...but I'm guessing that these posts are about the best Halberstam obituary published today.

I'm sure this question has been previously posed, but is there anything the readership of this blog can do to help disseminate this perspective? Like, does anyone have the email addresses for the attendees of that White House Correspondent's circle-jerk the other night? They all need to read this post, and the others like it.

But it might show, by contrast, what a functioning press looks like.

Via Crooks & Liars, check this article from the Guardian UK

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2064157,00.html

"I'll just mention one principle in particular which is important when writing about complex legal or policy matters: avoiding the easy route of "he said, she said" reporting, which does no favors to readers who don't have the time to become specialists in the subject themselves."

Thanks, Charlie. Here's hoping the rest of "Versailles" takes it to heart...

This is from TODAY!!

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/04/rush_limbaugh_p.php

I wuz gonna ask you where you live, but I'd rather cling to the notion that you actually reside in the middle of the Gobi desert or some such, and the imagery simply flows full-blown out of your (subconscious? doesn't seem accurate) wherever it comes from. Nice one.

Since I'm not a regular FDL reader, will you please enlighten me regarding how they're out of step w/ 99.99% of mainstream Democrats? What are they spoutin' off about over there that's so 00.01%?

About Tenet, the phrase "War Profiteer" springs to my mind.

Two personals:

Greysky, what is this town of which you speak? I grew up upstate...

mboehm popped in again. Wherefore art thou mboehm? We share both first initial and last name...

"How Would a Government Act?"

As opposed to a "cabal" I mean.

If you're so inclined, you can apparently vote for your favorite debate questions again. Because it's a new day perhaps?

I personally think the "Yes or No, do you believe in the Rapture?" question is an excellent idea. But I couldn't find it! Where is it? Bueller, anyone?

N/T

for the Diane Rehm show.. Let's see if I cam work in a h/t to GG.

"Mark from Dallas"

I excerpted this para. from a few days ago,

"While the Bush administration expressly adopts these theories to detain American citizens without charges, engage in domestic surveillance on Americans in clear violation of the laws we enacted to limit that power, and asserts a general right to disregard laws which interfere with the President's will, our media still barely discusses those issues."

and railed @ the panelists.

I don't know about transcripts, but the show itself will be online about Noon Eastern time. I'll post the link here.

General "News Round-up" panelists:

Matthew Continetti, associate editor for "The Weekly Standard"

Eugene Robinson, Washington Post columnist

Karen Tumulty, reporter, "Time" magazine

ER: Well we report this stuff

DR: Media not expressing public outrage

MC: Significant "Salon blogger was quoted". Bloggers driving media left.

http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/07/05/04.php#13170

AUMF dicussion ~2 min. in.

My comment/cite ~ 18:40 in.

~28:40 in...

I wuz wondering the same thing meself.

"Where in the world is m.b.f."?

Send this post to your respective Congresscritters. Everyone! Do it! NOW!!

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/mailapp/

...lest I be guilty of responding to YKW (You Know Who). But I've read this thread, and noone else has reacted, so I'm compelled to ask.

Am I the only one who laughed out loud at this?

"Thanks for the clarification, but I would certainly like to know what specifically I have done here in the total of TWO days that warrants you telling people to ignore me -- it usually takes people a lot longer to realize that about me."

I mean, c'mon. In the annals of trollery, that's pure comedy gold.

Carry on.

In Arne's tradition (HWSNBN), I cannot name names. You Know Who it is...

Some threads I read for elucidation, like the "Libertarian" thread that took on a life of its own. Viewed through a slightly different lens, this thread is pretty amusing.

And prunes, thank you. "Blowjobbed". I laughed at that remark also. With, though. Not at.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Bipartisan_bill_bans_warrantless_wiretapping_on_0511.html

From Raw Story:

Members of Congress from both parties succeeded in passing legislation that restricts the wiretapping of US citizens without warrants by the National Security Agency on Friday.

"When Congress said the Administration must get court approval for domestic surveillance, we meant it. Today, Congress reaffirmed that basic protection," said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who co-sponsored legislation included in the intelligence authorization bill that Congress passed.

Lack of notice by Versailles might underscore the premise of some of GG's media criticism.

Or, a bit of "Pay attention to FISA, we MEAN it!" language, sure to be ignored w/ impunity by Dear Leader, is simply not worth mentioning.

MCJOAN over @ Kos has a post about the FISA thing...

since yesterday morning, it seems.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/11/some-good-news-on-the-civil-liberties-front/

Are you a "moronic brown-shirted freak"?

Just checkin'. You remind me of somebody who "used to" hang around in here.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/11/191253/083

WASHINGTON, DC -The American Civil Liberties Union today cheered an amendment to the House Intelligence Reauthorization Bill that would prevent illegal domestic wiretapping by the government. The amendment, by Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), will reaffirm the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) as the only legal means of collecting electronic intelligence surveillance. The amendment was passed late last night by a vote of 245-178.

We'll see about that...

N/T