US House of Congress on verge of voting for thuggery, against freedom
To expand on my post the other day, the House of Congress should currently be debating HR 6166, Military Commissions Act of 2006. This does away with the right of habeas corpus. This means that it may be possible (unless the law is struck down as unconstitutional) that the US Administration could hold a person indefinitely without charge. Currently this is being done in Guantanamo, but this puts it on a pseudo-legal footing. Is this the first step towards a totalitarian state?
If it passes the House (which it looks like it will), then there’s still the Senate - but odds are slim that the Democrats can halt passage of the bill.
Rep. Louise Slaughter posted an update before she went to debate the issue. It’s a shame that more people don’t see the huge danger (bipartisan danger, even) that this bill poses to US democracy.
It’s shameful for Democrats, who haven’t put as much effort as they should into stopping it, but it’s even more shameful for the Republicans, who show yet again that they are the “rubber stamp” party, willing to pass any legislation passed in front of them.
If Republicans keep control of both Houses after the November elections, it will not just be distasteful, it will be a disaster for everybody! Including a brief mention that control by the Republicans is quite likely to be followed by a strike on Iran.