The logic of how we’ve handled terrorism and terrorists in the post 9/11 world has always been flawed, but one of the more obviously incorrect arguments has been the claim that we don’t want these people serving time on American soil.

Why? Not sure really. We just don’t. They’re incredibly, crazy dangerous for some reason and can’t be here.

Of course this ignores the fact that we’ve held numerous terrorists here before, both foreign and homegrown, and nothing has happened as a result.

Which is why the following story is important to note.

From Wash Post:

Thirty-three international terrorists, many with ties to al-Qaeda, reside in a single federal prison in Florence, Colo., with little public notice.

Detained in the supermax facility in Colorado are Ramzi Yousef, who headed the group that carried out the first bombing of the World Trade Center in February 1993; Zacarias Moussaoui, convicted of conspiring in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; Ahmed Ressam, of the Dec. 31, 1999, Los Angeles airport millennium attack plots; Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, conspirator in several plots, including one to assassinate President George W. Bush; and Wadih el-Hage, convicted of the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya.

Inmates in Florence and those at the maximum-security disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., rarely see other prisoners. At Leavenworth, the toughest prisoners are allowed outside their cells only one hour a day when they are moved with their legs shackled and accompanied by three guards.

“We have a vast amount of experience in how to judge the continued incarceration of highly dangerous prisoners, since we do this with thousands of prisoners every month, all over the United States, including some really quite dangerous people,” Philip D. Zelikow, who was counselor to Bush administration Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and executive director of the 9/11 Commission, told the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

That’s right. One of the people behind 9/11 is in Colorado.

Also, let’s just say that we captured Bin Laden. You’re telling me we wouldn’t want to put him to death on US soil?

Just make sure you remember all of this when you’re arguing that these folks shouldn’t be held in the US. Because I want to hear good reasons, not just the notion that they’re somehow extra, super, insanely dangerous.

And much like California, they may have to limit their employees from coming to work because they might not be able to meet payroll. In fact, it’s almost a certainty that they’ll have to make serious cutbacks immediately. And this was a crisis that is completely out of the control of any Governor’s control.

Still, that hasn’t stopped the GOP from essentially using this financial crisis to get their agenda pushed through.

From the Wichita Eagle:

The state doesn’t have enough money in its main bank account to pay its bills, prompting Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to suggest transferring $225 million from other accounts throughout state government. But the move required approval from legislative leaders, and the GOP refused Monday.

Budget Director Duane Goossen said that without the money, he’s not sure the state can meet its payroll. State employees are due to be paid again Friday.

Goossen said the state stopped processing income tax refunds last week.

GOP leaders are hoping to pressure Sebelius into signing a bill making $326 million in adjustments to the budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

What’s more, the shortfall would effect more people than just state employees…

Goossen said the state might also have to delay payments to public schools and to doctors who provide care to Kansans under the Medicaid program.

I don’t know, I think this is a losing strategy by Republicans. They might position this as fiscal responsibility but when you’re talking about money going to public schools and medical care for seniors, well, I think they’re playing with populist fire.

A side note, all of this is happening as Sebelius is being thought of for the HHS job. I’m thinking that this crisis will make it next to impossible for her to jump ship.

More as it develops…

More delicious crazy…

A Wichita, Kansas preacher says he will not remove a message on his church sign that says President-Elect Barack Obama is a Muslim.

The sign is staying up despite the fact that Obama is a Christian.

At least it’s not in Missouri, but it’s close enough to be embarrassing.

What’s clear at this point is Obama will not get any sort of landslide.

Apparently the electorate isn’t THAT angry.

18 electoral votes to McCain.

Moving on…

He was quoted yesterday…

“I love Kathleen Sebelius. I think she is as talented a public official as there is right now. Integrity. Competence. She can work with all people of all walks of life, but I promised that I am not going to say anything about my vice president until I actually introduce my vice president.”

So the question remains…why wouldn’t you take the person who is “as talented a public official as there is right now.”

Anybody else here think Sebelius’ stock just went way up?

More as it develops…

I wrote about just this topic a couple days ago when I noticed Sebelius gave an interview and the backdrop behind her was San Francisco. “What could she be doing there?” I asked myself.

Now former presidential candidate Wes Clark, a very strong Hillary supporter, is making some strong suggestions…

Wes Clark stopped out in Texas yesterday to drop by a fundraiser Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius headlined for Michael Skelly, a Democrat running for congress in Texas.

Clark introduced Sebelius and, according to a regular correspondent and reliable source who was there, said: “The London odds-makers say that Kathleen Sebelius is the odds-on favorite to be the next vice president. I can tell you, she’d make a great vice presidential choice.”

He then introduced her as “The next vice president of the United States….”

Again, this is all speculation, but Sebelius would be able to say to all of those women angry that even though Hillary didn’t get the nod, “It’s still our turn too.” And after Bill’s tirade yesterday, one can’t help but think many Hillary supporters will understand why Obama isn’t too keen on not putting Hillary on the ticket.

More as it develops…

Personally, I’ve been skeptical because I don’t think she could deliver Kansas. McCaskill made a lot more sense.

However…look who popped up on MSNBC as an Obama surrogate tonight to respond to Hillary’s win in Puerto Rico:

Okay, so why is this significant? Because note the background for her interview. That ain’t Kansas…it’s San Francisco. So why would she be in San Francisco of all places? Could she be meeting with Pelosi? Is she being vetted?

Something else about the intervew that struck me as curious…I can’t help but think Chris Matthews knows something we don’t when he lavishes praise on her at the end of the interview. He doesn’t often do that, and if Matthews is anything, he’s a very shrewd politico.

Also, I can’t discount that she’s been able to have a fairly progressive record as the Governor of a red state and still keep her approval numbers up. And she’s a perfect fit with Obama’s change message because she’s been able to set the tone in Kansas that he’ll be looking to duplicate in Washington.

Food for thought…

The guy who first became famous for picketing the funerals of gay men and women, and then moved on to American soldiers, is in trouble with the law…again.

But this time it might actually hit him where it counts.

From Topeka Capitol-Journal:

A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.

If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, at 3701 S.W. 12th, and the office building, at 1414 S.W. Topeka Blvd., could be obtained by the court and sold, with the proceeds being applied toward $5 million in damages Bennett imposed on church members for picketing a military funeral.

A lien is a legal hold on property, making it collateral against money owed to a person or entity. It can keep the owner from selling the property or transferring title to the property.

Freedom of speech is obviously a right that should be protected, but invading funerals to spread a message of hate crosses a certain line. Basically, if you can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded movie theatre, you shouldn’t be able to yell “Fag!” at a funeral.

No doubt this guy and his church (i.e. his extended family) will pop up somewhere else, but for now…good riddance.

From TPM Election Central:

In what will likely be taken as a sign of Republican Party disunity, presumptive nominee John McCain has lost this afternoon’s Kansas caucuses to Mike Huckabee — and it wasn’t even close. With 88% reporting, Huck has 60% to McCain’s 24%, followed by Ron Paul at 11%. Huckabee will almost certainly win all 36 of the delegates up for grabs.

McCain can’t lose this badly to Huckabee much more, but given the upcoming schedule he may not have to worry about it. Not a lot of seemingly “Huck friendly” states in the mix.

Who would have thought?

If nothing else, this is a great night for democracy because people are actually caucusing IN THE SNOW!

In fact, the numbers are so big, they’re having to move caucus locations in some locales.

Wow.