The Mukasey "water-boarding" flap is yet another example of a potent strain of intellectual dishonesty that infects our legislators. Case in point:

Late last year (early this year?) Congress passed into law the restrictions on military interrogations found in the latest edition of the Army Field Manual. This law explicitly forbids our military personnel from "water-boarding".

An amendment was offered that would have extended the prohibition to "ALL agencies of the United States". This proposed amendment failed.

What does this mean? Certainly, a reasonable person would conclude that the Congress of the United States wants to allow SOME government agents, outside of the DOD, under unspecified conditions, to practice "water-boarding".

Proponents of this amendment then come back and proceed to arm twist Mukasey to go beyond what Congress itself was willing to do and declare, before national television, that the practice was "clearly" unconstitutional.

My suggestion:

There ought to be a law outlawing ambiguous, confusing and contradictory laws. The penalty on legislators for passing such a law should be life without parole.

Then we'd have none of these obscenely dishonest situations in Congress where legislators vote to have things both ways and/or reserve an out for themselves (friends? associates?) whenever they propose or pass a law.

Is it crazy that 2 of the Democrats climbed down from their idealistic heights? Or was it crazy that the majority of the Democrats marched up the hill in complete disregard to the intellectual dishonesty they demonstrated in their votes not more than a year ago?

Reality:

Congress represents us all and we have a LONG history of wanting to have things both ways. You can certainly see this among the current political candidates of BOTH parties. You can see it in the history of the last 3 administrations with regard Iraq policy ALONE, ignoring the obvious lies, obfuscations on flip-flops.

"Long history..."? Just read the oldest book of the Bible: "And Cain answered, 'Am I my brother's keeper?'"