NYT editorial: Reversing the lawless policies of Bush and Cheney: A Must-Do List

[DeepModem Mom]

The Must-Do List
Published: March 4, 2007

The Bush administration’s assault on some of the founding principles of American democracy marches onward despite the Democratic victory in the 2006 elections. The new Democratic majorities in Congress can block the sort of noxious measures that the Republican majority rubber-stamped. But preventing new assaults on civil liberties is not nearly enough.

Five years of presidential overreaching and Congressional collaboration continue to exact a high toll in human lives, America’s global reputation and the architecture of democracy. Brutality toward prisoners, and the denial of their human rights, have been institutionalized; unlawful spying on Americans continues; and the courts are being closed to legal challenges of these practices.

It will require forceful steps by this Congress to undo the damage. A few lawmakers are offering bills intended to do just that, but they are only a start. Taking on this task is a moral imperative that will show the world the United States can be tough on terrorism without sacrificing its humanity and the rule of law.

Today we’re offering a list — which, sadly, is hardly exhaustive — of things that need to be done to reverse the unwise and lawless policies of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Many will require a rewrite of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, an atrocious measure pushed through Congress with the help of three Republican senators, Arlen Specter, Lindsey Graham and John McCain; Senator McCain lent his moral authority to improving one part of the bill and thus obscured its many other problems.

•

Our list starts with three fundamental tasks:

Restore Habeas Corpus

One of the new act’s most indecent provisions denies anyone Mr. Bush labels an “illegal enemy combatant” the ancient right to challenge his imprisonment in court. The arguments for doing this were specious. Habeas corpus is nothing remotely like a get-out-of-jail-free card for terrorists, as supporters would have you believe. It is a way to sort out those justly detained from those unjustly detained. It will not “clog the courts,” as Senator Graham claims. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has a worthy bill that would restore habeas corpus. It is essential to bringing integrity to the detention system and reviving the United States’ credibility....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/opinion/04sun1.html?hp

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. What got into the water at the NYT?

Not that I see anything wromg wih this... Habeas Corpus is first order of things

[TahitiNut]

2. "... unwise and LAWLESS policies ..." (emphasis mine)

Impeach. Remove. Indict. Convict. Imprison. (Rinse. Repeat.)


And take that "table" and turn it into splinters for insertion under the appropriate fingernails.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. May have good news for you

today was listening to local show, local delegation went to see local reps in DC

They found the mood incredibly changed and in between all the words used, they are getting more agressive with all them committee hearings (they are up to sixty so far), and they are in the process of lining legal ducks in row.

I think we may still see Impeachment before the window closes

[loudsue]

4. I just watched "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib" on HBO.

If they DON'T bring charges against this administration, this nation will NEVER return to decency. Rumsfeld should be tried and imprisoned. Quitting his post shouldn't get him out of the charges against him. We need neocon heads ROLLING over what this administration has done to this country.

I hope you're right, Nadin. I hope they get enough legal ducks in a row to make sure no republican EVER gets elected again.

:kick::kick::kick:

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Unless they do to the GOP

what Germany did to the Nazi party, they will get elected.

;-)

Just pointing a little fact

The other little fact is that if things continue to go down I don't expect EITHER party to survive

Then again, there are days I don't expect the country to survive

;-)

But, that interview gave me hope. Even one of the local GOPers gave them the time of day... the other two didn't but if they did I would have checked to see if the sky was still blue.

[Parisle]

8. "Neocon heads rolling," ,,indeed

--- Not that I believe the democrats have the will to do it,.. or that the political industry would permit it,.. but the neocon-PNAC cabal ought to be dealt with in a manner consistent with the intent embodied by the phrase, "shock and awe." We have to deal them a Judgement Day that is second only to the one which will consign them to eternal perdition.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Neocon covers people on both sides though

and we must realize this... Joe Lieberman comes to mind

[aquart]

6. Scream. This makes me want to scream.

They still don't have the guts to admit that someone has to step out of the shower and tell us it's 2000 and Gore was elected. EVERYTHING BushCo enacted is poisonous. There is nothing worth salvaging. Junk it all.

[annabanana]

11. And THIS is why I want Gore to run.

The symbolism ALONE would be worth having him in the White House, as he should have been 6 years ago. It would show the world that Americans still have some say in how the Country is run. Everything good that he would do to right the capsized Ship of State would be gravy.

[WiseButAngrySara]

13. Yes. ....n/t

[CJCRANE]

7. 1) Reverse Bush-Cheney out of the WH n/t

[femmedem]

9. K & R n/t

[jimshoes]

10. Couldn't agree more

kick and recommended. Issuing pardons or not pursuing legal remedies to the neocon takeover of government and letting these criminals skate will doom this country to another generation or more of greed driven politics/government, with it all the unpleasant side effects that come with it. War, terrorism, regime throw overs, election rigging, military coups, crony contracts, K Street bribe factory, media monopolies, Constitution shredding, Bill of Rights eliminating, more spying on US citizens, no Habeas Corpus, unfettered corporatism, unaccountability in government, a "you're on your own" attitude to natural disasters, shockingly horrible treatment of wounded and disabled military veterans, debt ad infinitum, and the politics of personal destruction, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. We must demand change!

[WiseButAngrySara]

12. "Taking on this task is a MORAL IMPERATIVE" K&R ....n/t

[bonito]

14. K&R

[thethinker]

15. We have had this problem

because we did not pursue the Iran Contra scandal. They should have all gone to jail. Instead, Bush has put them all back in positions of power. And we can see the results.

The democrats have a way of letting them off the hook. That must not happen this time. The leaders, as well as anyone who has been a part of destroying the country, need to be tried and hung.

If we let them walk they will come back again and again. It is too profitable to corporations and a few individuals for them not to try again. We also need to go after any money they have made from this.

[stellanoir]

16. understandinglife just kindly posted a link to this on a thread I had started

I said thanks and from this op-ed to "creatrix's" ears.

Let's make it so.

thanks DMM. K & R'd

[IWantAChange]

18. Just keep raising that curtain so the entire country can see how inept the Wizard really is

and the November '07 elections will take care of those who supported, subscribe to the bile spewed by or are card carrying Neocons and PNAC'ers.