Imprisonment Without Trial Of US Citizens Is Back, Baby!

[CuteOldGuy]

Let's see, who here said the Feinstein Amendment was ineffective, and probably wouldn't be in the final bill anyway?

Gloat now, idiots!

While we have been watching our vulture mainstream media feast on the human misery in Newtown, Connecticut, something quite odd has occurred on Capitol Hill concerning the NDAA.

As Huffington Post's Michael McAuliff reported, "Congress stripped a provision Tuesday from a defense bill that aimed to shield Americans from the possibility of being imprisoned indefinitely without trial by the military. The provision was replaced with a passage that appears to give citizens little protection from indefinite detention.

The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 was added by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), but there was no similar language in the version of the bill that passed the House, and it was dumped from the final bill released Tuesday after a conference committee from both chambers worked out a unified measure."

Although the Feinstein amendment was criticized by some of the most hardcore civil liberties advocates as inadequate, it would have at least put something in writing to prevent the abduction of US citizens by the military, without charge or trial. Why Congress does not want such a thing in writing is quite troubling... and makes little sense.

I've been covering NDAA off and on for the past year, and many people have told me it is a "complex, delicate" situation that is beyond the understanding of your average Joe.

I don't actually agree with this.

Our right to a trial is enshrined quite clearly in the Bill of Rights.
And the legislation as it stands now would allow members of the government to silence critics -- journalists, Wikileaks-funding millionaires, people critical of our drone strikes on children -- by merely suspecting them of terrorism. With no burden of proof needed. "Terrorism," it seems, is the new McCarthy-style buzzword to discredit and silence any political opponent.

As the highest rated comment on the Huffington Post article, by user AddledCentrist, put it: "In plain English that means once someone has been labeled an enemy combatant, OR the evidence used to arrest and detain them is 'security sensitive,' the courts and defense counsel can neither access evidence, nor challenge said detention on evidentiary grounds.

Conclusion; Habeas Corpus is no longer relevant once 'terrorism' has been invoked by the State. Due Process is no longer relevant as defense is universally refused access to 'evidence' and the courts have upheld the States interest in withholding said evidence.

In practice; The State has the power to grab ANY citizen off the street, detain them without hearing of probable cause INDEFINITELY and try them IN SECRET without ever having disclosed to the defense, the evidence, sources or sealed testimony in support of such arrest, 'trial,' and conviction. It also perfectly and absolutely creates an infallible estoppel to appeal.

No matter how you feel about terrorism or law and order, this should send shivers down the spines of every American! If history has taught us anything, it's that such broad ranging, unchecked power is ALWAYS abused!"

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/impri...#ixzz2FWAhRn7e

[markroxny]

LL, that's your queue.

[joe bloe]

Hey, if it was good enough for Lincoln and FDR....

[CuteOldGuy]

From Congressman Justin Amash:

On Tuesday night, House and Senate conferees reinserted language into the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to allow the government to indefinitely detain anyone in the U.S., including American citizens, upon the mere accusation that the person supports terrorism. No charge. No trial. No explanation.

The NDAA vote is Thursday. I will be saying NO to this violation of our civil liberties and our Constitution. You can tell Congress how you feel: http://house.gov/ http://senate.gov/.

Where are you, Assup? LL? Here, this is for you:

[CJ7]

if I were you I'd wait until after the vote on thursday

[CuteOldGuy]

Ok, we'll wait. Then after it's passed, we can count the patriots, probably on two hands.

[CJ7]

too late for you to wait

lol

[Yssup Rider]

You won't have two hands. You need one for your mouse and the other for your pointing device.

"Patriots?"

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Good thing you're not a TERRORIST! Or are you? Alone in that dark basement closet all day and night ... what aren't you telling us, COG, and when aren't you telling it?

[CuteOldGuy]

But I thought you said you were opposed to indefinite detention without due process, Assup? Another lie?

[CuteOldGuy]

Yesterday, in a closed door conference committee on the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, conferees stripped out an amendment that would have prohibited the indefinite detention of American citizens and lawful permanent residents.

In a letter sent to both the House and Senate today, Campaign for Liberty President John Tate urged Congressmen to vote NO on the NDAA conference report.

On behalf of over half a million Campaign for Liberty grassroots activists across the country, I urge you to oppose the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report for its deliberate insistence on allowing for the indefinite detention of American citizens.

Previously, Senators Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and others worked together to adopt an amendment to the 2013 NDAA that clearly stated the 2001 AUMF construed no authority to indefinitely detain American citizens. That amendment was adopted last month by a vote of 67-29.

On Tuesday evening, reports surfaced that this amendment was stripped out in the conference committee and replaced with the Orwellian Section 1029, which is actually titled “Rights Unaffected.”

This egregious change is a slap in the face to civil libertarians, an affront to our Bill of Rights and due process, and just another example of Washington elites conferring unconstitutional authority on the President to carry out police state actions under the guise of “keeping us safe.”

Sixty-eight years ago this week, the Supreme Court authorized the indefinite detention of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII. It’s shameful our Congress is again permitting the Executive Branch to lock up American citizens and throw away the key at its whim.

Therefore, on behalf of Campaign for Liberty’s members and in defense of our fundamental rights, I urge you to stand up for the Constitution and oppose the FY 2013 NDAA Conference Report.

In Liberty,

John Tate

President

http://www.campaignforliberty.org/na...ite-detention/

[CuteOldGuy]

December 21, 2012. At 6:46 P.M. EST the 2013 NDAA passes House 315-107 with indefinite detention intact.

Awaiting vote in Senate, probably tomorrow.

My congressman voted in favor of this. How did yours vote?

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll645.xml

[CuteOldGuy]

Senate votes to approve the NDAA for 2013 by a vote of 81 - 14. Indefinite detention is intact. Feinstein Amendment removed.

Anybody still want to gloat?

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LI...n=2&vote=00229

[WhoAreWe]

BRING IT....

NO MERCY.....