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• Well, Arclight, I cannot deny your truths. As I said, I understand the trap of tit-for-tat. I’ve noted before that as long as we abide by the constitutional requirement of the Electoral College process (implemented due to the inability of the electorate to submit their votes back in the 1700’s) we will suffer under the two-party system with the accompanying power plays. And even as I love the concept of the Bayh-Celler Amendment, I worry about the fracturing of opposition to ANY incumbent party. If you think the current system is difficult to swallow, right against left; image one without organized opposition. Unlike most of the politicos in this blog, I do NOT abhor the opposition party gaining control; as long as I have a strong party with which to side to redress inequities, perceived or otherwise. I applaud your desire for a nonpartisan investigation into the loss of our civil rights, into violations of the Geneva Convention, and the articles of war by which we said we would abide. Only a strong and organized opposition party can address such violations, but they ALL have agendas. Once more I ask, “Who guards the guards?” Who cares if the CIA worries that it may be caught conducting illegal actions? They do not; they care only if their actions come to light and then they become more circumspect. This is NOT the first time we’ve crossed the legal line, merely the latest. Such a POSSIBLE slap down only lasts for a short while; for the secret police, which can exist only when folks don’t believe in them, will do what they think necessary and let the chips fall where they may. The last administration felt the end justified the means; understandable after 9/11 occurred on their watch. A tragedy of the gravest sort for sure; but the worst tragedy would be for us to let that change us into that which we abhor, a benevolent despot with not-so-secret police watching us on every corner and in every home. Our voices must be strident in support of human rights EVERYWHERE. Justice may be blind, but righteousness is a different animal and harder to tame. In the America of our dreams, these concepts must walk hand in hand or our path surely will be the low road. Tip off Posted September 8, 2009 2:58 PM
• @tipoff: I proposed the thought game in order to try to illustrate to everyone here that our views on this are being skewed one way or another. Those who lean right are convinced that politics will be played over this. Those who lean left are dismissing that possibility (or are looking forward to it as payback). Both views reflect the reality that for far too many of us, our political leanings skew our view of "the correct thing to do". That will always be incorrect behavior. I am quite certain, as I stated before, that actually finding the truth and administering justice based out of true humility is nowhere near what the political leadership of either party wants to see happen. Those on the left want to thoroughly denigrate, humiliate, demonize, and urinate on those on the right (setting themselves up to be icons of morality, and their view of life as the only possible view) as they did in the late 1960s and 1970s; those on the right are absolutely determined that that will not happen again. Neither group has the integrity to seek the facts--ONLY the facts--and render real judgement with a healthy dose of humility. This is why I proposed what I did (appoint unknowns to do the job, and tell the political mavens to keep their mouths firmly closed during the process). Unfortunately, President O doesn't see that this is the ONLY way to keep this from turning into a Roman circus, with lots of spilled innocent blood. Get ready for at least two more rounds of revenge (one from the left, one from the right) characterized as "righteous indignation" or some other high-sounding nonsense, more wasted / lost opportunities to solve this nation's problems by coupling ideas from across the political spectrum, and more progress down the road toward complete national failure. Our children and grandchildren will look at the problems we have left them to solve, and the resources we have left them to solve them with, and will wonder why we loved them so little that we spent our time bashing each other over the head rather than focusing on the problems and admitting that neither left nor right had all the answers. We won't have an answer for them. (sarcasm on) Won't that be a great day??? (sarcasm off) arclight Posted September 4, 2009 6:09 AM
• This is nothing more than the Hypocrats trying to make Republican out to be vile criminals. With the hopes that they can sway the country with one sided overblown prisoner sob stories, to the point that people wont vote republican ever again. Every election all this politicized rubbish will be brought up by the Hypocrats to their advantage. Sorry fella, we can see right through you. Like Cheney said, if you're gonna open this up open it all the way. Release all the info that was obtained so the American peopls can see exactly how many lives were saved. But you know this will be a one sided deal and they would never do that. It might open eyes to the fact that what was done was effective. Just remember, for years up until this administration, waterboard was simply a "training" technique used on US serviceman at SEER school. Nobody had a problem with it then. It's probable still implimented. Rooster Posted September 3, 2009 12:52 PM