Paging the Tea Party. Where are the many of you who esteem limited, constitutional government? The silence is deafening.
After briefly reacquiring constitutional principles Republicans have been hijacked again by Neo Cons who seemingly believe our mighty military hammer makes every need a nail. Surely there’s someone left on the Right still valuing limited government.
Much attention has rightfully fixated on the recent spate of recess appointments by President Obama. Americans should jealously guard our Constitution, which is a charter meant to prevent political abuses. But very little ink has spilled regarding the Administration’s newly codified authority to suspend certain liberties enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
Defense is one of the few legitimate federal functions. The military may be government’s most effective endeavor. Nonetheless, we do not want our streets subject to martial law; one of the “long train of abuses” precipitating our Declaration of Independence.
Under the National Defense Authorization Act, the military may incarcerate U.S. citizens indefinitely without formal charges. Should the Justice Department declare you a terrorist, or simply associate you with terrorists, your rights may be abridged. Instead of innocent until proven guilty, citizens deemed guilty will be unable to prove innocence.
Despite Obama’s veto threats and publicly prattling about “reservations,” Senator Carl Levin (D, MI) claims the administration privately pushed for the enactment of several of the most frightening provisions embedded in this legislation. Apparently the White House specifically sought that American citizens, even those detained domestically, can at government’s discretion, be indefinitely incarcerated without recourse to a speedy trial. CONTINUE READING
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