Remember when the shoe bomber was read his Miranda rights, an outrageous bid to live within our constitutional order, and the world ended and terrorists won and Republicans demanded George Bush's resignation?
It turns out that the shoe bomber and the underpants bomber have something in common besides their use of apparel to conceal explosive devices designed to bring down airplanes.
And Republicans can give up their talking point about the Miranda rights for the Christmas Day bomber representing a dangerous new direction under President Barack Obama.
It turns out that that back in December 2001, Richard Reid — the “shoe bomber” — was read or reminded of his Miranda rights four times in two days, beginning five minutes after being taken into custody.
Furthermore, the Bush administration specifically rejected the idea of a military tribunal — another step that Republicans have argued should have been taken in the case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to
bring down a flight into Detroit on Dec. 25 and was read his rights after 50 minutes of FBI questioning.
Quelle horreur! How did we ever survive as a nation despite following the US Constitution? What we need is a good dictator that will tell us, in a very butch voice, that he's going to "keep us safe". Otherwise, way too many Republicans will piddle their pants in fear. And really, how can they all go Galt if they're cowering under their desks in fear?
For those who aren't quaking in your boots, fact is that the Department of Justice has had a solid record of dealing with terrorists, even going back to the Bush years.
It's still amazing to me how many people would rather tear up the Constitution, than treat two-bit wannabee martyrs as the common criminals that they are.