America's Toughest Critic
— Slublog

Another day, another gratuitous shot at the former administration.

In his opening remarks, he underscored European and American ties and appeared intent on improving the U.S. image abroad, which suffered under George W. Bush. "I've come to Europe this week to renew our partnership," Obama said, bluntly claiming that the relationship between the United States and Europe had gone adrift, with blame on both sides.

"In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world," Obama said.

Instead of celebrating Europe's dynamic union and seeking to work with you, Obama said, "there have been times where America's shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

Oh, and just in case anyone might have forgotten:

"I think it is important for Europe to understand that even though I am president and George Bush is not president, al-Qaida is still a threat."

Thanks for clearing that up.

Posted by: Slublog at 05:34 AM | Add Comment
Post contains 151 words, total size 1 kb.

Breaking: Iowa Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
— Gabriel Malor

Can't get to the court's webpage right now because their servers are alternately crashed or moving so slow they time out. However, word is filtering out of the Supreme Court building that the plaintiffs have won and that the Supreme Court has overturned Iowa's ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of equal protection under the Iowa Constitution.

Check back here for the Court's ruling, if it ever loads again.

I've got to get to work; more updates then.

Initial news report is here.

Update: A copy of the ruling is available at Lefty blog Pam's House Blend (PDF). The judges unanimously held that limiting marriage to unions bewteen a man and a woman violates the Iowa Constitution's Equal Protection Clause, which to me reads a bit broader the the U.S. Constitution's version.

Article I, section 6 of the Iowa Constitution:

All laws of a general nature shall have a
uniform operation; the general assembly shall not grant to any citizen or
class of citizens, privileges or immunities, which, upon the same terms shall
not equally belong to all citizens.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 04:48 AM | Comments (1)
Post contains 198 words, total size 1 kb.

Obama's Future Tax Hikes
— Slublog

That budget Congress passed yesterday? This is the result:

Finally, what of the claim not to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 a year? Even ignoring his large energy taxes, Mr. Obama must reconcile his arithmetic. Every dollar of debt he runs up means that future taxes must be $1 higher in present-value terms. Mr. Obama is going to leave a discounted present-value legacy of $6.5 trillion of additional future taxes, unless he dramatically cuts spending. (With interest the future tax hikes would be much larger later on.) Call it a stealth tax increase or ticking tax time-bomb.

What does $6.5 trillion of additional debt imply for the typical family? If spread evenly over all those paying income taxes (which under Mr. Obama's plan would shrink to a little over 50% of the population), every income-tax paying family would get a tax bill for $163,000. (In 10 years, interest would bring the total to well over a quarter million dollars, if paid all at once. If paid annually over the succeeding 10 years, the tax hike every year would average almost $34,000.) That's in addition to his explicit tax hikes. While the future tax time-bomb is pushed beyond Mr. Obama's budget horizon, and future presidents and Congresses will decide how it will be paid, it is likely to be paid by future income tax hikes as these are general fund deficits.

Basically, in just over 60 days, Obama and the Democrats have ensured that your taxes and the taxes of your children will rise. Dramatically. And the media continues to allow him to get away with brushing off those concerns with his stock, ridiculous "inherited a deficit" answer. Perhaps, in between the slobbering coverage of Michelle's dresses and the adoring European crowds, a member of the press can get around to asking someone in the administration about how crushing debt will ensure the sort of prosperity Obama promises?

(H/t: Mankiw)

Posted by: Slublog at 04:32 AM | Comments (1)
Post contains 328 words, total size 2 kb.

Top Headline Comments 04-03-09
— Gabriel Malor

W00t.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 04:02 AM | Comments (1)
Post contains 9 words, total size 1 kb.

Court Rules Combatant-Detainees in Afghanistan Can Challenge Detention...in U.S. Courts
— Gabriel Malor

Today, a district court judge in D.C. applied the Supreme Court's ridiculous reasoning in last year's Boumediene v. Bush to extend constitutional habeas rights to three aliens captured by the military during a war and held in a war-zone. The lengthy opinion is here (PDF).

Yes, aliens held overseas in military detention as combatants (and not just at Guantanamo Bay) have the constitutional right to habeas review in the federal courts. *facepalm*

The short version of the opinion is below the fold. more...

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 08:21 PM | Add Comment
Post contains 607 words, total size 4 kb.

Overnight Open Thread: Ministry of Silly Links (genghis)
— Open Blog

Bits of randomness found on the intermesh. Or whatever else is on your mind.

Item #1: “PoconoJoe” sends along a link to a site called Curious Expeditions. Lots of interesting articles about out-of-the-ordinary historical artifacts. The second post from the top, about the glass flowers, is pretty amazing. Not flying car-type amazing but still…Probably too highbrow for you slavering pack of rabid morons.

Item #2: “JB” contributes an article (video actually) regarding wearable “6th Sense” technology that’s emerged from a lab at MIT. Some are comparing it to the gizmos from ”Minority Report.” It’s still under development but IMHO if they can somehow take it to the next level of imagery which uses 3d holographic projection then most of us will be racing as fast as we can towards our bunks prior to going out and purchasing one of these systems. (Please wash your hands before you head out the door to interact with real people…I don’t know why I have to keep reminding you people of that) The video’s kinda’ lengthy, but stick with it until a little after the midway point. That’s when the “oohs” and “ahhs” begin. Like any good geek tech this also has plenty of potential for misuse. (as they show in the vid.) I’m sure you’ll think of additional misuses.

Item #3: Finally, “Jubal Early Anderson” sends in an article from The Detroit News about Detroit’s continuing slide into dystopia. As large, mostly deserted parts of the city decay and revert back to their natural state, edible wild critters have also returned. Well, edible to some I suppose. So far the city hasn’t gone down the path to cannibalism or Soylent Green. Or maybe they have, according to the following quote by the “urban hunter” featured in the article (practically everything in the article is worth quoting):

"Today people got no skill and things is getting worse," he laments. "What people gonna do? They gonna eat each other up is what they gonna do."

How could anyone possibly think about eating one of these adorable creatures? Without a proper marinade and seasoning that is.

Notice: Posted by permission of AceCorp LLC. Please e-mail overnight open thread tips to xgenghisx@gmail.com. Otherwise send tips to Ace.

Posted by: Open Blog at 08:03 PM | Add Comment
Post contains 386 words, total size 3 kb.

NYT Editor Bill Keller: "Saving the New York Times now ranks with saving Darfur as a high-minded cause."
— Ace

In fairness, he's remarking on fellow liberals' embrace of the Times as a cause on par with Darfur, not necessarily his own beliefs.

But still.

Posted by: Ace at 03:57 PM | Add Comment
Post contains 61 words, total size 1 kb.

Military voters screwed in NY race
— Uncle Jimbo

Hans von Spakovsky, a very cool name, over at The Corner points out an egregious example of "supporting the troops". It seems the Two Democrats on the NY State Board of Elections voted against sending absentee ballots to Iraq & A-Stan soon enough for them to get back and be counted. They chose purposefully to screw our troops. The two Republicans tried to do the right thing, but the Dems, and you gotta figure they knew how those votes would go, decided F**k the troops.

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, which is responsible for enforcing the federal statute that guarantees the right of overseas citizens and military personnel to vote by absentee ballot, contacted the New York State Board of Elections and requested that they issue their ballots sooner for this race. The two Republican members of the board voted to support this request. Yet the two Democratic members of the board, shamefully enough, voted against doing so. Were they trying to disenfranchise military voters?

The Justice Department then filed a federal lawsuit on March 24 against the election board and the governor of New York. But the requested remedy was nowhere near what should have been asked for to remedy this problem, and didnÂ’t include any of the measures that we successfully asked for from other courts when I was at the Division coordinating DOJÂ’s enforcement of this statute.

The only thing DOJ leaders essentially asked for (and got in a consent decree) was an extension of time for the receipt of overseas ballots, from April 7 to April 13. In other words, despite the fact that almost every expert in this area now recommends at least a 45-day transit time for absentee ballots for military voters, Justice asked only for 30.

If anybody wondered why the military trends Republican you can chalk it up to shite like this and the shameless attempts by The Obama, The Lummox Murtha, The House Harridan Pelosi and The Thin-lipped, Milquetoast, Cream-in-the-coffee, Cadaver Reid to lose the war in Iraq. I'm sure those two douche Elections Board members support the troops, just not their right to vote against Democrats. 2010 can't come soon enough, we gotta get a filibuster capability locked in the Senate and start chipping away at the House as well. I want divided government so the bastards can't destroy the whole country. I am so Simon Jester.

Soren Dayton has some good news about this BS.

The names, named.

Co-Chair Douglas A. Kellner / Co-Chair Evelyn J. Aquila
Email the SBOE info@elections.state.ny.us

Posted by: Uncle Jimbo at 02:25 PM | Comments (4)
Post contains 438 words, total size 3 kb.

Heap Bad Verdict: Jury Finds in Favor of Ward Churchill, Determining He Was Wrongfully Terminated
— Ace

The good news is that he was only ordered $1 in damages.

The bad news is that that verdict remains -- and could be used as a ratchet to get his job back.

A judge will now decide if Churchill will get his job back.

Denver jury. What can you do.

Thanks to EdwardR.

Posted by: Ace at 02:04 PM | Add Comment
Post contains 84 words, total size 1 kb.

Blago Indicted
— Ace

Not really a surprise.

Blagojevich, 52, , was charged 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal agents. He allegedly used his office in numerous matters involving state appointments, business, legislation and pension fund investments to seek or obtain such financial benefits as money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and others, in exchange for official actions, including trying to leverage his authority to appoint a United States Senator...

Five of his aides were also charged in the "sweeping" indictments.

Posted by: Ace at 01:17 PM | Add Comment
Post contains 94 words, total size 1 kb.