Odds and Ends

Ah, our 'values' leadership at work. Tom Delay was formerly indicted by a Texas grand jury Monday for money laundering, including a new, second indictment. And then we are forced to see "the Hammer" on TV pulling a Clinton, about how innocent he is and how others are out to get him for political vindication...he should know this when he sees it, for sure. William Bennett, former Secretary of Education and self-appointed moral authority mentions that aborting Black babies would reduce the crime rate. While he was supposedly talking about hypotheticals, how stupid a comment is this? Go back to the slot machines, Bill. In a party-line vote, Congress passes a stop-gap bill which maintains current spending rates for almost everything through November...except, of course, community block grants for programs for the poorest Americans, which were cut by some 50%. I guess I can understand that since there are tax cuts and wars to fund.

Can someone help me out with Harriet Miers? Like most people, I certainly never heard of her before today. Whether you like John Roberts's decisions and views or not, there certainly is no denying his legal knowledge, scholarship and mind. But does Miers have an extensive background and expertise in constitutional law? I know she has no experience as a judge, which I think would be beneficial although not a requirement. Does she have any sort of extensive public record so we know where she stands on issues and what her legal thinking is? I look at this as an odd choice, and I simply wonder what her credentials are, considering she'll be on the Court for the next twenty years.

Addendum: How could I forget Bill Frist...up for insider trading violations. Yikes!