The Day Habeas Corpus Died
I think Russ put it best:
The legislation signed by the President today violates basic principles and values of our constitutional system of government. It allows the government to seize individuals on American soil and detain them indefinitely with no opportunity to challenge their detention in court. And the new law would permit an individual to be convicted on the basis of coerced testimony and even allow someone convicted under these rules to be put to death.
The checks and balances of our system of government and the fundamental fairness of the American people and legal system are among our greatest strengths in the fight against terrorism. I am deeply disappointed that Congress enacted this law. We will look back on this day as a stain on our nation’s history.
For those of you who don’t know (or just don’t care), yesterday King George signed into law the Military Commissions Act of 2006. In a nutshell, anyone can be detained and tortured indefinitely on the grounds of defending the United States during the War on Terror. Good-bye Geneva Conventions, hello 1984.
Update: See how your representatives voted.
Update #2: MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann thinks this is “the beginning of the end of America.” Me? I can’t get Benjamin Franklin’s words out of my head: “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
October 19th, 2006 at 11:10 am
So only “1″ Republican had the balls to vote against the President. hmm… (cough – Campaign Funding – cough).