Jane Mayer is a staggering idiot. I say that because of this line in her piece on the Democrats’ torture propaganda:

“in releasing the long-awaited Senate Select Intelligence Committee report on the C.I.A.’s interrogation-and-detention program, [mc_name name=’Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’F000062′ ], the committee chairman, proved that Congress can still perform its most basic Madisonian function of providing a check on executive-branch abuse”

This would be the same Dianne Feinstein who was apprised of the what the CIA was doing, turned a blind eye the whole time the CIA was doing it, and suddenly claims heroine status by exposing what she long knew was happening.

That’s not checks and balances. That is political gamesmanship. And that Jane Mayer cannot admit this makes her an idiot. Of course, given her flimsy attacks on the Kochs, the tea party, and this, we should not be surprised.