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Over the past few years, several political scientists have found that the way the GOP managed to get the Kansans of the country to vote against their own economic self interest is by talking up wedge issues (or as the media and GOP like to call them, value issues).  These are issues to which traditional Republicans pay lip service but often do nothing about (often because they are actually socially liberal).  One stand-out issue that has garnred Republicans a lot of headway during the rein of George W. Bush is gay marriage.  Interestingly, as reported by Frontline, gay marriage is Karl Rove’s favorite wedge issue.  Though with the recent New Jersey Supreme Court ruling (pdf) the New York times speculates that the GOP, in moving to energize voters over a fundamental values issue, have run out of steam.

After security researcher Christopher Soghoian create a boarding pass generator, Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) spoke out calling for the site to be shutdown and Soghoian arrested.  Wire has the details.  Unfortunately Markey, a 15 term Congressional Actor from Massachusetts 7th district is running uncontested.

Teresa over at Making Light writes about the “convential wisdom” that publishing is a “winner-takes-all-contenst” where only the best sellers matter. “It’s not true, and it’snot becoming true.”

I was up late with some old West Wing in the background when a phrase caught my ear.  Season 4, Episode 17 while Sam Seaborn is running for Congress he is sparring verbally with Toby Ziegler who has just taken over running his campaign:

SAM: I can just cut any change I have for victory.

TOBY: No. The story’s going to be that you actually stuck up for what you believed in, you didn’t cut and run.  And people are gonna remember that, I’m gonna make sure of it.

This thought crossed my mind: does Karl Rove watch West Wing?

This wired article should put our priorities in perspective.

Thanks to popular culture most people are familiar with parts of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.  If my post on due process piqued your interest then you may have done some research and read about grand juries or eminent domain.  An article on findlaw from May of 2004 higlights the importance of the final right guaranteed in the subsequent amendment - the Sixth Amendment guarantees the accused the right “to have the Assitance of Counsel for his defence (sic).”

I started this post several months ago and never had a chance to elaborate.  I’m flying on business tomorrow for the first time since the liquid scare and in checking the TSA website found the following disclaimer: “Bringing a prohibited item to a security checkpoint - even accidentally - is illegal.“

I guess I should bring my lawyer with me to the airport.