Joe Sucks

Ever since Joe Lieberman claimed that in order to return dignity to the White House America needed a religious president (news flash, Joe: religious does not mean moral), I haven't liked him. Now it seems that he wants to be seen as not only really religious and moral but also really tough on terrorism: he and 3 other Democrats voted to limit the rights of Guantanamo Bay detainees.

This seems to me to be a very short sighted political move.

Policy wise, I can't understand the need to refuse the men at Guantanamo Bay the right to legal representation. Surely if any of the men there are of interest, either any valid information they had was obtained from them or no longer valid. If any could be threats to the US, then charge them. I can't imagine what information that would come out could jeapordize national security - they were picked up 4 years ago. Not to mention the fact that it just makes America seem like a big bully around the world. Yes, I know these are horribly mean terrorists we're trying to fight but it also seems to me that some worldwide goodwill would help a lot in the international fight against them.

Politically, too, it seems like a bad move on behalf of the Democrats. The Republicans are divided over this issue of how to treat "enemy combatants". A unified Democratic party would make it seem all the more so. Similarly, it would help if more Democrats came out and agreed that the war in Iraq was misguided and taken under false pretenses. But for some reason, Joe doesn't agree. With Democrats like him, who needs Republicans?

Fair's Fair

I guess it's fair for the IRS to question the tax status of a church where the pastor questioned the invasion of Iraq. After all, I'm sure they've done the same for all those churches where the pastors applauded the decision.

Is it me?

Am I the only one who's seen the trailer to Memoirs of a Geisha and can't help but think: Couldn't they find Japanese acresses to play the leading roles? I mean, I don't think I'm particularly sensitive to these things, but throughout the entire trailer, all I could think was why are these Chinese women wearing Kimonos?

I really hope this wasn't the conversation in some Hollywood boardroom:

"Hey I know, let's get those chicks from Crouching Tiger. That movie did really well."

"Uh, but sir, that was a movie about China. This movie's about Japan."

"Oh, c'mon. Who's going to notice the difference? I can hardly tell them all apart."

A Question for You

Since the nomination of Alito to the supreme court, there's been a lot of talk about his views on abortion, but little else about what perspectives will be lost as the Supreme Court loses half of its female representation. So here's a question for you. Other than abortion, what issues brought before the court will suffer as a result?