GOP Filibusters Bill Restoring Habeas Rights To Detainees

AP:

The Senate narrowly rejected legislation on Wednesday that would have given military detainees the right to protest their detention in federal court.

The 56-43 vote fell four shy of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate on the bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa. It was a blow for human rights groups that say a current ban on habeas corpus petitions could lead to the indefinite detention of individuals wrongfully suspected of terrorism.

President Bush and conservative Republicans counter that the ban, enacted last year, was necessary to stem the tide of legal protests flooding civilian courts.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[Grannysue]

So the GOPERS would rather stand with George then make certain our troops get enough time between assignments. Well, slap another "support our troops" sticker on their car. These people are so pathetic. Not very many of these rich white party boys ever served, yet they sure as hell love WAR. To bad our military is simply a backdrop for their election campaigns, and so many widgets to send off to fight and die.
Every single one of those Republicans or Democrats who voted against this bill should be thrown out of office immediately. But that won't happen, they will somehow try and spin this vote as one that supports our troops? You see they will say, if we vote to keep them there, then they will be more able to continue our WAR, if we let them come home on R and R between deployments, well, hell, they may not want to come back. The GOPERS just cannot take that chance, I mean hell maybe one of Mitt's sons would have to enlist and take another soldiers place who has died, oh, I forgot they only volunteer to go on "missions" for the Mormons, not for their country.

[average joe]

Maybe a P O W swap that right they don't have any. Anyone that gets detained get killed. I myself think we should the same. You people just don't get it. If bush had a set they'ed be dead. But you got the libby ass clowns wanting to give them rights. And thier mindless followers ranting like fagots. Welcome to dot org/ daily ko's/ and the demirat party. By the way sicko losted money so you pigs go rent it. Help a fat libby out.

[cowboyjerkface]

And over on redstate.com not a word about the "obstructionist"... Isnt it funny when the democrats fillibuster its obstruction but when a republican does it, they call it something else. So much for common sense!

[stlrfan]

Wake up America!!!
They could come to your door tomorrow and you would join the disappeared.

[progressivepam]

Okay, dems... quick lesson on democracy.... You were cowering in your boots over looking bad about filibusters when it was vital to this country. Fine, they want to filibuster our rights, LET THEM!!! Don't cave and say "okay, we won't do this..." Keep the debate open. Read the constitution. Give history lessons on the magna carta. Hold continual press conferences denouncing the republicans for holding up legislation. They are doing this constantly. Show them for who they are. Call them on everyone. Let America know that they are the obstructionists... not that dems get nothing donw... Unless, you're really happy to be obstructed.

[Danny]

Be afraid, America, be afraid. We are now no better than nations that imprison and torture their citizens with impunity. This isn't about separating "terrarists", this is about silencing dissent. Lindsay Graham, are you proud of yourself?

This cave-in by the Senate is beyond the pale.

[Sundialsvc4]

When you wonder where fundamental human rights like habeas corpus "went to," here is your answer:

CONGRESS is VOTING it away.

In this case, as in so many others, "it's not [just] the President, it's the Congress." It's not just this-party or that-party ... it's THE CONGRESS.

The true enemy that we fight is comfortably ensconced in the most hallowed halls of our government, in all three branches simultaneously.

Be warned: one lamp still burns brightly in the Christ Church tower... "one if by land" ... "one if by land" ...

[Miamiman]

I for one am happy with the vote. They were picked up in the battlefield during a war. NO HABEAS CORPUS for them

[MWAnderson]

MORON!!!

[olivia]

Or for you either, Genius.

[LeftAngelWing]

You the man miamiman! NOT!

[speakingtruth2power]

This isn't about civil rights for some unknown Muslim extremist who has murdered his own people and our troops. This is about all of our human rights, including Habeas corpus which we won over seven hundred years ago over tyranny.

This is about society continuing to evolve putting the rights of mankind over the power of a very few. We must all earn our freedom, every generation must defend it. When it is taken away, we must win it back with our ballots. If and when that is denied US, we must take it back in the streets, voting first with our feet, then with our blood.

[lornejl]

This is exactly why taking impeachment off the table was insane, nothing will get passed by the dems, and if by some freaking miracle it did, dumbya would veto it. Its all God Damned politics.

[Trittydi]

Note to the Repiglicans ~~

You'd better hope you never need it you bastards.
*

[USMCMUSTANG]

Thank you, you c@cksucking, chickenshit, repuke assholes. You are the enemy of the people of the world.

[accountability]

President Bush and conservative Republicans counter that the ban, enacted last year, was necessary to stem the tide of legal protests flooding civilian courts.

EXCUSE ME?

We will now make it illegal to legally protest because we don't want to work too hard or hire more people to take care of the overflow from our illegal war and detentions.

Oh, ok, now I understand.

Ya know what.
Fuck You.
I am so sick of this, so sick of thes mofo's never stopping .
Fuck them.

[TheQuestion]

Necessary to stem the tide of legal protests flooding civilian courts ?

Isn't that what the courts have been establihed for ?

Are they trying to say that - we can't give them rights because we are too busy ?

[formerprof]

Hey, folks, check out a really good related article by Glenn Greenwald excoriating the Democratic congressional leaders' plan to cave in to Bush's new demands for permanently gutting FISA. The article appears on Salon.com http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?last_story=/opinion/greenwald/2007/09/19/democrats_fisa//).