Thursday, September 28, 2006

"Rushing Off a Cliff"

A few days ago, I posted some thoughts about the appalling "antiterrorism" bill that has been sold as a compromise between the Bush Administration and the Senate. The House has passed it already, with 34 Democrats voting to support it, and all indications are that the spinelessness of the minority party will continue to be on display when the vote comes up in the full Senate.

Today's NY Times has an editorial that talks, precisely, about why this is such a terrible bill. It's depressing, but you should still read it.

After you do, you'll better understand what Molly Ivins meant when she said recently, George Bush is Photoshopping the Constitution.


[Update: 2006-09-28 20:30 EDT]: I apologize for not giving the link to the column in which Ivins had that great line, but here's another column by her on this torture bill. Opening lines:

Oh dear. I'm sure he didn't mean it. In Illinois' 6th Congressional District, long represented by Henry Hyde, Republican candidate Peter Roskam accused his Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth of planning to "cut and run" on Iraq.

Duckworth is a former Army major and chopper pilot, who lost both legs in Iraq after her helicopter got hit by an RPG. "I just could not believe he would say that to me," said Duckworth, who walks on artificial legs and uses a cane. Every election cycle produces some wincers, but how do you apologize for that one?

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