It's official — the US is becoming Fascism Lite, complete with our own mini-Gulag.
Blow me with vacuum cleaner, it’s weird being alive in America today. I don’t know if I’m living in the most technologically advanced, richest country on earth (with 5% of world population, we have 30% of its wealth), or inside the stinky Darth Vader sphincter musculature of Dickhead Cheney.…
Article comments
26 - troll
maybe Bush will have an epiphany and refuse to sign this piece of shit...what do you think - ?
27 - Dave Nalle
Just out of curiosity, have any of you actually READ this piece of shit - as troll characterizes it, or are you all like Adam Ash who appears to have only read partisan commentary on it?
If you haven't read it, I suggest that you give it a look - it's not as long as you might think and the wording is pretty straightforward.
The fact is that the proposed legislation defines all sorts of rights and protections for enemy combatants which they might not otherwise enjoy, plus it clearly limits prosecutions to aliens, not US citizens.
Dave
28 - troll
yup - and I find grayish holes large enough to drop a citizen through...I'll be interested to see what the Supremes think of it
it also shows how important the introduction to withstanding torture techniques is in basic
29 - Arch Conservative
It is for the same reasons that Adam goes on and on about Bush that i go on and on about moonbats and the heathen radical left.
I love America and do not want to see it turned into a vaccum of moral certainty where every decision we make is subject to UN approval. Where we tear down christianity and appease muslim terrorists. Where we have no borders and only liberals are allowed to have free speech. Where socilaism takes root. Where people take Howard Dean seriously as a presidential candidate. Where the ACLU has even an iota of incluence on the national culture. Where a couple of liberal supreme court justices can enable the government to steal private property. I could go on and on but fortunately enough there are many other Americans out there who feel as I do.
30 - Adam Ash
Arch Conservative:
What are you smoking? What does this mean:
"Where we have no borders and only liberals are allowed to have free speech."
What is this about only liberals having free speech? Since when has your right to free speech been threatened? By whom? By liberals? What are you raving about? Have you skipped your medication? Come back to earth, moonbat. You're giving your crowd a bad name. How can you expect to engage in any serious discussion when you emanate such idiotic drivel? Who takes you seriously in your own life? My god, what a bizarre comment. What has the ACLU ever done to you? They're there to defend free speech, including yours, even when it's as dumb as yours. Thank them for the fact that moonbats like you still have free speech.
31 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Dave,
Comment #14 and its follow-ons are just plain wrong. If anybody understands about "fascism lite," it is Adam. That's what South Africa was under the apartheid government, something that Adam lived under, tangled with and left. So, if Adam is accusing the present administration of pursuing "fascism lite," I'm inclined to pay attention. He knows the stink of the beast.
Unfortunately, we are getting much the same item here and I'm getting to know the stink of the beast also...
32 - anon
i was watchin democraqcy now last night and the guests were making the distinction between US citizien and none cizitzen under this new bill. And they basically said that habeas corpus would still apply to the US citizen. So at some point if a citizen is picked up as an enemy combatant they would have to see a court.
I was just wondering, can the US goovernment revoke the citizenship on an american citizen so that habeas corpus does not apply? say, under the patriot act.
if so, they could just take your citizenship, chuck you in a prison indefinitely and with some secret charge.
33 - Adam Ash
I think the distinction between US citizen and foreigner is a thin line that the President could easily breach. It didn't stop him in the case of Padilla. In any case, why should foreigners have less rights than US citizens. Human beings are human beings, whoever they are, and they all deserve the right to be tried in court, if this is the America I believe in.
34 - troll
anan -
Section 349 of the INA [8 USC § 1481] lists the conditions under which US citizenship may be lost:
'becoming a naturalized citizen of another country, or declaring allegiance to another country, after reaching age 18;
serving as an officer in a foreign country's military service, or serving in the armed forces of a country which is engaged in hostilities against the US;
working for a foreign government (e.g., in political office or as a civil servant);
formally renouncing one's US citizenship before duly authorized US officials; or
committing treason against, or attempting or conspiring to overthrow the government of the US'
...since the late 80s the law has required voluntary intent to give up US citizenship in each case above
35 - Dave Nalle
troll, several of the instances of giving up citizenship which you cite are identical to the rare circumstances under which theis new law would apply to you. If you join Al Qaeda that has to be considered equal to working for a foreign government or serving in the military of a hostile foreign country. To argue otherwise is ridiculous.
Dave
36 - Dave Nalle
I think the distinction between US citizen and foreigner is a thin line
Interesting how that line thickens and thins for convenience. It's awfully thick when the foreigner wants to come to the US as an immigrant, but suddenly thin again when a US citizen might be considered an enemy of the nation.
Dave
37 - MCH
"I haven't vanished, I just have a life, Jon."
- Dave Nalle, writing his 9,312th comment on BC, from the depths of his fortified compound...
38 - John Bambenek
You do know this hyperventilating hyperbole is the reason the left can't get any votes. I disagree with torture, but this over-the-top bullshit makes it absolutely repugnant to agree with you.
There's a difference between 12 million innocent dead people from Cyclon-B and 14 terrorists in a CIA prison getting waterboarded.
If you can't tell the difference between fascism and over-the-top rough-housing of terrorists, your side deserves to be no where near the "football".
39 - Shaun Branden
I guess you could start with this quote and see how you feel
"Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."
40 - Matthew T. Sussman
Shaun, I looked that quote up, that was Bush Sr., spoken almost 20 years ago.
41 - Baronius
But it was a quote from a Bush. How about this quote from Bush: "Samuel L. Jackson is back and badder than ever". That quote scares me. It's a quote from Billy Bush of Access Hollywood, but it's still troubling.
42 - Matthew T. Sussman
Baronius, and don't forget:
"When the people of New Orleans needed something to look to for confidence and something to be proud of, they looked to the Saints."
--Reggie Bush
43 - Baronius
The liberals are wrong! Bush love New Orleans!
44 - Dave Nalle
Don't forget the 'Burning Bush'. They were pushing people around back in the Bible too.
Dave
45 - Nancy
It's past time for the people to permanently prune ALL the Bushes.
46 - Bliffle
You know, if I were a Young Guy I'd give serious career consideration to becoming a US Government Certified Torturer. I'm sure that our Beloved Civil Service will soon establish appropriate GS13 pay grades, etc., and define levels of proficiency for promotion. I expect that benefits such as dental care, health insurance and retirement pension will be appropriate for the noble citizens who take on these arduous tasks.
The field seems to be wide open as there are few known torturers already on the government payroll. Indeed, many people stoutly deny being so qualified.
Has the Civil Service published proficiency guidelines for US Government Toturers? For example, is nail-pulling considered an entry-level skill or an advanced skill? How about Testicle Electrification?
Will DeVry Institute, Phoenix University, and various Land Grant colleges soon be offering appropriate courses that lead to proper Certification?
47 - Arch Conservative
Adam it is widely known that the American left only believes in free speech whern it is speech they agree with.
Recent case in point. The Clintonistas tried to prevent Path to 911 from airing on ABc because it showed some of the shortcomings of the Clinton administration.
Let's not forget all the good liberal champions of free speech who called for "unfit for Duty" to be banned in 2004.
The American left and hypocrisy go together like peanut butter and jelly Adam.
48 - duane
"I think quotes are very dangerous things." -- Kate Bush
49 - marthe raymond
I don't know if you folks are living in Cheney's Butt--or some other Dogpatch wanna-be, but if I were you I would getout of there.
In the spirit of this lawlessness is legal, some terrotists are more equal than others (ref. Posada), war is peace I would suggest the following would be poetic justice:
Instead of wasting taxpayers' time and money impeaching them--PUT DICKHEAD CHENEY, AUTISTIC BUSH, DOGS OF WAR RUMSFELD AND CONDOLENCES RICE (the last two nicknames courtesy of Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías) IN FRONT OF A FIRING SQUAD!
50 - marthe raymond
“In the absence of any textual provision to the contrary, we assume self-defense can be an appropriate defense to an allegation of torture.”
" Memo by Judge Jay Bybee, head of the Bush administration’s Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, 2002
“In the occupied territories, where occupation personnel were daily threatened by attempts on their lives, more severe methods of interrogation were permitted, if it was thought that in this manner the lives of German soldiers and officials might be protected against such threatened attempts.”
" Dr. Robert Servatius, defense counsel for accused Nazi war criminals at the Nuremburg trials, 1946
51 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Marthe, it looks like you've been hooked by Blog Critics...
52 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Troll,
At comment #34, you write,
...since the late 80s the law has required voluntary intent to give up US citizenship in each case above...
Do you know if this is this case law or actual changes in legislation?
53 - Pablo
Dave re comment 27:
Typical Nallism. Um Davey, if the executive branch declares you (without judicial oversite, and without a conviction) YOU a US citizen an enemy combatant, as it most certainly can under the Military Commissions Act, then you NO longer are a citizen, and can be held indefinitely, so your argument as usual is full of it.