I've been trying to come up with the perfect Fourth of July post, one that touches that perfect chord of reflection, anger, and hope. I don't need to talk about the bittersweetness of this holiday, or the mixed feelings it inspires. For now I will just say that a year from now, when we have managed to rally the Party and select the candidate and raise the money, I hope to find again a sense of patriotism, one not tainted by jingoism or shame. So, here's to next year when we will be on our way to taking our country back.

In the meantime knowledge is power.

(via Atrios)

Fun With Google

If you haven't tried this yet, you should. Type in "weapons of mass destruction" and then click the "I feel lucky" button. I'm probably the last person on the web to try this, but for all you latecomers it should be fun.

Is he on crack?

Michael Kinsley has come up with the best solution to the gay marriage debate.

That solution is to end the institution of marriage. Or rather (he hastens to clarify, Dear) the solution is to end the institution of government-sanctioned marriage. Or, framed to appeal to conservatives: End the government monopoly on marriage. Wait, I've got it: Privatize marriage. These slogans all mean the same thing. Let churches and other religious institutions continue to offer marriage ceremonies. Let department stores and casinos get into the act if they want. Let each organization decide for itself what kinds of couples it wants to offer marriage to. Let couples celebrate their union in any way they choose and consider themselves married whenever they want. Let others be free to consider them not married, under rules these others may prefer. And, yes, if three people want to get married, or one person wants to marry herself, and someone else wants to conduct a ceremony and declare them married, let 'em. If you and your government aren't implicated, what do you care?

I'm not a legal scholar, and of course Kinsley is only half serious, but he does make a good point. Wasn't this part of the problem with the whole argument around interracial marriage--privacy?

I try not to mention Ann Coulter on this blog. I try to pretend that she doesn't exist. But this was too funny to pass up.

I am happy to report that Ann Coulter has lost her mind. The evidence for this is her most recent book, "Treason," a nearly unreadable slog through every silly thing anyone on the left has ever said. Coulter conflates dissent with treason, opposition with treason, being wrong with treason, being right with treason and just about anything she doesn't like with treason. If the book were a Rorschach test, she would be institutionalized.

I think this is exactly the attitude to take towards Coulter, and why for the most part I prefer to ignore her. She's a paranoid schizophrenic with too much face time and an platinum card.

Atrios makes an excellent point on what Dean's fundraising success means.

Good article on the coffee crisis and the free trade versus fair trade debate

After you read it go here and buy some quality coffee. I personally recommend the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.