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Jan 4, 2011 Djeph commented on Scalia: Women, Gays Aren't Citizens Who Deserve Equal Protection.

Let me also point out the absurdity of the "strict construction" argument in this context.

These people say that the Constitution is this fixed document that establishes timeless principles. As societies change, we then apply those timeless Constitutional principles.

Then, when we pass a Constitutional amendment that says "all citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law," they say we can only apply that to whatever notions of equal protection were at the time -- even if that's nowhere included in the text.

Either we believe in free speech or we don't, for example. The First Amendment says we do, but it does not specify that non-property-owners have the right to free speech. By this "logic" we'd have to pass a law explicitly stating that they do instead of just applying the obvious principle. Absurd.

Also, what RiOrius said.

Jan 4, 2011 Djeph commented on Scalia: Women, Gays Aren't Citizens Who Deserve Equal Protection.

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

That's in the Constitution.

"Any person" means "any person," which would seem to include women and gays. Therefore, the Equal Protection clause applies to women and gays. This is not some leap that the court made. It's right there.

This is extremely simple. But lots of "strict construction" types seem to like their imaginary Constitution better than, you know, the actual one.

Sep 1, 2010 Djeph commented on Did Megan McArdle Read Sex At Dawn?.

To provide an example, here's a takedown of McArdle's jaw-droppingly awful attack on Elizabeth Warren. Facts? What facts?

http://rortybomb.wordpress.com/2010/07/2…

Sep 1, 2010 Djeph commented on Did Megan McArdle Read Sex At Dawn?.

I'm familiar with McArdle's work. This is in no way below her usual intellectual standard.

Aug 13, 2010 Djeph commented on "Fuck New York".

Bellingham's Yogoman Burning Band have a song called "Seattle Sucks."

Jul 2, 2010 Djeph commented on Gallagher Is a Paranoid, Right-Wing, Watermelon-Smashing Maniac.

Oops, that posted before I was ready.

What's weird about this is that, when I was 12, I understood Gallagher as a harmless pot-smoking old hippie. Not just because of his look, but because of his show "Stuck in the 60s," which pretty much endorsed all the peace-and-love-and-dope mantras of the era.

Hell, the theme song even went "My hair is still long/the New Right/is still wrong."

Just look at the cover: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/19125/Ga…

Do old comedians just go crazy sometimes? It happened to Dennis Miller.