Tortured language and the New York Times

As further proof that the mainstream media is the New York Times' reporting of today's passage of Senate bill 1943, which would prohibit the use of any interrogation technique not permitted US Army Field Manual for Human Intelligence Collector Operations.

Included among the acts prohibited by this bill is the torture technique called waterboarding. It also specifically prohibits "beating, electric shock, burns, or other forms of physical pain to an individual." Torture is not permitted. Period.

The Times referred to these as "other harsh interrogation methods." The language comes straight from the White House. The Bush Administration has repeatedly argued that the United States does not use torture, but only by torturing the definition of what is torture. The mainstream media has apparently adopted that definition.

President Bush will veto the bill because it “would prevent the president from taking the lawful actions necessary to protect Americans from attack in wartime.” The mainstream media doesn't point out that under the Constitutional system in the US, Congress tells the President what is lawful. Accepting the logic that this law is unlawful is as ridiculous as saying that the US is at war.

There has been no Congressional declaration of war, the US is not opposed by any government or nation, and there has been no national mobilization. The US is not at war.

* * * * *

On a different note, the 51-45 vote fell relatively along party lines with a few senators crossing the aisle to vote their consciences. One notable exception to this conscience voting was Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, the "defacto nominee" who in spite of his vehement and vituperative opposition to torture, voted against a law explicitly prohibiting torture. If that's not pandering to the GOP base, then what is?