Use your own judgement. After all, we elected you to call ‘em like you see them with regard to our national security. Actually, I know that you know the difference between things which have fallen between the cracks in history and should have been declassified, and those which have not. So, if you think there will be no repercussions, and no ill can come of it, have it. I normally agree with your comments and am sorry you disagree here, but so be it, Louise.

I think of all the comments I’ve read, and I’ve read everything on the thread so far, the hardest for me to grasp is that someone actually believes that release of words, or text, can’t be really harmful. The Pakistani nuclear scientist only released words to the North Koreans and others. The words enabled them to build nuclear devices, but he didn’t shoot anyone. Or, more simply, just release your real name, address, and phone number, along with your heated and snarky anti-gun arguments and a dare or two on some right wing militia blog.

Otherwise, I agree with Tbogg. I’m for gay rights, marriage equality, and the demise of DODT, but have mixed feelings about Manning and understand that compromise of a security program can’t be treated as an inconsequential infraction. I hope someone can be liberal and hold both of those positions, but will hold them regardless. If those involved in the Gay Pride Parade want it to be known as supporting gay pride and release of classified documents, so be it. But Tbogg is right. A percentage won’t be able to support both things and unity on other matters, such as decline of the middle class, will be more difficult.

The Bush Administration made a lot of political appointments to Exectuive Service positions and converted many of them to civil servise positions, leaving their partisans in place with the new administration. One of my favorite examples, because it occurred in my own area, involved Dick Armey’s son. After Armey retired from congress, his son Scott, who was around 30 and had been elected as a very young county commissioner in the same district as his father, ran to replace his father and was defeated in the Republcian primary. Scott Army then received an appointment from the Bush Administration as Regional Director of the Southwest Region Government Services Administration (GSA)and remained in that position until well into the Obama Administration, when they could get to him. As you probably know, GSA administers all of the contracts for purchasing equipement, renting office space and building government buildings in the region in question. It was traditionally a career civil service position which required long experience and many promotions to attain. This family of “small government”, “free market” idiologues had continued to make really nice incomes on government salaries. Then of course there was the effort to appoint more rabid Republican U.S. Attorneys, and on, and on.

P.S. The Mark W. Everson, noted in the above link as IRS Commissioner at the time of Ms. Lerner’s appointment or selection, was appointed by the Bush Administration, was fired as head of the Red Cross in 2007, and was requested to by Issa to testify before his committee in 2012 on healthcare.
Not that any of that may have a bearing on Ms. Lerner’s leanings.

Lois G. Lerner apparently came to the IRS from the FEC in 2001 and into her present position in 2005. I don’t know if she was originally a career civil servant or a political appointment in the FEC who was made a career civil service employee prior to the appointing political party leaving office. In either case, it is more likely that the administration is scratching their heads saying, “Who is this person? Is she a Republican or a well intended simpleton?”, than that they are nodding and approving her action.

Well, I’m not going to tell you the answer, but if you would apply yourselves, the answer would be as plain as the nose on your butt. I will give you a some hints.

-Dewey Defeats Truman
-some colleges have NCAA sanctioned cock fighting
-Halley’s Comet appeared in 1066

Yes, I’m familiar with the other syndrome from Sweden; neutralilty in a struggle between good and evil. If you see the two parties as equal in their support for, or destructiveness to, anything a purported liberal should care about, you are simply deluded.

Actually, my primary point was that he’s saying the primary problem with the Republicans is that their economic policy is not that of liberal Democrats. I’m not trying to make any case about their racism, I’ll let them make their own case on that point. Otherwise, your summary says pretty much what I said. Andly why don’t you quit trying the futile attempt to make “nonpartisan” mean rational and objective. It doesn’t.

A few observations:

1. “(Under that scenario, Romney would have won the popular vote but lost in the Electoral College; he could have racked up huge numbers of Hispanic votes in California, New York and Texas, for example, and not changed the results in those states.)”

What a surprise; Rommey could have racked up huge numbers of hispanic votes in Texas and the result would still have been that Texas went for Romney.

2. Shorter York conclusion: “Republicans can win next time if they adopt FDR campaign and New Deal policies, but just for white folks.”

3. The colors and patterns may designate separate roles in operating the car elevators, loading the firearms, etc., as on the deck of the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan.

I have a feeling this may have begun as some sort of initiation into the Gingrich campaiign, a sort of snipe hunt for the indoor types. In fact it’s easy to see Newt, with his newfound interest in the Bible, running across King Saul’s demand that David bring him the foreskins of a large number of Philistines and converting that to a more modern challenge for Young Republican intern pledges.

(Actually, this gives me a chance to cite one of my favorite lines in literature. From Joseph Heller’s novel God Knows, when the narrator, David, is recalling Saul sending he and other young Jewish warriors out to collect the prescribed Philistine parts, he says something like, “After the tenth one, we decided it was easier if you kill them first.”)

The “makeshift community militia” idea would have worked particularly well after dark. I envision voices ringing out through the darkness to the effect of:

“You over there, I’ll cover you while you run for the trash cans!”

“You’re not the boss of me! Hey guys, would you rather me be the platoon leader or him. I had two years of high school ROTC.”

“Wait a minute, I’m over both of you in the Lions Club.”

Etc., etc…..

“Pupate”..I like that better. Still, something of the grub worm always remains.

The only thing is, sometimes the little, soft, white, harmless lumps metastisize into Grover Norquist or Frank Luntz.

About ten years ago, I think I encountered the philosophy about which you joke. As I was walking into the building where I work, I was aware that there was a young woman behind me on sidewalk, overtaking me. When I got to the door, she was a couple of steps behind and I held the door open and stepped aside. As she breezed through, without looking at me, she said, “Fuck you.”

For months, I hoped for the same situation, so I could show her what I had learned by releasing the heavy glass door when her nose was in the right place. But I never saw her again.

As far as Obama, I winced somewhat when I heard that he said it, and the pictures of the two of them showed him with a smile which was somewhat goofy. It seemed counter to his usual courteous and professional behavior and standing as a husband and father. Otherwise, there are far more important things worry about.

I think he may intentionally be trolling to find out if Lynn Forester de Rothschild and her school are still around.