NP: Alienation and Sedition Act?

[David Morris]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_12/detainee_policy_gone_horribly033822.php


On Tuesday 60 members of the United States Senate voted to preserve a
provision in the National Defense Authorization Act — that would be
the bill that funds the Pentagon — allowing the U.S. military to pick
up and detain, without charges or trial, anyone suspected of
terrorism, including American citizens, and to restrict transfers of
prisoners out of Guantanamo Bay. Specifically, 60 senators voted
against an amendment that would have invalidated the part of the bill
which empowers the president and the military to detain anyone they
suspect was involved in the 9/11 attacks or supports al-Qaida, the
Taliban, or “associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against
the United States or its coalition partners.”

President Obama has said he will veto the larger bill if the detainee
provision remains intact, but that hasn’t been enough to sway the
Senate.

Just 38 senators did the right thing when the measure reached the
Senate floor. One of them was Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who explained
to his colleagues just how significant this step is.

” [W]hat we are talking about here is that Americans could be
subjected to life imprisonment. Think about that for a minute. Life
imprisonment. Without ever being charged, tried, or convicted of a
crime. Without ever having an opportunity to prove your innocence to a
judge or a jury of your peers. And without the government ever having
to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. I think that denigrates
the very foundations of this country.”