Having read through opinions on both sides of today's ruling on gun control, it seems as though recent major decisions passed down by the high court fall in one of two major categories: hard paternalism or soft paternalism. Hard paternalism draws strict lines in the sand, believing that people cannot be trusted to make proper decision in their own behalf.

Today's 5-4 ruling that rejects the death penalty for child rapists shows the clear divide not just on the Supreme Court, but in American society in large. If we needed any further example of how polarized we are in this country, decisions such as these are more than eager to point it out. If we needed a means to gauge how we have evolved over the centuries, this easily provides it.

There is a lot of debate in the public space this week over the impact of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling that gives detainees in a “holding pattern” at Guantanamo Bay access to the United States Courts for the purpose of presenting petitions of habeas corpus.

It is a generally accepted misunderstanding that the Court’s ruling gave new rights to the detainees, which seems to be the issue that is the most controversial.

The purpose of today’s discussion is to explain why that view of the ruling is dead wrong…and to offer some thoughts on why this ruling might actually be one of the most important “restraint of government” rulings to have come down the pike in some time.

So off we go, eh?

Guantanamo Bay - "Honor Bound to Defend Freedom"?

Today the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a stinging rebuke to the Bush-Cheney Administration's handling of military detainees at Guantanamo Bay -- while vindicating you, me, and thousands of others who have spoken out against the Administration's unwise and unconstitutional policies from the very beginning.

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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Countdown: Signing Statements Weaken the Law

copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane & My Left Wing


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Here's the Deal, listen up. We are already being accused of Obstruction by the Right and by Bush. The Republicans just today made claims about us not keeping our promises, yet they said not one word about how the Right had made keeping some of those promises impossible. Bush has used this theme so many times I've lost count.

copyright paul kane 2007 all rights reserved

Author’s Note: DIRTY WORDS AHEAD...

The Bush Administration has, as we all know, sought to expand the power of Government and alter the relationship between the Branches in fundamental ways. Those seeking examples need look no further than the reassessment of Habeas Corpus represented in the Military Commissions Act, or Presidential signing statements, or the “warrantless wiretap program”.

This one’s about a federal court ruling. During the 2002 Billboard Music Awards show on Fox, Cher dissed and dismissed her critics, saying, "f**k 'em." Then during the 2003 Billboard Music Awards show (on Fox again), Nicole Richie said: "Have you ever tried to get cow s**t out of a Prada purse? It's not so f****n’ simple." Well, the FCC went f****n’ bats**t when they heard that. (Continued.)

Crossposted from Town Called Dobson & My Left Wing


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So if you have a dead fetus inside you, you are now screwed. No more dilation and extraction for you.