Becuase Everything Else Sucks

New Law Gives Bush Judicial Powers

By Manila Ryce
Published Monday, October 2nd, 2006, 3:13 pm
Filed under: Terrorism, Society/Culture, US Politics

On Friday, Bush achieved a victory for an American police-state with the final passing of the detainee treatment bill through Congress. The bill allows the president to identify enemies, imprison them indefinitely, and interrogate them beyond the reach of the full court reviews traditionally afforded to criminal defendants and ordinary prisoners. It will also allow the president to determine the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions, and strips courts of jurisdiction to hear challenges to his interpretation.

Since the legislation does away with checks and balances, taking authority away from the judiciary branch and giving it to the president, it may be challenged by the Supreme Court. Critics say the bill allows the administration to declare any US citizen an unlawful combatant, subject to indefinite detention. Essentially, Congress is stripping courts of their jurisdiction over cases which are not strong enough to produce a guilty verdict. With this new bill, the unlawful imprisonment of a suspect can no longer be challenged by habeas corpus. The bill is being compared to the unconstitutional Alien and Sedition Acts during the administration of John Adams.

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3 Responses to “New Law Gives Bush Judicial Powers”

  1. […] In honor of the new law which has given the president judicial powers, Jon Stewart and John Oliver provide a bleak picture of what life would be like without Habeas Corpus. […]

    The Largest Minority » Blog Archive » The Daily Show: Life Without Habeas Corpus
    10/4/06 at 8:52 pm

  2. […] Personally, I went to a catholic school, and the idea of nuns with guns is just too terrifying to imagine. What’s next? Giving guns to pilots? …oops. Of course, there’s also the possibility that the idea of a gunfight with a teacher might actually encourage an attack since school shootings are usually pre-meditated suicide missions. Lasse cites Israel and Thailand as countries in which this program has worked well, though Thailand is under military rule and Israel has been known to beat the crap out of suspects. Perhaps we ought not take pointers on how to deal with domestic terrorism from a country like Israel. If we do, someday we too might be in danger of legalizing torture… oops again. […]

    The Largest Minority » Blog Archive » Stop School Shootings by Giving Teachers Guns
    10/5/06 at 3:35 am

  3. […] Democratic Senator Chris Dodd introduced legislation late last week that would make amendments to the Military Commissions Act. One such amendment would restore the right of habeas corpus to military detainees. The act, signed into law last month by President Bush, strips detainees of the right to have writs of habeas corpus considered by US courts. This clear violation of human rights was achieved by redefining the detainees as “unlawful enemy combatants”. […]

    The Largest Minority » Blog Archive » Will the Democrats Bring Habeas Corpus Back
    11/20/06 at 1:04 am

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