Yet another spring fling that faded with the falling leaves - Obama is adopting the Bush position on indefinite detention and won't vex Congress with a request for enabling legislation.
Why the change? Uhh, because this is Obama we are talking about? Could be!
But another reason for the punt may be that the Pelosi/Reid Administration doesn't want to exhaust whatever morale remains on their left flank. After noting Obama's flip-flop, the Times engaged in a bit of Congress-bashing. The flip::
[Obama] said he would “work with Congress to develop an appropriate legal
regime so that our efforts are consistent with our values and our
Constitution.”
Officials said Wednesday that working with
Congress did not mean the president would seek legislation, only that
he would consult lawmakers.
My guess is the consultations went poorly - that after Pelosi and Reid vented about the frustrations of the left on health care and Afghanistan, these two "leaders" indicated that they wanted no part of any effort to legitimize the locking up of hardened terrorists. After all, there is only so much a lefty can endure.
And the bash:
Given the opposition in Congress to Mr. Obama’s plan to close
Guantánamo, especially if it means transferring detainees to prisons on
American soil, the prospect of writing legislation that would pass both
houses appears daunting at best.
Sarah E. Mendelson, a scholar at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies
who led a study about closing Guantánamo, said forgoing legislation was
"overall a good step" because it prevented Congress from making things
worse. "We don’t know if it closes the door definitively on efforts to
institutionalize detention without charge," she added, "since the White
House might seek to do this by itself."
I must say the expecting squawking from the left is muted - Glenn Greenwald explains that no law is better than the bad law Congress probably would have passed. However, he delivers a nice "I Want My Hope And Change" rant here:
This leads to a more general point: when it comes to uprooting
("changing") the Bush/Cheney approach to Terrorism and civil liberties
-- the issue which generated as much opposition to the last presidency
as anything else -- the Obama administration has proven rather
conclusively that tiny and cosmetic adjustments are the most it is
willing to do. They love announcing new policies that cast the
appearance of change but which have no effect whatsoever on
presidential powers. With great fanfare, they announced the closing of
CIA black sites -- at a time when none was operating. They trumpeted
the President's order that no interrogation tactics outside of the Army
Field Manual could be used -- at a time when approval for such tactics
had been withdrawn. They repudiated the most extreme elements of the
Bush/Addington/Yoo "inherent power" theories -- while maintaining
alternative justifications to enable the same exact policies to proceed
exactly as is. They flamboyantly touted the closing of Guantanamo --
while aggressively defending the right to abduct people from around the
world and then imprison them with no due process at Bagram. Their
"changes" exist solely in theory -- which isn't to say that they are
all irrelevant, but it is to say that they change nothing in practice: i.e., in reality.
He's not holding his breath waiting.
forgoing legislation was "overall a good step" because it prevented Congress from making things worse.
Words to live by.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Leave it to Greenwald to miss the obvious.
What we were doing was neccesary, effective, and legal, and the Obama administration doesn't want to take the flogging it would richly deserve for abandoning those programs.
Oh, and is Gitmo still open? My bet?(and I was wrong about Van Jones) is that it's still open when Obama leaves office.
Posted by: Pofarmer | September 24, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Po- Gitmo is not still open. I heard President Obama announce to the UN yesterday that he had closed it.
Posted by: MayBee | September 24, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Look, Obama is out of his league and he knows it. That is why we have all the commissars and such - to do the heavy lifting - as if they are any better than Obama himself in that category of executive toil.
So, who is pulling the levers on Gitmo, detention, rendition, counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, Iraq, national security? My guess is Jim Jones with a support cast of Gates and Panetta (who leaves his bit up to the CIA pros not pols).
Does anyone after 9 months of The Once, really believe he has HIS hands on the levers? Not hardly. His hands are stuck on the podium edges and his lap when giving his informercial interviews.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | September 24, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Hey, Po, here's one you'll like.
Bullet makers can't keep up with demand
Posted by: Extraneus | September 24, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Poor dumb Bush. He should just said that we were "closing" Gitmo, made our allies like Russia and China happy, and then do nothing or create a study group.
Things are so much easier when you don't have to act on them, just talk about them.
Posted by: tollhouse | September 24, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Heh Extraneous, I KNOW about the bullet shortage. It's very hard to find pistol bullets. I wound up buying Jacketed hollow points for practice ammo becuase, frankly, that's all I could find. Bullets in popular hunting weights are hard to find, as well. Plenty of Target ammo for rifles, but the really useful stuff is in short supply. Ditto Primers. Local Gunshop, large supplier, currently has a 1000 limit on primers, and still can't keep them in stock. They are out of Large Rifle, small Rifle and Large Pistol primers as we speak. Midway arms, another catalog/internet dealer, got in 1.5 MILLION primers last Tuesday, and SOLD OUT on Wednesday.
Posted by: Pofarmer | September 24, 2009 at 11:06 AM
And, after I read the article, they are talking about AMMUNITION, not Bullets.
Aye yea yea
Posted by: Pofarmer | September 24, 2009 at 11:09 AM
MayBee:
Po- Gitmo is not still open. I heard President Obama announce to the UN yesterday that he had closed it.
Well, he said:
Ordering it closed is certainly meant to leave the impression that it was, you know, actually closed.
But taken literally, the only real claim is that he ordered it, not that it was necessarily done.
Today I ordered hit and run jr to clean his room before school.
Wait.
What the snot are all those legos still doing on the floor????
Well, that's it. I am calling together a committee of experts to help devise a plan to get those legos cleaned up by Jan 1, 2010.
But make no mistake, citizens of the world, I have unequivocally ordered that they be picked up.
Posted by: hit and run | September 24, 2009 at 11:11 AM
You know, I wonder if it's occurred to Obama that these guys are long-time politicians and have had smoke blown up their asses by experts?
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Hey, do we know who he gave the order to?
Meanwhile, I think I'll order a pallet of 100's.
Posted by: Extraneus | September 24, 2009 at 11:19 AM
The perfect gift, a 5000 piece lego set.
Posted by: Rocco | September 24, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Noting the following:
the Obama administration has proven rather conclusively that tiny and cosmetic adjustments are the most it is willing to do. They love announcing new policies that cast the appearance of change but which have no effect whatsoever on presidential powers. With great fanfare, they announced the closing of CIA black sites -- at a time when none was operating. They trumpeted the President's order that no interrogation tactics outside of the Army Field Manual could be used -- at a time when approval for such tactics had been withdrawn. They repudiated the most extreme elements of the Bush/Addington/Yoo "inherent power" theories -- while maintaining alternative justifications to enable the same exact policies to proceed exactly as is. They flamboyantly touted the closing of Guantanamo -- while aggressively defending the right to abduct people from around the world and then imprison them with no due process at Bagram. Their "changes" exist solely in theory -- which isn't to say that they are all irrelevant, but it is to say that they change nothing in practice: i.e., in reality.
I need to say, hey Glenn its called lying to your base. As Glenn Reynolds would say, exactly who are the rubes? LOL
All Sham no Wow.
Posted by: gmax | September 24, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Posted by: Neo | September 24, 2009 at 11:35 AM
So why is this fool's Ras back up to only minus five? That's within the Acorn can steal the 2012election margin of error.
Posted by: peter | September 24, 2009 at 11:42 AM
--But make no mistake, citizens of the world, I have unequivocally ordered that they be picked up.--
Slight problem with your analogy Hit.
To be accurate you would have to order HRjr to ask the neighbors if he could toss half his Legos on their floor and to toss the other half in the middle of your living room and kitchen so you can step on them in the morning.
Posted by: Ignatz | September 24, 2009 at 11:51 AM
OT,
"DC Fire Department Report" Quote Regarding September 12 Event Misrepresents Agency Policy
Hahahahaha, take that, Tea Party haters.
Really, though, it's inexcusable for the DC Fire Dept to have waited so long to put out the correction.
Posted by: Porchlight | September 24, 2009 at 11:55 AM
U thought you knew, Hit. Legos are a Swedish plot to break up intact families.
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Legos are a Swedish plot
Danish, actually.
Posted by: DrJ | September 24, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Major Garrett justed tweeted that the Treasury Dept I.G. will be investigating Acorn at the request of Sen. Collins and Rep. Issa.
Anyone know who the IG is?
Posted by: centralcal | September 24, 2009 at 12:00 PM
As I always said,"Legos are a Danish plot to break up intact families."
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Thanks Porchlight--
I sent that link and quote to Bill O'Reilly who keeps referring to the "DC Fire Department" on the body count of the DC Tea Party protest.
Posted by: glasater | September 24, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Someone tell Bill O'Reilly about the DC Fire
Dept. correction. He has been using it to claim 75,000 attended. He has repeatedly said this, using the D.C. Fire Dept. as his authority.
Posted by: bio mom | September 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Wow, they finally figured out a POW detention camp is a handy thing in the middle of a shooting war. Who'd a thunk it? And they finally get around to the difficult-to-escape fact that it's dangerous (and counterproductive) to apply federal court case rules of evidence to determinations of combatant detainees. Gleen is still hyperventilating, as he doesn't have to try to run anything and can still pretend the world is as he'd like it to be.
Posted by: Cecil Turner | September 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
That truly pisses me off about O'Reilly glasater. Lies are even worse if you were a witness to the contrary.
Posted by: Jane | September 24, 2009 at 12:15 PM
OT
There is a AP story (dated 9/23) about a Kentucky Census worker who was found hanged with the word FED on his chest. The lefty blogs are all over it with the usual innuendo.
I did some digging an found an article in the London KY paper dated 9/17 where the local reporter mentions the name of the of the KSP patrolman who was first called to the scene and the KSP Detective who was handling the investigation at the time and neither mention anything about the cause of death.
Can the AP and their anonynmous source be trusted?
Posted by: BB Key | September 24, 2009 at 12:22 PM
IMO O Reilly makes up his mind fast about things, sticks with his first impression come hell, high water or--un--facts.
It bothers me more that he's an economics/market illiterate. Everytime he takes about oil and oil prices I use to go thru the roof--no longer though. I just don't watch tv any more and my world is a far more pleasant place without non stop ignoramus' words piped into my home.
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Danish, actually.
That's just what they want you to believe.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Is O'Reilly even shown live anymore? Usually the bottom logo indicates "live" or not. Lately I have not seen it during the 8pm EST showing. Just seems like he is mailing it in.
Posted by: bunky | September 24, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Well, I stopped paying much attention to O'Reilly early on, when I realized that he was often "reporting" the same topics as on Drudge Report, in the same order.
Not so much any more, but it was pretty obnoxious at the time.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 12:29 PM
BTW, Porch, thanks. I want to write a sort of summary piece today, that's a perfect hook.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 12:30 PM
A Twitter posting estimating the crowd gathering at Lafayette Park only as “large, possibly as many as 60 thousand” stated that it was an early estimation of that specific area (Lafayette Park), not the number of participants in the event.
I've been trying to say this repeatedly -- in as far as the original tweet where the number came from was at 9:43 AM.
Did you know that the crowd for the 7pm opening game in the new 100,000+ capacity Cowboys stadium was only 25,000!!!
Uh, at 5pm.
Posted by: hit and run | September 24, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Dear CentralCal (where exactly? I used to live in Fresno): Here you are. Look to see another IG canned soon. No doubt when that happens, he gets a bar added to his DFC.
Another example of cunning v. intelligence: Harvard Law tells The Once, let 'em go. Get rid of this problem, get on with health care. Secret Service'll protect you, what the hell do you care about anyone else? But the Forty First ward of Chicago tells him, no don't do anything danger, danger Will Robinson. Let those windbags Pelosi and Reid flap their jaws.
Posted by: Gregory Koster | September 24, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Well, the legos that hit and run jr is now playing with are my legos from when I was his age.
No family was unintacted in the intervening years.
We beat the odds.
And the evil Danish.
Posted by: hit and run | September 24, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Clarice,
You can fly direct to Copenhagen from Dulles on SAS and then its a short train ride to LUN
My son loved it. There is one in the UK, Germany and now in California.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | September 24, 2009 at 12:45 PM
JiB,
I visited the Danish Legoland about 35 years ago (probably the only one back then). Wonderful place, even if you are not a kid.
Posted by: DrJ | September 24, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Speaking of Legos, there's this.
Posted by: DrJ | September 24, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Well he's a Air Force Academy graduate, fits the DHS memo profile, now if he were
some Yale Law community organizer or Harvard
educated investment banker turned steel union exec, that would be fine.
Posted by: bishop | September 24, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Welcome, Charlie. I got it via Weekly Standard blog if you want to h/t 'em.
Posted by: Porchlight | September 24, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Also speaking of Legos, there's http://thebricktestament.com>this
Posted by: hit and run | September 24, 2009 at 01:11 PM
Check your email hit!
Posted by: Jane | September 24, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Duuuuude, DrJ and Hit.
One thing few called Bush, even though he was from Texas was "all hat and no cattle"; he did what he said and said what he did.
Does anyone know the Chicago saying for the same concept so we can fit it to our World Leader wannabe.
You had to love the symbolism of his presiding over the Security Council, that most feckless of political bodies.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | September 24, 2009 at 01:33 PM
All bun and no bratwurst? If that's not it, Jim R, let's get the ball rolling:
Obama:All Bun and no Bratwurst.
Worls for me.
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 01:38 PM
Netanyahu just gave a powerful speech at the UN. right in Iran & zero's faces.
Posted by: Barbara | September 24, 2009 at 01:40 PM
That's good on so many levels, Clarice. Are brats as big in Chicago as they are in Milwaukee?
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | September 24, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Where do you think Chicagoans get their's from, Jim?
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Go Bibi. More from Contentions here, with a long excerpt. Wow!
Posted by: Porchlight | September 24, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Clarice & Jim-
Locals will eat bratwurst but not if there's Polishes around. LUN
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | September 24, 2009 at 02:47 PM
G.K.: Fresno, it is.
Posted by: centralcal | September 24, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Clarice,
I really enjoyed the first half of ">http://www.amazon.com/Ambitious-Brew-Story-American-Beer/dp/0156033593/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid"> Ambitious Brew--The Story of American Beer
It was great on relating the arrival in @1840's Milwaukee, of some German immigrant just off the boat, walking down the main dirt drag, and deciding that this hick town needed a decent Lager, and he was going to figure out a way to give them one. A very enjoyable tale.
Brat's tho' was not covered in the text. Anyone out there got a tip for a good "history of US Brat's" you'ld recommend? My favorite up here are Raindeer dogs, slathered in sauerkraut and brown mustard---grilled onions optional. Yummm!
Posted by: daddy | September 24, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Yea Netanyahu,
Thanks Po for the link.
Also just for info. I know the sale of guns and ammo is going thru the roof. My second part of that question though, is who is doing all the purchasing?
When I see that video of Obama saying he wants a domestic armed service that is as large and well-funded as the US Military, I wonder is any of that scheme being implemented under the radar screen, like school indoctrination or ACORN voting/census violations, or anything else these shadow groups are pushing. Does anybody know if Obama's Domestic Militia scheme is just more blather, or is there any evidence that an actual plan has been laid out and ongoing as we speak?
Posted by: daddy | September 24, 2009 at 03:44 PM
they announced the closing of CIA black sites -- at a time when none was operating. They trumpeted the President's order that no interrogation tactics outside of the Army Field Manual could be used -- at a time when approval for such tactics had been withdrawn.
Or,
"The closing of CIA black sites was announced -- at a time when Bush had already closed them all. An order that no interrogation tactics outside of the Army Field Manual could be used was trumpeted -- at a time when Bush had already withdrawn approval for such tactics."
Cabana Boy just can't admit to agreeing with Bush.
Posted by: bgates | September 24, 2009 at 04:46 PM
daddy, the best ones are made in little butcher shops scattered around the rural areas. But Nueskes which has online orderinf makes great ones and they ship everywhere--they also make great bacon.
Speaking of bratwirst:
< a href=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/health/Firefighters-Save-Trapped-Penis-61110862.html>California!!
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 04:52 PM
porchlight Haile Selassie gave a good speech before the League of Nations, too.
God helps those who help themselves. The international Calvary is not ever coming.
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 04:55 PM
Clarice,
I can't seem to open that Save Trapped Penis link, but I think that might be a good thing:)
Posted by: daddy | September 24, 2009 at 06:17 PM
Clarice's link
Posted by: DrJ | September 24, 2009 at 06:21 PM
I usually just tie a knot! No Pain...No Gain!
Posted by: Rocco | September 24, 2009 at 06:29 PM
"In an ill-conceived attempt to increase the size of his member, a man placed his penis through the "hole of a steel, ring-shaped dumbbell weight fastener," according to the Daily Pilot."
Isn't that what Obama's been trying to do with the US economy?
Posted by: daddy | September 24, 2009 at 06:33 PM
Heh!
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 06:37 PM
The Polishes I was referring to earlier were Maxwell Street Polish Sausages, mustard, and slathered in grilled onions. (LUN)
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | September 24, 2009 at 08:12 PM
And I can spike a thread better than anyone here, exceptin' maybe, Jane.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | September 24, 2009 at 08:12 PM
The Polishes I was referring to earlier were Maxwell Street Polish Sausages, mustard, and slathered in grilled onions.
Oh, now that's just mean.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | September 24, 2009 at 09:04 PM
I knew what you meant, Melinda but all bun no Polish just doesn't quite make it.
Posted by: clarice | September 24, 2009 at 09:23 PM