The president issued an executive order about a military tribunal to hold a, in fact, hearing, trial, if you will, for terrorists. Let me show you what William Safire, who’s not a bleeding- heart liberal, had to say about this. And I’ll put it on the screen for you and our viewers: “...a president of the United States has just assumed what amounts to dictatorial power to jail or execute aliens. Intimidated by terrorists and inflamed by a passion for rough justice, we are letting George W. Bush get away with the replacement of the American rule of law with military kangaroo courts.”Safire goes on: “...His kangaroo court can conceal evidence by citing national security, make up its own rules, find a defendant guilty even if a third of the officers disagree, and execute the alien with no review by any civilian court. No longer does the judicial branch and an independent jury stand between the government and the accused. In lieu of those checks and balances central to our legal system, non- citizens face an executive that is now investigator, prosecutor, judge, jury and jailer or executioner. In an Orwellian twist, Bush’s order calls this Soviet-style abomination, ‘a full and fair trial.’”
Her answer, and I quote: "Now, under certain circumstances-and I want to emphasize extraordinary circumstances, probably limited circumstances-the president wants an option that does not take this kind of case into our normal court system." Note that she says "probably" limited! Yes, indeedy - W. trusts the people alright - just not to vote or be jurors!
To say that I'm devestated by what is happening to our country is an understatement. I wish there was something I could do, but I don't even know where to start.
