Obama (Like Bush Before Him) has US Citizen Hit List of Suspected Terrorists

Most of this article is about Yemen, but it has a troubling undercurrent involving covert US attacks there.

Obama has continued Bush's stance that the US has the right to assassinate US Citizens accused of collaborating with Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups, and there is a hit list of US Citizens targeted for future assassination.

What are the legal and ethical ramifications of this policy? This would seem to be summary execution, and thus total violation of the 5th and 6th amendments. Could the next step be assassination of suspected terrorists in the US itself?

Larry Lessig Explains Why the Citizens United Decision is Flawed

An interesting response to the Glenn Greenwald post I linked to last week.

New Censorship Low: SoCal School District Bans the Dictionary

The town of Menifee, California, has banned the 10th episode of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, because of complaints of its "sexually graphic" definitions of such things as "oral sex - the oral stimulation of the genitals."

Campaign Finance Reform and the Supreme Court

Is campaign financing by corporations essentially government corruption, or should companies be free to spend money on candidates they support?

42 Arrested in Guantanamo Bay Protest

"Washington, DC: In a dramatic protest, 42 activists with Witness Against Torture were arrested this afternoon at the U.S. Capitol. Most of the arrestees had been fasting since January 11th."

"The protest, which comes on the eve of the since-voided deadline President Obama had set for closing the prison camp at Guantanamo, was part of [a] nationwide set of actions today that included dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans lobbying Congress; a campaign by human rights organizations - with the support of the rock superband, Coldplay - to flood Twitter with the "CloseGitmo" message; and, a press conference held by retired Generals at the National Press Club."

Press release from Witness Against Torture

"Secret" Pro-government Propaganda

Obama confidant Cass Sustein "has suggested "that the U.S. Government employ teams of covert agents and pseudo-"independent" advocates to "cognitively infiltrate" online groups and websites -- as well as other activist groups -- which advocate views that Sunstein deems "false conspiracy theories" about the Government. This would be designed to increase citizens' faith in government officials and undermine the credibility of conspiracists."

What next? Will these spies start reporting on those who complain about the government? Will more Americans be misled by this "secret" propaganda?