A couple of stories rattling around the blogsphere that deserve a few more rounds around the echo chamber:

First off, in case you missed it on Atrios, there is a federal grand jury in Iowa which is investigating anti-war protestors. No one around can figure out what criminal activity -- at universities and by long-standing activist groups -- they are trying to investigate. Add that to the Miami model of unprovoked police brutality against actual protests, the "free speech zones" into which the Secret Service herds protestors at Dubya's appearances -- far away from the cameras -- and to allegations that the TSA is maintaining a politically motivated list of activists who are marked for special attention at airports, among the whispers and murmurs of use of state power to stifle dissent. They aren't outright criminalizing it -- yet.

Also, on Dubya's war record, Calpundit has some interesting information on the source and significance of the "torn document" which Dubya's supporters have used as support for their contention that he never shirked National Guard duty. It appears now that for much of his term, he was assigned to a dummy "paper unit" which conducted no drills and required no service. Ordinarily, this is supposed to be a disciplinary measure, though as "tough love" goes, well... it's just not that tough. (Though read the comments on this one before citing it as authoritative -- Kevin may well have gotten at least the name of the unit wrong).