MetaFilter posts tagged with news and government

The First 100 Days

Cochise — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:39:39 -0800

Oh those vaunted "first 100 days," they are finally upon us. Roosevelt's legendary time period has long been applied to new administrations, but never so emphatically or with such hope as to the Obama administration. And now you can follow them! For commentary, there's The First 100 Days, for mainstream media there's Obama's First 100 Days, for a comparison between old and new there 100 Days: Starting the Job, From FDR to Obama, for new media there's Obama's First 100 Days, and finally, for a government perspective there's First 100 Days. I smell an idea for an ironic t-shirt...

The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008

kliuless — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:40:18 -0800

Thirty-six years after the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse recommended that "simple possession" of pot be decriminalised, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has introduced a bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), to remove federal criminal penalties for possession of up to 100 grams (about three-and-a-half ounces) of marijuana and the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce (28.3 grams). Drug reform advocates ~~lit up~~ hailed the legislation as "an important step toward bringing federal law into line with scientific fact, practical reality and public opinion." Is America, at long last, having a collective moment of sanity?

The Saddam Sessions

kliuless — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:33:50 -0800

Saddam's Confessions - Given Saddam Hussein's central place in the American Consciousness over the last couple decades and particularly in recent years, I found 60 minutes' interview with FBI interrogator George Piro pretty fascinating.

"Make Congress more transparent and encourage civic engagement"

rfbjames — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:55:29 -0800

OpenCongress.org is a site that aggregates data about the United States Senate and House. Keep track of your senators or representatives through rss feeds, read bills on topics that are important to you, and find out what industries are behind the scenes providing money to your politicians in Washington among many other uses of this new resource.

The Simulacrisation of Technology into Life

0bvious — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:09:26 -0800

As the Pentagon ousts plans to turn insects into cyber war machines you'd be forgiven for asking the question: Where does the real digital end and the faked life begin? Are we simulating life synthetically? or just speeding up an entirely natural process? Technologically engineered life is here to stay. Its not far fetched to speculate that simulacra may become all there is.

Plan Would Let U.S. Deport Suspects to Nations That Might Torture Them

acrobat — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 09:01:40 -0800

We are proud, free, God-loving Americans! We don't torture people! We let others do the job for us. The Bush administration is supporting a provision in the House leadership's intelligence reform bill that would allow U.S. authorities to deport certain foreigners to countries where they are likely to be tortured or abused, an action prohibited by the international laws against torture the United States signed 20 years ago.

Pravda

the fire you left me — Sun, 21 Dec 2003 16:04:54 -0800

Who's Afraid of a Little Propaganda? The Pentagon decides to bypass the filter and give Americans direct news access.

Missed Opportunity

Postroad — Tue, 12 Aug 2003 14:00:58 -0800

Officials: Bush Administration Was Slow to Approve Drones to Kill Bin Laden I am not able to say how accurate this posting is, but I post it because it strikes me that if true, Bush is certainly not the strong and forthright Texan gunman he has been made out to be. Any one know more on this issue?

The Economy of Policy

the fire you left me — Mon, 23 Jun 2003 14:43:33 -0800

No Tax Relief for Married Poor. Because they, presumably, are not American.

Unbelievable....

alumshubby — Mon, 23 Jun 2003 04:21:50 -0800

"When I'm president, we'll have executive orders to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does tomorrow or any other day," said Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri. (ABC News link)

Shouldn't there be some sort of SAT test on the Constitution for Presidential candidates? Or...or something?

lerrup — Mon, 21 Oct 2002 06:28:06 -0800

Does this story about the US govt making someone disappear for no admitted reason scare you as much as it scares me?

aj100 — Tue, 26 Mar 2002 12:13:56 -0800

Clean air? We don't need no stink'n clean air. "The White House firmly defended Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham on Tuesday as newly released documents showed he held at least eight private meetings with industry leaders -- but none with environmentalists -- while the administration crafted its energy plan." Is this really a surprise?

electro — Fri, 08 Mar 2002 08:49:30 -0800

The need for an economic stimulus bill appears to have taken on new urgency, now that the recovery is already underway. I'm glad both parties found enough irrelevent stuff they wanted to pass anyway that they could get a bill through.