Such A Bad Idea

Hullabaloo

We are several months away from the Obama Administration making a decision on whether to put into motion a practice of preventive detention, so that the government can hold terror suspects captured around the world without charges and despite a paucity of evidence. Despite federal judges finding that the government lacks evidence to imprison suspects in 28 out of 33 habeas corpus hearings on Guantanamo detainees so far, the White House, at least in early reports, wants to set up a system to keep those who they cannot charge but do not want to release. The courts have invalidated the 2006 provision in the Military Commissions Act that would have eliminated the right of habeas corpus for all Guantanamo detainees and so-called "enemy combatants," but the Administration is pondering a system to effectively deny that right anyway and detain suspects at their discretion for indefinite periods.

It's instructive to see examples of a system where a chief executive can lock up whoever they choose indefinitely without charges. Yesterday, citizens in Malaysia struck out in protest:

This can never become a country where it is ok to toss people in jail without charge. Habeas corpus is central to our system and it must not be allowed to be weakened.

The fact that Obama is even considering this makes me sick to my stomach.

Road Trip to NC upcoming?

Mike Hess - Hard Boiled - Carolina Barbecue? Pretty Damn Awesome - True/Slant

N.C. barbecue is different, as it’s vinegar based rather than tomato based. Instead of dry rubs or gloppy sauces fueled by molasses, they opt for thin, tangy dressings in North Carolina (especially ‘Eastern N.C.-style bbq). I had a feeling I’d dig this because I’m an acid freak, but wasn’t sure how it’d play out being that people were tinkering with my concept of barbecue.

Let me tell you: It works.

Just go read the rest of the piece. I got a chubby just from the pictures!

Michelle Malkin - The Pride and Joy of ABC

Michelle Malkin gets slapped down for bogus claim that people would rather receive unemployment than work | Crooks and Liars

There's no shortage of wingnuts out there, so why would George Stephanopoulos invite on someone too crazy for even Bill O'Reilly? Only people with a Malkin brain would believe and push across the notion that Americans would rather collect three hundred dollars a week on unemployment insurance rather than get a job that supplies benefits and pays a salary.

Michelle Malkin is barely intelligible at the best of times and even too crazy for FOX. What is ABC thinking inviting this evil, eliminationist witch on what is supposedly their flagship news show?

Who is next? Are they going to dig up the rotting corpse of Jesse Helms and give him a shot?

Pammy The Loon Strikes Again

Atlas Shrugs: CNN Tells, Sells More Lies About Palin -- it's Time to Expose the truth about Obama

Why isn't CNN pursuing the nude pornographic photos of Obama's mom, Stanley (unretouched pictures here and here and here) allegedly taken by Frank Marshall Davis in his apartment. Obama's spiritual father, Davis was a child rapist and famous communist. I never ran the pics, as it was unseemly and wasn't relevant. But this assault on Palin is too disgusting. It's time to tell the ugly truth about the enemy in the White House and his whores in the media. It is Obama operatives who are spreading the Palin lies. I strongly recommend that conservatives start sending emailing these family pictures. They know we won't play dirty, so it's time to play dirty.

Conservative loons don't play dirty? What the fuck is Pammykins smoking.

On Taxes and Healthcare

Sebelius: Possible tax on rich for healthcare - CNN.com

Appearing on the NBC program "Meet the Press," Sebelius said a tax surcharge on wealthy Americans is "a legitimate way to go forward."

The taxes would start with people making $350,000.

She noted the tax surcharge provision in a House proposal was one of several options under discussion to help pay for overhauling the nation's ailing health system.

Cue the screaming from the media about how terrible it is to raise taxes. People making $350,000 or more per annum make up something like 2% of the working population.

For the record, for those about to say that I am just some cheeto eating blogger in my mom's basement who is jealous of the rich and want to steal there money and give myself stuff, it is true that I am not in that fortunate 2% but I make in excess of double the median income in my state and I honestly wouldn't mind paying a thousand or two more a year in taxes if it meant that everyone in the state got proper heath care.

But hey, I am just a silly liberal.

Holy Fuck

Thanks to Jane Hamsher over at Firedoglake for posting this. There is nothing that I can add other than let Pat speak for himself.

A good way to look at it.

From Brad over at Sadly, No!.

The common wingnut meme about my home state is “ZOMG YOU PAY SO MUCH IN TEH TAXES!!11!!” Well yeah we do. And there’s a reason for that: we like having good public schools, strong public health programs and well-funded police departments. Because as much as paying taxes can suck, it beats the hell out of having your children wind up ignorant, infected with STDs or dead.

Taxes are the price to pay for civilization, my friends. If you really want to go to a country featuring real economic freedom, may I suggest Somalia?