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Showing Original Post only (View all)Why should I endorse, or vote for, a President who signs this into law? [View all]
When Bush came out and stated that he had the right to have American citizens declared enemy combatant and held indefinitely, we here on DU screamed bloody hell at this unconstitutional outrage, and rightfully so.
Funny though, when a Democratic President signs a bill that codifies these powers into law, many here not only support the action, but defend it as well.
The NDAA of 2012 does just that, it allows the president to have anybody, citizen or not, seized and held for an indefinite length of time. Yes, Obama promised that he wouldn't use this power, but is that really any comfort? Promises mean nothing to politicians, and even if Obama does keep this one, he has still opened the way for future such abuses by future presidents. Think if Santorum acquired this power, or Romney, or Newt, or. . .
The sad thing is, Obama doesn't even seem that reluctant about breaking that promise of his.
"One official explained that President Obama does believe, however, that American citizens can be temporarily detained, and that the military has the right to capture and hold any citizen who is engaged in conflict against the United States. If various provisions in the law prove unworkable, the president could go back to Congress to ask for changes."
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/with-reservations-obama-signs-act-to-allow-detention-of-citizens/
So the question becomes this; why should I support or vote for somebody, anybody, who signs this kind of legislation? Why should I support or vote for a candidate who continues to tear up the Constitution? The lesser of two evils argument is getting mighty thin, truly. I should vote for a candidate who signs the law into being, but promises not to use it, never mind the weapon he is putting into the hands of future presidents? I think not.
One of the foremost duties of a president is to defend and uphold the Constitution. I didn't support Bush when he shredded the Constitution, neither did most Dems. Why should I support Obama when he also shreds the Constitution?