Posts from — April 2010
SLEEP ON, AMERICA–”Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010.”
In the past 36 months, the Constitution for the United States has been delivered a series of death blows. The first was delivered by the arrogant 110th congress with the passing of the “Bailout.” This “Bailout” passed with major DEMOCAN-REPUBLICRAT support. Then the “Stimulus” was passed by the equally arrogant 111th congress even though the majority of Americans railed against it. Lately the Health care (at least no republicrats signed on to that) passed even with the majority soundly against it on CONSTITUTIONAL grounds. Our leaders have showed us they care nothing for our compact. NOW THIS:
On March 4, Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman introduced a bill that is a direct assault on the rule of law. It is entitled: “Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010.” This fascist bipartisan bill, if enacted, would require that anyone anywhere in the world, including American citizens, suspected of involvement in terrorism (undefined) can be imprisoned by the military on the authority of the president as commander in chief.
According to McCain and Lieberman, those held will be designated as “unprivileged enemy belligerents,” what used to be called “unlawful enemy combatants.”
A section of the bill, “Detention Without Trial of Unprivileged Enemy Belligerent,” declares that these suspects “may be detained without criminal charges and without trial for the duration of hostilities (as long as there is terrorism?) against the United States or its coalition partners.”
Imprisoned indefinitely without charges, trial or any civilian judicial review? Come on America, is this what we want?
The Supreme Court, (in one of the few things it has gotten right), authorized the habeas corpus rights of what were then called “enemy combatants,” that is, American citizens at Guantanamo, ruling:
“The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times.” Boumediene v. Bush (2008)
Introducing his legislation, “Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010″ McCain said, “we must establish a system for long-term detention of terrorists who are too dangerous to release, but who cannot be tried in civilian court.” Does anybody know the Constitution up there in Washingtonland? This violates “due process.” The very reason we have a Constitution is protect us from the emotion of extraordinary times. What this legislation and the Patriot Act and the Enemy and Sedition Act proves is that those that sought to change us through TERRORISM have won. They have made us so afraid that we have cashed in our liberty.
Of course there is no coverage by the corporate media of this latest infringement on our rights. Disney (ABC) is playing with Mickey and Mini, General Electric (NBC) is doting with Leno and Lettermen, National Amusements(CBS) has the movies over which to drool, and Murdoch (FOX) has the Glenn Beck Religious Revival upon which to focus. It is all a joke while the country is sold out by a group of congressmen who know nothing of their own responsibilities concerning the principles they swore to protect.
Nat Hentoff, member of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Cato Institute wrote:
“On March 8, on the Law Professor Blogs Network (lawprofessors.typepad.com), there was a post by R. Decker that asked McCain and Lieberman this:
“Is there a clause buried somewhere in the ‘Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010′ stating: “‘Place the Bill of Rights in the shredder as it is no longer needed’ (a ‘quaint but no longer useful notion’)? Or are we at the point now in our history where even the concept of a Bill of Rights is considered ‘immaterial’ and/or ‘irrelevant’?”
We are giving the country away, bill by bill.
April 8, 2010 3 Comments