Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay have the right of habeas corpus, just like everyone else. The ruling doesn’t mean they go free, or that they’re squeaky clean for that matter. It means that charges against them must be proven before they can be locked up forever.
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Politics
Politics
There are 1,051 posts filed in Politics (this is page 95 of 106).
Impeachment
Speaking of politicians with guts, Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s recent resolution calling for the impeachment of President Bush made me proud. Sadly, it may never get anywhere as long as Nancy Pelosi’s in charge but at least Kucinich has the guts to make the case.
I’m glad there are at least two members of Congress who take their constitutional duties seriously.
Truman
I’ve become addicted to PBS’s American Experience series profiling the Presidents. Last night was the second part of their program on Harry Truman and it didn’t disappoint.
I knew of some of the important things Truman accomplished but the program really put them into perspective for me. Here was a guy who had been a farmer and a failed small businessman that was chosen to be Vice President. Less than three months later, he becomes President and has to pull himself up by the bootstraps as Roosevelt had basically ignored him.
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Easley’s fist bumps
Barack Obama made a visit to Raleigh yesterday, kicking off a nationwide series of talks on the economy. The Progressive Pulse blog taunted Mike Easley for jumping on the Obama bandwagon late. I don’t think we should be so tough on him, however. You see, Easley was on the Obama bandwagon all along.
See that fist bump in the photo above? As evidenced by this poor display of fist bumpiness, Easley knew that whatever candidate he threw his support behind in the primary would become instantly unhip, consequently dooming Hillary Clinton. Fortunately, Obama has plenty of extra hipness to make up for Easley’s deficit.
Brilliantly played, Governor!
Raleigh Neighborhood College graduation
My Raleigh Neighborhood College graduation was on Thursday. If being elected valedictorian wasn’t enough, the flattering comments my classmates made about me were enough to make my head not fit through the door. I’m starting to think that might I have what it takes to play this game.
My speech was two pages, double-spaced and it was nothing special. I speak much better when I have a few points to make and can improvise how to move from one to another. When I’ve got a script to follow I’m hopeless. Ah, well, everything’s a learning experience.
As I said in my speech, its inevitable that I’ll be getting more involved with Raleigh. To what extent, we’ll see.
Ty-ed up in red tape
My officemates and I were out on an afternoon walk around the city when I ran into N.C. Rep. Ty Harrell. Almost literally ran into him: he was walking out of the municipal building with a cellphone to his ear just as we were walking by.
Once he got through with his call he told us about his odyssey to get the appropriate ABC permits for his fundraiser tonight at Artspace. He apparently had to go to at least four different agencies to get approval – including one where he needed a background check!
“I had to prove I’m a state legislator,” he said.
Unbelievable. Who knew what kind of red tape would be involved in hosting a party?
If you’re looking for something to do tonight (and you’ve got a little cash to contribute to his campaign), stop by Artspace tonight for Ty’s fundraiser. We’re lucky to have guys like him serving the state.
Tabloidism
Today the News and Observer put this story at the top of its front page. Its a story crowing about how mental hospital director Patsy Christian now won’t be able to hang a portrait of herself in the new Butner mental hospital thanks to an N&O story.
Of the legions of problems our state’s mental health system needing to be solved, this is what the N&O is most proud of? Getting a damn portrait removed? Is that how our fabled fourth branch of government is protecting our interests? Since when did the N&O become the paper equivalent of talk radio?
Is it any wonder that the newspaper business is in trouble?
Obama rally draws 75,000 in Oregon
Barack Obama’s rally yesterday in Portland, Oregon drew an eye-popping 75,000 people. That’s completely mind-blowing. You’ve got to admit there’s something magical happening.
Its shaping up to be an interesting November!
(h/t COD)
Younger than John McCain
Plenty of things are younger than John McCain, and now YouTube has a music video with a few of them.
PBS documentary on FDR
Kelly was out at a volunteer function last night, so for the first time in probably years I plopped down in front of the TV and channel-surfed. I was appalled at the crap that was on television: it was all just so dumb. Until I landed on PBS, that is.
The American Experience program The Presidents [self-playing Flash] was on and last night it featured Franklin Delano Roosevelt. For two hours I was captivated learning about his life from the time of his birth up to his becoming President.
I knew he was a great man but had no idea just how great he was until this documentary showed me. America was lucky to have a man like him during such troubling times in America.