Glibbertysmidgeon

The icicles are lovely,
My steamy breath is nice
the windows look so pretty
dressed up in lace of ice

I’m saving lots of money
preserving frozen food
my houseplants are surviving
but in a rotten mood

I wake up every morning
so glad to go to work
because my cube’s so toasty
The heat’s a handy perk

but sometimes I envision
my home, a comfy den
I’m cold when I am outside
But warm when I am in

Will we be getting heat in the building anytime soon?

SEC. 9011. Congress, consistent with international and United States law, reaffirms that torture of prisoners of war and detainees is illegal and does not reflect the policies of the United States Government or the values of the people of the United States.

Department of Defense website

This is the text of the McCain ammendment that may cause President Bush to execute the first veto of his entire Presidency.

Senator John McCain, a combat veteran and former prisoner of war, has ammended a Pentagon spending bill. His ammendment has created a measure that would make it explicitly illegal to abuse prisoners of war.

“We demanded intelligence without ever clearly telling our troops what was permitted and what was forbidden. And when things went wrong, we blamed them and we punished them,” said McCain.

The measure… would require American troops to follow interrogation standards set in the Army Field Manual and bar “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” of prisoners in U.S. custody

CNN

The measure passed the Senate, 90 votes to 9. There is broad support for the measure outside the Senate as well.

Former Secretary of State and retired general Colin Powell backed the motion, saying that it would “help deal with the terrible public diplomacy crisis created by Abu Ghraib”.

Supporters of the measure also hope a commitment to treat prisoners in U.S. custody fairly will help secure humane treatment of U.S. citizens or servicemen kidnapped abroad.

Al Jazeera

However, the White House is threatening to veto the measure:

Bush administration officials say the legislation would limit the president’s authority and flexibility in war, and advisers say they would recommend a veto

ABC News

They’re afraid to limit the President’s authority to torture people? To me, the idea of giving a President the authority to torture people is chilling. No matter what Alberto Gonzales wrote, nothing good can come of pretending it’s okay to treat people like this.

Let’s not make the cure worse than the disease.
I am more afraid of living in a country that condones torture than I am of any terrorist.

Come on, Mr. President.
Stand up for the true values of America.
Sign the bill.