Assume a can opener in the torture debate

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Tuesday September 01, 2009 · 9:35 AM PDT

2009/09/01 · 09:35

Richard Cohen's column in the Washington Post today has inspired me to try a thought experiment. Cohen's column relies on so many right wing, pro-torture talking points that I find it difficult to believe he actually abhors torture, as he claims to. Rather, this sober, thoughtful, serious columnist promotes so many false assumptions about torture that the true nature of his hedging is quite clear. But I'll play along. Let us, for a moment, assume what we know to be false is true. Let us, as the old joke about economists goes, "assume a can opener." What are the logical extensions of these assumptions? Read on!

evolushawn

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Sunday December 07, 2008 · 2:33 PM PST

2008/12/07 · 14:33

Hey all. I know I'm probably not supposed to be using DK for this sort of thing. But I'm a bit desperate and I need your help. I just moved to Las Vegas from the great state of Delaware to study for the Nevada bar exam. I've lived here for a grand total of 3 days so far, and can't for the life of me figure out what there is to do in this city. So I ask you, dear reader, for your assistance...

evolushawn

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Wednesday November 05, 2008 · 5:16 PM PST

2008/11/05 · 17:16

America has just watched a self-professed liberal Democrat win the presidency by an overwhelming margin and Democrats expand their majorities in the House and Senate. And yet we're all supposed to believe we still live in a "center-right" country.

evolushawn

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Wednesday October 29, 2008 · 3:15 PM PDT

2008/10/29 · 15:15

This is wonderful news, for completely non-partisan reasons:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge in Ohio has ruled that counties must allow homeless voters to list park benches and other locations that aren't buildings as their addresses.

U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus also ruled that provisional ballots can't be invalidated because of poll worker errors.

evolushawn

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Monday March 31, 2008 · 7:03 PM PDT

2008/03/31 · 19:03

Sen. Saxby Chambliss will be up for reelection this year. Will he finally get his comeuppance for more than a decade of intolerance, corruption and gutter politics? If you will be in the Atlanta area on April 2, you have the opportunity to hear four Democratic primary candidates debate each other for the chance to replace a Senator whose tactics have been described by members of his own party as "beyond offensive" and "reprehensible." See below the fold for information on the candidates as well as debate details.

evolushawn

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Friday March 14, 2008 · 1:32 PM PDT

2008/03/14 · 13:32

Ronald Kessler appeared on the Daily Show this week to promote his book, The Terrorist Watch. Here is what Kessler had to say:

Ronald: Well, the Geneva Conventions actually allow [waterboarding] because these people are not regular military people in uniforms.

Jon [Stewart]: Geneva Conventions allows you to waterboard people who don’t wear uniforms?

Ronald: Yeah, because these are people who behead people, they don’t abide by Geneva Conventions.

evolushawn

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Wednesday February 13, 2008 · 4:36 PM PST

2008/02/13 · 16:36

This just in:

The Senate voted 51 to 45 on Wednesday afternoon to ban waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods used by the Central Intelligence Agency against high-level terrorism suspects.

Two guesses as to which side McCain took...

evolushawn

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Sunday January 27, 2008 · 1:20 PM PST

2008/01/27 · 13:20

There was a time when "fair trade" meant something quite different from the way it is being used by the current crop of presidential hopefuls. What used to be a rallying cry for those recognizing that current trade policy puts producers and workers in developing and underdeveloped nations at a severe disadvantage has now become code for protection of American industry at the expense of billions of poor around the world.

evolushawn

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Friday January 25, 2008 · 12:01 PM PST

2008/01/25 · 12:01

I was talking politics with a Republican friend of mine last night, and he mentioned how much he hates Hillary Clinton. I asked him why he hates her so much, and he struggled a bit before coming up with a response. He said it was because the Clintons are dishonest people. I probed a bit, inquiring how she was dishonest. I didn't get a response. My friend has what I call Unexplainable Hillary Aversion (UHA). It's an interesting syndrome: hating someone, but not being able to remember why.

evolushawn

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Monday January 21, 2008 · 9:34 AM PST

2008/01/21 · 09:34

Kevin Drum over at the Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog wrote today that California has a primary system where each party can choose whether they want it to be open or closed. Turns out that Democrats decided they will have an open primary in the state while Republicans opted for a closed primary. Kevin said he doesn't think this will matter for Democrats because our party will win California no matter what. I think it could matter immensely...

evolushawn

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Sunday January 20, 2008 · 12:42 PM PST

2008/01/20 · 12:42

In this election, I seem to be extremely consistent in my support for losers. Before he dropped out of the race, I was a Biden supporter because of his intelligence, pragmatism, and passion. Once that horse was put out to stud, I have tentatively backed Edwards for mostly the same reasons (Biden and Edwards are more similar than many realized). At this point, Edwards' viability as a candidate is questionable, and I have not yet filled out my absentee ballot. Right now, many Edwards supporters are considering changing candidates. But to whom? To those who think the answer is clear: think again.

evolushawn

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Wednesday January 16, 2008 · 10:12 AM PST

2008/01/16 · 10:12

I know we're all busy right now with updates from Nevada, South Carolina, etc., but even political junkies need the occasional break from the rat race. Therefore, I am putting together a list of the 100 greatest liberal/progressive songs of all time, and I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
See below the fold for details...

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Assume a can opener in the torture debate

Any Kossaks in Las Vegas? Help!

An American Realignment

Ohio federal court: homeless cannot be disenfranchised

GA-SEN: Dem candidates to debate at Emory Law School

Dear Ronald Kessler: Torture is ALWAYS illegal

McCain caves on torture

Remembering REAL fair trade (not a candidate diary!)

Republicans hate Hillary, but can't remember why

California's primary system a boon to Democrats

What should Edwards supporters do now?

100 greatest liberal/progressive songs of all time!