Scandal, wha???

Confused by the layers and layers of controversy and scandal, crimes and misdemeanors that have swirled around the White House over the last 7 years? Wondering where the Department of Justice firings connect to Coercive Interrogation of Guantanamo Bay detainees? Just want to chuckle to yourself while thinking of John Ashcroft, Larry Craig and Mark Foley in a barbershop quartet together... wait... was Foley in the quartet? I think I'm wrong on that last one. Well if you're feeling the first two, check out Slate.com's supercool interactive chart of Bush Administration scandals! This clever little info graphic is not only fascinating and nicely designed, but informative as well.

How 'Bout Them Checks and Balances?

Sweet news today as the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that foreign nationals held at Guantanamo Bay have a right to pursue habeas challenges to their detention. When congress took this right away a few years ago, it was seen by many (myself included) as a huge power grab by the administration as well as a direct affront to a basic and central piece of the rights Americans fought for in seeking our independence back in the way back. A nice quick post on the ruling is available here, and I hope my soon-to-be lawyer friend Matt will soon weigh in with his own thinking on this lovely little verdict.

I'm pretty scared of this court and the decisions they will hand down over the years to come with Roberts and Alito behind the bench, but it's nice when even a group like this comes down on what seems like the site of good sense.