Slow day? When they’re not harping on Jeff Goldstein the bloggers in my RSS reader seem really focused on Ben Domenech, the WaPo’s new blogger and the co-founder of RedState. Pachacutec at Firedoglake has an especially thorough linkfest. Sure, I think that it’s embarrassing that the Washington Post has to “balance” a career journalist like Froomkin* with a hardcore Republican operative, but keep in mind that evil liberal extremists run the media. They must have set him up as a laugh-at-the-crazy extremist freakshow sort of thing. If they wanted to hire a war-supporting conservative with a basic knowledge of his subject matter they could have picked Gregory Djerejian.
There’s Iraq. Blogging about Iraq has become as interesting as blogging about global warming. Some new outrage comes up every day (Iraq, global warming), but the narratives have already been written. The people in charge of policy will adapt to the latest news just like I’m going to sprout wings and fly to the Sharp Edge in time for happy hour.
…
(*) Note to rightwingers – muckrakers rake muck about people in power. It’s their job. If Froomkin wanted to spend his time fellating federal officeholders he would host cable news.
…
Finally, a gratuitous beer pic to celebrate the return of our server upload capacity. In case you know how that works (which I don’t). We had this at a recent lab mixer and true to its name this brew is hoppy as hell. And tasty. It’s also my boss’s favorite beer so I’m contractually obligated to recommend it.
ppGaz
Bush goes on the road to pimp his “stay the course” product:
I’ve seen excerpts from his outings this week. He says things like this:
Who does this insane deluded man think he is talking to? No, I don’t mean the handpicked audience behind him that claps on cue. I mean, the rest of us, out here?
Two thirds of Americans are basically done listening to the bullshit about this war, and this crazy man is standing up there telling the other third that we’re so stupid out here that we’ve been persuaded by “the enemy” and don’t have enough sense to listen to our government telling us what to think!
That’s his sales pitch? The problem is that the salesman, the pitch man, is out of touch with reality. He’s crazy.
As Chris Matthews put it today, he’s out there displaying “messianic thinking,” the idea that faith and conviction are able to trump reality.
Enough is enough of this crazy bullshit and this endless repetition of delusional nonsense.
Righties, stop telling your opponents that they are the problem. George Bush is your problem.
Edmund Dantes
Do you remember when this blog actually had some substance to it? When it didn’t just cover the latest blogger in- fighting or spats? When there were actual discussions of topics facing this country? When it didn’t give us updates on basketball and football scores?
I do. I wish we had more of the substance and less of the fluff.
Sidenote — This is not an attack at this particular post, but a comment on the general trend since I’ve started posting here.
Pooh
There goes ppGaz…objectively…something or other.
ppGaz
Poop.
Vladi G
That’s Souter’s interpretation of Roberts’ dissent in the SCOTUS’ 4th amendment ruling today. What Thomas, Scalia, Roberts, and presumably Alito (who joined neither side, but likely would have joined the conservative wing if Kennedy had broken the other way) think about the privacy you have in your own home. If the cops come to your door and ask to search without a warrant, and your spouse says OK, but you say no, those justices think they should be able to search. “Privacy shared is privacy waived” for all intents and purposes in their view.
Conservatism is truly dead.
DougJ
I am objectively pro-beer. And I’ve got to thank Tim for recommending the Rochefort. Not only is it the best beer I’ve ever had, it is better than I thought beer could ever be.
Sock Puppet
You know, ppGaz was rudely misbehaving over on Scrutator today. Used some pretty objectionable language there.
I hear Lysistrata has scheduled him for a spanking.
Vladi G
Talk left has links to the relevant opinions.
don surber
Bombing Iraq causes global warming.
Paul Wartenberg
Has anyone noticed how Bush is allowing more, well, open questioning at his rallies now? It used to be they’d get hundreds of goofy-smiling loyalists praising Bush to high heaven: now he’s getting teenagers talking smack. Could it be they’re finally unable to find enough pro-Bush people to fill up their rah-rah rallies?
srv
Our labour cousins in the UK are busy end-running around Parliament:
Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill
Anyone want to guess how long before these “reforms” get suggested over here?
h/t Slashdot
Par R
What is with all this focused attention on Jeff Goldstein? I followed a Link to Eschaton just now and Tiny Meat has a couple of venemous attacks on Jeff. I always thought Goldstein was mostly on the humor side.
scs
I thought that was hot yesterday when Bush was giving the reporters, who stepped on him, the hand. Bush rocks!
(And I know you’ll all agree with that)
Edmund Dantes
Damn. Stuck in moderation hell.
Mean Gene
Synchronicity–I’m drinking a Victory Hop Devil right this very minute. Leftover New Year’s case I snagged off my parents last week. I like hoppy beers, and VHD is perhaps a hair too hoppy. Just a hair.
Domenech is going to have his liver eaten every day for two reasons–one, he’s a Grade-A moron and a stationary target; and two, how many bloggers with brains and wit have busted their asses for years cranking out good stuff and dreamed that someday they might snag a gig with a big dog like the Washington Post? And instead the Post gives voice to an embarassment like Domenech. Perhaps this is a subtle little ploy from the Post to show what sort of creature exists out there on the rightmost fringe (much as the Huffington Post inexplicatbly provides bandwith for the nougat-brained Danielle Crittenden). But I doubt it. I don’t think Domenech will suffer much from the day-in, day-out evisceration he’ll face, as concepts like self-examination and critical analysis were probably home-schooled out of him.
It’s also amusing (or is the word I’m looking for depressing?) that many commenters at the Post are demanding an equally radical blogger from the left be given a platform for shrieking and rending of garments. That’s what our political discourse needs–the boundries pushed even further beyond the fringe. Great job, Mr. Brady.
Sock Puppet
scs – Yes, George W. Bush browbeating 80 year old Helen Thomas was quite an impressive sight.
Good to see he’s still a standing tall Texan. Even if he does wear his mother’s panties from time to time.
don surber
src
Bush took a question from Helen Thomas. Good man. Good for him, good for her. Good day to be an American. She called him the worst president ever and instead of being tossed outa the White House, she got the spotlight.
scs
By the way, are Democrats all secretly child molestors? Why is it that they seem to support no prison time for child molestors anymore? Is rape okay by them now too? Maybe murderers just need a little therapy. Well Dems may have a point- prisons are SO draconian. Of course sending Libby away for 30 years for a mistatement/and/or a small white lie about a few words said, that’s justice.
scs
The lady may may 80 years old, but she is no shrinking violet. To imply that she doesn’t have full abilities to take care of herself verbally, is age discrimination- and Dems are against that, right?
Joey
By the way, are you complete and total fucktard, or is this you making a run for the Best DougJ Impersonator of the Week award?
scs
scs and srv are happy to announce the birth of their first child, src. We are so proud!
Sock Puppet
scs – It was a pathetic sight. Simply and purely pathetic.
Your boy is a gutless pussy.
stickler
I have read this comment or a variation of it probably two dozen times this week.
It still makes no sense. Perhaps “humor” means something else in wingnutworld.
Don Surber says:
That part where he says Helen Thomas called Bush ‘the worst president ever?’ That’s a lie. She said no such thing.
The part where he notes approvingly that His Majesty’s Guards didn’t ‘toss her outa’ the Palace? That’s just craven and pathetic. A pre-1776 mindset, you might say.
scs
I don’t want to answer that. A woman should always be mysterious.
Pooh
At last, she’s on to us…
Joey
Heh, you know what the sad part is? I honestly can’t tell the difference anymore. Either way, kudos for responding the right way. I have a killer migraine and my vicodin is starting to wear off. My apologies for being a dick, regardless of your intentions. Though, if you were serious, you did deserve it.
scs
Seriously, though, why is therapy EVEN a factor with child molestors? Does therapy ever come up in murder sentences, or even the rape of adult men and women? Or robbery or white collar crime or any crime actually? Why is it diferent? Can anyone tell me why it is acceptable to make therapy a factor of consideration for child molestation but no other crime?
Joey
Therapy comes into play in any crime in which mental illness is likely, and mental illness plays a role in almost every case of child molestation.
scs
Okay, that’s an interesting one. So if a man rapes a grown woman, he is not likely to be mentally ill as well? Are there any statistics you are going off?
scs
So what is it in particular to child molestation that the left considers mental illness? Is this the only crime that tends to be committed out of mental illness?
Joey
Therapy would play a role in any sex crime. Therapy of some kind plays a role in almost every form of rehabilitation, it’s not just limited to sex crimes.
Joey
Criminal activity of almost any kind is almost always viewed as anti-social behavior, which is itself a form of mental illness.
Ancient Purple
How’s life under that bridge, scs?
Pooh
Joey, do not engage. That way madness lies. And after that, therapy. And we all know what that means.
Joey
I know I shouldn’t. I tell myself as I’m typing that I should just ignore her. Yet, I don’t. One of these days, I shall learn. I hope.
scs
What about opportunism? Spotting a person in a convenent and vulnerable situation, in this case a child, and taking advantage of situation for selfish ends. Not necessarily mental illness, more like a clever plan to not get caught.
Anyway, then why have I never heard of a man(person) not being sentenced to prison for rape of a grown woman so he can get counseling? Why just for children?
src
Mom, I love you, but Dad is right and I’m living with him in Austin.
scs
Joey, I’m surprised you feel that way. I don’t believe we’ve ever even met before. Allow me to introduce myself- I’m scs. Nice to meet you.
Andrew
Either Bill O’Reilly is falafelling you right this second or DougJ has spoofed your IP.
scs
Not too bad. The trucks overhead sometimes fritz my wireless laptop, but the fishing’s good. Just caught my supper.
VidaLoca
But instead they signed on one of GOP4ME’s second-rate imitators.
Joey
Taking advantage of a child for selfish needs is a text book example of anti-social behavior. And counseling is usually done while the convict is IN prison. I’ve never heard of a sex offender forgoing jail time completely to receive counseling, at least not an adult.
scs
I wish.
Joey
Ah, we’ve engaged in something resembling debate before, my friend. I usually stopped myself after a few posts, however.
ppGaz
The goal, apparently, is to have all BJ regulars posting as scs. So far, so good.
Hell, if John and Tim can do it, why shouldn’t we?
ppGaz
When is my spanking, again?
Andrew
Oh, and HopDevil is good, but for the insane hop worshippers among us, Victory makes an even hoppier beer: Hop Wallop. Stronger, too, at 8.5%
I have a Rogue Imperial IPA in the fridge and I’m actually scared of its hoppiness.
scs
.
EXACTLY! But for children, it’s acceptable somehow. That is just wrong and I’m disappointed that more people don’t acknowledge the double standard.
Joey
Er, by sex offenders I mean rapists as well child molestors.
scs
Probably not for about the last six months. I think that’s over the Statue of Libery of limitations buddy.
Krista
Aren’t you the eager fellow?
Joey
No, the last one was a few weeks ago. As I said, I stopped myself after a few posts, and as I’m not a terribly frequent poster here, I’m sure it was quickly out of your memory.
scs
There are two known cases recently on the news. You have get to get out of the blogs more.
scs
No way. I’ll bet you $20.
(few weeks means no more than month – with a block quote and/or direct reply to me)
Pooh
But LaFave is teh haute…(plus she has a fiance…I’ll take all time most akward wedding toasts for $1000, Alex)
VidaLoca
scs, let me be clear on what you’re claiming here: two recent cases of men convicted of rape who avoided prison time by going into therapy? Correct? If so where were the cases?
Joey
I trust the televised news about as much as I would trust Cigarrette Smoking Man. That’s not to say that I trust the blogs much more, but there are a few (like this one) that I feel that I can rely on for my news.
I’m far too lazy to look it up. All I can do is assure you that it did indeed happen.
scs
Yes there was the man in Vermont who got time served of 60 days after he and a friend raped a little girl from the age of 6 on and a newer one of a man who raped two boys, 5 (or 7, I forget) and a 11 year old multiple times- no time served. The judges thought “therapy” would be better.
Joey
If that’s true, they are the exceptions, not the rule.
scs
Chicken. It all depends on who “you” are though. Anyway, where do you think Tim and John get their news from? Do you think BJ has field reporters?
Krista
Um…what? Sorry, that just seemed completely random.
scs
Hopefully. But do we know this for sure? I’m sure of course that these are extreme cases, but is there also a pattern of light sentences because judges are sympathetic to this offense for some reason? Besides, it’s not just about these judges, but the fact that the “establishment” seems to condone this mindset. I guess kids don’t vote.
Joey
Well obviously not, but with (good) blogs, there are more sources used, from pring sources and cable news to news agencies. And I don’t see how me not looking up our last exchanges makes me a chicken. There have been a lot of posts since then, and I don’t feel like looking through all of them. Again, it’s laziness.
scs
I’ll translate for the Canuck. It’s about Debra Lafeve, a hot US teacher who had sex with a minor student, who also just got off criminal charges. She just got engaged as well.
Pooh
Sorry, scs talked about the two convicted rapists in the news who got only therapy and the only one I could think of was this one because I saw it on the news yesterday.
Joey
Do you have anything to back up any of those claims? The “establishment”, at least the one I’m familiar with, views child molestation as one the most hanus crimes one can commit.
scs
Chicken.
Joey
*sigh* I know I should ignore this, but would you care to explain how I am a “chicken”?
scs
One would think – but from what I’ve heard recently, I’m not so sure. Further study is needed. You know what I’ve noticed – is that when someone brings up questions about an issue here, I often find a big article in the NYT the next few days. So maybe we’ll see somthing on it soon. I think we may have a lurker here.
By the way jk about the “chicken”. Just bored.
Krista
Oh right, yes. I do remember reading about that. The name just didn’t ring a bell at the time. My bad.
scs
By the way, are you sure on that spelling of ‘hanus”. Is it really spelled like ‘anus’? Just asking. It wasn’t in my Word Spellcheck.
Joey
Perhaps you’re right.
On the chicken thing, sorry, it’s hard to tell on the internet when somebody is just messing with you. That, and as stated previously, I’m out of it anyways.
Pooh
heinus
Bruce Moomaw
Mark Kleiman has already suggested that the Post hired Domenech for the same reason that the Wall Street Journal used to have Stalinist mouthpiece Alexander Cockburn as its sole non-right-wing columnist — namely, to make its base readers keep saying, “Jesus, is THAT what the other side’s really like?” (I understand that in the last two days Domenech has denounced Coretta King as a “Communist” and announced that Steven Jay Gould supported Intelligent Design. Brad Delong has now found him warmly praising Jefferson Davis last June.)
Pooh
also known as heinous…crap I don’t know how to spell it…
Krista
heinous
Joey
Woops. Spelling never was my forte, I’ve always been more of a biology/history man. We’ll blame it on the vicodin/migraine.
Andrew
It’s not quite right, of course. Semi-factual scs strikes again!
The Vermont judge had the option of jail time with no treatment, or treatment with no jail time, according to state law. The judge wanted to sentence the child rapist to jail time WITH treatment but that wasn’t a legal option. So, based upon expert testimony that untreated offenders were MORE likely to rape children again, the judge sacrificed the punishment of jail time in order to ensure the treatment that would reduce the chance of child rape.
So there you have it: scs is objectively pro-child rape, as it is quite clear that she prefers some punitive jail time. Over protecting children. From rape.
I guess this is mild in comparison to dog sodomy and falafelling.
Steve
You didn’t read the news very closely.
The minor was very traumatized and didn’t want to testify, so the prosecutor reluctantly plea-bargained the case. The judge was outraged at the idea of this woman not getting jail time and refused to approve the plea bargain. The prosecutor said “sorry, I can’t force the victim to testify, he’s way too traumatized and doesn’t want to,” so he dropped the charges. A really shitty result all around but it has nothing to do with anyone being “soft” on child molestors.
I really, really don’t understand where you get this idea that the “left” believes child molestation is no big deal and that it shouldn’t be harshly punished, and frankly, it’s a pretty offensive thing to say.
scs
Okay, I have spoken to you recently then.
scs
Do you mind? We’re talking about anuses here. Stick to what’s important please.
Joey
That’s all it took to jog your memory?
Jackmormon
In the case of child molesters, the debate about therapy doesn’t really apply at the sentencing level. How do people feel about, say, New York State’s proposed law to involuntarily intern convicted child molesters who have already served out their sentences? Maybe that seems extreme. What about public registries? If you think that a convicted sex offender who served his term can live comfortably among neighbors who know all about him, I’d be surprised. Perhaps you’d think he’d deserve to be ostracized. You wouldn’t be wrong if sexual attraction to children were uncontrollable and untreatable. I know we’ve all seen terrible statistics about redicivism, but I also doubt we’ve seen truly committed attempts to provide psychological services to convicted child molesters.
Contemporary political discourse seems to lean so far in the direction of “lock up for life anyone who ever arranged an online date with an FBI agent who pretended to be 17” that I’m starting to get nervous. And no, I’m not pro-child-abuse, any more than I’m pro-terrorist; I’m just worried about where our laws are tending.
scs
Wrong. The legislators made an exception for him later to get therapy in jail because the judge made a fuss.
Anyway, do you know what this life saving therapy is? 90 minutes of counseling a week for a couple years. Phewww. The kids in Vermont are safe now. I’m sure it works about as well as abstinence education does.
scs
Yup. I just need the biology clue. I think we have quite a few friends on here already who talked about math/biology before.
Krista
Subtle. Real subtle.
Ancient Purple
Andrew, could you please stop using facts, please? You will confuse scs.
scs
I didn’t mention that one in my list of complaints. I just explained it, that’s all. Actually, some might find this controvesial, but I think 14 is old enough to know what you’re doing. The fact that she was a teacher though should be punished as that is an abuse of power.
Pooh
You might not think it’s possible to combine so many traits instantly deleterious to a comment section in one poster. You might think that.
scs
Yes, but why the emphasis on therapy for molestation. I’m sure many other crimes have a high repeat rate (didn’t feel like typing recidivism). I heard burglary also has a very high repeat rate for example. In fact burglers have a high risk rate to turn to sexual assault as they get older. Why worry about therapy for just for molestation and why not insist on therapy for burglars as well (as a hypothetical)?
Joey
Repeat offenders probably would recieve thereapy or counseling of some kind. I would make a wager that most people who are incarcerated undergo some sort of psychological treatment while in custody.
scs
Okay I agree, and I’m not against therapy of course, but I think you’re missing the point. There have been several recent examples of child molestors who have not been given prison sentences because the judge bascially thought prison would do more harm than good to the offenders, and it seemed that the left establishment seems to agree. My point is, child molestation is being treated witha double standard. Plenty of other crimes, probably most, crimes are committed by people with mental problems, yet I can think of NO other type of crime where I’ve heard it explained to me that putting the offender in prison would do more harm than good, hence we shouldn’t put them in prison. It’s a double standard, face it.
ppGaz
If Lafave is actually bipolar, and I have only a newspaper report to that effect, then it is entirely possible that she had no control over her actions. Bipolar disorder can and does lead to bizarre behaviors and psychoses that can be at a level of severity that could be described as making he subject unable to tell a person from a tree … or vice versa.
“Counseling” as called for in the resolution of the case is iffy AFAIC. Counseling has no effect on a psychotic person. However, it might serve to keep the subject on her meds and thereby prevent an episode that might lead to psychosis.
ppGaz
Putting a bipolar person in jail for a crime committed during an espisode is useless, and unjust. It would make about as much sense as putting a rabid dog in jail for biting it owner.
However, society has taken the cheap and easy way out with mental illness and crime. Unwilling to make the hard, and expensive, distinctions between real and fake mental illness, and faced with lazy and largely uncaring law enforcement, and also may I say, untrained law enforcement (in defense of the responsers on the street, who are not at fault for not being properly trained) …. bad and unjust things happen.
Sometimes, though, very good and just things happen. It’s often the luck of the draw. In these matters, I assure you based on first hand experience, being lucky is better than being good.
DougJ
I always thought Goldstein was mostly on the humor side.
I did too, but I think it’s more of the “laughing at” than “laughing with” variety. I thought he was in on the joke, but I’m pretty sure he’s not.
Steve
The thing is, the more we learn about the way mental illness and the brain work, the more we’ll be able to attribute ANY criminal act to some dysfunctional firing of synapses. The law has always treated you differently if you’re simply batshit insane, but scientific advances threaten to wipe away the entire notion that you’re responsible for what you do.
By the way, society does have a way to deal with rabid dogs who bite people, and I think it might not have been your best analogy…
Joey
IF child molestors were being set free with only counseling required, then yes, I suppose there would be a double standard. But, outside of a few isolated incidents you have cited, I don’t see it running rampant. And I definitely don’t see where you’re getting the left wing agreeing with it.
ppGaz
Actually, it’s the right analogy. Society largely treats the criminally insane as disposable, when this is less and necessary, and almost never just.
In the case of bipolar disorder, psychosis is a constant threat to any subject who does not take thier meds. Psychosis is an ability to ascertain or understand reality … in real time. A psychotic person might step off a ten story building completely believing that she will fly. Or walk into traffic believing that the cars will pass through his body. Or say or do just about anything you can imagine, and some things you can’t. “Danger to himself and others” is precisely the right nomenclature.
By the way, sexual improprieties are not just common with bipolar mania, it is actually a DSM-IV diagnostic signature. Right out of the manual.
ppGaz
Sorry, “inablity to ascertain ….”
Not “ability.”
VidaLoca
So … scs,
To recap, when it comes down to specifics we have two cases in Vermont where a judge made a forced decision between treatment-without-punishment and punishment-without-treatment, and the Lafave case. In the first, the judge was working with the laws at hand and, if I understand you correctly, was able to lobby the legislature to get the law changed so the molestor could get jail and treatment. In the second case, the prosecutors pleaded Lafave out because they didn’t want to put her victim on the stand.
How again does this all represent any kind of a trend? And how is it the left’s fault?
jg
Its a game called ‘let’s piss off the lefty’s’. All the cool kids on the right play it.
Joey Giraud
Why is no one here commenting on how wired Bush was in that conference? He was chattering like a college kid cramming on triple bennies. I’ve gotten used to his lethargic, lean on the podium “to hell with it all,” but last night someone slipped some serious something into his Diet Pepsi.
There’s more then one Joey in this world
ppGaz
Well, really, it’s just run of the mill trolling.
And not very good trolling, at that.
I called her a troll shortly after she arrived here, and she’s not only proved me right, she’s gotten much worse and much more brazen about it.
Of course, calling her a troll set off a major tantrum. That’s when she started accusing me of “sexual harassment” because I told her that her posts looked like they were written by a little girl.
Anyway, yeah, she’s a regular here now. John and Tim apparently encourage this sort of thing. John, who pimps an asshole like Goldenstern, or whatever his frigging name is, and then tries to pretend to chide me for going at it with a useless troll like scs … a character I a convinced that he could be writing himself, or having someone write for him.
This is a very conflicted place these days. The abuse of commenters and cognitive dissonances are as bad as I’ve seen them. Cole bans (well, pretends to ban) somebody for use of body part slang, and then trolls by “defending” a guy who writes cock slaps into his blog.
Who could invent shit like this? Really?
scs
This must be one of them computer generated posts I’ve heard tell about. 1.)the judge … was able to lobby the legislature to get the law changed so the molestor could get jail and treatment. Wrong again. He didn’t lobby for the change, he just cited it as a reason before he sentenced – so they just gave it to him. So, the leggies gave it to him because he said it was so important to him,and guess what, at sentencing he still let the perp out of jail.
2.)In the second case, the prosecutors pleaded Lafave out because they didn’t want to put her victim on the stand. If you read what I wrote, the second case was not the LAfave case which I had no beef with. It was the case where the man molested a 5 and 11 year old and got no jail time.
Tune your computer up man.
scs
Actually correction – I think he ended up giving him 2-3 years eventually, after the prosecutors protested.
scs
Well, I’m glad to hear that because I had my doubts. However, it hasn’t seemed to work much yet. So you are either really stubborn, or he must not be chiding in strong enough terms.
scs
Never mind about the background check.
wickedpinto
Not being in Control, doesn’t mean that Dem’s Lack “Power.”
In fact our SYSTEM! The concept of congress as it should be, denies “Control” while granting Power to the individuals within congress, and thereby the people.
Are the Dem’s saying that we are a single party system? If so, SS, Medicare, Pat Act, and the “modified line item veto” actually resubmission of individual items, which seems reasonable. Or are they saying that manipulation, successfuly, isn’t power? Successful filibusters aren’t power?
POWER, and Control are different things. I have enough power to life a large object, but I know people, LITERALY, with the power to grasp me by the elbows and MAKE me lift a heavy object.
POWER is the thing that makes the wheels turn on an RC Car, but Control is managed by 2 hands that handle a transmiter.
Speaking truth to power, I am all for, but to say “we have no power” is an outright like, they have no “outright control” but who does? Power is power, if you don’t recognize that, you have failed in the FIRST thing you claim is important within a democracy, ALL those with power, have power, be it great or small. Just admit, that they are after the big fish, and don’t care how many baitfish or dolphins they slaughter along the way.
Steve
Not only did I read what you wrote, I quoted what you wrote.
You still haven’t explained why you think the “left” is somehow waging this campaign to go easy on child molestors. You’re like Scs O’Reilly, defending a position that virtually everyone agrees with and pretending you’re all on your own, trapped in a world of liberals who all think Christmas is evil and child molestors just need a hug.
stickler
I’m not a Constitutional historian. I am a historian, but just not that kind. Still, I have to say that I’m not sure this analysis really holds together:
This comment is evidence of one of three things:
1) I’ve been badly mis-teaching how our political system works in this Republic (I’ve never mentioned the “Baitfish and Dolphins” codicil in the Bill of Rights), or
2) The above poster is batshit crazy, or
3) The above poster is only partially literate in his native language, which I assume is English.
The Other Steve
Frankly, I think most people have gotten tired of Bush repeating the same stuff, just as they’ve gotten tired of arguing with Republicans.
How many times can you say “Look, I don’t care what Bush says, the sky is not green”, before you just shake your head and give up?
Can Republicans be any more irrelevant? Just curious. My friend’s cat is dying, and they’re talking about putting her to sleep. Maybe the Culture of Life can come to her rescue.
VidaLoca
scs,
On your first point, the last statement I can find from you is this:
I used the word “lobbied” instead of “made a fuss”. I inferred that the molestor was jailed because I had no reason to think otherwise until the comment you made above, which it appears you’ve now modified.
On your second point, granted: you didn’t bring up the Lafave case, that was Pooh (although why you don’t have a problem with the outcome of that case is not clear to me now that you mention it).
I’m still curious to know how you see a trend of any kind from this. I’m still curious to know how you’re going to back this up:
ImJohnGalt
scs, any chance you have a link to each of the cases you’re citing? It’s pretty tough to find more information about them, when in both cases you’ve just cited a brief overview of each case with no links. You’ve clarified at least one of them (e.g. prosecutors gave jail time), so I’m assuming you have them handy.
Thanks.
ImJohnGalt
VidaLoca, I believe it is because she blames the judges for the verdicts, and any judicial outcome that the right does not like is clearly a case of judicial activism. Judicial activism is only something Democrat judges engage in, ergo all Democrats are in favour of child molestation.
Does that sound about right?
VidaLoca
As in, “in my heart I know she’s right?” Never would have guessed.
scs
Well you must have missed this then:
Your confusion is that my second case is not LAfave. Again, that is NOT the second case and I have no opinion on that case.
scs
Okay, DJ, I can’t respond to all of your mass posts. Just know that you are wrong and I am right- agreed?
scs
Feel free to google it man.
scs
So Vida, still here to defend yourself?
ImJohnGalt
Nevermind. I thought you wanted to actually discuss the issue. For anyone else to do that we need to actually, you know, read about it. Why should I have to google and try to divine which of the 10,000 results that come up might lead me to the specific cases you’re making up, when in one minute you could cut and paste two links that would put us all on the same page?
I’ll assume you heard about both these cases on O’Reilly, and that neither of them are as you represented. Thanks.
scs
Feel free to discuss, but I don’t google after 2:00- closing time. Sorry
Perry Como
It’s okay scs. 90% of this thread is DougJ. This post too…maybe.
Gray
Apropos Domenech: The readers response crashed WaPo’s blog!
” The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to the site owner reaching his/her bandwidth limit. Please try again later.”
These idiots are not only incompetent regarding their staff decisions (Howell, Domenech), they’re not even able to chose a reliable company for hosting their blog. While washingtonpost.com is connected through AT&T Worldnet, blog.washingtonpost.com is at an IP belonging to IHNetworks.net, an obscure Ca company. Now look at their website: http://www.ihnetworks.net/
Really, if you’re handling the IT for a leading national media service, would you chose such nonames as partner? Ridiculous! Brady should be fired asap.
Jane Finch
scs, you make claims based on something you heard or read, discern trends, and then blame liberals. And when you are asked for sources because no one has the foggiest notion of to what you’re referring to, you tell them to look it up.
Of course, you have to tell them to look it up as it’s your interpretation of Bill O’Reilly’s interpretation. Say, you should take up blogging….
Santa Claus
The Vermont case scs is referring to is the case of Mark Hulett. Google that name and you will find many, many articles. Or, if you google Judge Cashman, you’ll find articles like this:
Ho ho ho, you left-wing motherfuckers!
Jim Allen
Going back a ways…
Very brave of him. Pity he didn’t have the balls to actually answer her question.
Krista
He was just ashamed because his balls are nowhere near as big as hers. (And I mean that with the utmost respect and admiration for Helen Thomas.)
Bob In Pacifica
Everything changed after 9/11.
Bob In Pacifica
Santa Claus, you read the article, right? The guy convicted was retarded. That’s why when they finally nail you for your particular criminal activity your lawyer will hope your judge will recognize your diminished capacity.
ppGaz
Or, pity us because he tried to …
He basically said:
1) We’re making progress in Iraq, and
2) The end of the war is something that a future president will deal with
Have fun making sense of the implications of those two statements.
Par R
All this discussion of child molesters seems a bit overblown. Just execute them and be done with it…society benefits in several ways, including the absence from their midst of the molesters and fewer taxpayer dollars to feed and house the vermin.
Gray
Somewhere I saw an article where shrinks analyzed what may be behind those answers. Afai remember, they said it’s typical for a disconnection from reality and the inability to act responsible…
VidaLoca
scs,
Defend myself? From what? I got tired of waiting for you to give some kind of source for the facts on which you were basing your argument and some kind of support for your statements about Democrats as child molestors.
I’m still waiting.
Brian
Man, how did I miss this yesterday. How refreshing, and TRUE.
As for the WaPo blogger, it’s opinion stuff, Tim. Get off your fucking high horse about Froomkin being a real journalist. You’re just eating sour grapes ’cause you’re not running the media any more, and you want it back. Well, tough shit.
Blue Neponset
So, as of today, there is no more liberal media bias? Should I write that on my calander, or do you reserve the right to whine about the media when it suits you?
Andrew
Does this mean we can blame the failure in Iraq on the conservative media now?
ppGaz
Taking the New George Bush approach to this, we have to say, “That’s something that a future journalist can deal with.”
This new “move the goalposts” strategy is going to be fun.
We don’t have to actually account for anything any more. Just stay the course, and assign the problem to the people “in the future.”
I guess that approach wasn’t what Bush had in mind for Social Security, but it seems to be pleasing the hand-picked crowds for his Iraq speeches!
Steve
It’s not that there shouldn’t be conservative voices in the media. In fact, considering this guy is one of the least credible conservatives you could imagine, I’m positively thrilled that he was chosen. Please, please let this kid keep serving as the face of your movement, talking about the glory of “Red Dawn” and comparing war to a video game. He manages to give Jonah Goldberg gravitas by comparison.
It’s just that some of us on the left get a little annoyed when there are anguished cries and whines every time a journalist even hints at criticizing a Republican, and yet when someone points to the far more blatant conservative examples, the answer is like “oh, their bias is okay, cause that’s just us evening up the score.” It’s like affirmative action for wingnuts.
Broken
I am all for Domenech blogging at WP. How can an “Intelligent Design”-er who admires Jefferson Davis appeal to anyone but the extreme right? WP answers the righty accusation of being “liberal” while making them look stupid. AND they boost their readership. Seems like a clever move to me.
JD
I’ve never been more proud than to be from Downingtown, PA, where Victory Hopdevil (as well as their fantastic Victory Golden Monkey) are brewed.
The Other Steve
W00T! Brain just admitted the media is biased towards conservatives.
Bruce Moomaw
In any case, it appears that as a Post employee Mr. Domenech is about to shuffle off this mortal coil and go to join the Choir Invisible — “Salon” has found proof that, during his college years, Domenech was a massive plagiarist in his college newspaper articles and reviews, ripping off much of his material from Salon itself. (See Brad Delong’s site.)
As with Michael Brown, George Deutsch and Claude Allen, it is impossible to avoid the paranoid suspicion that some of these people are liberal moles — until, that is, you look at Donald Rumsfeld’s performance and consider that the President still solidly supports him.
Vlad
It gets better: during his college days, he apparently ripped off material from the Post itself. Link.
W.B. Reeves
I guess SCS must have lost her day job. Interesting the way she left out the fact that her example predator was mentally retarded. That would affect the question of culpability as would any existing mental defect.
Jon H
Brian writes: “As for the WaPo blogger, it’s opinion stuff, Tim. Get off your fucking high horse about Froomkin being a real journalist. You’re just eating sour grapes ‘cause you’re not running the media any more, and you want it back. Well, tough shit.”
See, here’s the difference between Froomkin and Domenech – I’m sure Domenech’s goals in life do not revolve around journalism. He does not seek advancement as a journalist, he seeks advancement in the GOP hierarchy. That’s what his life is structured around. The route he has chosen is by writing slavish blowjobs for his political gods. Journalism is not a concern, he’s only concerned with scoring points for the GOP and spreading propaganda.
As far as I’m aware, Froomkin would much rather be recognized for his journalism than for how well he performs on his knees servicing either party.
CaseyL
O Glory Be to God, more examples of Domenech’s plagiarism are popping up like mushrooms after a spring rain – including (I’m laughing almost too hard to write, here) thefts from WaPo itself. The question at this point is, is anything he’s ever published under his own name actually his?
Oh, wait: his foaming screeds about Coretta Scott King and black people in general do seem to be all his.
Tacitus and the Redstate boys are defending their lovely little fuckwad by offering a Chinese menu of excuses: He only stole trivial things, like movie reviews; he had permission to steal the quotes and not attribute them to the actual authors (and the waivers have simply, um, disappeared); and it was all youthful indiscretions, he didn’t know plagiarism was bad, because he’d been homeschooled.
Never mind the blatant asshattery of such excuses, they reckon without Plagiarist Ben himself – who wrote stinging essays about how journalists who make things up and steal from other writers are the lowest of the low.
So I guess that means he knows what plagiarism is.
As usual among the modern GOP, though, the standards he sets forth for others is not meant to apply to himself.
Watching the meltdown is so much fun I sort of hope WaPo does brazen it out and keeps him. It’s not like they’ve got much in the way of a journalistic reputation to protect anymore.
Santa Claus
You remember this post when you wake up Christmas morning and there’s a pile of coal underneath your tree big enough to power a steamship. Asshole. Nobody fucks with Santa Claus!