In Case You Missed It….

Bush signed the Military Commissions Act into law yesterday.

It didn’t get any coverage on the major news networks — most of whom were talking about Madonna’s adoption, the fact that the American population reached 300 million…oh, and a gripping one-on-one interview by Larry King with the guy who claimed to have killed JonBenet, but didn’t.

Meanwhile, with the stroke of a pen, our Constitution, the Geneva Conventions, and the basis for legal rights of the accused in Anglo-Saxon law since the Magna Carta, were gutted.

The Times (UK) article linked above also mentioned that there was a protest:

“Religious groups staged a protest outside the White House as the Bill was being signed. Protesters shouted “Bush is the terrorist” and “Torture is a crime”. Those who refused to move were arrested by police.”

Again, we didn’t see that, either.

Readers of this journal know how I feel about this — and about the Bush administration. Here’s my question for supporters of this administration, though: Even if you think that Bush is a good man, and that this legislation is neccessary for the so-called “War on Terror”…..has it occurred to any of you what happens when that unfettered authority is handed to someone else? Someone who *isn’t* a “good man?” What happens then? Are you all really that short-sighted?

9 Replies to “In Case You Missed It….”

  1. They don’t care. WWIII will happen, everyone will be wiped out but those in power with money and influence (seen the article that was going around about Halliburton making little biopod living spaces for when the Earth was unlivable? I can’t find it anywhere now, but it was in wide circulation two months ago)… Most of the people supporting this ridiculousness believe that the Earth will be bathed in fire and then Jesus will come get the devout while the heathens burn.

    They are impatient for the end of days.

  2. Though the majority of those reading the NYT are the choir, most like… this was (including the arresting of the protestors) headlining this morning.

  3. Yes they are. And I’m sorry to say that as much as I love my in-laws very much because they are genuinely good people, they’re right behind this administration and Bush. They’re Republicans and proud of it. There are some very interested arguments in this household when we start talking about this stuff, which strangely usually ends up with my father in law getting very hot and bothered and resorting to interrupting me talking and shouting down any arguments I’m putting forward.

  4. I’d like to suggest that you’re tarring millions of people with a really broad brush there. I am acquainted with Republicans who were opposed to the Patriot Act from the time it was first proposed, and who predicted power grabs by various federal agencies (such as the FBI) in the wake of 9-11. People like that are now in a position where they are being bad-mouthed by both sides – by those further to the right for being soft on terrorism or having something to hide, and by those further to the left for being on the right at all.

    And yes, the thought of that law scares me, as do a number of other things that have been passed in the last few years. I hope we all live to look back on this as McCarthyism is often seen now – an embarrassing memory from a by-gone political period.

  5. Unfortunately, our government thinks only in terms of the “Next 4 years”. I honestly believe they couldn’t care less what happens once they’re out of office. And I agree, I think this is very short-sighted. It’s setting up to be just like 1920’s Germany.

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