Why Do Some Progressives Dismiss Rand Paul For His Wrongs, But Not President Obama For His?

[Jack Rabbit]

10. For the record: I agree with Senator Paul on drone strikes against American citizens

I will even go so far to say that it wouldn't bother me a bit if Mr. Brennan's nomination were blocked and the President were forced to scuttle it.

The fact that we now have a Democratic president in the White House doesn't make me think any differently about the president's authority to abridge an American citizen's right to due process today than a few years ago when we had a Republican usurper there. And, of course, you can't abridge one's right to due process or any other civil liberty any more dramatically than by killing him. Simply put, the president does not and should not have the authority to detain without due process or kill any individual except under circumstances clearly defined by the Supreme Court in Ex parte Milligan or in the heat of actual combat. To make a long story short: no, a drone strike is not actual combat. A drone strike should be carried out with a high level of care to avoid killing innocents or even Americans suspected of treason who have not had a day in court.

This doesn't mean I feel any differently now than I did last week about the stands Senator Paul has taken on other issues or on his twisted world view that falls under the name libertarianism. Senator Paul is just one more ideologue who would march all of humanity off a cliff in the name of liberty. Personally, I view with suspicion any one with an ideology that promises utopia or some other summum bonum in the name of liberty, racial purity, equality, God (by whatever name), Mom and Apple Pie or whatever ideal is at the center of an ideologue's beliefs.

It is simply to say that on this matter Senator Paul is right and President Obama is wrong.

Please don't try to read anything else into it.