http://www.democraticunderground.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:53:13 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:53:13 Over the bush years, there seems to have been an escalation of leveraged corporate buyouts. Given what we learned about the "fancy" structures used to hide debt ala Enron, and what we have learned about the effect of easy credit (due to the feds low rate binging that led to lower concerns for the r... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/40 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:05:56 Let's not pander to the media game of focusing on individuals who are losing their home, who to readers look like:
duh, how did you possibly think you could afford *that* house.

Yes their were some greedy lendees. Yes there were foolish lendees. And yes their were some foolish, greedy "flipper... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/39 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:33:35 Two articles today appeared - and pointed the direction of what should be dug into. The WaPo and McClatchy both talked about Rove's unprecedented use of Cabinet officials getting briefings - and then going to strategic campaign stops, with candidates, to announce federal monies being given to a dis... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/38 Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:58:49 If you do not believe in the responsibility of the Congress to provide oversight over the executive branch,

and,

you do not believe in the responsibility of legislating laws lies with Congress (that is, that laws as passed by Congress are to be followed - not laws created extra-constitutionall... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/36 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 13:43:20 Outside of right wing radio I have heard a few make comments, sounding sincere, expressing great fear that this country is about to be taken over by Jihadists. These folks genuinely fear that they will be "forced to convert" to Islam. Few say it outright, but each and every person who justifies th... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/35 Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:29:19 Over at TalkingPointsMemo.com - David Kurtz (weekend regular for TPM) has a very, very significant post that begins with the WaPo "Cheney's shadow hangs over the plame trial" (not exact title) article. Then goes on to their own digging at TPMMuckrakers into trying to find out who works at the Offic... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/34 Sun, 04 Feb 2007 10:35:43 Constitutional showdown over the signing statements.

Ironic, because much of the coverage says that the Govt already has the power (granted needing a nearly always given warrant) to do this - and because some of the signing statements authority granted to themselves in direct opposition to the in... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/33 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:58:58 to get some airing. It appeared for exactly *one day* in the news. During the hearings the CIA reps who had been responsible for preparing the NIE explained that the form of the NIE that reached Congress was vastly stripped down from the original NIE that was reviewed (by the WH, I believe). What... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/32 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:42:41 Perception Management.

The public needs to understand it, and start recognizing it for what it is - empty rhetoric that often has no ‘reality’ behind its use. This was an early (and sadly effective) method of Newt Gingrich in his ascension to power. The idea, simply put, was to consistently us... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/31 Sat, 30 Dec 2006 16:35:17 Just read an item on Media Matters about Cokie Roberts parroting the whole "if Lamont wins it signals chaos for the democratic party" line. According to Ms. Roberts this would force dems to "play to the base" which would hurt them in elections. Sam Donaldson, reportedly disagreed - pointing out tha... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/30 Sun, 06 Aug 2006 18:02:22 Earlier this week I heard an odd short bit on the issue of W's signing statements. It was referred to as a partisan issue - ala tax cuts, with a clear cut 'democratic' position and 'republican' position. After I spit out my coffe... I spent some time reading and thinking. This is a constitutional... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/29 Sun, 30 Jul 2006 17:00:32 recently. I took pictures, felt chills, and cried.

The ridiculous and callous approach of Bushco, from the first days of their 'ascendancy' into power, was to do "everything the opposite of Clinton." Regardless of the policy.

Perhaps they bought into the far-right radio spew that the only re... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/28 Sun, 30 Jul 2006 10:13:56 There are a few academics who were quoted in the original Boston Globe story about the Signing statements (the one that first pointed out the more than 750 times). A couple of them have studied signing statements made by president's over the years. Find their names, and through their Univerisities... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/27 Sun, 11 Jun 2006 11:55:28 IOW, the extra-constitutional activities of the administration in asserting powers not granted by the Constitution - are done under the Vice President, who has even less authority according to the Constitution. Or am I missing something here?... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/26 Sun, 28 May 2006 09:23:55 This article has haunted me for several days:
http://harpers.org/sb-cia-badnews-293480283.html

[i]“Fairy Tales”

The (lack of) intelligence underpinning Bush's Iraq policy

Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006.
By Ken Silverstein.

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein's Informat... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/25 Mon, 22 May 2006 15:15:00 My understanding has been that the NSA is concerned with foreign intel rather than domestic intel - with the express purpose of national security.

Okay, on the one hand when the head of the NSA heard a briefing about Osama's plans to strike the US on the US soil, and she did little/nothing in res... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/24 Sun, 14 May 2006 16:37:32 right to defy the Constitution (and leave the point of Congress's existence rather questionable.)

Let's see - when the NSA fisaless search story broke last winter, after initial noises of outrage, Senate (GOP) proposals were to try to after-the-fact make the program okay (set superficial limits w... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/23 Sun, 14 May 2006 13:14:07 ??

Think about the following:

Huge stories perhaps on a collision course. One about law-breaking actions of the NSA (and much more reality about the december NSA fisa-less searches). The other about Bush's practice of flaunting the Constitution by defying the balance of powers (Congress le... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/22 Sat, 13 May 2006 12:56:55 [b]Hearing vowed on Bush's powers:
Senator questions bypassing of laws[/b]
By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff | May 3, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing the White House of a ''very blatant encroachment" on congressional authority, said yesterday he will h... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/21 Wed, 03 May 2006 05:12:29 http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/05/02/3_democrats_slam_president_over_defying/

The Globe's coverage on the signing statement issue continues to be top notch! Read on:

[b]3 Democrats slam president over defying statutes[/b]

Say he cannot claim powers above the law... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/20 Tue, 02 May 2006 06:04:48 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2255748&mesg_id=2255748

The Boston Globe has done a great service by following up on the signing statement issue that the public first became aware of last December. It is a must read - and one that everyone... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/19 Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:47:13 if you haven't seen the "Weeee!" flash - well - click at your own giggling risk: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee.php

Other oldies but goodies (per funny old flash clips from 'yesteryear?' that folks might have missed - or forgotten?... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/18 Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:17:16 president ever" believer.

When I met this person, any mention of Bill or Hillary Clinton was met with a reflexive frown, grown and cringe. A midwesterner, social conservative, who had fully accepted all of the rightwing spin of the last twenty or more years.

We barely ever talk politics - t... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/17 Thu, 13 Apr 2006 21:49:09 interesting... eh? While there is a strand of vocal crazy far right republicans in Monroe County (who were responsible for the 'swift boating' of Hill in the final days of the 9th congressional district race in '04 with a group called "Hoosiers for Truth" (ugh) ) They are in a far minority - even w... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/16 Thu, 13 Apr 2006 20:41:53 around when he finds others who feel the same way (that is, used to support bush - but now are worried/angry)... refer to the GOP in congress as "Brand W. Republicans". This is words from the RNC chair Ken Melhman, in reminding those running for reelection not to bash bush (and presumably to keep b... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/salin/15 Tue, 11 Apr 2006 18:03:42