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NorthCarolina

(11,197 posts) Sat Dec 17, 2011, 10:31 PM Dec 2011

Obama, Congress Back Legalization of a Police State [View all]

The US Senate's approval Thursday of legislation allowing the indefinite military detention of US citizens without charges or trials marks a new stage in a decade of uninterrupted assault on the most fundamental democratic and constitutional rights.

The Senate's 86-to-13 vote in favor of the legislation followed its approval in the House of Representatives Wednesday. It also came after the announcement by the White House that President Barack Obama would not exercise his power to veto the measure, which is included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a $662 billion package to fund Washington's war machine.

The bill mandates that anyone accused of being a terrorist be "detained without trial until the end of hostilities" in a military prison. While it requires such treatment for non-citizens, it authorizes it for citizens arrested on US soil, if the president decides they merit this extra-constitutional punishment.

This piece of legislation enshrines in law the worst of the crimes carried out under the Bush administration and provides legal sanction for an American military-police state. The sweeping bipartisan support it received in both houses of Congress has provided definitive proof that there exists no constituency for the defense of democratic rights within the American political establishment and its two big business parties.

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Link: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Congress-Back-Legal-by-Bill-van-Auken-111216-801.html

39 replies

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Obama, Congress Back Legalization of a Police State [View all] NorthCarolina Dec 2011 OP

They forgot that Obama also kicks puppies competitively for distance ... JoePhilly Dec 2011 #1

.!. StarsInHerHair Dec 2011 #2

To somehow find humor in the passage of this legislation is quite repulsive. NorthCarolina Dec 2011 #4

you realize what that bird meant, it is NOT humorous, I am disgusted at the 'humor' of 1st reply StarsInHerHair Dec 2011 #5

So am I. NorthCarolina Dec 2011 #6

Let me help you ... JoePhilly Dec 2011 #11

I have a cactus you can use as a couch StarsInHerHair Dec 2011 #18

That would have been funnier if you included a picture .... like this ... JoePhilly Dec 2011 #29

Very nice touch, Joe. Webster Green Dec 2011 #22

Nice language you used there. You talk like that in real life or only on the internet? JoePhilly Dec 2011 #28

Just like to point out the obvious Joe, you complain about the 10-20 OP's now justiceischeap Dec 2011 #30

Your first sentence explains my first post. eom. JoePhilly Dec 2011 #31

Really? The "F" word offends you? I guess you might put your couch to good use yourself. Webster Green Dec 2011 #33

Actually, the F word does not offend me at all ... here ... JoePhilly Dec 2011 #37

WTF?! Webster Green Dec 2011 #38

Beautiful - thank you! treestar Dec 2011 #24

Right. Police states are an impossibility. Webster Green Dec 2011 #26

The humor is in the fact that it is NOT true. American citizens are exempt from indefinite detention FarLeftFist Dec 2011 #17

Well as long as it's just foreigners getting thrown in jail without due process neverforget Dec 2011 #20

Well that clears it all up. A Simple Game Jan 2012 #39

Link please postulater Dec 2011 #3

I think it is pretty obvious ... that the puppy ... JoePhilly Dec 2011 #8

Actually, ProSense Dec 2011 #7

The President could easily end this confusion by insisting that the bill's wording be made clear. rhett o rick Dec 2011 #12

Honestly, it says it plain and clear, it's not worded that difficult. Do you want me to show you? FarLeftFist Dec 2011 #16

No ProSense Dec 2011 #19

All I am asking is for him to tell the American people that it is not legal to arrest rhett o rick Dec 2011 #34

And if he would just produce his birth certificate, he could lay that one to rest, too treestar Dec 2011 #25

Of course you know it does nothing of the sort bhikkhu Dec 2011 #9

Which means it is authorized for the President to arrest and detain w/o due process rhett o rick Dec 2011 #13

NO, not "enemy combatants", those WORKING FOR AL-QAEDA. And it has to be proven to a judge. FarLeftFist Dec 2011 #15

An "impartial judge"? What about an impartial jury of your peers? nt NorthCarolina Dec 2011 #27

Bush did it with Jose Padilla and the last I heard, the courts said the he had the authority to do rhett o rick Dec 2011 #35

I still can't believe I am seeing this country turn into some sort of Orwellian nightmare. Justice wanted Dec 2011 #10

The Bill DOES NOT extend to U.S. citizens UNLESS you are found guilty by a judge on counts of FarLeftFist Dec 2011 #14

Where did you get that? nm rhett o rick Dec 2011 #36

Section 1031 states.... AZ Progressive Dec 2011 #21

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the bill Major Nikon Dec 2011 #23

+1 n/t Laelth Dec 2011 #32