One day into his administration, and Obama is already making leaps and bounds in removing the secrecy that so characterized the Bush Administration. In the sweep of a pen, Obama has made the process of governing more open and transparent. But the damage has been done. MSNBC's Keith Olbermann interviewed Russell Tice, a former National Security Agency analyst last night. Tice … Read More
Was Condaleeza Rice Our First Black (and Woman) President?
Section 1 of the 20th Amendment: The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of … Read More
The Truth About That McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit
It came up in a conversation I had the other day: the lady who sued McDonald's because her coffee was too hot. It's always the example tossed out by people whenever there is a discussion about frivilous lawsuits. Now, there are frivilous lawsuits filed everday. But the McDonald's Hot Coffee Lawsuit is not a very good example. Here's what most people … Read More
Dispatch From Red America
Life in NC is a Del Shores play: NC man shot by his stepfather ends up in same jail JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – A man who police said was shot by his stepfather ended up in the same jail with him after officers discovered outstanding arrest warrants against the victim. Police told The Daily News of Jacksonville that 37-year-old Richard Hayes … Read More
Change I Can Believe In
The Office Of Legal Counsel is an important executive position. The OLC gives legal advice to the president and, by extension, the executive branch. Among other things, it informs the CIA and the Department of Interior what it judges to be permissible under the laws, and its opinions are binding. Most people had never heard of the OLC before the Bush … Read More
Speedy Trials? Not In These Bad Economic Times
This is bad: The economic storm has come to this: Justice is being delayed or disrupted in state courtrooms across the country. Financially strapped New Hampshire has become a poster child for the problem. Among other cost-cutting measures, state courts will halt for a month all civil and criminal jury trials early next year to save $73,000 in jurors' per … Read More
Blago Arrest
I guess everyone knows about the arrest this morning of Illinois governor Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris — on corruption charges. What surprises me was how blatant his corruption was. I mean, the governor of Illinois gets to choose who fills Obama's now-empty Senate seat, so he literally auctioned it off. Or as the governor … Read More
SCOTUS Rejects Obama Birth Case
First Read reports: The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up a case that questioned whether President-elect Obama met the Constitution's requirement that only a natural-born citizen is eligible to be president. As is the court's usual custom, the request to take up the case was denied with no explanation. I blogged about the petition here. David Horowitz is … Read More
Breaking News: O.J. Sentenced
A good long one, too. 16 years. Eligible for parole in 6 years. Good. I guess it's really good for the "real killers" who won't have O.J. on their trail for a few years.
Supremes To Hear al-Marri Case
Background: al-Marri is a citizen of Qatar. He was in the United States, studying at Bradley University. He was arrested in Peoria, Illinois, in December 2001 on charges of credit card fraud, identity fraud, and a few other things. This charges were dropped when Bush declared him an "enemy combatant" in 2003. He's been sitting in Naval Consolidated Brig, Charleston in South … Read More
Challenge To Obama’s Presidency In The Supreme Court
This is wingnuttery at its wing-nuttiness. Even most right wing blogs think this is stupid. But it is out there. I'm talking about the claim that Obama isn't qualified to be President, because he is not a U.S. citizen. Some desparate people believe it, like Shiv Zieve, who writes a column entitled "Obama Too Important For The Supreme Court": President-elect Barack … Read More
BTW, It’s Unconstitutional For Hillary To Become Secretary Of State
Not that anyone cares. But, technically, she really can't become SoS. Not legally. It's because of a rather obscure clause in the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 6) called the Emoluments Clause, which reads: No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, … Read More
You Remember How They Used To Say That Things Would Go On Your “Permanent Record”?
In one case, it's frighteningly true. Georgia law tries to keep sexual offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a child-care facility. Noble idea. The problem is what Georgia deems a "sex offender". Wendy Whitaker was 17, a sophomore in high school. And one day, she performed consensual oral sex on another sophomore. The other student was 16, five months shy of turning … Read More
It’s A Control Thing
Orin Kerr asks "Why Do Conservatives Care So Much About The Courts?". He notes that a public survey shows that: When it comes to how they will vote in November, Republican voters say that the type of Supreme Court Justices a candidate would appoint is more important than the War in Iraq. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found … Read More
Now We Know Why The Gun Nuts Massively Accumulating Guns…
They're being manipulated by the NRA, which has become an industry shill: Please observe the November issue of the NRA magazine, the American Rifleman where the NRA tells its members how to vote, and the handy “wallet card” contained therein: If you’re like me, you’re surprised to hear about all these plans Obama has. I don’t remember hearing about … Read More