civil liberties

No, no, really (he says, doing his very best, over-the-top, under-the-weather Ricky Gervais). Bear with me for a sec. If those who advocate for corporations to be persons (*cough* *hack* -- the 1%) follow through consistently with their political beliefs (granted, with Gingrich and Romney as standard-bearers, not very likely – but this is my satirical piece, so let me finish) …

In the sleepy dual township of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, NC, we like to think that our thoughtful brand of progressive leadership provides an homogenous and caring exemplar of efficient local government. Events of the past few months have left me wondering if the reverse is true.

We are not homogenous. Not in our demographic or political make-up. Nor even in our alleged single brand of caring progressivism.

In Carrboro, all we imports (I am from England, by way of Rhode Island, Georgia, Texas and South Carolina) have become so taken with our over-enthusiastic efforts to engineer a social and artistic nirvana, that we quite forget to ask if we have the permission of the many thousands whose families have been living here for generations.

This is a bit of a stretch for a blog on Blue NC. But not much of one. After all, why shouldn't Blue NC also be the place where progressives in NC come to sing progressive songs?

All around America, progressives are concerned at the civil rights of ordinary workers, and the plight of those most at risk in society. Not least with the effect at every level of government of the new austerity - whether natural or Republican-driven. And that goes for NC too.

Sometimes a song can have more immediate effect than a thousand speeches. So I wrote a song. Inspired by the fight for rights by workers both here in NC and all around America.

I had become tired of tax-cutters, tax-dodgers and war-mongers claiming to themselves the mantle of patriot. When it is ordinary working Americans and those who fight every day to make ours a better state and country, it is we who are the true patriots. Not those who would run down government and destroy the safety net.

Pardon: correctio, Salon vs HuffPost.
There is an interesting article at:

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/01/18/cheney? The vindication of Dick Cheney
By Glenn Greenwald

Obama’s failure to rescind Bush policies or prosecute the Bush administration criminals has (1)decimated the rule of law, (2) abrogated fundamental
constitutional rights and civil liberties, and (3) given the Government (FBI, NSA, DoD, Homeland Security, etc.) unlimited powers over ordinary citizens with no right of redress). This is a dark, dark stain on Obama’s presidency. He has been captured by (1) corporations and (2) executive departments which he is to lead and manage. He has invited back in many of the major miscreants from the Bush and Clinton administrations.

If Obama loses in 2012, it will because he has conceded to so many Republican demands that there is no need for a Democrat in the White House (same way the Blue Dogs lost big in 2010).

There's a new Fourth Amendment case before the Supreme Court (link). In brief, the police forced their way into an apartment because "they smelled burning marijuana" [good reporting would say "they said they smelled..."].

What really angers me is that I know exactly how the so-called "conservative" justices on the court will rule. The great defenders of the Constitution, the great Tea Party favorites, Scalia and Thomas will side with the police. Yes, they will side with the government. It's always this way with these people: that's why I use the phrase "so-called", because they simply do not believe in limited government power. Thank God to Kagen and Sotomayor for standing up against this attack on our Bill of Rights.

The hypocrisy of Republicans will reach new heights this week as they challenge new proposals from the Obama administration to allow law enforcement agencies to conduct "wiretaps" of new communications technologies. This comment on the New York Times story perfectly exemplifies wingnut hysteria.

Obama and the Democrats are trying to turn this country into a police state. They must be stopped.

This is a striking example of IOKIYAR in action, with Republicans who cheered as The Worst President Ever mounted a full assault on personal liberties now whining about the mean old Democrats. I guess Republicans, for all their happy talk, don't actually believe in law and order.

Libertarians are challenging the view that Democrats are the only people who care about issues important to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. To explain why, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate Dr. Mike Beitler has invited members of the LGBT community to meet with him August 7 in Greensboro.

The meeting will be at the home of Jack Register, Beitler’s campaign manager who is gay and a former Democrat.

Register said that the Democratic Party has had a shifting stance on gay rights issues. In contrast, the Libertarian Party has advocated equal rights in marriage, adoption, and military service, and the end of sodomy laws since 1976.

“What we’re doing is challenging the established idea that Democrats are the only ones who care about this community,” said Register. “We’re reaching out to those who are being disenfranchised by the mainstream parties.”

The annual assault on civil liberties, property rights and economic freedom is over in North Carolina, at least for this year. The General Assembly has adjourned. Hopefully some participants in the attack will become casualties in November.

Probably not enough to make a difference. Even if Republicans win control of either house, there simply will be new generals leading the next wave of the onslaught on freedom.

The only real possibility that the radical change needed can begin when the legislature returns in January is if one or more Libertarians are elected. Otherwise, it’ll be business as usual.

The trial of Eduardo Wong, accused in the brutal slaying of State Trooper Shawn Blanton, is soon to get underway. The trial venue has been moved from Waynesville to Catawba County.

The facts of the case are quite clear. On the evening of June 17, 2008, Trooper Blanton pulled Wong on I-40 near the Canton exit (31) in Haywood County, and Wong pulled a gun and shot Trooper Blanton to death. The court-appointed defense attorneys are facing public outcry over what is perceived as over-zealous defense of a cop-killer. District Attorney Mike Bonfoey is pursuing the death penalty in the case.

While I oppose capital punishment as a matter of principle, this is one of those cases that tests my principled stand. My gut tells me that such heinous crimes call for such punishment, while my mind tells me that even under such clear-cut circumstances, capital punishment is not warranted, period.

So a Supreme Court justice that hardly anyone noticed has announced his retirement and all of a sudden the lips of The Experts are all a-flutter with the word “Empathy”.

President Obama reports he wants his nominee to have it; and Republicans are convinced that the word is a secret code for something that eventually ends in the death of free speech, massive roundups of guns by the Secret United Nations World Police, and the Internment Of All The White People In Reeducation Camps Run By Americorps And ACORN And Gay People Who Want To Marry And Are Funded By George Soros.

It is suggested that Evil Activist Judges will trample the Constitution as they create Law out of whole cloth; and that only those who interpret the Constitution just as it was written can bring the proper attitude to the Court.

It sounds like somebody needs to come along and provide a couple of cogent thoughts about this whole empathy thing...and lucky for you, Gentle Reader, we have before us today specific examples of how the quality of empathy can express itself in Court Doctrine.