One Small Step for the Rule of Law

The first bill passed by the House of Representatives this session overturns Bush’s Executive Order that limited access to Presidential papers in defiance of the Presidential Records Act.

Bush’s EO, with its precedent-setting contempt for the law and its equally blatant motivation to keep his father’s records secret, has been a particular sore point for me, so I’m quite pleased that the House leaders chose this for their first action. It has both symbolic and substantive value.

Gaza: Another Neocon Debacle

Juan Cole explains how the Gaza War has its roots in Neocon fantasies of reshaping the Middle East through brute force of will.

Friday Cat Blogging

Friday Morning News Roundup

Lots and lots of things happening:

– Suzanne Goldenberg of The Guardian reports that Obama’s people are quietly preparing to do secret negotiations with Hamas, as shunning them has proved to be counterproductive.

– The sweet stench of Astroturf: A nationally-oriented conservative group is backing efforts to recruit and organize Republicans in Minnesota’s First Congressional District, which had been Republican for decades until Tim Walz’ victory in 2006.

– iTunes is dropping DRM on its music downloads. Audiophiles everywhere will rejoice.

– The Minnesota Supreme Court hands off the pleasure of dope-slapping Norm Coleman to the soon-to-be-selected three-judge contest panel.

– The fine folk at Marvel Comics were pleased as punch to hear that Barack Obama is a fan of Spider-Man. Like, really really really pleased. Raving wingnut Debbie Schlussel, however, is not: “Once, comic books were against Nazis and Hitler and were very up front in supporting America’s fight against them. But those days are over. Both DC and Marvel Comics long ago embraced left-wing politics, and when it came to the war on terror, they were for the most part silent. Fighting “global warming” and on behalf of other mythical left-wing creations was far more important (as was transforming Wonder Woman into an ugly, steroidal man). . . .”