Addiction

I haven't posted much lately and, although I have been busy with work, that is not the real reason for the dirth of posts.

I have a confession to make. I've become addicted . . .

to online poker on facebook!

Please help me. Refuse all chip requests for my good, no matter how much I beg.

Thanks in advance. I'm going to beat this thing - and it helps knowing you're standing with me.

Joe H.

Constitutionality of the ACA?

Hi everyone. Sorry for the dirth of recent posts. Been busy.

I recently read Florida federal district Court judge Vinson's decision declaring the Affordable Health Care Act unconstitutional. I had planned to excerpt some of his reasoning and comment (negatively) on it.

But this morning I stumbled upon this law review article by Professor Mark Hall, and decided, "what's the point - "that settles that!" Professor Hall's legal analysis is an analytical and methodical tour de force. It is also readible and mercifully short - 23 pages.

For those of you who wish to educate yourselves about the constitutional debate over the ACA and the "Individual Mandate," start here.

Joe H.

"Coercive Interrogation"

I'm getting pretty tired of talking heads mindlessly deploying euphemisms when discussing the conduct of our government towards the detainees we abused. Particularly the phrases "enhanced interrogations" and "coercive interrogations." I say mindlessly because a few seconds of analysis completely unravels their effectiveness.

"Coercion" is not a substitute concept for "torture." Coercion occurs whenever someone exerts pressure to achieve a specific end. A raise in a poker hand is coercive - it exerts pressure on the other players to fold. A threatened fine is coercive - it pressures drivers to comply with the speed limit.

Torture is a method of coercion. Saying that a method is "coercive" does not rule out it being torture. Inflicting brutality on helpless people to force them to talk is coercive, yes. But it is also torture.

The term "enhanced" is even more bizarre. It invites the question, "enhanced with what?" Torture?

I mean, come on people. Make us work a little.

Joe H.

Happy Martin Luther King Day

"Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God[.]"

Martin Luther King - Letter From a Birmingham Jail.



Joe H.

Rhetoric

I was just thinking how silly it is for conservatives to argue that violent rhetoric plays no role in prompting the marginal to act violently. As the Alaska Dispatch put it so well last week, motivating people to act is the entire point of rhetoric.

How can anyone, in good conscience, suggest that things are so bad in this country that we may need an armed insurection, and then argue that acts of violence against political opponents must be viewed as isolated acts of mad men?

Joe H.

Palin Analysis

Here is an analysis of Sara Palin's seven minute video
that I think is spot on.

Hat tip to reader Jim for pointing me here.

Joe H.

More on the Rule of Law and Elites who Defend Lawbreaking by Elites

Read Glen Greenwald here.

There really isn't anything nore for me to say.

Joe H.