Joe Lieberman's Fascist Solution To Terrorism

[Jefferson23]

Joe Lieberman has a creative solution: Take away their citizenship. "If you've joined an enemy of the United States in attacking the United States and trying to kill Americans, I think you should sacrifice your rights of citizenship," Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, told reporters Tuesday.

<. . .> Lieberman said that the revocation of citizenship would not be automatic and there would be a right to go to court and to appeal the decision.

What is amazing about Lieberman' fascist proposal is that it will not work even on Lieberman's terms. Presumably, to strip a "suspected terrorist" of his citizenship, you'll have to prove in a court of law that the suspected terrorist is actually a, you know, terrorist. And in proving it, you'll have to respect the Constitution, which sort of defeats the purpose of Lieberman's proposal. Not only is Lieberman a despicable human being, he is really as dumb as a rock. He and McCain are truly two of the stupidest people in Washington, which is saying a lot.

For the record, it seems that Lieberman is referring to this provision. The problem for Lieberman is this part:

Whenever the loss of United States nationality is put in issue in any action or proceeding commenced on or after September 26, 1961 under, or by virtue of, the provisions of this chapter or any other Act, the burden shall be upon the person or party claiming that such loss occurred, to establish such claim by a preponderance of the evidence. Any person who commits or performs, or who has committed or performed, any act of expatriation under the provisions of this chapter or any other Act shall be presumed to have done so voluntarily, but such presumption may be rebutted upon a showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the act or acts committed or performed were not done voluntarily.


http://www.talkleft.com/story/2010/5/4/20130/76607




Even David Frum thinks it's a bad idea:




David FrumEmail
Terrorists should keep their citizenship
If the goal is to expedite the interrogation and punishment of terrorists, this is precisely the wrong way to achieve it
posted on May 5, 2010, at 6:00 PM
Sen. Joe Lieberman has a bad idea.

The Connecticut senator has proposed that U.S. citizens who serve international terrorist organizations be stripped of their citizenship.

It’s a sad day when Glenn Beck (!) offers a more eloquent defense of constitutional rights than the normally statesmanlike senator from Connecticut.

But let’s leave aside the constitutional formalities and just consider: Would Lieberman’s proposal accomplish anything? The idea behind stripping a terrorist of citizenship is to avoid a morass of litigation over which precise rights the terrorist possesses.

Unfortunately, any attempt to strip terrorists of citizenship will itself plunge prosecutors into an even deeper morass of litigation.

Here’s why:

http://theweek.com/bullpen/column/202632/Terrorists_should_keep_their_citizenship



And read his bill here: http://lieberman.senate.gov/assets/pdf/TEA_full.pdf