So says Rich Lowry. He’s right, but of course not because there’s something uniquely corrupt about Republicans per se (though there is something uniquely hypocritical about their corruption, because they were supposed to be the party of smaller government, and present fewer opportunities to seek rent, as George Will eloquently points out). It’s because Lord Acton had it largely right–power does indeed corrupt.

The Republicans should view this as an opportunity to get back to their small government roots. Unfortunately, they probably won’t. Not that I’m inclined to vote for Democrats in preference, of course, because we know they’d be even worse. There is a “culture of corruption,” but it’s a culture of power, not of party.

…when I read that there is now a federal law against annoying people via the Internet. I mean, I’d probably get fifty to life. Or consecutive life terms, to judge by some of my commenters.

But then I saw the loophole, that says it’s OK to do it, as long as you don’t do so anonymously.

But what will Atrios do?

[Update on Tuesday morning]

A lot more discussion on this here.

It seems to be possible to read the law as applying to Internet telephony only (perhaps to extend existing anti-harassment laws that apply to phone calls to VOIP, but it’s vague enough that we can be assured of some pretty broad prosecutions that will result in court interpretations (hopefully interpretations that the law is unconstitutional nonsense).

[Late morning update]

Orin Kerr confirms that it is a VOIP issue.

An interesting article from a history professor:

Clinton, however, had no…lofty ideals in his self-made scandal. He brought sex into the arena by first lying to the public during the campaign over Jennifer Flowers; then again by attempting to hush Paula Jones in her civil suit; then finally by giving false testimony to a Grand Jury. In the process, he managed to become the only president ever to be disbarred by allowing his attorney to submit a false statement to a federal judge. (There must be a standing joke here to the effect that if you aren

An interesting article from a history professor:

Clinton, however, had no…lofty ideals in his self-made scandal. He brought sex into the arena by first lying to the public during the campaign over Jennifer Flowers; then again by attempting to hush Paula Jones in her civil suit; then finally by giving false testimony to a Grand Jury. In the process, he managed to become the only president ever to be disbarred by allowing his attorney to submit a false statement to a federal judge. (There must be a standing joke here to the effect that if you aren

An interesting article from a history professor:

Clinton, however, had no…lofty ideals in his self-made scandal. He brought sex into the arena by first lying to the public during the campaign over Jennifer Flowers; then again by attempting to hush Paula Jones in her civil suit; then finally by giving false testimony to a Grand Jury. In the process, he managed to become the only president ever to be disbarred by allowing his attorney to submit a false statement to a federal judge. (There must be a standing joke here to the effect that if you aren

I’m sure that all the people (many of whom were no doubt self-styled feminists) who were wailing and keening about Tookie Williams will be protesting this any minute now:

An Iranian court has sentenced a teenage rape victim to death by hanging after she weepingly confessed that she had unintentionally killed a man who had tried to rape both her and her niece.

[crickets chirping]

Well, maybe tomorrow.

But it’s probably not the Iranian government’s fault. I’m sure they just do things like this out of an inferiority complex, and in response to the evil Western influences, and McDonalds, and Britney.

I’m sure they’ll behave better when they get nukes.

[Sunday evening update]

Just for the record, I don’t agree in any way with the commenter who is pining for a “Curtis LeMay type, who won’t care who’s in office.”