Yesterday, the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012, a law that allows the president and the military to detain American citizens indefinitely without trial and allows them to transfer custody to “foreign entities” if they are accused of “substantially” providing aid to al Queda or “associated groups.”

The signature was accompanied by this signing statement (an obviously unconstitutional practice which allows the president to reinterpret the law).  In many ways, the signing statement is worse than the actual law itself.  Furthermore, rather than using this opportunity to condemn the dissolution of Habeas Corpus, he laments that the congress has chosen to proceed with implementing any restrictions on his power at all.  Read More »

When I was a student in middle and high school, we would occasionally talk about the loss of civil liberties in tyrannical countries. It was explained to us that these dictatorships or countries headed in that direction would deny their citizens free speech, a fair trial and other basic rights.  This happened in all sorts of countries, western and eastern, rich and poor.  Of course we studied Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and Communist China, but we also looked at France, Greece and Spain, countries who’s corruption didn’t lead to the deaths of millions, but did lead to their subjugation.

I never understood how their people could abandon the principles of living in a free society with so little resistance.  I still don’t understand it, but I think I’m beginning to.   Read More »