Comments on: Happy Dictatorship Day

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 19:32:32 +0000

Here is the best summary I have seen on the nuts-and-bolts of the torture compromise legislation:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/53539/print/

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 15:13:03 +0000

Frank - I agree that an act of Congress cannot nullify a constitutional right. And it was not the Constituition which created those rights. Instead, the politicians of the late 1700s were compelled to admit that the rights were pre-existing - else the stalwart Americans of those times would likely not have tolerated the creation of the federal government.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 15:10:33 +0000

Chris - Hayek & Mises are great sources of light in these times.

Good luck in the Air Force. Hopefully peace will break out sooner than we expect.

By: Johnny Deterick

Johnny Deterick — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 12:37:34 +0000

For Aussie Bob:

Dictatorships are not especially hereditary in their nature; that’s what monarchies generally accomplish. And if we do get Hillary and if she uses Bush’s new “powers,” which she will have inherited by precedent, then, yeah, we’ll have a problem with that, too. This is, after all, a matter of constitutional principle, not a partisan pissing match, as much as the Republicans have worked to make it partisan.

As for the bullies and victims thing, I can only assume that you do not understand that this blog is a forum for those who dissent to U.S. foreign policy. I dunno, maybe you Aussies have achieved complete unanimity on political matters and just can’t conceive of dissent.

By: Frank Elwell

Frank Elwell — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 05:52:02 +0000

Many comentators and writers claim that the rights of US citizens have been abrogated by some act of Congress. This is not possible. The U.S. Constitution cannot be altered by legislation. The manner of changing the Constitution is clearly spelled-out and no alternatives are given. 16 Am. Jur. 2nd, Sec. 177 late 2nd, Sec.256 States: “No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law and no court is bound to enforce it”. We are living under a lawless order and what rules is ‘who has the biggest club’. (’Club’? Perhaps ‘money’ is a club.) I am not saying that a citizen cannot be abused under present conditions and have no recourse to lawful procedure. They certainly can because each of us has only a very small club. Too bad citizens! If there was a leader who could put all these ’small clubs’ together, we would have a chance. but we have lost to a nation that exists within our nation. No one paid attention and I doubt that many know which nation this is.

Frank

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:56:04 +0000

I am in the Air Force. I joined shortly before 9/11 while I was still in college. At the time I was one of Bush’s staunchest supporters…I was all for rounding up those who “terrorize us” and making sure others thought like myself. After I graduated and went to my technical training I started reading libertarian literature, especially along the lines of Hayek, Mises, Rothbard, Epstein, Friedman, etc. I quickly came to realize how wrong I had been. Govt is the problem, not those who disagree. As I have continued to serve in the Air Force, and will for the foreseeable future, I continue to grow in my anger against the administration for using the military as its own weapon for empire-building. I cannot begin to tell you how many folks in the military HATE the terror wars and the way things are going. People are getting out of the military left and right because the history of my father’s generation is playing out in mine. It is not as bad as the media portrays, it is worse! The Congress bowing to George II makes me even more sick.

What are freedom-loving, authority-distrusting Americans to do?

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:32:06 +0000

Turbostang - Since they already know that you are a repeat ideological offender, then you have nothing left to lose.

It may be entertaining to watch the contortions of Bush’s defenders in the coming weeks & months. On the other hand, they haven’t been hobbled by scruples since the 2001 holiday season.

By: Victor Anderson

Victor Anderson — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 02:00:34 +0000

YANK FREE: Alternative Sunshine Government of We the (sovereign) People of these United States (credit also to those other Americans to the south)!

By: Turbostang

Turbostang — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:59:01 +0000

Sheesh! And to think I was actually labeled a Stalinist in the past by some people in the pro-Bush camp for my anti-war/pro-constitution stance. It’s just a matter of time folks.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:38:52 +0000

Edwin - that’s great!

Monty Python is the perfect tonic for a time like this.

If the US govt is going to be torturing, at least Americans can be positive thinkers.