I'm catching up on my email...finally. Here are two very interesting articles - one sent by my sister the other sent by my husband - about Bush mentioning the Dred Scott case when asked about justices he would appoint to the supreme court if elected this year.

Slate - Why Bush Opposes Dred Scott - It's code for Roe v. Wade. By Timothy Noah
Including an interesting history of how Bush speaks in code to the Xtian right. I heard Cheney's non-gay daughter use the term "Culture of Life" the other day on CNN's town meeting and wondered what the hell that was referencing. (I want to add that she used that as an answer to a direct question about whether or not she thinks Bush would do what he could to overturn Roe vs Wade so I suppose we can assume that answer means yes). "Culture of Life" is just a pro-life buzzphrase. There are lots and lots and lots and lots of those - does it sound like it should go on a tshirt? Then it probably is a carefully crafted buzzphrase.

Old Hickory's Weblog talks about essentially the same reference but gives an interesting historical context as to why Dred Scott means Roe vs Wade to the prolifers. Also explains that "constructionist" comment as a Nixon reference - I thought he just said that instead of constitutionalist.

Also, I've been filling out polls on the internet party. It's supposed to be bipartisan but sometimes the comments swing dramatically. The daily polls bring up a lot of issues that aren't covered very well in the mainstream media - and the way the question is posed doesn't lean either way. The comments can get fairly flammatory though so don't read those if you're watching your blood pressure. Sometimes I feel like eating troll for breakfast though so if you see a comment given by "whatever" that's me.