A key difference between the Nixon presidency and the current one is that the press did not like Nixon. So that when Nixon got in hot legal water, the press jumped on it. I remember sitting in front of the TV every night amazed at the new revelations.

Bush has gotten away with way more than Nixon could have in his wildest dreams, but if I didn't read the blogs, I'd never know about it. It's been a silent coup, aided and abetted by a silent or adoring press. The Dems ain't got no cajones, but I believe many of them don't read the blogs either and have no clue what's going on, nor do they have an outraged populace marching on their doorsteps to give them a backbone.

one can hate our political leaders no matter what they do

When what they do is start criminal aggressive wars, torture and disappear people, and ignore the Law, then, yup, pretty much gonna hate 'em.

Clinton did it, too! Therefore, it's all right!

I had no idea that Clinton was such a powerful figure among the Right Wing Authoritarian-Worshipers.

I believe I speak for most here, except Scooter, E-man, nablfrzr and a few other unfortunates, in saying that whoever Pres #44 is, we won't be saying, bbbbbut Bush did it, too!

whoever it was who said "please, God, not another libertarian vs. whatever slugfest".

Please?

And if God's not listening, maybe the sluggers will open their ears to the plea.

Good on John Kerry for saying it's time for those thirsty for war to send their own young people off to provide the blood for the drinking.

The thing that interested me about that chart on the update was that, prior to WWII, the number of people in the military retreats to nearly 0 between wars. After WWII, we were almost continually at war, but even when we weren't, the number of people in the military stayed relatively high, although with a downward trend. We have been severely militarized since WWII -- but the downward trendline probably upsets those brave uber-warriors like Kristol and Goldberg.

Let's get that dang line back down to 0, like it was pre-WWI. That's a good military number, far as I'm concerned.

Dean Barnett, 2007:

"It is surely a measure of how far we've come as a society from the dark days of the 1960s that things like military service and duty and sacrifice are now celebrated."

And I think that's a bad thing, Mr. Barnett. Military service is fine, so long as what the Military/Government is doing is fine. Should German soldiers in WWII be praised for their service, duty and sacrifice? If not, why not?

There's nothing inherently wrong with being a soldier, but nothing inherently great about it either.

I don't think military service should be glorified. If our country is under threat, it is up to us citizens to defend our shores. That is not glorious, it is simply rational. When we glorify our soldiers, and turn them into Warriors, then we are turning our country into an empire and ourselves and the "warriors" into slaves and wards of the state. Why else do the totalitarians spend so much time designing their Warrior Outfits?

Someone -- Arthur Silber? -- had a really good essay a month or so ago addressing this issue much more eloquently (and if it were Arthur, more heartbreakingly) and at great length. If I can remember/find it, I'll post a link.

And, I really enjoy illuminating the foibles of pompous jerks. scooter

Crikey, now he's shining flashlights all over hisself! (Comforting hint: foibles are not necessarily as small as they look by flashlight.)

And, since I'm blathering so much today, and avoiding work tremenjusly....WHO is the visiting Wolfboy? And welcome! You made me laugh out loud all three times you've posted.

I have been here before, but in the name of a certain Desert Father

Vale!

people are dying currently to defend your right to disagree shooter

Where? In Iraq? Those poor bast*rds are dying in Iraq to defend my right to disagree in the U.S.? You think Iraqis are going to come here and overthrow our government and get rid of the Bill of Rights? (If George, Dick, Eliot, Scooter, et al are Iraqis I might cede to your argument.)

Do you seriously think that? How are the Iraqis going to overthrow our government? Please share this interesting knowledge that you have.

While technically illegal, only a PC fanatic would harp about such things. PC fanatics are illegal? But I hate MAC's!!! I LOVE Windows!!!!?????? What's a girl to DO!!!!!???????

My, this topic certainly got the trolls going, didn't it? Direct challenge to their creed of Military Uber Alles is apparently very unsettling, and leads to a surfeit of Tough Guy Swagger. Iron sharpening iron, indeed.

An anonymous poster accusing me of being a wuss is a bit oxymoronic, no?

They didn't do anything wrong, but if they did do it it wasn't wrong, and if they don't do it, we'll all hafta wear burkas!!!! OMG!!!!

Bucky, I've frequently responded to Shooter's "why not bring back ALL the troops" thing that he trots out periodically, with a "yes, that's a great idea, I'm for it, too. Discuss." He has never responded.

Maybe he'll respond to you, but I doubt it. He doesn't bring up the subject as a legitimate discussion point, but as a "gotcha". Classic trollism.

Second, it seeks to restore FISA to its original focus on protecting the privacy interests of people inside the United States, so we don't have to obtain court orders to effectively collect foreign intelligence about foreign targets located in foreign locations.

What the hell does THAT mean?