Just writing today for two reasons.
1. It's been awhile since I've written a diary, and one occasionaly gets the urge to fire up that Rube Goldberg machinery that clicks diaries down the list and off the chart.
2. I'm pissed off and I wanted to be really sarcastic, but there was nobody around.
So, the Bush criminals and all of their extreme right wing, neocon, religious zealot appeasers have finally succeeded in eliminating the writ of habeas corpus and, with it, all of the Bill of Rights (save the 3rd Amendment - for now). The highest regard for civilization expressed by humanity is now hanging from the toilet paper dispenser in the wash room just off the Oval Office. We are also, now, a nation that practices torture and other atrocities which our nation has created laws against, and set up courts to prosecute. We've withdrawn from Geneva and Nuremberg, arguing that all of that was "pre 9/11 thinking."
Article I, Section 9, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States of America states, "The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it." And Bush says that our safety is his top priority, reversing what he said in January of 2001, and again in January of 2005, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." There must be a couple of "oath taking" statements signed somewhere by the President.
The Constitution allows for the "suspension" of habeas corpus during a "rebellion or invasion," it does not allow for its elimination. No other American President ever even tried to suspend it, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was faced with a Civil War where a full two percent of the entire US population was killed. That just might qualify as a "rebellion," however the Supreme Court of the United States disagreed that Lincoln had sufficient cause to suspend the great writ, and reinstated it.
But Osama bin Laden "hates us for our freedom!" Therefore, logic dictates that Bush is sympathetic to Osama and has effectively removed the impediment to glowing diplomacy with al Qeada. As Keith Olbermann rightfully points out, the elimination of habeas corpus destroys every Amendment in the Bill of Rights with the exception of being free from housing soldiers in one's home during peace time. Hell, why would we want to house our soldiers when we don't even want to provide them effective weapons or body armor?
We here at dKos revel in the current polls which show a sinking of Republican popularity, and a rise in Democratic prospects. Never mind that gerrymandering over the past six years have made it so Democrats must poll ten points higher than Republicans in order to have any hope of recapturing a majority. But the nation is disregarding what polls tell us. The most reliable of polls (exit polls) have told us the Democrats won in 2000, 2002, and 2004. The counted votes don't seem to match up with who folks say they just voted for. This seems to be typical of nations which do not honor habeas corpus nor mandate civil liberties.
We don't need habeas corpus. There's nothing wrong with America which can't be solved by the elimination of gays and foreigners.
Excuse me for preparing my passport. I don't know if I would have agreed with Lincoln regarding habeas corpus, but I do agree with something else he said. "When the Know-Nothings get control, it [the Declaration of Independence] will read: 'All men are created equal except negroes, foreigners and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy."
Are there no leaders left in the "home of the brave" but cowards?