If you were not guilty, would you agree to cop a plea to 18 years in the pen? Why do the majority of people arrested for ties to al-Qaeda or for aiding terrorism agree? It's happened again:

The final two defendants in an alleged Portland terrorist cell who are in custody pleaded guilty Thursday and agreed to serve 18 years in federal prison.
Patrice Ford and Jeffrey Battle were among seven Portland-area residents charged with plotting to wage war against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Four others pleaded guilty earlier. One remains at large.

Battle and Ford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to levy war against the United States, which carried a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

It seems as though the repressive Patriot Act has been pretty damn effective. Ben Affleck, the guy who is always seen getting led around by J-Lo the ghetto chick who is the also a bad singer and actress has his say:

"The Bush administration has continued to push a dangerous right-wing agenda which has included increasing encroachments on civil liberties, particularly with the questionable and aggressive use of the Patriot Act," Affleck fumed on Tuesday night when he accepted a Spirit of Liberty award from the People for the American Way, a liberal political action group, in L.A.

I guess they have microphones in the Los Angeles gulag in which they are holding Mr. Affleck. Stand up for your rights Ben, a bullet will be in your skull via Ashcroft tomorrow.

Affleck, who wrote his own speech, jokingly decried "the dawn of the Schwarzenegger era in American politics," comparing it with "the fall of the Roman Empire."

The closest Ben came to learning anything about the Roman Empire was when he rented the unrated Caligula.

The actor added that he hates the Republican tax cut. Even if "I save a million bucks," he joked, "the deficit grows like [conservative commentator and gambler] William Bennett's credit line on a one-armed-bandit bender at Bally's."

Also at the Beverly Hilton event were Harrison Ford, who presented an award to actress Heather Thomas and her husband, Skip Brittenham, and Bill Maher, who introduced the Dixie Chicks. Norman Lear, founder of People for the American Way, led a tribute to Gregory Peck.

The Equine Posterior Achievement Award (otherwise known as the "horse's patootie award") went to Attorney General John Ashcroft, who did not attend.

Ha ha. Of course Ben never took one second to consider the housewife from Encino (whose husband's on the golf course...) who just may need the extra money to add to her kids college fund. She doesn't have a million dude. Ben's funny though, perhaps his next movie should be comedic instead of the box office receipts.