Adventures in My Mind

Oct 31, 2005

Bush nominates Alito to Supreme Court

Last week, Scooter Libby is indicted for lying to the FBI and a federal grand jury and Harriet Miers "withdraws" her nomination. This week, W. nominates one of the most overtly and dangerously conservative judges there is.

This is a great, if not detestable strategy, by Rove. It serves two purposes: 1) It shores up W.'s support with his base, and 2) It diverts attention away from the adminstration's trouble of late and sets up a HUGE battle for confirmation in the senate. It will enable conservative senators to place any and all blame for a delay in his confirmation on the ideaological Democrats who won't be objecting to "Scalito's" qualifications - of which he has many - but to his ideologies - of which there is cause for great concern.

He is a dogmatic conservative with a dim view of legislative authority, judicial precedent, and the right to privacy. His confirmation would push the court farther to the right than it has been in recent memory, if not ever.

As much as this pains me, I must admit that to the winner goes the spoils. Clearly it is W.'s right to nominate whomever he, uh ... I mean ... whomever Rove feels is the right choice. With that being said, however, this choice is clearly a political one designed to reduce the heat on the Whitehouse to a low simmer.

This nominee is not good for America, even if he's good for W.'s political life.

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:35 PM

Oct 27, 2005

N.J. Students Ordered to Take Down Blogs

Protect them from cyberpredators but not the priests? Is that the message?

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 10:48 AM

Oct 21, 2005

Political Fun Friday

The No Spine Zone

Also, W on Harriet's answers:
"The questionnaire that she filled out is an important questionnaire, and obviously they will address the questions that the senators have in the questionnaire, or as a result of the answers to the questions in the questionnaire. But one thing the questionnaire does show...is Harriet's judicial philosophy. ... That's what the questionnaire says."
Mugshot. It's a little too toothy for my taste, but a mugshot all the same.

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 2:18 PM

Oct 13, 2005

First day of school for aspiring Vatican exorcists

Uh ... yeah.

Perhaps William Peter Blatty or Linda Blair could be guest lecturers. Maybe they could even have a screening of "The Exorcism of Emily Rose".

It would be great if they could get Roman Polanski to speak about his experiences in filming "Rosemary's Baby". His experience in dealing with Old Scratch would be invaluable. Have seen this movie? Did you see that baby's eyes at the end? Clearly that baby was possessed of the soul of Satan himself!

I'm very glad that the Catholic church is keeping this constant vigil for the very safety of our souls.

Thanks, Bene.

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 10:00 AM

Oct 5, 2005

My Little Crony

That's right. You all remember the words. C'mon sing a long!

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 11:20 AM

Oct 4, 2005

Could've been worse; could've been better.

She's not a foaming at the mouth and falling over backward kind of conservative like we all expected, but she is a corporate lawyer (strike 1), from Texas (strike 2), and one of his cronies (strike 3).

Add to that that she has no discernable record to understand her judicial philosophy and how she comport herself on the highest bench in the land. And of course, the Whitehouse and senate Republicans want to keep her papers as Whitehouse counsel secret.

Again, I'm just amazed the hubris of this administration. Clearly, they were emboldened by the relative ease of the Roberts confirmation. How else do you explain diving right into the crony pool while accusations, allegations, and confirmed proof of incompetence of other crony appointees throughout the Bush administration?

George W. Bush is not a good man. And I say that for one reason and one reason only: his pathological inability to compromise. Say what you will about his shady business dealings, his servitude to the oil industry, his avenging Christian warrior stance against Islam, his deceitful public record, but I find him to be lacking in character because damn the consequences attitude toward his own opinion. It is reckless. It is unforgiving. It is self-centered. It is the hallmark of individual who doesn't give a damn about anyone else other than himself.

Time after time we are smacked in the mouth by lies, deceit, ulterior motives, inexactitudes, and an overall contempt for both the rule of law and democracy by him and his administration.

This nomination is no different. He made up his mind that this is what he wanted to, despite indications that say he shouldn't, and went ahead and did. And if Democrats rightly criticize this nominee as a crony and being absent any record by which to judged for competency for the position, they will branded as obstructionists who are standing in the way of government being able to do its a job. As if the Bush adminstration has ever given a damn about what courts think, unless of course it is to give them an election win or the ability to indefinitely confine and hold secret tribunals for detainees of the "War on Terror."

I can't believe that the next presidential elections are still 3 years away.

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:20 AM

Oct 3, 2005

Enchanted
I'm enchanted again. It happens every year around this time. The last few days of 80 degree + days fade and are replaced by cooler days and even cooler nights. School starts again. Football season is in full swing. The leaves start their autumnal show.

I just really love Fall. Always have. I like it even more now as a parent, because my kids seem to love it, too. Both Aidan and Maeve are Halloween nuts. They've been planning their costumes for weeks. Each day brings a new idea. Between them, I think they've been through 15 to 20 different ideas. I'm sure Aidan will have another creative direction to follow today.

Too many people miss summer when it recedes for the year. I mean really miss it. You know, Seasonal Depressive Disorder and all that. I just can't get my head around that sort of thing. I admit to wishing for a sunny day or two come midiNovember and screaming for any scrap of light as late February drags on and on. But to me, there is a rythym to life as the seasons drift by that cannot be duplicated in warmer climes. It's comforting, even if we know that Old Man Winter is just around the corner. To me, though, he's a welcome visitor, even if his snowy eccentricities and polar disposition wears thin after a while. I know him. I like him. And while he's here, I'll be wearing my boots and cursing as I shovel the drive for the 3rd time in a week. But I'll also be sitting behind laughing children as we rush down snow covered hills on our sled.

I also know that after the beautiful leaves and the celebration of the holidays and the long dark days of winter will come the first buds of spring.

And so the enchantment begins a new.

0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:39 AM