According to Reuters, President Brezhnev Bush is using the recently signed 2006 Military Commissions Act to argue that detainees held in secret CIA prisons who actually do manage a court hearing should not be permitted to describe in court their treatment while imprisoned.  The Executive maintains that treatment of prisoners in secret camps is classified, and that their being permitted to speak with regard to their treatment would present a threat to National Security, as terrorists could then incorporate counter-measures into their training.

But if neither the United States military, nor its civilian investigative employees, nor any agents thereof engage in torture, as Vice President Cheney assures the public it does not, the stated concern regarding counter-measures is irrelevant, as I am certain terrorists are already inured to name-calling, low grade food and general isolation.  If, however, the US, its government, employees or subsidiaries do engage in routine torture of uncharged suspects, then the concern is certainly valid.  And doubly-so for an administration anxious to avoid charges of war crimes and/or crimes against humanity.

Make no mistake, I have no interest in treating terrorists with kid gloves.  However, I, unlike this administration, am concerned for our troops abroad, both now and in the future, who could be captured by the enemy and subjected to the same tortures we inflict on those held without charge.  I, unlike this administration, believe our status as an international power is predicated upon more than our military ability (which is currently in doubt anyway, thanks to the actions of this administration), but is also based upon our historical moral authority as a nation that values the benefits of freedom (the right to assemble, the right to trial, the presumption of innocence, the right to live without fear of secret government capture and subsequent torture) even for those who least deserve it.

This is more than lip service.  I value these freedoms so highly, consider them so basic, that I extend them even to those with whom I disagree, even to those whom I fear.

In the telescope of history, we acknowledge that the confessions of the Spanish Inquisition, of the Salem Witch Trials, of the Vietnam War were worth nothing because eventually any tortured soul will crack, and will confess to whatever is demanded in order to end the torture.  We even acknowledge this of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, which never engaged in physical torture.  How is it confessions extracted even just 30 years ago be invalidated by the method of their extraction, yet information obtained today under the very same methods be somehow worthwhile?  How can we despise those who engaged or currently engage in torture as evil or consumed beyond reason by their own fear, yet accept it in our modern, Western selves?

I understand the necessity of civil defense and national security, but not at the expense of the very freedoms for which we allegedly fight, and send our citizens to die.  Detainees who do manage to achieve an appearance before a legitimate court should be able to speak on the relevant points of their treatment, specifically torture and information extracted thereby, to a judge, in his chambers, in front of counsel.   To allow anything less makes us no better than the terrorists we purport to despise.

3 days to go.  We report.  You read.

CQ Politics updated their House race scorecard to reflect 212 Dems, 202 Reps and 21 races too close to call.  While no new races have been pegged for Dems, 5 Republican-leaning districts have been moved to the toss-up column since Thursday's Election Watch update.  Those races are: Connecticut's 5th (Rep. Nancy L Johnson (R) vs state Sen. Chris Murphy (D)), New Hampshire's 2nd (Rep. Charles Bass (R) vs Paul Hodes (D)), Arizona's 1st (Rep. Rick Renzi (R) vs Ellen Simon (D)), Arizona's 5th (Rep. J. D. Hayworth (R) vs Harry Mitchell (D)), and Wyoming's At-Large (Rep. Barbara Cubin (R) vs Gary Trauner (D)). On top of poor job performance and what is known as a prickly personality, Cubin's biggest mistake may have been approaching her wheelchair-bound opponent after a debate and telling him "If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face."  Wyomingans, Wyomites, Constituents have not taken kindly to their elected official making threats of physical violence to physically-challenged sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis, I guess.

Facing South takes a look at the 15% lie factor in the Tennessee Senate race between Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN) and former Chattanooga Mayor, Bob Corker (R).  While Junior's campaign has to accept the polls are likely padded by respondents telling pollsters what they think they want to hear, Junior actually has bigger troubles - his family.  Junior's name and family history of political corruption have always been his biggest obstacle to achieving statewide office in Tennessee, and they've stepped in to worsen those chances by running.  Junior's brother Jake Ford (I) entered the race for Junior's congressional seat against state Sen. Steve Cohen (D), the actual Democratic nominee.  Jake has a history of violence, including attacking his own father, and other run-ins with the law.  Junior would not endorse either candidate. Cohen, whom I've met and believe to be a decent, upstanding person, is still favored to win the district in spite of the Ford family antics, but Junior's failure to endorse the party nominee in order to preserve his brother's chances harkens back to the good old days of the Ford Machine.  Tennesseans still remember that machine, and many liberal Memphians resented it.  A continuing Ford dynasty in the Tennessee 9th is not something the general population wants to perpetuate, and Junior's facilitation will likely hurt him, giving Corker another leg up.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the Illinois VFW decided to endorse Republican candidate state Sen. Peter Roksam, who never served in the military,  over Iraq veteran and Democrat Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs in the war, for the Illinois 6th House seat being vacated by Henry Hyde.  Roksam, connected to the VFW through member and former state Sen. Ray Soden (R), says it's not meant as an insult, and that the decision was made by "local 6th District folks," (Chicago Sun-Times), but some VFW members, including Ms. Duckworth - who is an active member, have gone on record stating they were never contacted regarding the endorsement.  Former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) said the VFW PAC "should be ashamed of themselves."  I guess I should be shocked that the Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars would place political maneuvering over one of their own, but I'm not.  When a botched joke told by a non-candidate gets more press than real deaths or squashed oversight, it's clear that "supporting the troops" has become nothing but meaningless mouthing engineered solely to hold on to waning power.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, currently D-CT but running as I-CT, is disappointed that fellow politician Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has endorsed the Democratic nominee Ned Lamont over Joe's own candidacy, says CNN.  Even though Dodd remains a member of the Democratic party, Lieberman apparently expected Dodd's endorsement over party nominee Lamont because Lieberman and Dodd are friends.  I'm friends with a guy who wants to have prayer meetings at work, he's a nice guy.  I genuinely like him, but I certainly wouldn't endorse him for office - I tend to disagree with his political viewpoint.  I guess that makes me weird.  Lieberman remains ahead of Lamont in the polls, so obviously neither Dodd's nor Kiosan's endorsements seem to matter overmuch.

Democratic Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch and his running mate for Lt. Gorvernor Judi Dutcher are doing their best to cede their races to their Republican opponenets, incumbent Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, respectively.  Dutcher told a TV reporter last week that she didn't know what E-85 is (Kansas City Star).  Now many people probably don't know what E-85 is, but it's an ethanol blend used for fuel, and important to the Minnesota economy.  A Minnesotan not having a clue about E-85 is like a New Yorker not having a clue about "unions," or a Virginian having no idea what "tobacco" is.  The campaign probably could have gotten past that, but Hatch, fed up with dealing with  fall-out from a Dutcher gaffe, called a newspaper reporter a "Republican whore," according to a report in WaPo.  Hatch denies he used the word, stating he said "hack," not "whore," and that tapes exist to prove it.  Personally, it makes no nevermind to me, but I understand Republican whores don't actually like the derogatory term "whore," and would prefer critics to use the more politically correct "floozy."

The NY Times reports Claire McCaskill (D) enjoys a slight polling lead over Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO) in Missouri's Senate contest.  Talent, who's been working to distance himself from the downward spiralling Bush administration, welcomed a visit from the President on Friday.  For her part, McCaskill will stump with Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) on Sunday - though nobody's trying to distance themselves from him right now.  The Times points out that Missouri party bases are generally "locked up," leaving only 2-4% of the vote to swing the entire state - and where goes Missouri, goes the country according to current political wisdom.  Since Talent hasn't had the chutzpah to invite Rush Limbaugh to campaign with him, I haven't much snarky to say about this race.  I'd just like to see McCaskill win it.

The LA Times has a story on Rep. Richard Pombo's (R-CA; Chair, House Resources Committee) surprisingly difficult reelection race against Democrat Jerry McNerney.  Pombo has been dealing with repeated charges of corruption, relating to Jack Abramoff, and environmental mismanagement.  Last week, the DCCC decided McNerney might be able to win and spent more than $200K promoting his candidacy.  A desperate Pombo has brought in VP Dick Cheney, President Bush, and the most well-liked Republican librarian, Laura Bush, to campaign for him.  Mrs. Bush's likability managed to offer some cover for her husband's lie about his arrest for drunk driving, for his dreary governorship of Texas, and for his deteriorating standing in the US and abroad, so why not use it in service of another lying, corrupt Republican seeking to hold on to his powerbase through the intimation that if all-around Good Woman Laura Bush likes him, he can't be that bad?  She's certainly a better stumper than her bumbling husband or his torturing second in command.

And finally, a search of [the] Google News with the keywords "voting problems" returns over 8000 results.  I can't say the neo-con/Diebold line that I don't need to worry my pretty little head about it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.