The Other Shoe (Finally) Drops

by matttbastard

Good riddance, about goddamn time, etc. Too bad the rumoured alternative [edit: or not, depending on whose unnamed sources you believe] isn’t much of an improvement.

Kyle has more, to which I’ll add this near-hysterical April 2007 WaPo op-ed (which clearly shows where that queasy feeling in Chertoff’s gut comes from) and this Nov 2006 speech Chertoff gave at the annual Federalist Society lawyers convention, in which the [edit: possibly] soon-to-be former DHS director (and Federalist Society alum) makes all too plain his far-right ideological pedigree.

Meet the new boss, etc…?

Related: Spackerman profiles the (soon to be) acting AG Paul Clement; Chertoffs likely possible replacement? You gotta be shitting me -Clay Johnson III sounds like Harriet Miers in BVDs.

Update: Always bet on black?

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Global Women’s Rights Office? Yes, Please!

by Isabel

In honor of Women’s Equality Day (August 26), Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has announced that when the House reconvenes this fall, she will introduce a bill to equip the US government to advocate for global women’s rights. The legislation would establish a Commission on International Women’s Rights and a special State Department office to advise the president and secretary of state on international women’s issues. It would also give the president power to block US aid to governments found to be engaged in gross violations of women’s rights.

“In many countries, women are still being subjected to brutal honor killings, forced to obey repressive social norms, and rendered invisible in the eyes of the law,” said Maloney, a longtime women’s rights advocate in Congress. “My [law] recognizes that while we continue to wage the fight for true equality at home, we also have an obligation to help women everywhere break the binds of gender oppression.”

If this ends up happening (and the President actually ends up blocking aid to countries that encourage or turn a blind eye to the mistreatment of women), it will be a very good thing. Especially in light of things like this.

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Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is…

by matttbastard

Stephen Harper, 03.17.07:

Conservatives represent the interests of “hard-working people who didn’t have the time to stage protests or the money to hire lobbyists.“

Stephen Harper, 08.26.07:

“Dear friends”, blah blah blah, “Conservative values”, blah blah blah, “Conservative accomplishments”, blah blah blah, Conservatives “work for the well-being of…people that work hard, and have no time to protest, and who don’t have the time to protest, or have the money to hire protesters.“

Stephen Harper: consistently full of it.

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