Naomi Wolf: "U.S. is sleepwalking into becoming a police state ... the president can lock up anyone"

[MineralMan]

37. Nobody SHOULD be held without trial.

The fact is that people ARE held without trial. Facts generally trump ideals. Right now, we're holding a bunch of people in Guantanamo without trial. My understanding of the Constitution is that such is unconstitutional. However, the fact remains, and the courts have said OK.

Signing statements are statements of intent. They're public. Recognizing the nature of the entire NDAA, rather than just the part that's being discussed here, I understand the the military must be funded, and that funding must be initiated by the House of Representatives. Who is in control of that House? President Obama has to pay the military, but has no funds to pay them with. The House will give him the funds, but he has to accept this ugly business in the bill or risk not having those funds.

So, he says that under his administration, certain elements of that NDAA will not be done. He can do that. So, that's what he does, and the funding, which is the reason for the bill in the first place, goes through.

Reality sucks. Reality comes with compromises. Reality means eating hamburger instead of steak or eating Ramen noodles instead of a healthful meal. Reality sucks. It sucks for you and I, and it sucks for the President of The United States, whose powers are limited by the Constitution.

And there it is.