A few weeks ago, the saga of the torture memo writers, Jay Bybee and John Yoo, was officially re-visited. David Margolis of the Justice Department rejected the original conclusion reached by ethics lawyers in the Office of Professional Responsibility–that of professional misconduct–and replaced it with the anyone-can-have-a bad-day, poor judgement verdict.

I know this isn’t breaking news, and health care is the issue du jour, but we haven’t yet touched on some of the broader issues involved here on A Cavalcade of Crazy, and it gives me another opportunity to demonstrate the flexibility of the popularly-referenced fourth dimension; to wit, we will not be confined by it’s apparent linearity on this column. Nor, it seems, by short, pithy sentences.

For me, these diversions are more than just salubrious; they’re vital as a defense against the merciless aggravation we encounter with tedious frequency. I don’t wish to utter any more odd, gurgling noises than I already do. Listen to Bob’s show on the HORN on a regular basis and you’ll hear all manner of howls, yowls, rumblings, and groans. I think I even heard some quacking once. And that’s just from the host.

Let’s take a little side trip to seventy years in the past. Some time ago I began kind of a personal honor roll, commemorating during the months of their birth individuals who have profoundly added to my life in extraordinarily positive ways. Although highly subjective and discriminating (at the moment Ray Davies is in final approval), I wondered if any of you would agree that it’s possible, in the case of entertainers for example, to qualify based on a single performance instead of lifetime achievement. Here’s the thing: for my money, a single film –The Philadelphia Story – does just that for three superlative actors. if Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn never acted in another film, they would all make it for that 1940 classic. “C.K. Dexter-Haven,” said a sozzled Stewart to a sober Grant, “you have unsuspected depth.” Your thoughts.

Okay. Next destination: 2001. Not the movie.

The response of the military/industrial/media complex in accord with the Bush administration after 9/11 was to implement and advance a plan already on the table and spin it into a bogus rationale for attacking an innocent country. The record is clear on that. In essence, our own government offended us, and parts of the world, again, and it appears to be okay. Where are all the hearings? Where’s the outrage? Other than slapping Scooter and the two attorneys, who else have we called into account? I can think of a couple who just ignored congressional subpoenas, but that was before Obama took office.

I’ll admit that I’m not aware of all the legal fine points in this case. I know significant punishment has been avoided so far; Yoo is a professor at UC Berkeley and Bybee is a federal judge. Got a bit of an arrogant chip on their shoulders about the whole thing, especially John Yoo. And why not? Both could have been disbarred and Bybee face impeachment. But it’s all so redolent of how Bush and his handlers conducted business for eight years: announce a pre-determined conclusion and then contrive some premise to support it. Solutions seeking a problem. Conceal and control the information. And there was no shortage of loyal party hookers like John Yoo to facilitate these schemes for them. Just like that, Bush and the CIA had what they wanted in writing, a legal basis for officially hurting– even accidently terminating– people, thereby adding Guantanamo, and by extension the United States, to the popular torture destinations of the world. Just wanted to authorize this abuse a little closer to home, I suppose.

Want to take this a step further? I ask you to consider the following words precisely and in context: would it surprise anyone to learn one day that we have put bags over people’s heads and rendered them to a secret location in Utah for some enhanced interrogation? How do we know they don’t? Given our history of covert and nefarious intelligence and military activities going back to the fifties both here and abroad, through countless Freedom of Information requests or investigations by people like Seymour Hersh, Gary Webb, and other determined reporters, it would not surprise me. In fact, why do you need people like John Yoo to sanction your clandestine actions and methods at all? When did the NSA, CIA or the Black-Ops spooks ever care about legal justification? We don’t even know how many billions they appropriate, let alone what they do. What’s your problem? Do you hate freedom, or something?

All too often, the “official versions,” whether rushed to release or too late on the scene, have been leaving much to be desired. It can be downright revelatory when and if the real story emerges. In a nation that ostensibly holds the principles of trust and transparency high, that’s rather sad.

For review:

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=7867

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/CIA%20Hits/CIA_GreatestHits.html

http://www.minnpost.com/ericblackblog/2009/03/11/7310/investigative_reporter_

seymour_hersh_describes_executive_assassination_ring

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/121304.html

Yeah, I know–I’m giving you more to read, but here at A Cavalcade of Crazy we will include references when appropriate. You can peruse as much as you want in your spare time, if you have any. And I won’t link you up to any crackpots– that is, unless they are of a rich and irresistible nature.

Can you get into serious trouble for lying to the wrong people? That depends. Ask Dick Nixon. Okay, that’s a problem. Ask Bill Clinton. Before George Jr & Company’s pre-planned invasion of Iraq, I think the man who should have paid the price was the Grand Old Party’s Ronnie Reagan. Here’s a classic assertion: “We were not trading arms for hostages, nor were we negotiating with terrorists.” Three months later, on March 4, 1987, Reagan admitted he lied right to our faces: “A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not.” (Next time any of you are in front of a judge, try that and see how it works.) So although Ronald’s heart was really into that mendacious tale, it just wasn’t going to last. Miss Hall? Yes, Col. North? Start the shredders.

And wasn’t there something about defying the laws of the land and sending the Nicaraguan contras the proceeds from those Iranian arms sales through the back door? Talk about low-hanging high crimes and misdemeanors. If that outrageous affair doesn’t result in impeachment hearings, what does? But we let the Teflon President skate away.

Watergate was nothing in comparison. Iran/Contra should have been the made-to-order centerpiece of a profound and long-lasting neo-con disgrace.

On one of his recent shows, I thought Bob Kincaid made a decent case for that negligence being a direct line to our dismaying situation today. If we throw Reagan out, or even George Sr. (whose fingerprints were all over that operation), none of this is a sure thing: The Bush 41 presidency and his pardon-fest, Newt and his farcical “contract,” mass media right wing craziness, human blot George Jr, or the invasion of the Middle East. Or John Yoo. The torture memos and their authors don’t enter that picture.

At least things might be a lot more manageable today. It goes back to Ford preemptively pardoning Tricky Dick. Rumsfeld, Cheney and those freaks don’t crawl out of their coffins to abuse us again. Not to mention sending an always prudent reminder to future executives. I’ll take it back to John Kennedy. I think you can argue that from November of 1963 until today, a few well-placed assassin’s bullets, together with our critical failure to finish seeing a handful of select weasels all the way to Leavenworth has led straight to the mess we are in right now. 

While I’m not especially pleased with the latest watered-down assessment of Bybee and Yoo, at least we followed up. The rest of the gang responsible for implementing the death and destruction machine in the name of the War On Terror have slipped away and are still at large. As is Bin Laden. We should come down on these mercenaries and profiteers like the pirates they are and just see how many can go for a spin in that Large Hadron Collider for a while. The shit these werewolves are getting away with up and down the line, including thousands of people literally dying because of their actions, deserves some measure of examination, if not judgement. A little justice for their rampage, you know? Mr. Yoo! Please take your place with the others inside the machine.     

I thought defrauding Congress and the people of the United States, looting the treasury, and slicing up the Constitution were criminal offenses. For your last trick you can’t just give us all the finger one more time as you walk out the door. Except I guess you can.

Sigh.

And before anyone gives them a pass, for any reason, know this: when they get their hands around your neck, there will be no passes for you.

The one thing that’s supposed to be dependable in a nation of laws is not that corruption is preventable but that there are valid and effective ways to take you down if you violate our rules of conduct. But the devious connections have grown so powerful, and the implementation of oversight so difficult, that isn’t a sure thing. In fact, too many of our elected officials are more apt to simply yield to this pressure than to exert effort on our behalf. Where is Sam Ervin? Where is Jimmy Stewart when we need him? Damn, he’s back there in paragraph four. I see no choice in the matter of official investigations into the possible crimes of any administration, especially when they leave such a trail of deceit.

What is ultimately more important than protecting our trust? Well, I’ll admit that changeover to all-digital TV is pretty big. I really don’t know how we let this go. There is a constitutional imperative to re-affirm the legitimacy of our systems and the authority of our laws. Otherwise many just descend into apathy, some into anarchy, but all lose even more confidence in government. And that is music to the ears of the powers that be.

” The government…teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law…To declare that the end justifies the means – to declare that the government may commit crimes – would bring terrible retribution.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ––Louis D. Brandeis, Supreme Court Justice, 1916-1939

Reverbo

Critic-At-Large

Next time – Spotlight on The Republican Party:  Just Sayin’ No Since 1935.

Listen live to the Coal River Mountain rally from Charleston, West Virginia, hosted by Head-On radio host Bob Kincaid! Join us in the chat room!

Audio:

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Here are some pictures Bob Kincaid passed along from today’s protest at Marsh Fork Elementary. For the full details on the events of the day, you can grab Bob’s archive for June 23, 2009 at The White Rose Society!

When Bob passed along the first picture, I became curious as to which existed first – the school or the mining operation. Bob replied: “School was there first. Then came the plant. Then came the law. The plant was “grandfathered in.” Then came the MTR job above.” Remember the ‘Country Roads’ Parody video, where in the lyrics Bob penned he stated “We lose more by law here, than if they used a gun”? This is what he was talking about.

Here’s the sniper on the school’s roof, as Bob noted.

The H.O.R.N.’s favorite intern, Ferg, protesting the destruction of his home.

H.O.R.N. intern Ferg taking video of the performers, who were no doubt singing about the evils of mountain removal.

H.O.R.N. den mother Agnes, and intern Ferg, take time to participate in an interview.

This is the one who shouted the whole time. (I can smell him from here. Oh — am I being an “Outside Agitator” Mr. Big Mouth? Tough!) That audio will be available as soon as it’s processed.

Here are the hogs the fiends of coal rode in on, and revved the entire time. In fact, a lot of their behavior can be related to barnyard animals.

Here’s one now – Moooooo! (Love ya! – The Outside Agitator)

Banjo player Morgan O’Kane (pictured below with singer/producer Jen Osha) is the fellow Bob told us about, that had an air horn blasted right in his ear by a fiend of coal. To check out or purchase the benefit CD they participated in to raise money for the fight against mountain removal, please visit http://www.auroralights.org/journey. You’ll be glad you did!

Dr. James Hansen, arrested today, tried to warn us years ago.

Reverend Jim Lewis had to shout a prayer over the sound of motorcycle engines being gunned.

This is Matt Sherman. You simply must listen to Bob’s archive to get all the details about his speech!

Awww, does someone need a hug? (Love ya! – The Outside Agitator)

Uncle Sam doesn’t like mountain removal. Apparently his stilts were a security threat.

Let’s not forget why people gathered here today. It’s to ensure the students at Marsh Fork Elementary School have a safe and clean environment to learn in. In a matter of weeks, children will be sent inside a building that is only yards away from BILLIONS of gallons of deadly coal sludge, that sit in a measly earthen dam. If that dam breaks, those children will be killed.

So, how clear is your conscience?

The Nevada Senate has voted to override Gov. Jim Gibbon’s veto of a measure that would give domestic partners, whether gay or straight, many of the rights and benefits that Nevada offers to married couples.

The bill provides that domestic partners have the same rights as married couples in matters like community property and responsibility for debts.

More from The New York Times/AP Story.

George Tiller, a Wichita doctor who was one of the few doctors in the nation to perform late-term abortions, was shot to death on Sunday as he attended church, city officials in Wichita said.

Dr. Tiller, who had performed abortions since the 1970s, had long been a lightning rod for controversy over the issue of abortion, particularly in Kansas, where abortion opponents regularly protested outside his clinic and sometimes his home and church. In 1993, he was shot in both arms by an abortion opponent but recovered.

He had also been the subject of many efforts at prosecution, including a citizen-initiated grand jury investigation. In the latest such effort, in March, Dr. Tiller was acquitted of charges that he had performed late-term abortions that violated state law.

Article is continued at The New York Times.