The Texas Blue: News
You Just Thought Fingerprints Were Private
Fri, 04/18/2008 - 12:30pm
Via Think Progress, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff recently served up a real dog's breakfast on the topic of fingerprints as biometric data and privacy. While attending a conference in Canada, Secretary Chertoff had the following exchange with a reporter:
QUESTION: Some are raising that the privacy aspects of this thing, you know, sharing of that kind of data, very personal data, among four countries is quite a scary thing.
Perry: I'm In For 2010
Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:47am
Governor Rick Perry announced his intentions to seek re-election in 2010 at a forum in Grapevine on Thursday. When asked by the Dallas Morning News about the possibility of facing Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in what would be the most entertaining Republican primary in years, Governor Perry simply said "I don't know about the other two. You need to ask them."
Here's what "the other two" had to say:
News Roundup, 4/18/08: Stopping al-Quaeda - You're Doing It Wrong
Fri, 04/18/2008 - 10:07am
I've always been a little wary of measuring the success of the surge in Iraq by the number of American military casualties we were suffering. Isn't the supposed reason we're there to maintain stability to prevent al-Quaeda from strengthening and again posing a threat to the United States? Shouldn't that be the metric?
Turns out it's probably not the metric because were it so, we'd have to declare that we have failed.
The Best Recent Political Humor, By Politicians
Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:15am
Normally, when politicians try to be funny, they aren't. It isn't their fault - comedians are professionals for a reason - but they aren't often set up well to execute comedy, and if they are, they fail anyways. But leave it to Colbert to make it happen: last night, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, and even Senator John Edwards took comedic turns on his show, and they were all very funny. Video after the jump.
"A National Disgrace"
Thu, 04/17/2008 - 5:35pm
Via CNN, more disturbing news about the state of the Transportation Safety Administration. This time it's about the state of the air marshal program:
More than a dozen current and former marshals said that so many federal air marshals have resigned and are not being replaced, airport screeners are being employed to fill the dwindling ranks.
But the Transportation Security Administration says that's not true and that the rate of those leaving has remained at 6.5 percent a year since 2001.
Supreme Court Ruling Clears Way For Executions
Thu, 04/17/2008 - 3:53pm
In a unique 7-2 decision in Baze vs. Rees, the Supreme Court upheld that Kentucky's three drug mix used for execution by lethal injection does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment. This decision was unique because there were seven different opinions written on the case and Chief Justice Roberts' deciding opinion was joined by only two other Justices (Kennedy and Alito).
Bloggers For Cornyn: With Friends Like These...
Thu, 04/17/2008 - 3:33pm
KT at Burnt Orange Report has the lowdown on the Bloggers for Cornyn and their idea of fun. I think we all knew that these kinds of plans were laying around somewhere in a pile of papers and used fast food napkins on some Republican consultant's desk. Even so, I think the Cornyn crowd has forgotten one of Lee Atwater's cardinal rules that you have to be slick with your racism in order to appeal to independents and Republicans who aren't racists.
al-Quaeda Regrouped In Pakistan
Thu, 04/17/2008 - 12:41pm
If the purpose of Iraq was ever to keep us safe from terrorism by fighting al-Quaeda, the Bush administration has officially failed.
News Roundup, 4/16/08: Yet Another Debate
Thu, 04/17/2008 - 11:29am
May yesterday have been the last Democratic primary debate we'll see this season? It looks like that may really be the case this time.
Liveblogging the ABC Philadelphia Democratic Presidential Candidate Debate
Wed, 04/16/2008 - 5:43pm
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama meet tonight in the City of Brotherly Love for what may be the last debate of this primary season. (Yes, we've said that before, but this time we mean it!) And as always, we'll be liveblogging the event here. Join us after the jump for the play-by-play.