Comments on: The Obama Administration and the Bill of Rights http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:21:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Politics over Freedom, Ctd | The League of Ordinary Gentlemen http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27827 Politics over Freedom, Ctd | The League of Ordinary Gentlemen Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:37:17 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27827 [...] Doug Mataconis, Andrew Coulson finds yet another one of those “little incidents” that add up to a pattern of choosing politics over respect for freedoms: Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States, walked up to former DC Councilman Kevin [...] [...] Doug Mataconis, Andrew Coulson finds yet another one of those “little incidents” that add up to a pattern of choosing politics over respect for freedoms: Eric Holder, Attorney General of the United States, walked up to former DC Councilman Kevin [...]

]]> By: Dave http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27437 Dave Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:25:30 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27437 I meant to say "some of the questionable elements of the PATRIOT Act". Sorry. I meant to say “some of the questionable elements of the PATRIOT Act”. Sorry.

]]> By: Dave http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27436 Dave Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:24:19 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27436 Nick, When we're done can we talk about the similarities between Bush and Obama on the war on terror? Brother Will had this article in a minipost some time ago and it didn't seem to generate much discussion: http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-cheney-fallacy?id=1e733cac-c273-48e5-9140-80443ed1f5e2# If Mark's post is flawed, it was using the Obama's Administration executive order closing Guantanamo Bay as a proxy for the Administration's position on the War on Terror. Given the other policies, I would say very little has improved. That may change if the Administration takes a stand against some of the PATRIOT Act but I'm not going to hold my breath. Being Bush-lite may be better than Bush but I don't think that's a distinction I'd be proud of. Nick,

When we’re done can we talk about the similarities between Bush and Obama on the war on terror? Brother Will had this article in a minipost some time ago and it didn’t seem to generate much discussion:

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-cheney-fallacy?id=1e733cac-c273-48e5-9140-80443ed1f5e2#

If Mark’s post is flawed, it was using the Obama’s Administration executive order closing Guantanamo Bay as a proxy for the Administration’s position on the War on Terror. Given the other policies, I would say very little has improved. That may change if the Administration takes a stand against some of the PATRIOT Act but I’m not going to hold my breath.

Being Bush-lite may be better than Bush but I don’t think that’s a distinction I’d be proud of.

]]> By: JosephFM http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27426 JosephFM Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:05:24 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27426 Ugh don't even suggest that in jest... (Sorry, but my loathing for Jeb outweighs even that for George) Ugh don’t even suggest that in jest…

(Sorry, but my loathing for Jeb outweighs even that for George)

]]> By: Bob Cheeks http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27415 Bob Cheeks Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:46:04 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27415 Well, Cas., you're right on this one! If a third, fourth party doesn't rise up we're doomed....doomed, I say! Well, Cas., you’re right on this one! If a third, fourth party doesn’t rise up we’re doomed….doomed, I say!

]]> By: Louis B. http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27414 Louis B. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:33:32 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27414 Are you defending the DOJ's actions? Are you defending the DOJ’s actions?

]]> By: Cascadian http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27413 Cascadian Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:31:16 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27413 I voted for Barr. Not because I like him, or his past, but as a protest vote, a vote that would suggest that there was at least one more voter that wasn't buying what the two parties were selling. I'm glad that Obama won over McCain. However, my misgivings about Obama have been proven more correct than I wish. I'm relieved that I don't have to have the guilt that those Republicans that voted for W. or those Progressives that voted for Obama must certainly feel. I voted for Barr. Not because I like him, or his past, but as a protest vote, a vote that would suggest that there was at least one more voter that wasn’t buying what the two parties were selling. I’m glad that Obama won over McCain. However, my misgivings about Obama have been proven more correct than I wish. I’m relieved that I don’t have to have the guilt that those Republicans that voted for W. or those Progressives that voted for Obama must certainly feel.

]]> By: Michael Drew http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27412 Michael Drew Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:21:55 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27412 ...by <i>Mark's</i> usually superior analysis, I meant to say. And it is. …by Mark’s usually superior analysis, I meant to say. And it is.

]]> By: Michael Drew http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27411 Michael Drew Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:19:48 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27411 A lot of the items Mark mentions are indeed legitimate problems -- or at least there is enough there to merit discussion about whether they are. There is also quite obviously a fairly (at this point) devastating critique to be made of this administration on the Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, that critique has almost nothing to do with the items raised here. (I say 'almost' -- a few points do pertain). To get to the serious Bill of Rights critique, you have to get into the stuff "important to the liberal base of the Democratic Party," not because what they think must be what matters, but because in this case what they (along with many others) happen to be concerned with <i>is</i> what most matters. To put a post under this title and not want to deal with those things (out of what based on the writing is hard to think is anything other than partisan preference -- but the reason is immaterial) makes for quite an unsatisfying reading experience based on the expectations raised by both the title and by usually superior analysis. Oh well -- next time. A lot of the items Mark mentions are indeed legitimate problems — or at least there is enough there to merit discussion about whether they are. There is also quite obviously a fairly (at this point) devastating critique to be made of this administration on the Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, that critique has almost nothing to do with the items raised here. (I say ‘almost’ — a few points do pertain). To get to the serious Bill of Rights critique, you have to get into the stuff “important to the liberal base of the Democratic Party,” not because what they think must be what matters, but because in this case what they (along with many others) happen to be concerned with is what most matters. To put a post under this title and not want to deal with those things (out of what based on the writing is hard to think is anything other than partisan preference — but the reason is immaterial) makes for quite an unsatisfying reading experience based on the expectations raised by both the title and by usually superior analysis. Oh well — next time.

]]> By: nick.t. http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/10/the-obama-administration-and-the-bill-of-rights/#comment-27409 nick.t. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:17:20 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=10089#comment-27409 This is remarkably weak sauce as a list of allegations and accusations. As for the tired trope about better than Bush - well, let's talk about torture, shall we? This is a laundry list of yes, trivialities, linked by the claim that they are "unseemly". Unseemly in whose eyes, exactly? And what does unseemly mean in actual constitutional and legal terms? Apparently, nothing, zip, zero. Well, I'd say it's pretty unseemly to peddle this sort of tripe and claim to be interested in liberties - no-one who voted for Bob Barr is in any sort of position to claim to defend them. Let's remember who it was who tried to undermine separation of church and state, gave a keynote speech to a racist and anti-immigrant group, sponsored DOMA... why yes, Bob Barr! This is remarkably weak sauce as a list of allegations and accusations. As for the tired trope about better than Bush – well, let’s talk about torture, shall we? This is a laundry list of yes, trivialities, linked by the claim that they are “unseemly”. Unseemly in whose eyes, exactly? And what does unseemly mean in actual constitutional and legal terms? Apparently, nothing, zip, zero. Well, I’d say it’s pretty unseemly to peddle this sort of tripe and claim to be interested in liberties – no-one who voted for Bob Barr is in any sort of position to claim to defend them. Let’s remember who it was who tried to undermine separation of church and state, gave a keynote speech to a racist and anti-immigrant group, sponsored DOMA… why yes, Bob Barr!

]]>