The lesser of two evils is still… evil.
Who decides what the American public focuses its attention upon on a day-to-day basis?
With this nation at war with innumerable countries, with habeas corpus being tossed into the waste bin, with self-confessed torturers having their crimes swept under the carpet, with environmental extremes becoming self-evident; why is anyone in this nation concerned about what moron the Republican Party is dating at the present moment?
When was the last story about the nation’s loss of habeas corpus presented on any of the national media outlets?
Let’s put it into the immediate perspective. Another Republican boob has threatened the choices of women in this country. This happens every time the GOP is allowed the microphone. Suddenly 95% of discussion is taken over by controversy over who pays the premium to a private insurance company. Virtually everyone focuses on this. Thousands of articles are written.
This is a distraction.
It’s the same song played over and over. Screaming about the distribution of pennies while habeas corpus disappears, drones assassinate indiscriminately, torturers conduct coast-to-coast book tours, and more and more this country becomes a 21st Century fascist state.
Barack Obama has shown that the President of the United States can order the torture of defenseless prisoners and never be punished. Democrats have ordered the execution of at least one American citizen with no due process. Drones launched by American forces attack Pakistan citizens on a daily basis.
And yet thousands of articles are written about Rick Santorum? Where the hell are your minds people?
Pathetic.
With an incumbent President who appears to be a pretty good bet of being reelected, why is the focus of the nation on everything except what the President is actually doing? Where are legitimate critics of this administration broadcast in the national media?
What is presented in the media as being legitimate criticism is mostly the babbling of the right wing fringe. Obama’s team inoculates the President by having any and all critics portrayed as nut jobs and/or racists. This is wonderful if all that matters to anyone is having the present Democrat reelected. Habeas corpus can go to hell. Torture can become the rule of the land. American forces can assassinate anyone at will as long as the current President is reelected.
Disgraceful.
This country has gotten the cart so far in front of the horse it’s ridiculous. Money is a tool. Money is a way to facilitate the transfer of goods. Do any of you seriously believe that if the fools of the Republican or Democratic Parties had all the money in the world that they would actually know what to do about anything?
One of the major failures of the current Democratic Party is their refusal to shape the conversation of America. For the past thirty years Democrats have only responded to Republican attacks. Healthcare? Let’s use Bob Dole’s plan. War? What does the GOP want to do? Jobs? How can we help Republican donors?
There has been no discussion regarding where this country wants to be two, three, five, ten, one hundred years from now. There has been no discussion on how many drone attacks should there be tomorrow in Pakistan. There has been no discussion on why twenty percent of every dollar spent on health care should go into private pockets which only encourages increasing the price of all medical services.
Is the Democratic Party a strong political voice or does it have the personality of a battered child, only wishing to please its batterer?
Habeas corpus gone. Torture back.
Vote Democratic or Republican? Only if they start waterboarding voters. Which would probably be O.K. with both parties.
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Jerry Nadler on Obama's Dereliction of Duty
Nadler: Bush Memoir Proves Criminal Use of Torture, Requires Accountability for the Sake of American Principles and Safety
Nov 9, 2010
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Today, in response to President Bush’s admission in his memoir that he had personally authorized the use of torture while in office, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) blasted the Bush Administration’s illegal policy and renewed his longstanding call for full accountability for the criminal use of torture. Nadler, Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, urged Attorney General Eric Holder once again to appoint a special prosecutor with a robust mandate to investigate torture committed during the Bush Administration and, if necessary, prosecute those at all levels of government who were complicit in its use.
Nadler issued the following statement:
“I am outraged by President Bush’s own admission in his newly released memoir that he personally authorized the use of waterboarding on detainees while in office. This admission, delivered without remorse or regret, reminds us disturbingly of the persistent lack of accountability and resolution in confronting the crime of torture committed by our own government. The only way forward is to appoint a special prosecutor with a broad mission to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute these known cases of torture.
“Waterboarding has long been considered torture – a view shared by the Obama Administration – and committing or ordering torture is a severe crime under both international and U.S. laws, for which we have convicted foreigners and Americans in the past. The President is bound by the Constitution to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ Failure to order a criminal investigation would be a serious dereliction of duty. With President Bush’s admission, no further excuses or evasions are conscionable.
“Failure to provide accountability for torture will reduce American credibility among foreign nations and endanger American troops by enabling terrorists and future enemies to justify torture using Bush’s own words. We already have extensive evidence of how American torture has enraged foreign populations and recruited fighters for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and various Iraqi militias who have killed and maimed our troops.
“The perversion of our laws and treaty obligations in order to support an illegal campaign of torture is a stain on the honor of our nation, and it is essential that those who committed these misdeeds be made to answer for their actions. As I have long said, it is imperative that the Department of Justice ensure that a special counsel fully investigates the commission of torture, follows the trail wherever it goes, and, if warranted, prosecutes accordingly. There is no legal or moral reason to insulate those who authorized or ordered the torture of detainees.”
http://nadler.house.gov/press-release/nadler-bush-memoir-proves-criminal-use-torture-requires-accountability-sake-american
Dereliction of Duty from Wikipedia
Details
In the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), dereliction of duty is addressed within the regulations governing the failure to obey an order or regulation.[2]
§ 892. Art. 92. Failure to obey order or regulation
Any person subject to this chapter who— ... (3) is derelict in the performance of his duties;
shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Outside of wartime, the maximum punishment allowed is a Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year (10 years for service members receiving special pay under 37 USC 310[3]).[4]
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And that's for starters.
Nov 9, 2010
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Today, in response to President Bush’s admission in his memoir that he had personally authorized the use of torture while in office, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) blasted the Bush Administration’s illegal policy and renewed his longstanding call for full accountability for the criminal use of torture. Nadler, Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, urged Attorney General Eric Holder once again to appoint a special prosecutor with a robust mandate to investigate torture committed during the Bush Administration and, if necessary, prosecute those at all levels of government who were complicit in its use.
Nadler issued the following statement:
“I am outraged by President Bush’s own admission in his newly released memoir that he personally authorized the use of waterboarding on detainees while in office. This admission, delivered without remorse or regret, reminds us disturbingly of the persistent lack of accountability and resolution in confronting the crime of torture committed by our own government. The only way forward is to appoint a special prosecutor with a broad mission to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute these known cases of torture.
“Waterboarding has long been considered torture – a view shared by the Obama Administration – and committing or ordering torture is a severe crime under both international and U.S. laws, for which we have convicted foreigners and Americans in the past. The President is bound by the Constitution to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ Failure to order a criminal investigation would be a serious dereliction of duty. With President Bush’s admission, no further excuses or evasions are conscionable.
“Failure to provide accountability for torture will reduce American credibility among foreign nations and endanger American troops by enabling terrorists and future enemies to justify torture using Bush’s own words. We already have extensive evidence of how American torture has enraged foreign populations and recruited fighters for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and various Iraqi militias who have killed and maimed our troops.
“The perversion of our laws and treaty obligations in order to support an illegal campaign of torture is a stain on the honor of our nation, and it is essential that those who committed these misdeeds be made to answer for their actions. As I have long said, it is imperative that the Department of Justice ensure that a special counsel fully investigates the commission of torture, follows the trail wherever it goes, and, if warranted, prosecutes accordingly. There is no legal or moral reason to insulate those who authorized or ordered the torture of detainees.”
http://nadler.house.gov/press-release/nadler-bush-memoir-proves-criminal-use-torture-requires-accountability-sake-american
Dereliction of Duty from Wikipedia
Details
In the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), dereliction of duty is addressed within the regulations governing the failure to obey an order or regulation.[2]
§ 892. Art. 92. Failure to obey order or regulation
Any person subject to this chapter who— ... (3) is derelict in the performance of his duties;
shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Outside of wartime, the maximum punishment allowed is a Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year (10 years for service members receiving special pay under 37 USC 310[3]).[4]
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And that's for starters.
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