The Triumphant Return of Link Bloggy!

With the seemingly constant parade of scandals, fiascoes, and crisis that have plagued the Bush Administration it's hard to get too excited about the latest one (TPM, as usual, is all over this thing. Seriously, go check them out.). This time around it seems not only has the president been trying to use the Justice Department to punish, in the finest Nixonian tradition, his political rivals. He's also been using an obscure section of the Patriot Act to purge those prosecutors who wouldn't play ball – either by not charging Democratic politicians with flimsy evidence or by overzealously going after Republicans – and sneak their replacements past any congressional oversight. Again, I'm shocked, truly shocked that this has happened under Mr. Bush's watch. There are, however, a few critical difference this time. For one, there are plenty of smoking guns laying around that this goes up, way up, the chain of command. For another, this is a scandal that Congress hasn't been involved in at all so when they dig around there's no chance of finding any dirt to besmirch them further (Beyond, you know, passing that Patriot Act in the first place. It's not like anybody could tell at the time it was a horrendous piece of civil liberties destroying legislation that needed to be opposed or anything.). And, finally, it's a different Congress. A Democratic one. And one that seems genuinely interested in its constitutionally mandated duty of oversight. Could be yet another tempest in a teapot but something tells me this shitstorm is going to linger.

Speaking of congressional oversight, Digby points out that Rep. Waxman is a mensch. Always has been but now he's got the gavel in his hands and he's not going to be afraid to use it. As I've said before, the conviction of Libby was only the beginning. It's all going to come out in the end.

Speaking of Libby... Seriously. What the hell is Andrea Mitchell smoking? I seriously hope that Libby gets a pardon because if anything can hammer home to people just how corrupt and incompetent this administration is, it'll be a blunder like that. But beyond vindictive liberal moonbats, is there anyone else who thinks that's a good idea? As the link shows, survey says.....hell no.

Only 18% of those polled thought it would be anything but a non-starter. That's less than the staunch 30-odd percent support that the president's been enjoying for a while now. Those are Cheney numbers. But it means that even that roughly third of Americans who are conservative dead-enders disagree. In case it isn't clear by now, let me repeat the news from the reality based community: the president is crippled. He's hemorrhaged support and pissed away any political capital. The general public has come to realize what an awful mistake his administration has been, they've tuned him out. Republicans are running away from him to position themselves for the next election. He's done and the only thing left is to run out the clock on his last term. The only reason to pay attention to him anymore is because he's still the Commander-in-Chief and has this bizarre fixation with starting yet another misguided war that we'll never win. This time against Iraq (Apparently he wants to replay the mythic Osirak raid. For all the good that will do.) but fortunately, we have that Democratic Congress standing in his way and they're going to fight any military action tooth and nail. Oh, wait.

And people wonder why voter turnout is so low.

Speaking of apathy: Wacky stories from BBC News time!

The Mayans are going to purify ancient ruins of evil spirits after Mr. Bush visits them. Ha!

I have to agree with Mr. O'Brien. This is probably the best story to ever grace the BBC's site. Also, cool music at that first link (Also also, when they hell did X-Tina become, you know, good?).

I've never given much credence to all those “zomg kids are having teh sex younger and younger all the time!” stories. But, you know, they just might have a point after all.

One last one before I go. I present a project that simultaneously loves information and hates truth. The Conservapedia.