Mass media is fond of creating labels and lumping people of certain philosophical or political persuasions into groups of designated societal misfits, all carrying some pejorative nickname intended to clearly define the borders between “them” and “us.”

This helps the citizenry distinguish between the members of certain marginalized — and therefore untrustworthy — groups who take a somewhat jaundiced view of the actions and motivations of authoritarian institutions, and the great American mainstream that can always be counted upon to internalize and recite the most preposterous nonsense as long as it carries the official stamp of institutional authority and mass media approval.

A recent case in point: a group based in Portland called the Oregon Truth Alliance aired their concerns and objections regarding a series of upcoming anti-terrorism/national security drills scheduled to take place in their city this month. They were rewarded for their efforts in an October 2 editorial in The Oregonian, the local daily, that snickered:

At issue is a series of simulations scheduled to begin October 15 in Portland (as well as in Phoenix and Guam) that has caused much concern among locals, ranging far beyond the “feverish fringe” of activists, a convenient “them” to which The Oregonian would prefer to attribute exclusive ownership of such imbecilic notions.

Continue reading at Online Journal

More about TOPOFF 4 at Daily Kos

It is the official, considered position of the state of Texas that President Bush is a constitutionally ignorant power-grabber.

An unusual case that the Supreme Court will hear as it begins its new term features Texas accusing its former chief executive of overstepping his office, by ordering Texas judges to comply with an International Court of Justice ruling involving a condemned killer from Mexico.

“It is, in my judgment, a breathtaking order,” the state’s chief appeals lawyer, Solicitor General Ted Cruz, said a few days ago as he previewed his arguments for the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. “This president’s exercise of this power is egregiously beyond the bounds of presidential authority.”

(more…)

Government secrecy by almost any measure is expanding and little is being done to stop it, according to a coalition of 67 organizations favoring greater openness.

From classified information to the president’s use of the state secrets privilege, the lack of disclosure should be a growing concern to the public and the Congress, said Patrice McDermott, director of OpenTheGovernment.org, which compiled a report using mostly the government’s own figures.

“While some of the increased secrecy is attributable to a reaction to 9/11 and to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is also a significant expansion of the power of the executive at the expense of the public, the courts, and Congress,” McDermott said Friday. “The executive branch seems to believe that something is kept under wraps solely on its say’so, whether it is legitimately so or not.”

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said the administration’s goal is to effectively protect classified materials and to enforce laws and regulations related to the handling of sensitive information.

More at Yahoo News

From BlueOregon:

Peter DeFazio wants to see the classified portion of the continuity-of-government plan. But the White House has denied him access.

From the O:

As a member of the U.S. House on the Homeland Security Committee, DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure “bubbleroom” in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents.

On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED.

“I just can’t believe they’re going to deny a member of Congress the right of reviewing how they plan to conduct the government of the United States after a significant terrorist attack,” DeFazio says.

Even conservatives are calling this White House on its bizarre secrecy and use of executive power:

Norm Ornstein, a legal scholar who studies government continuity at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said he “cannot think of one good reason” to deny access to a member of Congress who serves on the Homeland Security Committee.
“I find it inexplicable and probably reflective of the usual, knee-jerk overextension of executive power that we see from this White House,” Ornstein said.

DeFazio had asked to see the documents so that he could alleviate the fears of conspiracy-minded constituents. So much for that plan:

“Maybe the people who think there’s a conspiracy out there are right,” DeFazio said.