Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tortured Logic, Indeed
Today's NY Daily News editorial, "Tortured logic," leaves a lot to be desired.0 comments
Like, oh, facts...
Now, I can see where a hometown paper would tout a competent, honored, hometown judge sponsored by a hometown Senator.
But this piece ignores the reality of the situation. Were this to be any other time, with another administration, the full experience and merits of former Manhattan Federal Judge Michael Mukasey as a potential attorney general would be sufficient for his confirmation.
But they forget with whom we're dealing here. Mukasey's qualifications are fully and totally immaterial here. His job, as it is for anyone walking into the Cheney/Bush Circle of Hell, is to cover his masters' respective asses; tout the party line with every utterance; tell them that any insane thing they want to do is jake with you; and convey that message consistently to an incredulous world. Just do what everyone else does, and shut up.They have set aside Mukasey's credentials as a man of the law and his established record of integrity to roast him unfairly as a man who advocates the use of torture in the war on terror.
Ummm, fellas, they never said that. Sure, Mukasey is a man of law. A good one, as far as I can tell. But that's beside the point. No one is roasting him for "advocating" torture. This is a big whopper of a lie. People are upset because, at the bidding of Cheney/Bush, Mukasey switched his testimony, and now, he won't RENOUNCE torture. Big difference, if you're not ignoring it just to shill.
That is why we saw Mukasey change between the first two days of his testimony; like any other person who wanders too near a powerful crime syndicate with violent urges, Mukasey was "spoken to." He was "straightened out."
So, on the second day, he goes from: "All Torture Is Bad..." to "...Unless Cheney Says It's OK. And the boss REALLY likes this waterboarding stuff."
More problem areas for the Daily News:"Mukasey was crystal-clear on the matter when he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Torture is unlawful under the laws of this country," he testified.
But Bush long ago waved that law aside, had his army and the CIA and his hired mercenaries torture, then had his last AG (then, WH Counsel) come up with the tortured legal logic to prop it up. (This would be Mukasey's new job, BTW.)"The President has said that in an executive order."
Which with Bush always carry the air and weight of whimsy. Remember the 2003 executive order stating that no action in Iraq could be held accountable by either an Iraqi or American court? State-sanctioned Wild West. One reason why so many are dead.But beyond all of those legal restrictions, we don't torture -
Ummm, yes we do. Where is the NYDN getting its intelligence? Tom DeLay?not simply because it's against this or that law or against this or that treaty.
Which the Bushies break, simply by getting up each morning.It is not what this country is about.
Yes, it is. Hankering for those simpler times of lynching negroes or burning witches, eh, guys?
We see that the Daily News' editorial staff has its collective head stuck firmly in the sand. "I have my hands over my ears! I have have my eyes closed! You can't spoil me with your facts! The Bush administration is simply another version of U.S. leadership. They're not a cadre of war criminals! Really!"He said waterboarding would be illegal if it amounted to torture but that he didn't yet know whether the practice, as applied by the U.S. under limited circumstances, met the definition. Yesterday, he called waterboarding "repugnant."
No, guys, rats and roaches are "repugnant." The cellars of half the buildings in Manhattan are "repugnant." Water torture is "illegal." Water torture is "immoral." Water torture is "sickening." Water torture costs you your immortal soul.Lacking definitive information, Mukasey's hedging was reasonable.
Make no mistake, here. This argument has nothing really to do with water torture. It's simply another Bush diversionary tactic.
The issue on the table is: Will Mukasey demand Independence as U.S. Attorney General and demand to conduct his job in the way that best protects the Constitution and the rights and will of the American people, or will he simply be a rubber stamper who will tell Bush what he wants to hear, which is that he's always right, and whatever he wants is cool. And definitely legal, because he wants it to be so.
posted by Gotham 2:30 PM
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