from Salon.com:

"The Senate Judiciary Committee today begins its confirmation hearing for Michael Mukasey, the Bush administration's nominee to replace Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General ... As he always does, Sen. Hatch makes clear that — even as we battle the Global Epic War of Civilizations against Islamo-fascism — his primary concern is that the Department of Justice is not doing enough to battle the evils of what even he calls 'mainstream, adult pornography.'

"Hatch explains that 'pornography and obscenity consumption harms individuals, families, communities.' Unfortunately, Hatch said, the DOJ has a 'terrible record enforcing adult obscenity law' — such enforcement stopped during the Clinton administration and there is not much more to show for it during the Bush administration.

"The problem, Hatch explained, is that the DOJ is prosecuting only 'extreme' obscenity — not what he calls 'mainstream obscenity.' Since most consumers only access 'mainstream obscenity,' not 'extreme obscenity,' this strategy is misguided — it prosecutes 'too narrow a range of obscenity.' Also, warned Hatch, there are far too few FBI resources being devoted to 'mainstream obscenity prosecutions.'"

Orrin Hatch is a violation of my local community standards.