Photos Don't Lead to Anti-American Sentiment; Torture Leads to Anti-American Sentiment

Some new photos from Abu Ghraib have come out, and, well....no need to mince words: they're fucked up. We all know we torture(d) under the Bush regime, and it's not like we didn't know about Abu Ghraib. Still, seeing men covered in shit, cuffed into contorted positions, and left to die is no less outrageous. And Obama wants to hold off publishing more images because they "could stoke anti-American sentiment and endanger U.S. troops"?

You know what else endangers U.S. troops and stokes anti-American sentiment? Going to wars we have no business being in, and treating prisoners the way we treated Iraqis in Abu Ghraib and detainees in Guantanamo (and who knows where else). So fuck Bush for getting us into this mess, and if American military leaders aren't ready for the international backlash, well....you should have not followed orders from Rumsfeld and put an end to this crap before it got this far, and not only when documentary evidence and photos became public. No amount of justice or indignity can address what these people have done, but still, it must be said.

Shame on all of them, from Bush down to the lowliest soldier involved in this ordeal.

Bush's Parting Gifts.

The absolute piece of shit pardons that Bush snuck in at the end.

It's only fitting that in the closing moments of the most lawless administration in our nation's history, President Bush chose as his final act, to grant clemency to two rogue Border Patrol agents who shot an unarmed man in the back, then attempted to cover up their crime. From its inception, this administration has always been based on the assumption that those in positions of authority are beyond the constraints law and that cover-ups, secrecy, and lies are acceptable means to an end.

Disgusting. Thank goodness it's over.

And While We're on the Subject...

With 51 (yes - 51!!!) days left of the Bush administration, it's no big surprise at this point that he's completely out of touch with reality. Still, it is rather risible that Bush believes that "when people review the history of this administration, people will say that this administration tried hard to get a regulator", particularly following on the heels of reports to the opposite effect. And claims that he wants to be remembered for "achieving peace" would be funnier if his actions hadn't already cost such a large number of lives.

And just when you think even he can't outdo himself, Bush claims that "he would like to be remembered as a commander-in-chief who remained faithful to his values and 'did not sell his soul in order to accommodate the political process'." This from a man whose job as head of the executive branch was to work with the legislative branch in a little thing called "the political process." So just to be clear, he actually hopes to be remembered as a stubborn, bull-headed person who was repeatedly wrong on things like war, helping disaster victims, education, foreign policy, etc. because refused to participate in the "political process" and listen to the different ideas and opinions that entailed? And he believes this to be virtuous?

Even after 2,870 days of this stupid, despicable man, he still amazes me with the depths of his stupidity and willful ignorance.

Sarcastic "You're KIDDING!!" Moment of the Day

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, to learn that the Bush administration sat back and did nothing when warned about the possibility of an economic collapse tied to the housing-credit-banking mess! Inaction on the part of the Bush White House?? A standard without precedent!

The Supreme Court Turns

I don't have anything to add to the Supreme Court upholding the partial birth abortion ban. There are tons of great legal commentators out there who you can read. I will only say that the effects of the Bush administration will be felt around the nation for a long, long time.

I do however want to steal this list from Marty Lederman at Balkinization of cases that Sandra Day O'Connor was the swing vote on. With her gone, this is the type of laws due to be overturned by the Court:

McCreary County v. ACLU (2005) -- Ten Commandments displays

Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Educ. (2005) -- Title IX Liability for Retaliation

Rompilla v. Beard (2005) -- standard of reasonable competence that Sixth Amendment requires on the part of defense counsel

Johanns v. Livestock Marketing (2005) -- assessments for government speech

Smith v. Massachusetts (2005) -- double jeopardy

Small v. United States (2005) - felon firearm possession ban doesn't cover foreign convictions

Tennessee v. Lane (2004) -- Congress's Section 5 power

Hibbs v. Winn (2004) -- Tax Injunction Act

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation v. EPA (2004) -- EPA authority under Clean Air Act to issue orders when a state conservation agency fails to act

McConnell v. FEC (2004) -- campaign finance

Groh v. Ramirez (2004) -- sufficiency of non-particularized search warrant

Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) -- affirmative action

Brown v. Legal Foundation of Washington (2003) -- no takings violation in IOLTA funding scheme

American Insurance Ass'n v. Garamendi (2003) -- presidential foreign-affairs "pre-emption" of state law

Stogner v. California (2003) -- ex post facto clause as applied to changes in statutes of limitations

Alabama v. Shelton (2002) -- right to counsel

Rush Prudential HMO v. Moran (2002) -- upholding state laws giving patients the right to second doctor's opinion over HMOs' objections

Kelly v. South Carolina (2002) -- capital defendant's due process right to inform jury of his parole ineligibility

FEC v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee (2001) -- upholding limits on "coordinated" political party expenditures

Zadvydas v. Davis (2001) -- prohibiting indefinite detention of immigrants under final orders of removal where no other country will accept them

Easley v. Cromartie (2001) -- race-based redistricting

Rogers v. Tennessee (2001) -- "judicial" ex post facto

Brentwood Academy v. Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (2001) -- state action

Stenberg v. Carhart (2000) -- "partial-birth abortion" ban

Mitchell v. Helms (1999) -- direct aid to religious schools

Davis v. Monroe County Board of Educ. (1999) -- recognizing school district liability under Title IX for student-on-student sexual harrassment

Schenck v. Pro-Choice Network (1997) -- injunctions against abortion-clinic protestors

Richardson v. McKnight (1997) -- private prison guards not entitled to qualified immunity in section 1983 suits

Camps Newfound/Owatonna v. Town of Harrison (1997) (dormant Commerce Clause)

Morse v. Republican Party of Virginia (1996) -- provisions of the Voting Rights Act are constitutional as applied to choice of candidates at party political conventions

Schlup v. Delo (1995) (habeas, actual innocence)