call me a cynic

but i just don't trust these guys.

i was watching cheney tonight on nightline. he was answering questions about the wiretaps that have recently received a lot of attention. cheney, like the prez, assures us that is all legal. that it's within the rights of their job.

hey, i don't know if it is or it isn't. what i know is that there are just as many government officials that are saying that it isn't within the right of the executive branch to just authorize wiretaps of u.s. citizens. these others feel that there needs to be approval from @ least one of the other branches of gov't.

i'm not really looking to discuss whether or not the prez can singlehandedly authorize it. when they revealed they were doing it i wasn't surprised. was anyone? really, the goverment is monitering things? shocking.


then they started the torture question. the interviewer asked cheney if the u.s. used 2 specific methods- mock executions & water boarding. his answer, "i'm not going to talk about specific methods." well, he just had talked about how it was debatable what was cruel and unusual treatment. who doesn't think it's cruel and unusual to do a mock execution in front of a prisoner, and then tell them they're next if they don't talk? Waterboarding, that's a fun little one where you blindfold a person, elevate their feet, cellophane is wrapped over their face, and pour water over them. in about 14 secs, their gag reflex kicks in, they think they're drowning, and will do & say about anything to live. yessir, that sound humane. it's debatable whether or not that is cruel or unusual in the veeep's mind though.

and, for another point of reference, Torture is defined under the federal criminal code as the intentional infliction of severe mental pain or suffering.