John Roberts' America

What do we know about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts? Based on the records we do have, his vision of America is this:

ID cards for all citizens at all times

Voting rights -- you're on your own; good luck

Women's rights -- what discrimination? (Roberts should talk to Justice O'Connor and learn her dramatic life story before blithely dismissing the idea that women suffer discrimination.)

10 Commandments -- his version gets posted all over the place; what's the big deal?

School prayer -- of course. As long as you pray to his god and in his way. (Buddhists and atheists and agnostics and people who think parents should be teaching their kids how to pray -- not the gym coach -- can take a hike.)

Find other examples of how Roberts wants to shape this country from his public record and we'll add it here. Read the rest of this post...

Open Thread

Finally, the weekend. Read the rest of this post...

Harry Reid Suffered a Mild Stroke

Just got a "Breaking News" email from ABCNEWS.com that said "Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid Has Suffered a Mild Stroke, Aides Say."

Here's what AP has:

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., saw a doctor after feeling light-headed Tuesday and learned he'd suffered a mild stroke, aides said Friday.

"Senator Reid feels fine. There are no complications or any restrictions on his activities. He has undergone evaluations this week, and his doctors have recommended that he take advantage of the summer congressional recess for some down time," said a statement issued by Reid's press secretary, Tessa Hafen.

Read the rest of this post...

Dr. Frist: Teach "Intelligent Design" Creationism in Schools

Hey, fear not that half of American students are unprepared for college and only 26% of high school graduates meet the standard for science. Dr. Frist wants them to be taught stories from the Bible as science, just like the President.

Frist and Bush, dumbing down American schools. Read the rest of this post...

Ted Kennedy Comes Out Swinging On Roberts

Women: Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts is apparently no friend of you. And Ted Kennedy makes two very salient points: Kennedy makes clear the Senate MUST have relevant documents from 16 cases Roberts handled as deputy solicitor general from 1989 to 1993; they are important, the American people have the right to see them, there is precedent for seeing them and they will illuminate the thinking of Roberts. Kennedy also says that Roberts -- from everything we have seen -- puts his own personal agenda ahead of the law, not even seeing the right to vote as something that should be defended with vigor. As Kennedy says in a Washington Post op-ed column:

Specifically, and contrary to the intent of overwhelming majorities in both the House and the Senate, it appears that Roberts proposed a very narrow and crabbed interpretation of the Voting Rights Act that would essentially eviscerate the meaning of that law. Fortunately, his view did not prevail. But if a nominee to the Supreme Court believes in such a strained and narrow interpretation of such a fundamental right, then I believe he is not qualified to serve in that important position.

Kennedy says Roberts was out of the mainstream and unless Roberts shows his thinking has evolved from that young Reagan warrior, he should not be given the privilege of a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court.

No one has an automatic right to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court. A nominee to the high court must first demonstrate that he has a core commitment to constitutional rights and liberties.... Judge Roberts's early record raises serious questions about his commitment to core constitutional values, and the Senate must have the requested information to fully and faithfully execute its constitutional obligation.

Read the rest of this post...

Clinton & McCain: Global Warming Is Real

Two likely Presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and John McCain went to Alaska and stated the obvious: global warming is real, it's having a devastating effect TODAY and the sooner we act, the more we can limit the damage.

Dan Lashof, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defence Council, a respected Washington-based group, told The Independent: "People in Alaska are starting to freak out. The retreat of the sea ice allows the oceans to pound the coast more, and villages there are suffering from the effects of that erosion. There is permafrost melting, roads are buckling, there are forests that have been infested with beetles because of a rise in temperatures. I think residents there feel it's visible more and more, more than any other place in the country."

But Bush doesn't care. Facts are for losers. Read the rest of this post...

Friday Parisian Cat Blogging

Je m'appelle Sushi, et je mange les chats "Atrios" pour le dejeuner.



Let the Atrios cats eat cake. I refuse to even open my eyes in their general direction. Read the rest of this post...

Gay Washington, DC newspaper publishing Jeff Gannon as columnist

The Washington Blade, the increasingly irrelevant print gay paper in Washington, DC, has apparently now made White House man whore Jeff Gannon/James Guckert a columnist at the paper.

A few weeks ago Guckert wrote a column for the paper that was, as usual, from another planet (he scolded me for not being representative of the gay community), and factually incorrect (he said something weird about my "ties" to North Korea and Cuba). Well, today there's another "column" for JeffyJim in the paper, so apparently this is now a regular gig.

Which begs a lot of question. First, why the Blade now has what appears to be a regular column on gays issues from a guy who won't even say if he's gay. I mean, do we really need to be lectured to about who really represents the gay community when the lecturer pretends to be a heterosexual, and when most of that lecturer's writings about gay issues have been favorable to the religious right point of view? I mean, tolerance is one thing, but since when do we need more radical right panderers in the gay press?

It also begs the question of what the once-august Blade has now become - just a few months ago the Blade was publishing articles about Gannon supposedly attending gay sex parties in Virginia, and now they have him as a columnist? And finally, apparently anyone can now write for the Blade - even if they have no real background in journalism, and have been repeatedly accused of plagiarism.

I used to like the Blade, but they've become a shell of what they formerly were, partly from obsolescence due to the Internet, partly because the straight press has increasingly covered gay issues anyway, and partly, I think, due to lousy management.

One thing is for sure, if the Blade is going to practice Jerry Springer journalism by using people like James Guckert as an expert on gay issues, then I can take my hyperlinks and future ads elsewhere.

NOTE FROM MICHAEL IN NEW YORK: The Blade's email address is forum@washblade.com. I strongly second John's comments -- and not strictly because of Guckert's politics. I hope the Blade will reconsider because Guckert has lied repeatedly to the mainstream media about his connection to pornographic websites, his access to the White House press room, and even something as simple as whether he was giving interviews to other outlets, among other details. Also, Guckert has been believably accused of plagiarism (his articles online disappeared shortly afterwards), he is not openly gay and Guckert provided a front for a far right activist group and actively promoted anti-gay articles and ideas. I'm all for a diversity of gay opinion, but why include closeted people who hate queers and actively work to demonize us? Read the rest of this post...

Attack On US Ships In Jordan

Rockets were launched but failed to strike two US ships in harbor at Jordan and at a Jordanian hospital. No US troops were injured, though one Jordanian soldier was killed by a stray missile. It's the first attack on US ships in that region since the attack on the Cole in 2000. But an attack on US ships surely isn't enough to end Bush's vacation. What would it take to get Bush back to work? Read the rest of this post...

Bush Stole 2000 Election, 2004 Election and They'll Do It Again

Paul Krugman talks about the obvious: that Bush lost Florida and lost the 2000 election, the Republicans suppressed the Democratic vote in Ohio in 2004 and given the chance they'll steal it again in 2006 and 2008. What's truly shocking is that real election reform isn't a priority FOR EITHER PARTY.

Election supervisors at the local and state level must by law be non-partisan and unaffiliated with either party. Period. Every district must have the same share of voting machines based on voter population. Period. Every machine must produce a paper trail that the voter can confirm. Period. (Heck, I'm all for throwing out all the machines and sticking to a paper ballot -- cheap and easy to store. Who cares if we have to wait three days to find out who the president is?) Those choosing the machines must not be able to later work for the companies they bought the machines from. Period.

Why is no one from either party pushing for very reasonable, common sense reforms like these and numerous others that have been bandied about in the press? Why don't voters care? Read the rest of this post...

Early morning Paris blogging

Went to the Musee d'Orsee yesterday, absolutely GORGEOUS place. Built in an old train station, a station that's very much the style of DC's Union Station, but then some. Lots of statues, impressionist paintings, photos, just overwhelming. It's a must-see if you come to Paris, I hadn't seen it before. Bring your camera.



This the main view of the center part of the museum.



The museum has these massive clocks, in this one you can see Sacre Coeur in the background (Montmartre)



One of the many beautiful sculptures.



A store window, and reflection, in St.-Germain-des-Pres, on the way to the museum. The heads were in the window, the building is reflected. Read the rest of this post...

Friday Morning Open Thread

What do you know? Read the rest of this post...

Pope Wants Immunity In US For Hiding Crime Of Molesting Boys

According to AP, Pope Benedict is asking the White House to clarify that he has diplomatic immunity and can't be tried for conspiring to cover up the molestation of three boys by a Texas seminarian. The Church repeatedly and consistently shows no remorse for any of these awful crimes and kicks out and punishes the child molesters in their midst only when it is absolutely necessary. The Church uses every legal tactic imaginable, which is its legal right but shows a stunning lack of compassion and grace and a true Christian desire for forgiveness. (Thanks to DailyKos and reader Cedwyn for pointing us to this.)

I needn't point out the irony of this brazen attempt to duck reponsibility coming out while the Pope is in Europe for World Youth Day.

You CANNOT be forgiven until you honestly and willingly confess all your sins and truly intend to sin no more. When it comes to child molestation, the Catholic Church has never even come close to beginning this process. Huge scandals have rocked the Church around the world in the 70s, the 80s, the 90s and there is no doubt they will come again. Read the rest of this post...