Open Thread

Someone ask for an open thread?

Here's one topic (if you don't have one yourself): Number of Death Sentences Hits 30-Year Low. No points for suggesting it's because Bush is no longer Governor of Texas. Here are some stats though:

Since 1977, 885 inmates were executed through 2003 by 32 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Two-thirds of them were in five states: Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Missouri and Florida.

The report also found

_Of death row inmates, 56 percent were white, while 42 percent were black. Hispanics, who can be of any race, accounted for 12 percent of inmates whose ethnicity was known.

_States with the largest number of death row inmates were California with 629, Texas with 453 and Florida with 364.

_Ten people died while awaiting execution in 2003; six from natural causes and four from suicide.

Comments

[felixrayman]

Democrats won the popular vote in the Senate by 3,000,000. Obviously, more evidence that Democrats should shift to  the  right.

[Bernard Yomtov]

I'm curious what people think about the furor surrounding Specter and the possibility he may not be named chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Is this overreaching by conservatives; is it all for show; is it intended to warn moderates in the party not to step out of line?

Specter is 74. It is quite likely this will be his last term. Becoming chairman is surely the height of his political ambition. Is it worth making an enemy of him?

[rilkefan]

I like this song a lot. Lyrics here.

_The Incredibles_ is preceded by a short subject which is either a technical triumph and charming or a technical triumph and hokey. But I found myself noticing the craftsmanship of the lyric - it's not poetry but a lot of skill went into its construction (and delivery, too). I wonder if I was more aware of the latter because of my awareness of the effort that went into the animation. It's rather inspiring to think how much skill and work is out there - I was half listening to a song on the radio the other day when I noticed the drummer was doing something tasteful and elegant and perfect. I should pay more attention.

[liberal japonicus]

Specter is 74. It is quite likely this will be his last term. Becoming chairman is surely the height of his political ambition. Is it worth making an enemy of him?

Yes, if your purpose is to demonstrate the deviance from the set down line is a punishable offense. Even if Specter does succeed, the grovelling that he has had to do to get what he wants serves notice to every moderate Republican out there that they better watch what they say. Into that silence will step the spinmeisters who will then claim that the absence of response is total agreement.

[blogbudsman]

I'm not sure the 'furor' will have much effect. Sen. Specter's moderate leaning is well known. The RNC helped him get re-elected and he supports the President in many many arenas. I know Bork is torked, but the good Senator will step into his scheduled chairmanship and perform admirably. And we all have to watch what we say these days. I thought grovelling was the new age sign of strength.

[liberal japonicus]

Sen. Specter's moderate leaning is well known. The RNC helped him get re-elected and he supports the President in many many arenas.

If Specter has no worries, why did he feel compelled to write that op-ed for WSJ?

BTW, I went to double check that the op-ed was the WSJ and came upon this very interesting thread commenting on the editorial. As one person astutely notes
"Well! With all this publicity, maybe now he can't back down from supporting any pro-life candidate Bush sends his way!"

So much for grovelling as the new strength.

[Catsy]

Apropos of nothing, I know a lot of us here do a lot of snarling about the Bush administration's assault on civil liberties--I'm certainly one of the loudest snarlers in my circle of friends--but it's important to keep some perspective and realize how free we really still are.

Less than a week after U.S. soldiers were honored during Veterans Day, dignitaries on Wednesday are to gather and salute the hundreds of thousands of German prisoners of war taken to camps in the United States during World War II -- most of them in the South.

....

"They were educated in another time period, with another political guideline. In their opinion, they also fought for freedom, liberty and for their fatherland. That's why these people gave all they had -- their own lives."

....

"German POWs were treated very well," said Arnold Krammer, a Texas A&M history professor who has written several books on German POWs. "In some cases they were given wine and beer with every meal. Of course, prison is still prison. They were bored and unhappy."

But thousands returned to Germany fluent in English and "having a new love and respect for the United States," Krammer said. Many climbed into the hierarchy of the postwar government, while others became business executives, writers and artists, he said.

U.S. farmers paid the government for the POWs' work and the government then paid the POWs.

"Each prisoner could take back several hundred dollars or more, which helped lubricate the German economy," Krammer said. "It was one of those programs that just worked out well for everybody."

When we can still form groups honoring the sacrifice even of those who fought against us with honor in the past, recognizing that they did so for the same reasons we fought against them, our descent into fascism has a long way to go yet.

That said, compare these POW camps with Guantanamo--and note well the part I bolded.

[cleek]

FYI: Powell has submitted his resignation.

At this point, we can only imagine the horror that will be his replacement - none has been announced.

[Jadegold]

If I may rephrase Cleek's comment:

FYI: Powell has submitted his resignation.

At this point, we can only imagine the horror that will be his legacy and reputation.

[Edward]

I'm not much for political art in general, but this image hit me like a punch in the gut:

Sheng Qi, Memories (Me), 2000.

From an exhibit on new Photography from China at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

[Slartibartfast]

Fear is the mind-killer.

And, sadly, reporting on ancient evil has claimed a life.

[votermom]

Since this is an open thread, anyone up to discussing Asia Times report on Fallujah?
quote:
"Not only "invisible" civilians are dead and buried in Fallujah - but the Geneva Convention as well. "Capturing" a major hospital and turning it into a military target; preventing civilians and noncombatants from escaping from, and forcefully returning them to, a war zone: these are war crimes, according, among others, to James Ross, senior legal advisor to Human Rights Watch. "

[Jadegold]

The night before the assault on Falluja, US SOF captured the hospital located in the city.

Why?

To secure the hospital records concerning civilian casualties sustained in the earlier assault on the city.

[Bernard Yomtov]

those who fought against us with honor in the past, recognizing that they did so for the same reasons we fought against them,

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I really can't buy this. Sure, we can sympathize with some young Germans, draftees perhaps, or others caught up by forces out of their control, who fought for their country. But let's not go too far. Plenty of German soldiers, especially officers and certainly generals, knew what and who they were fighting for. It need hardly be said that their cause was evil, and ours wasn't.

[Edward]

Then there's this helpful website: http://helpthemleave.com/

Mocking our pain, they offer:

In return for the irrevocable renunciation of your United States citizenship, and a sworn statement that you will never return, we will provide free one-way transportation to one of our politically matched recommended countries on one of the jets we have chartered to provide this service.

Of course the countries they fly to include only (grouped by "political leanings"):

Anti-Americans: Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen Communists: Cuba, North Korea or Vietnam Leftists: France, Germany, Spain, or Venezuela Socialists: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, or Sweden

Actually, add Holland or St. Bart's to that list, and I might just consider it... ;P

The obvious retaliatory snark is that had Kerry won the election, a similar service for Bush voters would have been damn-near impossible: what other country would have taken them in? ;ppp

[rilkefan]

"To secure the hospital records concerning civilian casualties sustained in the earlier assault on the city."

Is there any evidence for this beyond a dim view of the Iraq adventure?

[felixrayman]

The obvious retaliatory snark is that had Kerry won the election, a similar service for Bush voters would have been damn-near impossible: what other country would have taken them in?

Don't forget Poland!

[Jesurgislac]

rilkefan: Is there any evidence for this beyond a dim view of the Iraq adventure?

I did not see the New York Times story, but I have seen repeatedly reported that a "senior American officer" said of the hospital in Fallujah "It's a centre of propaganda".

In any case: Attacking a hospital is illegal (Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 18). It is for those who committed the crime of attacking a hospital to present a defense, if they can. (I'm sure they can. Whether it will be a truthful defense is another matter.)

It's more than illegal, it's atrocious. Can we remember that? Attacking a civilian hospital is an atrocity. Where did the outrage go?

[Jesurgislac]

Oops. Out of practice. Closing HTML now.

[Phil]

Wait a minute -- did we attack a hospital, or did we secure a hospital? There's a not-insignificant difference between the two, and the latter would be understandable in light of the fact that it's a typical jihadist tactic to fight/hide/resupply/attack out of hospitals, ambulances, mosques and schools, for very obvious reasons.

[dutchmarbel]

Phil, AFAIK the main hospital was 'secured' and is not available for the locals. The bridge to enter it is closed off. The civilian casualty reports were seen as 'propaganda' for the insurgents - the US does not approve of civilian body counts.

The US bombed the first aid clinic in the center, do not allow ambulances or medics to move, do not allow the Red Crescent to enter with supplies for civilians and hospital, shut down the water and electricity days ago. People drink contamineted water, the bodies in the street (they cannot be moved) start to rot if they are not eaten by the cats and dogs so the water will grow to be worse (eyewitness reports on BBC News).

[Slartibartfast]

I heard a commentary by Grover Norquist on NPR tonight. If I can get ahold of the transcripts, I'd like to take a shot at tearing Grover a new one.

[someguy]

Moral values:

"House Republicans were contemplating changing their rules in order to allow members indicted by state prosecutors to remain in a leadership post, a move designed to benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, GOP leaders said today.

The rules change, which some leaders said is likely to be adopted Wednesday, comes as House Republicans return to Washington indebted to DeLay for the enhanced majority they won in this month's elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered the grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature's redistricting actions."

[Slartibartfast]

For those who enjoy a despairing laugh at the stupidity of others:

I give you this.

[rilkefan]

Slart, apparently that's a hoax.

"Leave our homos alone" hopefully (I guess) isn't.

[Jesurgislac]

By the way, Edward - good news from the UK.

Though the BBC story is cautious, basically civil partnerships are to be identical to civil marriage: the bill has passed and only awaits Royal Assent to become law in the UK.

[Slartibartfast]

A hoax? I hadn't heard that. The shame of it is, it's utterly plausible. Wasn't it the Indiana legislature that wanted to change the value of pi to something more convenient?

[Edward]

By the way, Edward - good news from the UK.

Wahoo!!!

Having lived in London for 3 years (love it), I'd happily move back when I'm set to retire (although I'm not giving up my US citizenship...I don't like the idea of being a "subject" rather than a "citizen").

I still have hopes for New York.

[kenB]

Not a hoax exactly, but an article from an Onion-type "newspaper", the Hoosier Gazette. Humor-wise, I preferred this article from last month.

[crionna]

Heh, Slart, not to worry. Those folks did save us from the horror of driving on route 666. After 77 years they finally changed it to Route 491.

WHEREAS, people living near the road already live under the cloud of opprobrium created by having a road that many believe is cursed running near their homes and through their homeland; and
WHEREAS, the number "666" carries the stigma of being the mark of the beast, the mark of the devil, which was described in the book of revelations in the Bible; and
HEREAS, there are people who refuse to travel the road, not because of the issue of safety, but because of the fear that the devil controls events along United States route 666; and
WHEREAS, the economy in the area is greatly depressed when compared with many parts of the United States, and the infamy brought by the inopportune naming of the road will only make development in the area more difficult.

It goes North South and it sucked me into going South on it for 20 minutes before I realized I wasn't heading the right way towards 4 corners. -cue not really very spooky music-