Word: legalism
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Paglen's concern is the "black world," that parallel government bureaucracy funded by billions in taxpayer dollars, the allocation of which is never revealed. It would be misleading to take the book's subtitle at face value - the "geography" to which Paglen refers is as much metaphorical and legal as physical. (Sorry conspiracy theorists, he does not actually infiltrate any hangars at Area 51). "Blank spots on the map begat dark spaces in the law," he writes, in reference to a raft of shady government incidents from NSA wiretapping to extraordinary renditions to secret CIA missions in 1980's Latin...
There are other potential solutions - like putting a cap on fish catches, allocating shares in the quota and allowing fishermen to trade or sell those shares - which research suggests can lead to more sustainable fishing. But ultimately, Pitcher argues, we'll need a new enforceable legal agreement to govern the oceans. "We are approaching a point of no return for many of the world's fisheries," he says. "I know it's hard to get new international agreements, but we can't give up." Not unless we want to live - perish the thought - in a world without sashimi...
...fledgling administration, the last thing Americans need is a reason to distrust their leaders. When those at the helm neglect such basic laws, voters cannot help but question their motives. Being in such visible public positions, Daschle, Killefer, and Geithner should have been especially careful to fulfill their legal obligations. For that matter, these problems should have been caught earlier—it is unfortunate that they should be commanding so much attention now, damping public confidence as the new administration fights to rally support for its economic stimulus package and carry out much-needed health-care reform. These cases...
...Kennedy apparently has no better grasp of law than he does of fact. He claims: “Violent resistance to the military occupation is fully legal under international law.” He does not cite any such law, because there is none that privileges violence when nonviolent options are available. (Perhaps he has in mind the first Protocol Additional to the Geneva Convention, which Palestinian terror groups routinely violate anyway...
...took off, its Rolls-Royce engines gripping the air the way a well-made sports car grips the road ... I could see how people might get used to this." The punch line of the story was that Obama's staff asked him to give up the practice, which was legal, because he was the Democrats' Senate point man on ethics reform. "It was the right thing to do, but I won't lie," he admitted. "The first time I was scheduled for a four-city swing ... flying commercial, I felt some pangs of regret." The traffic was awful. His plane...