Comments on: John Hinderaker, super-genius

By: Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger

Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 18:58:51 +0000

And Marq, (if you deign to converse with me, after giving you credit for my making me mildly famous on the basis of my own admittedly flawed intelligence), how would things be different, in your view, if Congress were in the hands of Democrats?

Remember, Marq, most of them fell—hook, line and sinker, for the same flawed intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction, and were every bit as eager to move into Iraq on the basis of that same flawed intelligence as the majority of Republicans.

By: Marq

Marq — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 15:08:07 +0000

Well, technically, we aren’t even “at war”–there was no war declaration at all, only an authorization for the use of military power. That authorization came with many attached strings–for instance, Shrub was to have made regular reports to Congress on a number of “war” related activities. The reports were to have been regular events, every few months. There have been none. Theoretically, Congress should have ended funding for the Iraq debacle unless the administration would deign to cough-up these missing reports. Sadly, Congress is in Republican hands….

By: GuinnessGuy

GuinnessGuy — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 10:53:44 +0000

Well, yes and no- technically speaking, “only if they are prepared to impeach a president who disregards the attempt to limit his powers.” is applicable to any attempt to limit executive power.
Congress can pass bills and acts (or repeal previously passed ones) in order to limit presidential power, but it must be by a large enough margin to avoid the veto (I don’t recall what limits, if any, are on the veto in such cases- it’s been a while since civics).
Any attempt, however, would likely be resisted by the president since, hey, who likes giving up power? If it passes, however, it is nearly assured that the president would have to acceed or face impeachment and/or censure (plus death in the public opinion polls for defying their duly elected representatives).

By: lharmon

lharmon — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 04:15:04 +0000

Question – can the Congress limit the executive war powers of the presidency, via FISA or otherwise? The answer, I fear, is “only if they are prepared to impeach a president who disregards the attempt to limit his powers.”

In other words, what we have here is not a legal question – it is a political question.

Now, if a political question can be framed as a legal question in the context of an actual legal controversy – that is, something that can get into court via a lawsuit – then perhaps a congressional limitation can be enforced. But even the courts will be wary of taking on a wartime president, particularly where the president’s actions are pretty much viewed as sensible by most people. In any event, I don’t see how this one gets into court.

By: Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger

Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 14:44:05 +0000

Once again Marq, my mistake. My apology.

By: Marq

Marq — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 13:43:45 +0000

Oh, and BLT? Stop slandering me by “crediting” me with shilling your “Black Santa” song… Since. I. Did. Not. The exchange you are mis-remembering was when I set you up to download the extremely racist and loathsome “12 Days of Kwaanza” song, which, incidentally, wasn’t by you, just in case you forgot. After you effusively praised it, I mentioned it was by a white drag-queen, Shirley Q. Liquor, who performs in blackface. Your response deftly avoided actually responding to the facts and shilled for one of your songs, as usual. It must be nice to remember things the way you’d like for them to have been. I state for the record that I am definitively not one of the purported “silent majority” of commenters on this site who “like” you. Hardly.

By: tigrismus's identical cousin

tigrismus's identical cousin — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 13:34:26 +0000

Or is it Definitely Not Dan Someone who has won our hearts?

By: tigrismus

tigrismus — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 13:32:38 +0000

Hell, who doesn’t love Dan Someone after that?

By: Marq

Marq — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:52:10 +0000

Yeah, but when MJ’ triple posts, dear LORD, we’re talking scrolling injuries.

The scroll-wheel in my mouse died, and I can only blame MJ’ and her triple-posts, damn her eyes.

By: bobby

bobby — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 10:01:35 +0000

altho I agree that in bypassing FISA & authorizing the wire taps, Bush is
A: in the wrong legally
B: has just demonstrated that laws have no value (guess that means we can all break em now, eh?)
I have to say that he is facing no jail time.. A sitting president cannot be charged with a crime.. Technically, ‘impeachment’ is not a charge.. It is a way, to be used by the Congress, to remove a president who is failing to perform as a president. I put forth that the reason Rove has Bush ‘claim’ to have done things that are ‘illegal’ is because this protects the people who have actually committed the acts.. Rove, Cheney, Rumsfield & their lackeys.. Bush is, after all, simply a front. Think of him as chaff, protecting the people who are in charge.

FWIW, The Office of the President was authorized by the Congress to use force to remove Saddam. Period. Saddam is removed, and, as the imposter repeatedly tells us, Iraq is safe again. There is no war. Technically, it is a police action. The ‘prezdent’ has no war powers. It is time to end this farce.

By: Harry Cheddar

Harry Cheddar — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 07:27:17 +0000

In high school, I got suspended for reading a passage from Catch 22 for a speech class assignment. And that was only, uh, 25 years ago. (Fuck I’m old.)

By: Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger

Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 02:39:18 +0000

Dan, Dan & Dan, this is your lucky day. I just happen to be filled with even more love than usual towards those who disagree with me.

This is the day that one of your own, has made one of my own songs, rather famous thanks to a very popular European site called mp3000.net
(though I don’t condone the porno adds it posts).

A few weeks ago, I read a post that suggested that Marq had sent Black Santa, my rapping duo with Michael C. to one of his favorite sites. Well, since that post came out, the song has become one of the top songs on the site I mentioned, right up there competing with artists such as Madonna, Green Day etc.
I better not say anything critical of you either, Dan. Black Santa is now my most successful song ever, and I owe it all to Marq, and to the powers that be a this site for allowing a troll to mingle with their own left-wing bloggers. Too bad they’ve got me listed as Black Santa rather than as Dr. BLT & Michael C. Now my song is famous, but still, nobody in Europe knows who I am.

By: Dan Someone

Dan Someone — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 01:16:37 +0000

Why thank you, Definitely Not Dan Someone! It’s nice to be appreciated, especially by those who are not me.

By: Definitely Not Dan Someone

Definitely Not Dan Someone — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 01:15:29 +0000

You go, Dan Someone! I am definitely not you, but you are clearly right on the money with that last comment.

By: Dan Someone

Dan Someone — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 01:14:50 +0000

Heh… that’s funny. Doc Sammich posts, then posts again under another name, in support of himself. And what does he say? Essentially that the response to his initial post will be one of the following:
(a) a mean response;
(b) a nice response, which will be either (i) sincere or (ii) insincere; or
(c) no response.

Kind of covers the waterfront. Heads I win, tails you lose. Way to go, Doc!

Now, I’ll bet Doc Sammich will either respond with a comment about how he pities me, a comment about how he is filled with love even for those who disagree with him, a comment in which he tosses out some spot analysis of my psyche, a comment in which he does none of the above, or no comment at all.

By: 'wich doctor?

'wich doctor? — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 20:11:23 +0000

Yeah, just watch to see what happens to Dr. BLT next. They will either persecute him, totally ignore him, or offer fulsome praise and/or ersatz niceties as a way of obfuscating their true intention to further persecute him.

By: Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger

Dr. BLT, The Song Blogger — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 19:42:50 +0000

Thank you John, and Scott, for adding links to “What Land is This?” and
“That Saddam is Gone Christmas Song”
to your Power LIne site. The songs were virtually ignored over here, while your visitors downloaded them by the thousands. Then again, Christmas, and the message of Christmas is anathema here.

Then again, I have grown accustomed to be shunned, verbally attacked, and turned into right-wing road kill over here on a daily basis. Then, to add insult to injury, I’m told I suffer from a persecution complex. Well, if that’s true, they really know how to put the “persecution” in “persecution complex.” They are powerless to defeat me, while you put the “power” in Power Line. And I”m not just saying that because you have now made several of my songs into internet “hits.”

Consider it an honor to be persecuted here. If you are persecuted here, it is a sign that you are on the right path, and everybody blessed with common sense understands that the “right” path is the right path.

God bless you and have a Merry, Merry Christmas. Ch-ching!

By: Timmah420

Timmah420 — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 15:01:07 +0000

Oh how I love catch 22.

By: Clevinger

Clevinger — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 13:07:56 +0000

Here’s one for you that pretty much sums it up:

‘Won’t you fight for your country?’ Colonel Korn demanded, emulating Colonel Cathcart’s harsh, self-righteous tone. ‘Won’t you give up your life for Colonel Cathcart and me?’

Yossarian tensed with alert astonishment when he heard Colonel Korn’s concluding words. ‘What’s that?’ he exclaimed. ‘What have you and Colonel Cathcart got to do with my country? You’re not the same.’

‘How can you separate us?’ Colonel Korn inquired with ironical tranquillity.

‘That’s right,’ Colonel Cathcart cried emphatically. ‘You’re either for us or against us. There’s no two ways about it.’

‘I’m afraid he’s got you,’ added Colonel Korn. ‘You’re either for us or against your country. It’s as simple as that.’

‘Oh, no, Colonel. I don’t buy that.’

Colonel Korn was unrufed. ‘Neither do I, frankly, but everyone else will. So there you are.’

By: The Oracle

The Oracle — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 12:47:54 +0000

Is Assrocket a living example of the Peter Principle, or what???

Oooops, there’s almost something Freudian in this.