Hard Core Conservative Confusion Illustrated Once Again

Conor Friedersdorf states a truth that few have enunciated as clearly or succinctly:  "Secret policy and secret law corrode representative government, undermining Americans' ability to govern themselves."

How do conservatives respond to threats posed by the Patriot Act and the national security state? They want to shut down the government unless Obamacare is defunded. Defunding a law that everyone knows about is, of course, the best way to deal with secret policies and secret laws. Damn, it all seems so obvious, I'm shocked that every President since FDR hasn't made that policy central to their administration.

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that conservatives who spend most of their time bragging about the strength of their values seem to have a confused sense of priorities?

Because Someone Had To Go There: A Song Dedication For John Thune And James Clapper

After reading this tweet,

Thune on Clapper: "Lying is a harsh word to use. He was clearly parsing his words."
— Jonathan Ellis (@argusjellis) June 12, 2013

I had no choice but to think of this song: