Judge Hits Bush on Terror Group IDs
By Sam Garchik

On Tuesday, a federal court ruled that the Patriot Act definition of a terrorist group was too vague (remember Peace Fresno from Fahrenheit 9/11?).

The decision, fought for by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Humanitarian Law Project, said that the rule was unconstitutional because it "imposes penalties for mere association," on groups and people. The head lawyer in the case said that "This law gave the president unfettered authority to create blacklists, an authority President Bush then used to empower the Secretary of the Treasury to impose guilt by association."

The biggest implication of this decision is obvious - Shrub has more limits on him in his so-called 'war on terror.' The ruling also reveals that the GOP has a long way to go to remake the courts in their ideal image, which is good news for peace and justice everywhere. And it affirms that good police work, not executive power, is always the best option when it comes to fighting crime.