Must Read Blogs and Op-Eds — April 19, 2009
An analysis of the current US Court System is beginning to occur around the water coolers at work places, across the internet, and at kitchen tables throughout the country. Unfortunately, it appears that the Obama administration is far from interested in pursuing the previous administrations apparent war crimes and violations of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution.
In the 2008 Presidential Election the voters clearly voted for change, yet it appears that the Obama Administration is governing in the exact “more of the same” manner it accused the McCain campaign of pursuing during the election. Although, I am far from a fan of Senator McCain (especially as of late – when the word maverick soon became a synonym for lunatic), it appears the left is interested in pursuing impeachment proceedings against Judge Bybee the author of the 2002 memos (called the Bybee Memos) on torture. The memos defined torture techniques including ‘waterboarding’ as approved forms of torture.
However, I wonder if this approach is actually the best approach. Wouldn’t it be more useful to begin a dialogue that examined the current structure of the Judicial Branch of government, which is by fact of appointment an extension of the Executive Branch? If Judges were elected and not appointed, wouldn’t it make more sense that the rights, laws, and privacies of the American people might actually be appreciated and respected?
I do agree that an investigation of the Bush Administration is in order. We need to come to an understanding (as a people) of what led the Administration to make the choices and decisions it made. If those decisions were made because of political biases, then we need to enact laws that would prevent this from happening in the future. Although, this might sound cynical, I believe the Obama Administration is limiting its action towards the prior administration believing that if they do they will lose power that the Bush Administration gained through its circumvention of the Constitution.
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Summit Needs A Strong Obama, Not An Apologetic One — Christian Science Monitor
Supreme Court’s Bench Has Never Been Less Diverse — Christian Science Monitor
States Collect Big on American’s Sins — Mike Mennoli
Begin By Impeaching the Torture Judge — John Nichols
The Torturer’s Manifesto – NY TIMES
Suppressing The Vote in Florida — NY TIMES
Next Choler, Please — Dana Milbank
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Frontline has put together a great show on the whole issue of the Bybee Memo’s in its episode called, ”The Torture Question“
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