That a man with such authoritarian and regressive tendencies and demonstrated disdain for the principles that underlie our constitution and political process as Ashcroft should come out on the side of the constitution and those very principles and processes--for whatever reasons be they principled or personal--is an astonishing implicit indictment of this administration, and most specifically Bush's inner circle, and their utter contempt for these things. Simply unbelievable.

I think that we have come to the brink of a major, major tipping point. They have been all but encircled, and are now circling their wagons in preparation for that final showdown.

A question to you legal and political experts out there. Can Bush wait for the next senate recess and then have Gonzo step down and appoint someone else as a recess apointment--someone like Olson, Bork or Silberman? And if so, can Reid keep the senate formally in session by having one or two senators convene a brief session each morning, or is a quorum required, and could a Repub successfully challenge this?

Bush, his top officials, and his remaining allies in congress and elsewhere, are left with relatively few options and ways of defending themselves at this point, with so many rats jumping ship and turning or set to turn against them, and so much damning and irrefutable evidence emerging. They will now be at their most vicious and dangerous. I wouldn't rule anything out, including a manufactured false flag and/or provoked attack by Iran to justify going to war with it--or, perhaps, something else on such an awful scale (and you all know what I'm implying).

Take away their lies, their fear and smear-based propaganda, their stonewalling, their dirty tricks, their bluster and bluffing and bloviation, and they've got NOTHING, except for the unthinkable. Which is precisely why we need to think about it.

I have to say that despite one proof after another that no crime was too egregious for this administration that I would never have believed that they could come up with something John Ashcroft would refuse to do.

Presumptuous Insect:

What will it take?

An inside scoop that they recorded Paris Hilton's phone conversations with Lindsay Lohan?

Actually, I suspect the implications of the continual unremitting revelations have gotten through to the public and are having an impact, despite the MSM's apparent effort to minimize how serious the disclosures are.

But who ever pays for these crimes? I think I will never live to see even a low level Bush criminal face justice, much less see the real culprits brought to justice.

Umm...Scooter Libby, that's who. Duke Cunningham, that's who. Bob Ney, that's who. Jack Abramoff, that's who. Want more? How about Tom DeLay, John Doolittle, Rick Renzi, Conrad Burns, Rick Santorum, Monica Goodling, Paul McNulty, Donald Rumsfeld, etc.--each of whom has either faced legal investigation, indictment and/or a loss of reputation, power and position, as a result of being a part of the vast right-wing corruption conspiracy.

And the process of bringing them and many others to justice is still very much in its preliminary stages. This will get worse for them. Much, much worse. There will be no sweeping under the carpet here as in Iran-Contra. Our attack dogs like Leahy, Conyers, Waxman and Emanuel will make sure of that. As will literally thousands of current and former federal employees. This is simply too vast and egregious--and too much of a political opportunity for hungry and ambitious young Dems--to sweep under the carpet. Principle and politics will make sure of that.

Which is precisely how the founders who designed our system intended it to work.

Someone get a rope.

These are an anachronism at best; legislation should be proposed immediately to get rid of them.

Impeach!

Can't wait to hear how Snow spins this testimony, assuming the lap dog press even brings it up. And I'm sure Bush will give his unwavering support for a true patriot like Gonzalez who is out there fighting crime every day... or is that commiting crime? This administration's thurst for power, in the name of our lord W, knows no shame. Impeach the lot of them.

temperance: The AP headlines are getting a little more agressive, mentioning pressure on an ill Attorney General. Also, CNN now has a story on the testimony, complete with video of Comey's description of the hospital confrontation.

kovie: I share your hope that this is a tipping point. Let's hope it's truly the beginning of the end of this nightmare for the world (the end being the removal of the entire Bush cabal) and finally the end of the beginning. The many separate efforts that have been underway to fully document the criminal acts by this group of thugs appear to be coming together in wonderfully reinforcing fashion. It's now time to move to "next steps" toward impeachment. Large scale demonstrations, coordinated inundation of MSM with LTE's demanding action and deluging of Congress with demands to join in impeachment are all warranted at this time.

Don't suspend your disbelief yet... it's far too early.

This is off topic but it will kill you quicker. "Dirty Bomb at the dump"

Out of Control – On Purpose:

DOE’s Dispersal of Radioactive Waste into

Landfills and Consumer Products

Principal Authors:

Diane D’Arrigo

Mary Olson

Nuclear Information and Resource Service

Contributors

Dr. Marvin Resnikoff

Dan Guttman

Cynthia Folkers

Michael H. Gibson

May 14, 2007

Produced thanks to a grant from the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund

http://www.nirs.org/radwaste/outofcontrol/outofcontrolreport.pdf

H/T to TeamBIO

http://www.teambio.org/2007/05/new-report-finds-nuclear-weapons-materials-released-to-landfills/

Alberto on why Ashcroft’s testimony was not beneficial (it wouldn’t “add to the discussion”) :

"As a general matter, we would not be disclosing internal deliberations, internal recommendations. That's not something we'd do as a general matter, whether or not you're a current member of the administration or a former member of the administration."

The reason it wouldn’t “add” to the discussion is that Ashcroft “would not certify the legality” of the program.

However, if Ashcroft would have signed it, you can bet that Alberto and the administration would be trumpeting these “internal deliberations” at a very high volume.

If you support Bush policies, you can add to the discussion, if you don’t support them, you become irrelevant – it’s that simple.

Either you are a “loyal Bushie” with a total contempt for the rule of law, or you are irrelevant and unable to contribute to the debate.

Pick a side. Are you with Bush and the fight against terrorism? Or are you against Bush, and with the terrorists?

That’s how this argument is being framed; and it’s criminal in more ways than I care to elaborate upon.

We’ve really reached the point where supporting the “rule of law” as this country has always known it has become equivalent of being an ally of Osama Bin Laden.

Yes, it’s that simple.