I’ve agreed to take part in the first-ever Miami Bloggers: Cross Blogination being organized by Greener Miami for September 19.
My guest poster will be from the comprehensive community site, Miami Beach 411, and I have to come up with something appropriate for the super-cool Critical Miami. Ouch.
The headline of today’s editorial in the Washington Post says almost all of it: A Defining Moment for America – The president goes to Capitol Hill to lobby for torture.
Here’s the political snapshot: the house has fallen into line and has voted to give the president unreviewable authority to torture. The Senate has balked, and has voted an alternative bill that is merely very very bad rather than despicable. Senator Reid, the Democratic minority leader, has indicated that Bush’s version would be filibustered if it made it to the floor. President Bush has vowed to veto the Senate bill if it gets to his desk (but I personally predict this is a hollow threat). There have been some heavyweight letters on all sides which I haven’t the time to summarize while at these meetings.
No bill at all would be the best outcome, and there’s at least some hope of it. But I’m not hopeful yet.
I started this blog three years ago, accurately noting that, “The world needs another weblog like a hole in the head.” Early on, I was already feeling pretty unhappy about the administration — but, ever the optimist, while I was starting to grasp the full horror of their constitutional vision, I never imagined how incompetent and corrupt they would turn out to be.
I know people who treat their blogs as an important part of their professional career: as a way of making their name in their field, or as a way of creating a media presence in order to build a profile that might let them influence public policy, or as a serious scholarly endeavor. I’ve toyed with those ideas, but my goals are more modest. I’m having fun, I’m taking part in some small conversations, and I will have something to show to my children if they ever accuse me of being the 21st century US equivalent of what the last generation called “a good German.”
Let the record show that many of us cared about torture, about our rights and liberties, and battled against the destruction of our fundamental institutions. And if enough of us care, perhaps we can ensure that it will all seem like quaint over-reaction to the next generation.
For reasons I can’t articulate in my current jet lagged (and lost-luggage) state, this moveon.org ad trying to blunt the GOP’s Rovian exploitation of 9/11 just doesn’t seem that effective — even though I agree with it:
In contrast, this ad from votevets.org targeting Sen. George Allen seems just about absolutely perfect:
Do you agree? What’s wrong with the first one?
The nice thing about being chair of the newly created Laterals & Chairs committee is that I can dream about all the wonderful people I will be persuading to come join our faculty.
The not-so-nice thing about being chair of the newly created Laterals & Chairs committee is that it’s quite a lot of work.
Here’s the official approved text inviting experienced law professors to contact me if they fancy joining an exciting law faculty located in a tropical paradise,
The University of Miami School of Law invites applications from faculty at all levels of seniority with an interest in joining our lively faculty beginning in the 2007-2008 academic year. While open to the right candidate in any field, the Laterals & Chairs committee intends to focus its search in the fields of commercial law, health and health policy, international arbitration/ADR, international business transactions, international trade, and trusts & estates.
Candidates should possess strong academic or practice backgrounds, a record of scholarship or public service, the clear potential for scholarly productivity, and an enthusiasm for teaching. We also seek to add to the diversity of our faculty. Women and minorities are particularly encouraged to apply.
Contact: Professor Michael Froomkin, Chair, Laterals & Chairs Committee, University of Miami School of Law, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, fax 305-284-6506.
I’m on my way to Frankfurt today, where I will do hush-hush stuff for the ICANN NomCom. It’s possible I will have very limited Internet access for the next few days, especially today and Sunday which are travel days. And even if I do have access, I probably won’t have much time to use it. If I have a chance, however, I will post something about my airport experiences.
Meanwhile, I’ve queued up a few posts to keep things going.
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