Oh my god. They've done it. This takes all rights away. - by Outlooker
demagogue on 30/9/2006 at 15:24
I don't know whether it's better or worse when you find out this bill is actually an *improvement* over the previous regime covering illegal combatants, which we've had since essentially the end of 2001 and nobody seemed to raise much hoopla then (on which I wrote a snappy paper for the interested; man, that thing was dodgy ... but it wasn't as coheasive as this was, so maybe harder to see its implications).
Since this bill doesn't allow detainees to bring habeus petitions in civil (that is, non-military) courts to challenge their detention (e.g., as arbitrary), and that right has already been clearly established by the Supreme Court in Hamdan, I can't help but seeing this new law also being overturned by the Supreme Court and brought yet again back to Congress to patch up the holes.
But I think everybody knew that from the beginning, so the whole thing to my eyes is blatantly political and entirely meaningless aside from its proximity to mid-term elections.
It will come back, and they'll have to do it right next time because ... well ... nothing makes you look like a dick more than being overturned by the Supreme Court not once, but twice on the issue of the basic right to challenge arbitrary detention, and hopefully it'll happen long before election time.
thefonz on 30/9/2006 at 15:30
Cheers, I shall now go read this on the crapper. :thumb:
fett on 30/9/2006 at 17:44
Actually, that's probably the best place to read it. I read it sitting at my desk and now there's a whole herd of oxen running around my house.
Aerothorn on 30/9/2006 at 18:07
I've basically come to believe that, while it can make things better, the system is basically fucked. The ultimate check-and-balance is the electoral process, and most people don't even vote - most of those who do are misinformed. The only 'fix' would be to simutaeneously elect an entire new house, senate, and presidency with a clear understanding that if they anything for political gain as opposed to for the good of the country, they would not be re-elected. But there is no way that can happen. The entire system needs an overhaul, starting with publicly funded elections and a new voting system that eliminates the two-party system.
Catman on 30/9/2006 at 19:15
That would be nice.
Aerothorn on 30/9/2006 at 21:09
I was watching WarGames last night, and they were all about to respond to a Soviet nuclear strike on Seattle, and I was like "Wait - why would Reagan care if Seattle got nuked?"
metal dawn on 30/9/2006 at 22:44
Quote Posted by Aerothorn
I was like "Wait - why would Reagan care if Seattle got nuked?"
Reagan would get to centralize one his crappy overhyped economic plans around it.
Jakeyboy on 1/10/2006 at 14:17
John Titor :[_]
pavlovscat on 2/10/2006 at 04:48
Quote Posted by metal dawn
Oh, and fuck Texas too.
Well, I could let you move into my in-laws' flood damaged home in New Orleans. That city is really screwed up. Maybe they'll put it back right, but I doubt it. Hell, a few years back for the governor's race, everyone had bumper stickers that said, "Vote for the crook. It's important." The run-off was between Edwin Edwards, widely acknowledged crook & swindler, and ex-Ku Klux Klansman, David Duke. Lovely place, the city where I was born. The main reason so many people suffered after Hurricane Katrina was because of a pissing contest between the Democratic bitch governor and her inability to put aside her pride and accept desperately needed aid from the Republican president. Not to mention her feud with the Democratic mayor of New Orleans who dared to cross party lines to back her Republican opponent. It sucks when the common people are the ones who suffer because of party differences. I'm glad to be in Texas. It's not perfect, but it's much better here. I guess you have to live somewhere to truly know how to hate it.
Unfortunately, I think Aerothorn is right. We need a new system. The two-party thing just doesn't work. I do vote in every election, and learn as much about the candidates & issues as I can, so I have little patience for the pointless bitching of those who don't vote at all. They seem to have the most to complain about. It is true that many people who vote don't know much about the issues on which they're voting. But at least they do exercise the right to vote. Representation in government should make this country great, but the system is broken. Otherwise, disgraceful bills like this would never be brought to light. It's embarassing that these types of actions would even be considered acceptable. Bring on publicly funded elections & eliminate the special interests.
To thefonz:
You're welcome to the man who "invented the internet". He's just as lost as the rest of them.
