Tuesday Open Thread

post from TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime on 22 August 2006 12:53:51 PM. © TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime

The news is still focused on Ramsey coverage, but you don't have to be. Here's a place to discuss whatever's on your mind.

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Lamont vs. Lieberman: Dare to Dream

post from The Enigmatic Paradox on 22 August 2006 12:50:00 PM. © The Enigmatic Paradox

With Senator Joe Lieberman coming out as a political cross dresser and winning almost unanimous support among the normally ?demophobic? Republican power elite, the positional dynamics for Connecticut?s senatorial election are finally clear.But what?s been lost in all the hyperventilating about Lieberman?s loss to Ned Lamont in the primary is that the Greenwich cable magnate is as close to the[...]

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http://www.enigmaticparadox.com/2006/08/lamont-vs-lieberman-dare-to-dream.html

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Iran rejects nuclear halt

post from AMERICAblog on 22 August 2006 12:36:00 PM. © AMERICAblog

At first blush, it appears that this continues the international game of chicken between Iran and the UN.

Shorter Iran: We'll talk about suspending nuclear development but suspension can't be a precondition for talks.

Shorter UN: Suspend your nuclear efforts first, then we'll talk (and throw a bunch of economic incentives your way).

Iran reportedly will make a counteroffer of some kind, and it will be interesting to see the details of its "new formula for resolving the issue through talks." In the meantime, U.S. blunders in the region have left us relatively powerless to affect the course of this standoff. The Bush administration is pushing hard for tough sanctions, but sanctions simply aren't going to work on a country with that much oil wealth, and Saddam showed his neighbors how autocratic regimes can get around sanctions (and even use them to villify the West to drum up domestic support).

I'm certainly not pleased about the specter of a nuclear Iran, so I hope negotiations bear fruit. On the other hand, none of the parties look ready to make concessions.

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A Worthy Experiment

post from TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime on 22 August 2006 12:34:52 PM. © TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime

by TChris

North Carolina's new Innocence Inquiry Commission is a worthy experiment. It gives wrongfully convicted prisoners a final chance to prove their innocence after the judicial system has declared their convictions final.

Cases will be reviewed by a finely balanced, eight-member panel: a judge, a prosecutor, a sheriff, a defense lawyer, a victim's advocate, and three at-large members. If a majority finds compelling evidence of innocence, the case would go to a panel of three Superior Court judges, who would have to rule unanimously to overturn the conviction.

Whether the panel will feel insulated from political pressure to keep the convicted behind bars is unclear, but North Carolina is at least responding to the serious problem of wrongful convictions.

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Mikes Blog Round Up

post from Crooks and Liars on 22 August 2006 12:27:38 PM. © Crooks and Liars

Tristram Shandy: Bush throws pro-life supporters under the bus, is he wired again? Looking for Someone to Lie to Me: Exonerated but still held at Gitmo darrel plant: Clueless at NPR..the Kurds blame who? Petrelis Files: Security net’s holes…plus, Cheney’s "Groundhog Day" Senate Majority Project: This is starting to get old…McCain breaks McCain/Feingold yet again [...]

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http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/08/22/mikes-blog-round-up-299/

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Kristol: ‘We Could Be In A Military
Confrontation With Iran Much Sooner Than People Expect’

post from Think Progress on 22 August 2006 12:07:00 PM. © Think Progress

This morning on Fox News, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol continued to beat the war drums for a military strike against Iran. Watch it: [...]

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http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/22/kristol-iran-war/

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Britain may cut its force in Iraq

post from Think Progress on 22 August 2006 11:55:00 AM. © Think Progress

in half by the middle of next year.

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http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/22/britain-may-cut-its-force-in-iraq/

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Dignitude

Oy.

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http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_08_20_atrios_archive.html#115626164326377029

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Youre No Democrat, Mr. Lieberman

According to Paul Bass in the New Haven Independent, local Connecticut residents (attn punditry class, read: not bloggers) are attempting to have Holy Joe "un-Democrated" now that he’s officially running as a candidate for the Kiss My Ring[...]

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http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/08/22/youre-no-democrat-mr-lieberman/

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Partisanship

What Ezra says. Every bit of legislation passed in the 90s came out of a highly combative partisan environment. If you think good things came out of that period then you should be a huge fan of mean-spirited partisan debate. Those who remember it as a period of bipartisan bliss really are mainlining the hard stuff.

Public debate is good. I don't know why people have a problem with it.

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