In my view, passage of this bill has nothing whatsoever to do with the war in Iraq or fear of "terr-ists" by the populace or keeping us "safe" or even torture.
The Repukes came into office with a certain radical, very extreme right-wing agenda, and have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, thanks to 9/11.
It will be a matter of time before they use this legislation, along with gleanings by the NSA, to disappear all kinds of suspected wrongdoers, including those who dissent.
This is truly worse then anything I could have imagined, but they've been working decades on it. (Think about the Patriot Act, a complex law passed only a very short time after 9/11 in the dead of night. As someone else has pointed out, the Patriot Act was a laundry list of measures the extreme right wing has wanted for many years. 9/11 was just a handy excuse.)
Yes, Osama has won.
Posted by trent at September 28, 2006 07:11 PMYes, Osama has won.
The terrorist mentality certainly put some points on the board today. That's for sure.
I don't know how much longer I'm going to recognize my country.
Posted by snark at September 28, 2006 07:16 PMAnd the worst thing of all was that it wasn't even close. 65-34 Jeebus, we've actually gone where Ben Franklin once warned and willfully given up liberty for the promise of security. One guess as to how much of either we shall soon have.
Posted by herbal tee at September 28, 2006 07:31 PMThe Radical Republican Party has broken our government, and our country, almost beyond repair.
This damage was willful and intentional. They are the ones behind these policies, not Democrats.
The McCain Torture Act of 2006 is just the latest in a long line of failed Bush/Republican legislation which will prove disastrous to our long term interests.
If this radical party does not suffer defeat at the polls in November, we will enter a state of extreme repression and authoritarianism, and our future will be a hopeless search for renewed national vitality, which will be in vain.
We will simply inevitably follow the well-trodden path of history's many failed empires, except in addition to destroying ourselves, we will have destroyed the planet as well.
Big election next month......
Posted by euzoius at September 28, 2006 08:12 PMTell it the 34 DINO Dems who voted FOR Bush's torture bill.
Including, Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN), considered a young darling by many of our party.
Posted by Christopher at September 28, 2006 08:25 PMDidn't Harry Reid exclaim "we just killed the Patriot Act"? How can it still be around when proud, powerful Democrats make such proclamations. Four years after 9/11 isn't enough time to formulate a good piece of legislation? Hey, your point of the hastiness of the original is worthless with the newly formulated one now the law of the land.
In case you've had your head in the ground, these people, the terrorist, are beheading girls and attaching a dogs head to their bodies. Where are their rights to live without fear? Where is Diane Johnson's rights to live without fear in the shadow of the Sears Building? The 3rd or 4th Geneva Conventions, who drafted these? What great humanitarians came up with these? Hasn't our law grown in the between times? Or should we set aside the last 57 years advances in human rights? Miranda, Roe, Brown, you recognize the names. Has Iran signed on to Geneva? Has UBL/OBL? How about North Korea or Vietnam? Have those people in Darfur? Our law has grown, Geneva Accords should grow. Torture, get real, go ask Serpico, when Democrats ruled the world.
Posted by peter at September 28, 2006 09:00 PMtest
Posted by at September 28, 2006 09:09 PMThe American dream is officially over. Just watch when the first right wing commentator accuses a journalist of giving "aid and comfort" to terrorism through their writings. Once one journalist is hauled away, watch the self censorship begin.
The terrorists have won today. America is dead but you just don't know it yet.
Posted by at September 28, 2006 09:12 PMicle.
Posted by TIKI AL at September 28, 2006 09:12 PMA friend of mine who ran for Wisconsin State Senator described to me the conditions that are currently unfolding before our eyes as the reason he left Germany in the 1930's.
If not for the bottle of Scotch that was buried with him, he would roll over in his grave.
Posted by TIKI AL at September 28, 2006 09:23 PMThe folks at Fleshbot have defamed our Glorious Leader, the Torturer-in-Chief, the Butcher of Crawford.
They just came out with their "Sex Toy of the Week: George Bush Butt Plug."
www.
fleshbot.com/sex/sex-toys/sex-toy-of-the
-week-george-bush-butt-plug-203631.php
My word, I feel a little faint. And the words they say:
"This President will really f*** you up the butt. You're already familiar with the sensation, so why not REALLY FEEL IT with our exclusive Presidential Pooper Plug. Invade an Iraqi, an Afghani, or at even an Iranian when you want. With this fat headed, huge stub of a plug no ass is safe anywhere...." (asterisks always give me the vapors).
Anyway, I'd give anything (almost) to be able to send one of these commemorative Bush torture butt plugs to all Sens and Reps responsible for passing this tortured Bush bill, telling them to stick Bush up where the sun don't shine. (But, then again, they'd all probably enjoy their commemorative Bush butt plug, especially after what they've just done).
Oh, BTW, I heard a rumor that Laura Bush has already ordered one. And Jeff Gannon, too.
Soon, as the rumor goes, Fleshbot will be issuing a complete set of Bush administration collector butt plugs...Cheney, Rove, Gonzales, Rice, Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly butt plug figurines, etc etc.
I know, I know, some of them can be pains in the ass (especially with Cheney's butt plug figurine holding his quail-hunting shotgun), but with proper lubrication.......
Posted by The Oracle at September 28, 2006 10:59 PM"The bill would create military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects. It also would prohibit some of the worst abuses of detainees like mutilation and rape, but grant the president leeway to decide which other interrogation techniques are permissible."
Just as Hoover liked to dress up in women's clothing and read the sorted lives of those he secretly spied on, George can now legally act out his perverted dreams of torturing humans. What a sick motherfucker.
What I want to know is will the world court recognize our disregard of the law?
Posted by Judith at September 28, 2006 11:48 PM
Our worst fear have come true.
Posted by Judith at September 29, 2006 12:01 AMDissent is dead.
Posted by Judith at September 29, 2006 12:04 AM"The legislation also says the president can "interpret the meaning and application" of international standards for prisoner treatment, a provision intended to allow him to authorize aggressive interrogation methods that might otherwise be seen as illegal by international courts."
Soccerdad, your words about the Democrats are absolutely correct. These people have spit on the graves of every American that has died for this Country to bring justice and freedom to all.
Bush will also get his Social Security Reform next year, winning with the help of the Democrats.
Posted by Judith at September 29, 2006 12:28 AMI agree with soccerdad: the America I believed in just legislated its own death by Republican hands...and the Dems just resigned the match.
Reading about the contacts of Abramhoff--over 425--and the White House saying "we hardly knew him---didn't influence us". A guy walks into your office--your headquarters no less---on average of once a week for two or three years---he talks to your staff, shows up at some staff meetings, buys folks their lunch, calls and emails, even meets with the senio management---and you claim he was of no consequence (like Mr. Gannon) or a buffoon (who lies and you take advantage of him by letting him buy all the lunches while you fake interest in his wares)???? Okay, let's accept that explanation for a moment. Would you want a White House Team that entices suckers into the headquarters just to ridicule him behind his back and soak up all the free-goodies he is giving away? What does that say about the White House Team? They play one for a fool, they play us all.
The President is a liar. The President is a failure. The President is the buffoon. The President is a Republican. He is typical of the breed. He is (and they are) a disgrace.
And so are the Dems who enable him.
Posted by gtash at September 29, 2006 04:13 AMThis bill goes both ways. It allows torture of foreigners. Other countries can use this. What about MAericans abroad. What about US military personnel who signed up for service? When they signed, the Geneva Conventions were part of the deal. Now those conventions are no longer held up by the US.
Maude
For the Republicans it is just a game of politics and that they believe that passing this bill is good for their election hopes come November. As stated there are Republicans who believe that this bill will be struck down by the judicial system on the basis of it being unconstitutional because of Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution.
Since I live in Colorado and Senator Salazar voted for this bill, I will actively work to unseat him with a person who has the moral fortitude and legal understanding that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are not meant to be political "playthings" that the Republicans seem to have of our founding documents.
Posted by Ken at September 29, 2006 08:43 AMI've never been a fan of guns, and have never really seen the usefulness of owning one for most people. Not out of some liberal bias, but I just don't like them.
And yet, now, for the first time ever, I am seriously considering purchasing one and applying for a permit to carry concealed.
Why? If I voice dissent and send money to a group that disapproves of this administration, MoveOn.org for example, what are my chances of being accused of materially supporting terrorism because if you don't agree with this administration, you support the terrorists. I believe that Bush truly believes this. And since he has been granted the authority to determine enemy combatant status, what chance do I have if my name becomes known to this administration?
I'll have no rights and no recourse in the courts, so I guess I better go down blazing.
I am sickened that "my" government has led me to these conclusions. With this law in place, the only difference between the U.S. today and the Soviet Union and other oppressive governments/dictatorships we collectively railed against is that it's still legal to buy a gun in the U.S. Well, at least today it is.
I need to go throw up now.
Posted by Dale at September 29, 2006 11:43 AMPeople really need to read the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The definition of unlawful enemy combatant is in section 948a starting out with "In this chapter," referring to the chapter 47A of subtitle A of title 10, United States Code. The chapter creates the military commissions. In Sec. 948b(a)it states the chapters purpose is to establish procedures governing the use of military commissions to try alien unlawful enemy combatants, and in Sec. 948c, titled "Persons subject to military commissions," it says "Any alien unlawful enemy combatant . . ." No one else is subject to the provisions of chapter 47A. Only aliens are subject to the definition of unlawful enemy combatant given in said chapter. Check the article on the ACLU's website on the bill. It has no mention of applicability of these definitions to U.S. citizens. Please, don't detract attention from the really vial parts of this bill with the red herring that the definition applies to everyone.
Posted by Jerry at October 4, 2006 12:00 AM