Saturday, July 15, 2006

Hat Tip and Headlines

In the blogworld, a hat tip is the equivalent of warmly shaking hands, embracing the Other as a friend, and generally is the nicest thing you can do for a person. I tip my hat to Nolo, who kept Lapplander fresh and juicy while I was dithering elsewhere and playing Hemingway. (I wasn't even, really -- I need to get back on the creative writing wagon.) In her honor I dedicate this latest headline roundup.

Voting Rights Amendment Fight Splits GOP

This is plain ridiculous, and is an indication that not only are some Republicans certifiable jackasses but that the party's much-ballyhooed discipline in Congress is no more. Want proof? (The baddie here is Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Wonderland.)
One of the conservatives supporting changes to the Voting Rights Act said GOP leaders were "playing politics" with a law that is unfairly targeting his home region because of its past — and failing to account for progress in racial relations." Do you think we treat Japan or Germany differently [because of World War II]?" asked Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia. "Do we treat the British any differently because of the Stamp Act? … If we're going to do that, then let's go back to the Indians and say they butchered Custer.

If we want to rely on everything we do in government based on history, then we'd have a screwed-up place, if you ask me," Westmoreland added. "Because what they're saying is nobody can ever do better."

One House leadership aide, who requested anonymity because of the delicate nature of the negotiations, said that top Republicans had "had a lot of engagement" with Westmoreland and others who launched the unexpected rebellion.

But sighing at the turn of events since the renewal first sailed through the House Judiciary Committee this year, the aide added: "The reason we brought this whole thing up is to show people we're for extending the Voting Rights Act. Instead, we created our own problem."
Esquire Magazine Writes a Truly Terrible McCain Piece

It has a lot of unnecessary swearing, for one thing, including a weirdly repetitive mention of dog feces, but is interesting for the way it reveals how a lot of journalists still see McCain. Check out the link, which references some of the funnier bits and in turn links to the full article.

Justice Department: "The President is Always Right"

Unlike the jokes and mockumentaries you may see at Daily Kos, this quote is absolutely 100 percent verbatim accurate. Which is unnerving.

The Administration Wanted Phone Records Before 9/11

Pretty much says it all. The money quotes:
The U.S. National Security Agency asked AT&T Inc. to help it set up a domestic call monitoring site seven months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, lawyers claimed June 23 in court papers filed in New York federal court.

The allegation is part of a court filing adding AT&T, the nation's largest telephone company, as a defendant in a breach of privacy case filed earlier this month on behalf of Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. customers. The suit alleges that the three carriers, the NSA and President George W. Bush violated the Telecommunications Act of 1934 and the U.S. Constitution, and seeks money damages.

2 Comments:

Blogger nolo said...

And a hat tip back for your generous hospitality, Lapp.

12:25 PM  
Blogger Travis said...

Catch Lynn Westmoreland's brilliance at my blog -- I have the the tape of his appearance on The Colbert Report up.

7:02 PM  

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