by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington, Dec 14, 2011
Image by Shrieking Tree via Flickr
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today outlined his opposition to H.R. 1540, the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a speech on the House floor. The NDAA contains unprecedented language that would authorize the military to indefinitely detain individuals without charge or trial – including U.S. citizens and those captured on U.S. soil. It also “affirms” that the U.S. is in an armed conflict with Al Qaeda, the Taliban and “associated forces” (that are undefined), setting the stage for permanent global warfare.
“This bill authorizes permanent warfare anywhere in the world. It gives the president unchecked power to pursue war. It diminishes the role of this Congress. The founders saw Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which places in the hands of Congress the war power, as essential to a check and balance against the executive abuse of power. This legislation diminishes Congress’ role in that regard.”
“This legislation authorizes the military to indefinitely detain individuals without charge or trial, including the detention of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil. In short, what this bill does is it takes a wrecking ball to the United States Constitution and gives enormous power to the government or the state. I want friends on both sides of the aisle to understand this; we are giving the state more power over individuals with this bill. It’s the wrong direction.”
“Our children deserve a world without end, not a war without end. Our children deserve a world where they know the government will protect them, that it is not going to rule over them by invading their very thoughts and going, as the PATRIOT Act does, going into their banking records or into their educational records. We have to keep the government out of people’s lives and stop the government from getting more into war which gives the government more control over people. This is the time we take a stand for the Constitution and a stand for a government which is smaller when it comes on matters of war.”
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“Life, Liberty, & Indefinite Detention Without A Trial” – M.O.C. #100
LeeCamp2 on Dec 14, 2011
It’s seems that Obama and Congress have finally agreed on something! They support the indefinite detention of American citizens WITHOUT charges or a trial. Hurray! Cheers to cooperation!! [Also on today’s Moment of Clarity podcast – NY Times bestseller GREG PALAST]
see
S 1867: Killing The Bill of Rights and Declaring War on Americans by Tim Gatto
Congress and the Dangerous Drive Towards Creating a Military State by Andy Worthington
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Whether or not he supports Obama in 2012 remains to be seen, but he did (with others, including Ron Paul) file a lawsuit against Obama for his war with Libya, very much against the party line. Kucinich is more than just rhetoric, and while there are certainly things about him I could criticize, he’s one of the few politicians of either dominant party I have any respect for.
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“This is the time we take a stand for the Constitution”?
Does this mean that Kucinich will be calling for impeachment of the unitary executive? Does this mean that he will refuse to support Obama the war criminal in the next election?
Fat chance. Kucinich is the problem, not the solution. He continues to co-opt the forces that otherwise could challenge the rule of concentrated money.
Good questions, Harry.