Cheney on waterboarding - he doesn't get it

So, Dick Cheney decided to say on Fox News Sunday that waterboarding worked. Two dossiers he specifically had declassified appear to show that people talked more after waterboarding.

The problem isn't that it may in some cases work. The problem is all of the other reasons:

• It leads to false information.


• It can be used no matter how "necessary" when someone in power has an agenda.


• It puts our troops in harm's way.


• It makes us exactly what our enemies say we are. If we lose our identity, how can we ever say we've won?

The problem, Cheney, isn't that it doesn't work, although the information is brought forth by people under duress, so by default it must be thoroughly vetted (Remember your "link between Iraq and 9/11?"). The problem, is that it makes us unsafe and immoral. It's hard to take the high road when you're dragging a prisoner behind you.

Spread the facts about health care

Obama wants us to "spread the facts" about health care. I don't think he wants me in that group. The facts are we shouldn't be spending so much money right now. Let's table this until we have some funds to pay for things.

Obama as the joker

It seems some guy put together a little art project (quite a good one, actually) showing Obama as the joker. Someone then took the image and changed it to just have the jokerized Obama with the word "Socialism" over it.

It's interesting how art becomes political.

What's 9 trillion amongst friends?

Step one: spend a lot. Step two: spend more. Step three: hey, let's spend money.

Bailouts, bailouts, and health care. Obama hasn't found a project he wouldn't over fund.

Now the projected 10-year deficit will be nearly $2 trillion higher to come in at at $9 trillion. But hey, it's only money.

When propaganda goes bad

"You know, if Stephen Hawking lived in the UK with government health care he would have died. What? He lives there? He was born there?"

It's called fact checking, dumbass. I'm no fan of the upcoming health care changes, but let's stick to truth and facts. If not, it only makes the propagator of lies look stupid.

Britain likes their spying

It seems Britain just can't get enough voyeurism. It wasn't long ago they unveiled their plan to install cameras in the homes of unfit parents, but now a new study shows Britains are spied on 1,500 times a day. That's enough to make someone throw a shoe.

Why are conservates against gates?

Al Vivian of Basic Diversity has something to say about the Gates arrest, which is a question I've asked many times: why do political parties follow the party as opposed to their platform? For instance, as Al argues, Gates was in his home and showed proof it was his home. True conservatives, although they might be appalled by his behavior, would still side with him as it is his home and the government has no right to be there if no crime has been committed once ownership has been established.

It's an interesting read.

Sounds like something the government would do

Are you a bad dad? This government body thinks death may correct that. That's just scary.

No more taxes unless there are

Leave it to the government. It sounds like Bush Sr: "Read My Lips". The PR bus on this administration runs fast, but it seems they missed a stop somewhere.

Doonesbury and sanford

G.B. Trudeau has had something to say about the rash of affairs from people who are so outspoken about such things. The run last week was quite funny. The creator of Doonesbury had a different take on this than me, but the humor is great regardless. Sorry, Sanford, but you've got to see the humor in this, right?

Your money toward a new car I can't afford

Nothing helps shore up the economy like spending money we don't have to fix an economic crisis started by spending money we don't have. Add to that magic money the government just found and * Whamo * we're set!

A friend of mine let me know that my car is eligible for the Cash for Clunkers program. This is the same program that just received $2 billion more in federal funding to give people $4,500 for cars with poor mileage to use toward the purchase of a new car.

If the government was actually going to save $4,500 per vehicle through saving in other areas, say pollution cleanup, etc., then I could understand this expense. But, as it is, it is once again the government trying to fix all our problems and expecting money is the answer.

Not everyone agrees with my assessment, I'm sure, but why do we constantly think that the government will fix all our problems and money is the only way to fix it? I expect the car dealers are keeping prices high as the government is throwing money at this. I also expect people are getting into cars they can't afford because of the deal.

So I'm sticking with my 2000 Kia Sportage clunker. I will be getting something with a lot better gas mileage, but I will be doing it when I can pay cash. From my pocket.

England knows how to violate privacy

If there's a democratic country that knows how to violate privacy, it's England. They're a bunch of peeping Toms. They love to watch everything. I don't know if there is a street you can go down where you are not watched.

But that's not enough. Now they will be putting cameras in homes of "problem families" - currently around 2,000, but expected to go to 20,000.

Wow.

Prisons - free room and board

This started me thinking about the prison system and the issues we have with it, such as having the highest incarceration rate of any country. Perhaps this has something to do with the failure of the prison system: people end up having an entire social structure with other people taking care of their financial and dietary needs. Perhaps if they had to earn their position, they would have a more positive view of life.

Just a thought.