"The Grinch Factor"

(a poem by UVa law school professor Rosa Brooks:)

The Whos down in Who-ville

Were a tolerant lot:

Who Christians, Who Muslims — a Who melting pot.

Who Hindus! Who atheists! Who Buddhists, Who Jews!

Who Confucians, Who pagans,

And even Who Druze! The Who 1st Amendment's Establishment Clause

Said, "No creches in courts," and the Whos loved their laws.

Because somehow … they worked. The Whos rarely fought,

Mostly, each Who did just what he ought.

Every Who down in Who-ville

Loved the Consti-Who-tion a lot.

But the O'Reilly, who lived up in Fox-ville,

Did NOT!

The O'Reilly DETESTED the Who Consti-Who-tion,

He thought it was some sort of liberal pollution.

Now, please don't ask why, for I really don't know.

Perhaps it had something to do with his show.

It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.

Or it could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.

But I think that the most likely reason of all

May have been that his RATINGS

Were two sizes too small.

Well, whatever it was, bad ratings or tight shoes,

He stood there one Christmas, just hating the Whos.

"They're so multicultural," he sneered, "and wherever they're from,

They lack the good sense to just launch a pogrom!

There's no Who ethnic cleansing, no Who Inquisition,

If this PEACE can't be stopped, I may lose my position.

Those sensitive, tolerant Whos! It's quite grating.

I must think of something to fix my show's ratings!"

Go read the rest here.

Abramoff ready to flip

And this is quite honestly the worst news of the day for DeLay (and a few dozen other Republicans, and perhaps even a Democrat or two):

Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist under criminal investigation, has been discussing with prosecutors a deal that would grant him a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony against former political and business associates, people with detailed knowledge of the case say.

Mr. Abramoff is believed to have extensive knowledge of what prosecutors suspect is a wider pattern of corruption among lawmakers and Congressional staff members. One participant in the case who insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations described him as a "unique resource."

Whatever Ronnie Earle does or does not accomplish with regard to DeLay's crimes in Texas, this case will result in all manner of Republican indictments, resignations, and defeats at the ballot box next year.

The tsunami is coming, and the corruption is going to be washed out.

And there isn't a damn thing that can be done to stop it.

The Chronic shows two faces

A few days ago the Houston Chronic published their opinion regarding the unfairness of Tom DeLay's current legal proceedings:

DeLay Monday asked the appeals court to expedite the case. The court should grant DeLay's request. For DeLay, justice delayed equals political downfall and the lost power and prestige that go with it. If DeLay is found innocent of the remaining charges against him, he deserves a chance to return to the status quo ante.

My opinion: the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle really ought to get out of the business of telling a judge how to run his courtroom, and let this case run its course. If the timing is unfortunate for the defendant, then that's too bad for him.

But the news department made up for the edit board's faux pas by publishing the news of DeLay's lavish lifestyle as the self-declared "Federal Government":

Public documents reviewed by The Associated Press tell the story: at least 48 visits to golf clubs and resorts; 100 flights aboard company planes; 200 stays at hotels, many world-class; and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $200 for a dinner for two.

Instead of his personal expense, the meals and trips for DeLay and his associates were paid with donations collected by the campaign committees, political action committees and children's charity the Texas Republican created during his rise to the top of Congress. His lawyer says the expenses are part of DeLay's effort to raise money from Republicans and to spread the GOP message.

Put them together and a lifestyle emerges.

"A life to enjoy. The excuse to escape," Palmas del Mar, an oceanside Puerto Rican resort visited by DeLay, promised in a summer ad on its Web site as a golf ball bounced into a hole and an image of a sunset appeared.

The Caribbean vacation spot has casino gambling, horseback riding, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing and private beaches.

"He was very friendly. We always see the relaxed side of politicians," said Daniel Vassi, owner of the French bistro Chez Daniel at Palmas del Mar. Vassi said DeLay has eaten at his restaurant every year for the last three, and was last there in April with about 20 other people, including the resort's owners.

Wait a minute. DeLay eats a swanky French restaurant? Frequently?

It's over for him, then.

Moneyshot Quote of the Week: Cornyn vs. Feingold

Senator Box Turtle:

"None of your civil liberties matter much after you're dead."

Senator Russ Feingold:

"Give me liberty or give me death."

"Arrrgh! It's a Pirate's life for me"

Happy Hanukkah,
Bill O'Reilly!



Barbara Ann Radnofsky,
Texan for U.S. Senate 2006
No lyin'
No cheatin'
No stealin'
Read More...

I didn't realize that Andrea Mackris had poked Bill in the eye with her loofah ...

Spies like us

This latest police-state action by BushCo just almost leaves me speechless.

The president summoned the publisher and the editor of The New York Times to the White House two weeks ago in order to talk them out of printing the story they held back for over a year. (Let's see, what we doing about fourteen months ago?)

thirdparty at Kos asks some questions of the Times. Kuff posits the future scenario for supporters of domestic spying without FISA court approval.

The corpulent corporate media obediently reports that Bush has been "fiery" in "vigorously defending" his right to violate the Constitution.

Speaking of the Constitution, there will very likely be a crisis associated with these events, but that's provided our nation's leadership responds to it. Don't count on any Republicans doing so, and if the Democrats are able to have hearings, you'll never know about them if you only watch the teevee.

I remember one summer in the mid-'70s when we watched Congressional hearings gradually reveal the crimes of a President and his minions; they were conducted in bipartisan fashion and without as much rancor as would be seen today on FOX News.

No chance of that happening again.

So it's a good thing there are people blogging about it.

Spreadin' it around

I posted on some of the group blogs this morning, so if you're looking for some Sunday Funnies go here, and if you want hard news, go read about the homoerotic overtones associated with this announcement.

My Texas Gubernatorial Poll

is posted here. Go vote.

The overnight results are somewhat intriguing:

Who will you vote for in the March primary?

Felix Alvarado	5%
Chris Bell	30%
Bob Gammage	32%
Not voting -- signing Kinky's petition	30%
Other	2%

Votes: 40

Moneyshot Quote of the Week #2: Jack Cafferty

CNN's resident curmudgeon has really been coming out from under the ether the past few months:

Who cares about whether the Patriot Act gets renewed? Want to abuse our civil liberties? Just do it.

Who cares about the Geneva Conventions. Want to torture prisoners? Just do it.

Who cares about rules concerning the identity of CIA agents. Want to reveal the name of a covert operative? Just do it.

Who cares about whether the intelligence concerning WMDS is accurate. Want to invade Iraq? Just do it.

Who cares about qualifications to serve on the nation's highest court. Want to nominate a personal friend with no qualifications? Just do it.

And the latest outrage, which I read about in The New York Times this morning, who cares about needing a court order to eavesdrop on American citizens. Want to wiretap their phone conversations? Just do it.

What a joke. A very cruel, very sad joke.

You can watch him say it at C&L.

Bush flip-flops; now opposed to torture

While we were out Christmas shopping yesterday afternoon, the president came around to John McCain's opinion on torture:

President Bush reversed position yesterday and endorsed a torture ban crafted by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) after months of White House attempts to weaken the measure, which would prohibit the "cruel, inhuman, or degrading" treatment of any detainee in U.S. custody anywhere in the world.

The announcement of a deal at the White House yesterday was a setback for the administration, which had pressed the senator to either drop the measure or modify it so that interrogators, especially with the CIA, would have the flexibility to use a range of extreme tactics on terrorism suspects.

Dick Cheney has been banished to his bunker until after the holidays, his whips, chains and waterboards removed.

Courage wins Progressive Patriot award

And along with it comes $5000 from Russ Feingold for Courage's bid to represent the 21st Congressional District. I've previously written about his challenger and the Republican incumbent in the 21st, the atrocious Lamar Smith.

I met John Courage at Camp Casey this past summer. He is everything a Progressive Patriot could be. Visit his website and introduce yourself.

Can we call it fascism yet?

A truly appalling revelation from the New York Times today: they concealed, at the request of the Bush administration, the fact that the president of the United States authorized the National Security Agency to monitor the international phone calls and international e-mails of hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of people living inside the United States.

Wiretaps on Americans without judicial approval. And the Times held back the report for a year.

Fortunately, I see that even reaction from Congressional Republicans has been swift:

A key Republican committee chairman put the Bush administration on notice Friday that his panel would hold hearings into a report that the National Security Agency eavesdropped without warrants on people inside the United States.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said he would make oversight hearings by his panel next year "a very, very high priority."

"There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," said Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican and chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Other key bipartisan members of Congress also called on the administration to explain and said a congressional investigation may be necessary.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appeared annoyed that the first he had heard of such a program was through a New York Times story published Friday. He said the report was troubling.

Do you feel safer from terrorism yet, knowing that your government may be eavesdropping on you?

Today, Senate debate begins on the reauthorization of the USA Patriot act. Senator Russ Feingold will filibuster, with the support of GOP Senator Chuck Hagel and others.

Perhaps some sanity can be restored to the cause of civil rights. We'll have to watch this outcome to know for sure.

Update (today) : The Senate rejected the extension, 52-47, with these Republicans voting against: Hagel, Murkowski, Sununu, Craig, and in a last-minute switch to take advantage of a parliamentary tactic (so that he could call the question again at any time), majority leader Frist.