Better not piss off the executive

[solarbird]

The torture/ending of habeas corpus/executive can declare anyone an enemy combatant bill just passed the Senate. 12 Democrats voted for it; only one Republican voted against. Mr. Bush is expected to sign it tomorrow. Whether unlimited detention powers and the degree of denial to access to courts includes citizens is unclear, but I imagine that the Bush administration will argue that it does. I can't speak more to the bankruptcy of the American political system than Arlen Specter's own words and actions:

During the debate on his amendment, Arlen Specter said that the bill sends us back 900 years because it denies habeas corpus rights and allows the President to detain people indefinitely. He also said the bill violates core Constitutional protections. Then he voted for it.*

These are not the powers of a president in a republic.

Thanks to everyone who worked against this abomination. Everyone who voted for this has to lose in the next election, but, of course, most won't. It is a very long road back to sanity from here; even the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and the Sedition Act of 1918 didn't attempt to remove the right to court review. How vile.

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* Link is to source, one of many.