The brown shirt category need not be limited to low level nazi goons. Instead, define a brown shirt as anyone who internalizes the propaganda of some leadership group. They act with the ruthless and mindless certainty that god/nature/science/morality/pragmatism is on their side.

Every movement needs brown shirts. Far left idealists were obama's brown shirts before their post election disillusionment. Evangelicals were bush's brown shirts and have redirected their adoration to the now nebulous conceit called the republican party. Every movement needs brown shirts. The successful movements have them.

An accusation of being a brown shirt, it isn't an accusation of fascism. It's an accusation of low rank and muddled thinking.

Your contention appears to be that sex between children is pure and innocent. It isn't. The reason that "35 year old teacher" is preying on that little girl is because he hasn't emotionally matured. In other words, he's thinking like a 15 year old boy.

Your argument also seems to be that you would prefer that children be preyed on only by other children. Also, that no adult should be allowed to be successfully preyed on by children.

I agree that it is good to limit the number of people who prey on children. An arbitrary age restriction is as good as anything.

It's the "children" who like seducing adults that worry me. The current laws actually seem to encourage such behavior. Perhaps we need an entrapment or enticement addendum to the statutory rape laws to protect adults. Charging minors as conspirators has already been tried and defeated.

What I don't understand is why we have statutory rape laws while also accepting sexual activity amongst minors. Is it OK for two 15 year olds to get it on? Pregnancy and STDs are still an issue.

You bring up the example of the 14 year old girl who looks adult, is seeking sex, but has a 14 year old brain. All the laws do is determine from whom she can legally get sex, STDs, and pregnant. Under current laws, the only prey that can legally respond to her are other children. It doesn't make sense that anyone would trot out teen pregnancy rates or infection data when discussing statutory rape laws. The kids have proven themselves quite proficient at impregnating and infecting each other.

How do we justify laws that do nothing more than select sexual partners?

So easy to find in the age of google. The statute itself is pretty wordy and kind of interesting. For example, under WI law, an adult who allows sexual contact that was initiated by a minor is still guilty. Here's a summary. Nothing is gender specific.

Sexual intercourse with a person under 13 years of age: Up to 40 years in prison.

Sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years of age: Up to 25 years in prison.

Sexual intercourse with a minor at least age of 16: Up to nine months in prison.

I think diddy might be going by the name "Sean Combs" these days. Who knows. Who cares? It's kinda sad if keeping current on an entertainer's most recent self label is a big deal. You might as well lambaste Steele for wearing last year's tie.

In other words, find something of substance.

As for "alienating the base" - so what. Steele has said stuff about returning the republican party to its conservative roots. The so called base is a bunch of reactionary christian fundamentalists. The choice is to either alienate them or embrace them. It looks like the party is finally figuring out how toxic the fundies are.

Does anyone recall when Kevin Mitnick was charged with a crime? It seems to me that he was imprisoned for a bit over 4 years without even a bail hearing. This was under clinton and the case was well publicized amongst us nerds and geeks. The MSM, obviously, didn't care.

My point is that these transgressions by the U.S. government against U.S. citizens are far from new. Let's just call them "traditional values".

I'm glad Obama aired these legal opinions though. It shows that bushco formalized something that I hope had previously been performed in an ad hoc manner. Furthermore, Mitnick wasn't tortured, just jailed until he agreed to plead guilty of something.

Congrats, you're batting 800! The first four steps are correct.

1. Obama administration continues to push absurd viewpoints promoted by the Bush administration on state secrets.

2. Courts rule against these positions.

3. Obama administration appeals and appeals.

4. Higher and higher courts rule, strengthening the law. Finally, hopefully, the Supreme Court rules.

For step 5, obama looks to democrat Andrew Jackson for inspiration instead of to republican Abraham Lincoln.

5. obama announces "The Supreme Court has made their decision; now let them enforce it.

Please check out "Lapham's Rules of Influence" a wonderful little book. Also, a movie "The American Ruling Class". Both use fine humor and satiric wit to make some sad points.

I don't know if the majority of the right and left are frauds. I'm confident that the political class is predominantly frauds. Please note, the mainstream media and the many board room denizens are in the political class by virtue of the revolving door of government appointments.

I refered to "frauds on the left" just as you referred to "frauds on the right". Neither category is all inclusive. Thank you for linking to those rare and exceptional lefties who are not frauds.