The Edge of the American West: Conservatives are outraged over an actual outrage? Color me impressed

t r u t h o u t: Why haven't any Wall Street tycoons been sent to the slammer?

St. Louis Pushes Back: Why Jimmy Carter was right: Popular wingnut blogger links to race-baiting video from white supremacist, anti-Semitic group

Where’s the Outrage?: Speaking with real patients about real end-of-life issues is incredibly difficult.

The Roger Ailes we like

43-Ideas-Per-Minute: Far right's favorite prostitute

Phyllis and Del on their wedding day

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were issued a marriage license in 2004 when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered that same-sex couples could apply for them. Sadly, it was voided by the courts just a few months later. Phyllis implored the courts to reconsider:

Del is 83 years old and I am 79. After being together for more than 50 years, it is a terrible blow to have the rights and protections of marriage taken away from us. At our age, we do not have the luxury of time.

When the California Supreme Court did legalize gay marriage in June of 2008, Del and Phyllis were the very first gay couple married by Mayor Newsom.

Martin and Lyon had already been together for 55 years at the time of their marriage.

Del Martin died just two months later from complications from a bone fracture. Del was 87 years old and had been in failing health for some time. Because Del and Phyllis were legally married, when critical choices had to be made about Del's condition, Phyllis had the right to act in the best interests and wishes of her wife.

Unfortunately, there are now thousands and thousands of same sex couples in California who do not have that same right--one of the more than 1000 denied to them and which seems to get lost in the hysteria and just bizarre logic of those fighting against equal protection for all citizens.

There is now a site designed to help couples--both gay and straight--discuss the uncomfortable subject of end-of-life issues: Compassion & Choices:

Most Compassion & Choices supporters would eagerly bargain away a few days of extended life in an intensive care unit in exchange for final days spent at home, in relative comfort and meaningful communion with those they love. Such folks don’t adhere to the doctrine of redemptive suffering and would rather slip away peacefully if imminent dying would be otherwise prolonged and agonized.

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Atrios points us to another fine example of Democrats once again abetting the kleptocrats by calling for support for the bankruptcy bill.

I am disgusted with the party. Between the nit-witted nonsense of the Joe Leiberman League claiming we should try to out-Republican the Republicans on social issues, and the craven, cowardly, and complicitous attitude of most of our Democrats in Congress, I fear the party is doomed. It has become nothing beyond a label at this point.

I cannot but blame the so-called party leadership for this. Time after time after time, Democrats have been handed golden opportunities on platinum serving trays. But every time they have managed to drink from the finger bowl instead.

The bankruptcy bill is a shining example. It is a screwjob for Joe and Jane Sixpack, and there’s no way to dress it up as anything else. Tauscher doesn’t want to be “the party that says no.” Well goddamnit, this bill goes directly against your proclaimed values and constituency as a Democrat. If you won’t say no to this, what the hell will you say no to? Democrats should have loudly and publicly repudiated this bill as a block, forcing the Republicans to take ownership of it. But, no: Now it’s a bipartisan measure.

The same goes for Social Security. Holy Joe Leiberman is blowing in the wind on this, and a few other Democrats have actually come out to support Bush’s bamboozle. Another issue that should be pinned squarely on Republicans and used to beat them over the head gets lost to us.

Perhaps most disturbingly, in the wake of the Schiavo tragedy we have two Bad Attitudes

Atrios points us to another fine example of Democrats once again abetting the kleptocrats by calling for support for the bankruptcy bill.

I am disgusted with the party. Between the nit-witted nonsense of the Joe Leiberman League claiming we should try to out-Republican the Republicans on social issues, and the craven, cowardly, and complicitous attitude of most of our Democrats in Congress, I fear the party is doomed. It has become nothing beyond a label at this point.

I cannot but blame the so-called party leadership for this. Time after time after time, Democrats have been handed golden opportunities on platinum serving trays. But every time they have managed to drink from the finger bowl instead.

The bankruptcy bill is a shining example. It is a screwjob for Joe and Jane Sixpack, and there’s no way to dress it up as anything else. Tauscher doesn’t want to be “the party that says no.” Well goddamnit, this bill goes directly against your proclaimed values and constituency as a Democrat. If you won’t say no to this, what the hell will you say no to? Democrats should have loudly and publicly repudiated this bill as a block, forcing the Republicans to take ownership of it. But, no: Now it’s a bipartisan measure.

The same goes for Social Security. Holy Joe Leiberman is blowing in the wind on this, and a few other Democrats have actually come out to support Bush’s bamboozle. Another issue that should be pinned squarely on Republicans and used to beat them over the head gets lost to us.

Perhaps most disturbingly, in the wake of the Schiavo tragedy we have twoDemocrats pushing a bill to allow the federal government to interfere in end-of-life issues. Apparently the fact that 90-percent of Democrats and nearly 80-percent of the general public abhor such action just isn’t enough to keep Democrats from trying to out-Republican the Republicans.

These and a dozen other issues should be getting wrapped around the necks of Republicans by Democrats.

It is nothing short of agonizing to watch the Democrats wither this way. But I fear it is both inevitable and unstoppable.

Whoo Hoo, Freedom!    Shot by Both Sides

Shooting reporters isn't enough. Let's arrest them too (also RSF piece on the detention. The guy is alleged by unreliable sources to be a US citizen of Iraqi origins). Meanwhile, lunatics are claiming that this indicts the press, not the truth-hating journo-hating bastards who lied and schemed to get us into this stupid war in the first place.

Fuck them.
Democrats pushing a bill to allow the federal government to interfere in end-of-life issues. Apparently the fact that 90-percent of Democrats and nearly 80-percent of the general public abhor such action just isn’t enough to keep Democrats from trying to out-Republican the Republicans.
These and a dozen other issues should be getting wrapped around the necks of Republicans by Democrats.

It is nothing short of agonizing to watch the Democrats wither this way. But I fear it is both inevitable and unstoppable.