. Citizens sign do not sign up to have their lives taken from them by government action.
Thus, all else being equal, the death of a law enforcement agent or soldier can be seen as something that they and those around them have prepared for while a civilian death cannot.
Neither life is worth more, but one is a result of choice, and therefore less of an accident.
Ashcroft saying, "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved," means, "Hey!!! Look everybody!! There are no terrorists attacking us RIGHT NOW!!"
It's kind of like when Clinton said, "I do not have an inapproproate relation with that girl, Ms. Lewinsky," he really meant, "Ms. Lewinsky is not blowing me RIGHT NOW, but lemme tellya, if you guys could see what I have here under the podium..."
P.S. http://fuckthesouth.com/
__ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
Bless the lord for the gifts that we receive. All at once: Firefox 1.0, Fedora Code 3, John Ashcroft resigning.
namely, Asscroft...
Blogging because I can...
"After the besmirching that my state, Massachusetts, got from nutjob Shrub,"
As opposed to the besmirching you give yourselves every six years when your senior senator comes up for reelection?
Save your sanctimony for the soldier who died believing Iraq was behind 9/11 and his parents who can't bear to think otherwise. Did you, by any chance, vote for a man who blocked ever single investigation into 9/11 after lying about pre-attack intelligence?
Play Command HQ online
Doesn't follow. Having a couple fascist persons around doesn't a fascist nation make. (at least instantly)
He-he. :) So Stalin was a "liberal conservative"?
Future Wiki -- If you don't think about the future, you cannot have one.
actually wrong. stalin was in the communist party, but there he was a quite conservative one. after lenin died and stalin got the power, one could see, that he was truly nationalistic (communists are internationalists).
he put lots of his fellow countrymen (georgians) into high position (for example beriya as nkvd - the organisation that later became kgb - chef) and decimated lots of different ethnic groups living in ussr (jews, tarars, germans, chechens...)
in case of stalin, political compass is wrong. he was no different than hitler at all. all his "socialistic" reforms were just for gaining control over the people.
Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
now that we've solved our problems with crime and security, we really don't need the court system, do we?
w00t!
----
...does that mean that Ashcroft will have to come back?
You must think in Russian.
Seemed Apt. :)
Kid: Hey, who left all this garbage on the steps of Congress?
Amendment: I'm not garbage. I'm an amendment-to-be, yes an amendment-to-be, And I'm hoping that they'll ratify me. There's a lot of flag-burners, who have got too much freedom, I want to make it legal for policemen to beat 'em.
'Cause there's limits to our liberties, at least I hope and pray that there are, 'Cause those liberal freaks go too far.
(spoken)
Kid: But why can't we just make a law against flag-burning?
Amendment: Because that law would be unconstitutional. But if we changed the Constitution...
Kid: Then we could make all *sorts* of crazy laws!
Amendment: Now you're catching on!
Kid: What if people say you're not good enough to be in the Constitution?
(sings)
Amendment: Then I'll crush all opposition to me, and I'll make Ted Kennedy pay. If he fights back, I'll say that he's gay.
(spoken)
Congressman: Good news, Amendment! They ratified ya! You're in the US Constitution!
Amendment: Oh yeah! Door's open boys!! Yeehaw!
...the members of Congress are guilty of gross negligence for not insisting on more time to check the content of the bills. If necessary, they should have voted against the law because of this.
C - the footgun of programming languages
Wrong - aircraft carriers are giant print shops.
They didn't print the millions of psyops leaflets that they dropped on Iraq at the Bhagdad Kinkos.
Speaking of psyops leaflets, I think this one is an interesting commentary on the history between Iraq and the Bush family by the British psyops guys. Some in the military would argue that one of the most important roles of your F-18's is, in fact, to drop psyops leaflets to build up extreme levels of doubt in the troops:
The cylinders are then loaded - 20 at a time - into the empty canister of a now-defunct, Vietnam-era Rockeye cluster bomb, and loaded onto F-18 bombers, which can carry as many as 120,000 leaflets in two canisters on a single mission. Up in the air, the canister is dropped and split open with a small fuse.
And finally, yes they do have the facilities to create/print forms, intructinos sheets, manuals, orders, menus, newspapers, brouchures, signs and banners.
November 9, 2004
Nearly four years ago. in my first message to the Justice Community. I wrote to each of you of my goals for this noble Department: to "uphold the American justice tradition that strives to bring protection to the weak, freedom to the restrained. liberty to the oppressed, and security to all."
Today I write to you at the close of my time as the Attorney General, gratified that together we have accomplished our goals. On November 2nd, I submitted to the President my intention to resign from the office of Attorney General of the United States, effective upon confirmation of my successor.
As I take leave of this high office, I am filled with gratitude to you, the men and women of the Department of Justice, for an extraordinary period of service that has ushered in an extraordinary era of justice and security for the American people.
We live today in an America that is safer and stronger than ever before; an America where freedom is not a promise but a birthright, not a dream but a reality. In partnership with the American people we have compiled a record of achievement that is remarkable if judged merely by peacetime standards. But for a time of war, your record is awe-lnspiring.
For three years since the worst attack in our nation's history, and in defiance of all expectations, America has not endured another major terrorist attack. Violent crime is at its lowest rate in three decades. We have engineered double-digit reductions in the rates of sexual assault, robbery and assault. Gun crime prosecutions are at a record high and violent crimes committed with guns are at a record low. Drug use among the nation's youth is declining. Corporate criminals are facing justice, and integrity has been restored to the nation's marketplace. America's values, as set forth in our Constitution, reflected in our laws, and cherished in our hearts, have been honored and defended.
Throughout our nation's history - throughout the history of civilization - men and women have struggled to define and to achieve justice. The opening words of the Constitution tell us that "to establish justice" is one of the founding reasons for the United States. Justice is the great striving of our nation, and the eternal hope of our hearts. But still we are left with the question: What is justice?
After three decades of public service and four years as your Attorney General, I am confident in this answer: You are justice. You are the eyes that watch over the nation. You are the hands that uphold equal justice before the law. You are the feet on the street that nurture and protect our inalienable right to live in freedom. I join with the American people in humbled gratitude for your service to the nation.
Lastly, speaking for myself, I express my gratitude to God for the each day the sun rises on a free and safe America. For the past three years, my every working day has begun with a report - a catalog of the murderous acts being plotted against Americans, That we have passed these three years in safety and security is a credit to you. But it would be the height of arrogance to assume we achieved this alone. The Psalms remind us: 'Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stands guard in vain."
My friends and colleagues, for four years we have stood watch together. We have endured many things and we have accomplished many more. It has been the honor of my lifetime to stand beside you. And as I take my leave of this privileged post, I know that our efforts have not been in vain. The Builder of our city and the Author of our freedom has stood beside us. He stands beside us still.
(signed John Ashcroft)
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
No doubt inspired by his evil master's stunt when he said 'Mission accomplished', and about as true.
I have rarely seen a more unsavoury character than John Ashcroft - the kind of person that combines powerlust and unlimited ambition with narrowminded intolerance and smallishness. He will not be missed.
But the big - and frightening - question is: who have they been able to find that is worse? I can't imagine the Bush administration replacing this icon of hate-driven hypocrisy with a better (as in more open-minded) person.
The political spectrum isn't a line, it's a circle: go far enough to the right and you'll wind up appearing on the left. In countries with a full political spectrum, rather than the narrow band that the US displays, you'll find that often the two extremes agree with each other more than they do with other moderates of their supposed leanings. Some of the rhetoric may differ, but the end result is the same. As someone mentioned Stalin, compare with Hitler. One as far left as could be, the other far right in traditional terms. End result? Two brutal authoritarian dictatorships, both engaged in mass murder for the good of the state.
He's resigning to clear the way for Bush to appoint him to the supreme court, according to vague rumours on the internet. If you thought he was dangerous as Attorney General you ain't seen nothing yet.
Would that be (Scary +1) or (Scary -1) ?
Now that I think of it, I wouldn't know. Scary -1 sounds like parental control and Scary +1 is just scary in itself.
Hans
"Say, John, you ever catch that person(s) who were mailing ANTHRAX all over the country? You know, ANTHRAX, that EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS disease? "
So, tell us, oh Insightful One, how you would go about accomplishing this?
Armchair quarterbacks--or Attorneys General--have plenty plans, but few or no tactics. Prove this wrong. Supply effective tactics.
Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.
Kiss my Ashcroft,
That's all I've got's to say,
Kiss my Ashcroft if you're Moslem, Black or Gay,
Kiss my Ashcroft,'cos your'e gonna rot in Jail,
'Cos I ain't giving you no lawyer, no trial, no bail.
Just want to point out that when Ashcroft ran for office in missouri, he lost to a DEAD GUY.
And yes, I voted for the dead guy.
Living in missouri, it was actually the last time i felt that my vote had actually counted.
Bush and his entire Criminal gang would do likewise.
Geek Hillbilly
You are completely right, except that you seem to imply that "communist" is a valid insult. I know the US has a history of thinking this, but it doesn't make much sense.
Communism, like socialism, wants to solve the problems of life by letting people cooperate. By contrast, in capitalism, the problems are supposed to be solved by competition. In communism, the idea is to cooperate in "communes", village-sized communities of cooperating people.
What many people (especially US) call communism nowadays, is what was happening in the Soviet Union. As most people agree nowadays, that didn't have much to do with communism, and a lot with totalitarianism. As that is generally opposed, it can be used as a valid insult. Communism can be called unrealistic, but I think it still doesn't make sense to use it as an insult.
At least I never understood why people who live by the rule "let's together make the world a better place to live" can be used as an example of how not to live...
...until you hear about his replacement, Joe Stalin.
Your service to your country and to your president has been exemplary. While it is easy to sit back and take pot shots and criticize, you walked a course where nothing you could do would be popular, yet almost everything you did was with the security of the people of the United States in mind with no thought of your popularity or approval rating. Thank you, sir, for your service.
This is clearly the first step in what will be a supreme court nomination for John Ashcroft.
With 2 Supreme justices over 80 years and one with cancer something has to give, and who else but Bush's poster boy to take the seat?
GOD HELP US! OH wait, is that Ashcrofts god, your god or my god I'm referring to? Better play it safe since we don't know what a "real" religion is...something help us!
The Power of nighmares
This is a bbc documentary series that questions the Bush administration spin.
Communist or "conservative", they are both authoritarian, and both prefer big centralized government. And let's not forget that most "conservatives" today are more than willing to endorse socialism. They may differ on certain policies, but I definitely wouldn't say they are "complete opposites".
NUFF SAID
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
Gorman: All right, the area's secured.
-- now where did I put that
The federal constitution supercedes state constitutions. Many states do not carry the death penalty on their books and do not execute anyone accused for a crime that is convicted by state courts. However, cases in the federal government's jurisdiction are, by definition, not tried under state (or protectorate) law but under federal law. See separation of powers...
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.
Wait, you say - there was no terrorist attack at Y2K new year. Exactly! When Richard Clarke made the same warnings to Clinton that he made to Bush, Clinton began meeting with him every morning, and they established measures to help hinder terrorists.
What I'm telling you is that Bush did a bad job of preventing the terrorist act that actually happened, that he had advisors telling him to watch out for it, and that the American people rewarded him for his willful ignorance.
See:
Re: Ashrcroft - "Come see the violence inherent in the system! Help help! I'm being repressed!"
You have two hands and one brain, so always code twice as much as you think!
You know, there is a lot of room for disagreement on the tactics and their execution. But we can even have that debate when people are all running around in the fever swamps purposefully engaged in disingenuous behavior.
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.
- Refused a multi-million dollar donation from the prince of Saudi Arabia to help the victims of 9/11, which came with a suggestion (not a condition) to adopt a more modest foreign policy, because he wanted to send the message that he won't even think about "blaming the US for terrorism", honest donation be damned.
In other words, he's loyal to the policies of the US government, and wouldn't dare think for himself. He's the perfect candidate!... because the word liberal has been misappropriated by socialists. Now, when people talk about being liberal, what they really mean is that they are socialists (or socialist-lite, quasi-socialist, or whatever you want to call it). Libertarians have to call themselves that because their word (liberal) has already been stolen from them as far as it's use in the common vernacular.
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.
The FBI DOES still need search warrents. The only difference is that the circumstances under which the FBI can get the warrant issued under seal (in secret) has been expanded. If you don't think courts should be able to keep this information secret then you have problems with a lot more than the patriot act.
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.
Mission Accomplished!
We can now all return to our normal lives.
Thank you for your patience.
The only way John Ashcroft will sit on the bench will be if he literally sits himself in one of the chairs while the court is adjourned.. And we have Arlen Spector from my home state of PA to thank for that.. He has already stated,(as head of the senate juduciary committee) that he will not allow a SCJ to be installed that will take away a womans right to choose etc.. So Lil Johnny is dead in the water.. THank whatever god you wish..
So many injustices..so little time..
ABOUT 4 YEARS TOO LATE!
The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.
Would have been nice to hear about before the election.
-Colin
Regardless of your beliefs on him and his actions, a consistent policy is important to thwart future problems.
The uncertainty in new leaders coming too often leads to a ' let's see what we can get past the new guy ' mentality.. At least with a hardnosed incumbent, you know what to expect and there is less 'testing of the waters'.
And as a disclaimer, there are a *lot o*f things he's done in the 'anti-citizen rights' arena that I don't agree with, but I think it would still be best for him to stay.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
I went to the bank yesterday to deposit some money so I could pay some bills. The teller asked for some ID. I was only makig a deposit. I've never been asked for ID before unless I was making a withdrawl. When I asked her why she needed ID, she said "It's part of the patriot act." Really blew my mind.
Insert Generic Sig Here:
I dealt with the warrant issue already in response to another poster's rantings.
With regards to the comment about "enemby combatants", there is actually a long standing part of US jurisprudence that recognizes that combatants in a war aren't considered US civilians and aren't entitiled to constitutional protections, only those afforded by the UCMJ and perhaps international conventions. The issue now is that it is much less cut-and-dried now exactly who constitutes an "enemy combatant", POW, unlawful combatant, etc. as these laws were written in a time where the current situation was not fully anticipated and thus the laws are vague (or don't address at all) the current situation. There are legitimate arguments on both sides as to how exactly these laws are should be interpreted
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.
--- There are two kinds of people, those who accept dogmas and know it, and those who accept dogmas and don't know it
A filibuster can be defeated by a vote of Cloture, which is something the Republicans will not be shy to use if needed. Expect to see them wield their majority in many issues in the coming years.
It just goes to show the sort of people who are appointed to the top Gestapo office in the USA.
John Ashcroft is a member of Opus Dei, an ultra medieval Catholic cult approved by the Vatican. The Pope is a member and approves this organization which has only recently opened a major new address in New York, a new building near the UN.
Opus Dei, from what I've learned about them from Gore Vidals writing, is a sick cult of neofascist ultra fundementalists who have gone back into the Dark Ages as inspiration for a secret religious ideology where members are expected to reject modern science, feminism, and humanity as anti-god. Like thier medieval inspirations, members subject themselves to blood rites.
Ashcroft himslef is said to wear a spiked brace that cuts into his skin as a symbol of his original sin and Christs suffering on the cross.
That's kind of silly rubbish that runs the highest offices of law in the USA.
The USA is insane. Run.
even if im not gay.
Think of all the hotties they'll force you to have sex with?!?!?
He eliminated crime and terrorism? I hope someone told the criminals and the terrorists. It is like saying "I've eliminated bad feelings and thoughts."
Seeing that there was crime on the front page of today's paper I'd have to disagree. What an arrogant jackass.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
Does any one notice that he hand wrote his note because he felt that his computer was not secure enough to keep his resignation a secret until he was ready? Does this not epitomize the whole problem? The Attorney General of the United States of American can not trust his own computer.
see the Wikipedias entry on fascism
Several aspects of the extreme people in the republican party would be easily considered fascist. The republican party's use of propaganda is unmatched by any other party in the US. They've used nationalism to the extreme since 9/11. The increasing power of the religious right is also making it so that they put the interests (or rights) of the state (or society) above those of the individual.
it's important to remember that no country will be 100% catagorizable. It's unlikely that we'll see another fascist country like italy again. Labels fit existing and former governments and wont be 100% accurate on future ones.
Except that in this country (the US) the word "liberal" has been hijacked to mean socialist, or left wing. Libertarian is the new word for what liberal used to mean: someone who believes in complete economic and social freedom.
I don't think this one was Bush's decision.
You mean it was God's decision?
Duke: "Yeah, let's go get sushi and not pay!"
Repoman
Kerry was failing to show at his job long before he ran for office. You *should* know that about your candidate but if you want to pretend otherwise....
r g/) isn't an identifiable person. Answer the ideas, don't attack the person who presents them. That's always a good sign the attacker is a clueless git.
You can't tell the difference between taking personal responsibility for *being right there* for the specific act (or failure to act) on the spot that killed that poor woman vs. making a foreign policy decision based on imperfect intelligence? You *should* know the difference but if you want to pretend otherwise....
You think a man like Saddam Hussein is good for the Middle East or the Iraqi people? You think democracy is a bad thing? You think Muslims are too stupid/barbaric/whatever for democracy? You *should* know better but if you want to pretend otherwise....
You are the one out of touch with the world. People need freedom. If you think "stability" at any price is the best way to run the world, then you're in favor of men of Hussein, Stalin, and other brutal murdering dictators.
You come on here all snarky about a few drinks and a blowjob but really you're just a partisan leftist nuthead who would make any excuse for anyone on his side of the aisle while granting nothing to those who disagree with you.
Bush is not perfect. He has made mistakes. Men do that. When you're unwilling to grant any mistakes have been made by your guys you reveal yourself to be worse than what you accuse others of being. There is no rational thought behind your attacks, just extreme blind partisanship.
As far as posting AC or not, this entire forum is anonymous anyway. fnkmaster@@@viergy...com>
(http://www.hardgrok.o
... this guy was the worst thing that happened to his presidency. Good ridance and I hope we can work on undoing his damage, all of us. We need freedom.
The arrogance, "america is secure...", jerk.
No one can stop you from praying in school. Shut up and pray SILENTLY. Do not disturb people who are there to learn. Do not have the whole class reciting a prayer out loud, led by the teacher, implicitly threatening those who do not want to participate.
Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
It was quite clever, keeping much of the control but without giving it to any one agency. Interestingly enough, the main layers behind modern Federal Germany were indeed the allies, and particularly the Americans.
Do you mean the boob in the foreground or background?
1984+20: Ignorance Is Strength
The proper role of a Supreme Court Justice is not to be moderate. Or liberal. Or conservative. Or a follower of any ideology. It is to judge evidence with respect to the law, and law with respect to the Constitution, and make decisions accordingly.
Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go watch NASCAR."
You are clearly unaware of the homoerotic imagery rife in NASCAR: the body hugging fetishistic fire-suits, the in-car close ups of drivers grasping their gear sticks, the winner's giant magnum spurting over the crowd, yes, YES, YESSSSSS!!!
*Ahem*...
I guess this means I can throw out my duct-tape and plastic wrap!
Sweet!
THINK! It's patriotic
You forgot one thing:
Giuliani is pro-choice.
He will not be the next Attorney General.
Why this country elected a man who deserted the military and did not fulfill his commitment in the first place is beyond me...
'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'
I think this is a typo. I believe he originally meant "for", not "from".
Many of us in this country get the impression (though few are stupid enough to state it as explicitly as you have) from the Democratic Party that they want to see the country fail so they can be right. This is the definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face, and frankly it's pathetic. I didn't vote for Bush or Kerry, though of the two I think Bush is a marginally better choice (i.e. the lesser of two evils), and while I refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils, I don't want either democrats or republicans to "suffer financial & exonomical devistation". If Kerry had won, I would like to see financial and economic success for the country. I really do wish that people like you would get the hell out of this country which you so obvioiusly hate. Damn, wishing ruin on half the country just so you can feel some smug satisfaction. What an asshole. I haven't yet found anyone who inspired me enough to make my friends or foes list. Congradulations, you'll be my first entry. Guess which side you'll be on.
And something else has been bugging me since shortly after Iraq II started. There's a comparison to be made between the English East India Company escapades and the Oil wars.
The English socialized the costs of the East India Company, and the profits went to private persons instead of back to the people. Look at England now, their taxes are sky high. We're doing the same thing now; the people are paying for the war (and massive tax cuts for the rich), and the benefit goes to 1% of the population.
For those who complain about paying 20% income tax, remember who did all this when you're paying 80% income tax.
Bush doesn't bother to tax - he just spends. And that's a helluva lot worse.
"A witty saying proves nothing." ~Voltaire
"d'Oh!" ~Homer
Half the country is not bible thumpers! The majority of the country falls into one of these four catagories:
1) bible thumpers
2) greedy plutocrats
3) warhawks
4) ignorant sheeple drinking the government Kool-aid
This collection of asshats and morons are why Bush won. It isn't entirely the bible thumpers fault!
That's contested, though. Most people agree that Bush did indeed serve in the Reserves. Some people contest this, but they haven't been able to offer up any proof. (On either side.)
There's an MP3 out there somewhere where John Kerry says "Do I consider myself a war criminal? Yes." That's pretty black-and-white.
You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
Gonzalez to replace Ashcroft. This guy is a madman. He "fought with Congress to keep the details of Vice President Dick Cheney's energy commission meetings secret and defended the administration's right to detain terrorism suspects indefinitely without formal charges and to deny them access to counsel or to protection from the court system".
Do not celebrate just yet. You may soon wish Ashcraft back.
Every time I think the world cannot get any more fucked, it does.
Well, gee, how can anyone argue against that? I mean, you're talking about the man's undocumented "hopes" and "dreams", and are delving into his subconcious mind.
On an unrelated topic, I'm convinced that you'd rape your own mother if you thought you could get away with it.
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
Wasn't he the one who wrote the memos indicating that the US could use torture and suspend the normal course of due process when it comes to the, so-called, "enemy combatants?" Whatever this is, it's not a win for civil rights advocates. It looks like Bush found the one person who's more conservative than Ashcroft, and woo, he happens to be a person of color.
That doesn't apply to Ashcroft. Ashcroft clearly thinks that everything is all peachy, that he has secured America from crime and terrorism. A nihilist would be a hippie-type who would want to tear down social organizations like marriage. He is the complete opposite of that.
I understand that you're critical of him because he wants to tear down pornography and recreational drug usage, but you can't call him a nihilist because he doens't believe in those things.
This is a silly argument.
My other first post is car post.
Wait, are you trying to say that people are only what they express in PR-type things like resignation letters? That their policies don't have anything to do with the reality of their policies, but only what they state in press-targetted documents?
Ashcroft has worked to tear down every last vestige of a good number of long-standing legal traditions in the US, from the right to a fair trial, right to legal council, federal non-interference with state ballot issues, gun control, reproductive rights, separation of church and state, etc, all from an office which is not supposed to have the authority to do such things.
That's it, Mr. Giraffe, get all the marmalade.
Tanks show up at an anti-war protest. Did I see this at CNN or MSNBC or Fox News? No. Boing Boing raised my awareness, pointing me to independent media. If I'm lucky, CNN might report on this days late, buried somewhere in their web site to be found by a drilled search. Hoo boy. That's if I'm lucky.
"You are comparing Ashcroft to Palmer and your point is, "hey it could have been worse!"? That is insane."
Actually, to me the point of the parent was "It was worse" in response to someone saying that Ashcroft was the "worst ever."
"The emergence of advanced technology and data centralization has a very real effect on how these laws affect our freedoms in more powerful ways then they did in the pre-World War I era."
If anything, I'd say the internet makes it more difficult. Without sounding too much like a 1990's idealist, it's kind of difficult to burn the internet compared to books and pamphlets. Facists and self-styled communists were more than able to set up an oppressive police state with Twentieth Century (or even Nineteenth Century in some cases) technology. It all hinges on a citizen's willingness to turn somebody else in, because even today, in order to keep an eye on 50% of US citizens would require the FBI to employ the other 50%.
"You don't live in fear of Mulah Omar leading a popular rebellion in which all of our property is seized and redistributed do you?"
Nor did we truly live in fear of such a socialist revolution. The high-water mark for the Socialist Party in the US was 1920, when presidential candidate Eugene Debs got 3.5% of the popular vote. It went downhill from there.
"Before I cease I will just say that I think if terrorists had these types of weapons they would attack Isreal, not NYC."
If that were true, NYC wouldn't have been attacked to begin with. Bin Laden doesn't really care about the Palestinian cause, if for no other reason than because he rejects the concept of the nation-state outright. Arab nations and Arab interests only hate Israel slightly more than they hate each other. His plans call for a pan-Islamic superstate stretching across at least one hemisphere, and the US, currently the world's most powerful nation-state, stands as a natural obstacle to this goal and will draw fire from him in and of itself, separate from its support of Israel.
Also note that the Arab nation-states are also bin Laden's natural enemy, since they're the first ones that need to be dissolved into his vision of a kingdom of Allah on earth. For the most part, the lip-service he pays to the Palestinian cause is because it's popular and is one of the few things most Arabs and Muslims can agree on. By the same token, Palestinian support of bin Laden is only because he attacks an ally of Israel, not because they want to live in the same country as Jordanians or Syrians.
Either that or people are angry because they can no longer anonymously check-out communist literature from public libraries. It's not like the Democrats would ever infringe on our rights and disallow us from things like smoking in bars or driving cars without seatbelts.
But how on earth could my representative use "their best judgement" if they didn't read it and debate it, before voting on it and passing it into law?
I know they didn't read it - they got it (out of thin air - one would think that was a big red flag), a several hundred page long document. I don't know about you, but it takes me a while to read anything 500+ pages long, but then again I am not a fast reader. They had gotten this thing, and somehow read it and passed it within a week or so - how could they have read it, let alone debated it?
Simple - they didn't. For all the faults in Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11", he did honestly get on film several examples of congressmen flat out stating they didn't read it before they passed it.
How, pray tell, does this represent me in any way? How can one make an informed descision about anything without reviewing it? The simple answer is, YOU CAN'T!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
Dude, his mom is hot!
the term fascism has just as obscure a meaning as conservatism, if not more so
Isn't an 'obscure' meaning a good thing in this context? I take that to mean narrowly defined, a quality in which terms like 'liberal' and 'conservative' are sorely lacking.
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Cheney to get locked in his coffin as he sleeps after feeding on the blood of the living as I've been told he does on a daily basis.
Shouldn't that be "turns into a pile of dust after accidently walking into direct sunlight"?
Also, I think Speaker of the House is third on the succession list.
I forget who's after that.
And you might get arrested if you ask people about that.
I hate Liberals and Conservatives.
If you are a Liberal or a Conservative, then HAVE A NICE DAY!
Courage.
The problem is that these "enemy combatants" fit neither the definitons of a civilian or a POW according to the GC. They are (basically) an unanticipated third party that does not (and should not) be treated as civilians, nor do they qualify for the protections afforded to POWs, since they don't meet the definition of a POW either. So how SHOULD they be treated? It's a real good question.
----- Question authority, but not ours. Hate the man, but we're not him.