The only true nonpartisan fight left in the United States

[mmonk]

We are told by many Democrats that the era of partisanship is over. And in this spirit we are told, is that any movement of holding the previous administration accountable for crimes against the Constitution and crimes against the laws of this country is a partisan witch hunt we should not seek because the country needs to move forward and fix the problems the American people would like them to fix. And in doing things this way, the Obama administration is being a presidency for all the people of the United States, both red America and blue America. And then Obama gives a speech with The Constitution as his backdrop, that he will reestablish the rule of law, our Constitution, and our nation’s founding principles. He does this while he proposes a continuance of questionable military commissions with a little tweaking on his part and a concept as foreign to the Constitution, the development of western law, and the founding principles of this country as “prolonged detention” without trial or evidence and still retains rendition in the continuing war against a concept called “a war against terrorism”. Of course, it is not the purview of the executive branch and the executive branch alone in a nation built on the principles of checks and balances and division of power in the United States to claim to reestablish laws since those laws are still the laws of this country nor to propose new laws such as providing legal concepts foreign to our body of law. Obama claims that no one is above the law and that we have mechanisms to punish violators and uphold the law through the courts and congress. He says this as he has expressed he is against congressional hearings and investigations. He says this while his Justice Department uses the state secrets privilege on many remaining cases to deny those who were wronged by the previous administration’s illegal activities their day in court and which has been used against American whistleblowers such as Sibel Edmonds. This Department of Justice has shown just how far it is willing to go to defend former Bush administration officials by its interjection into the civil case of Joe and Valerie Plame Wilson vs. Cheney, Rove, Libby, and Armitage through issuance of court briefs.

We are told that those who seek investigations, impeachment, and justice concerning Bush administration illegalities are political partisans seeking criminalization of policy differences. We hear this theme from Obama administration officials and we hear it from Cheney spewing on television his defense of torture and various fabrications. If it is true this is a partisan issue from “liberal Democrats” seeking political retribution, then how does one explain the diverse political leanings and opinions of those that seek application of the law? How could diverse persons such as liberal Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Republican Bruce Fein, former associate attorney general and general counsel of the FCC under President Reagan as well as Research Director to then-Congressman Dick Cheney on the Joint Congressional Committee on Covert Arms Sales to Iran as well as a former Visiting Fellow for Constitutional Studies at the Heritage Foundation, both be on the same side of this issue? In fact, one could look at not prosecuting former Bush administration officials as the ultimate partisan fight between political parties. That would be a competitive fight for ultimate power beyond Constitutional and legal restraints and for ultimate geopolitical power in a world that seeks and tries to protect itself through the use of international law and cooperation which our recent actions have rejected.

Don’t be seduced by the false arguments and distractions by the media and political operatives such as what did Pelosi know when she was minority leader or whether waterboarding is torture and don’t be seduced with the words “enhanced interrogation techniques” and the TV show 24. Waterboarding or “water torture” is one of the oldest forms of torture. The United States prosecuted Japanese military leaders at the end of World War II for its use. Enhanced Interrogation Techniques comes from “Verschärfte Vernehmung” or enhanced interrogation which was a system of torture designed to “leave no marks” and was a form of torture the Gestapo created in World War II designed for “civilian insurgents without uniforms” and from which the Bush administration borrowed heavily from in constructing its techniques. Both are torture and are illegal under United States law and are considered war crimes. Don’t be seduced by leaders that say some of the rights of citizens need to be curtailed or that they need extra emergency powers for national security for history has shown them to be the arguments of tyranny throughout history. One of the beautiful things the U.S. gave the world were the concepts of self government through our Constitution and the Bill of Rights which also stresses no one is above the law. Another was the Nuremberg Principles of which through these principles was formed the basis of international law. Do not give into those who sully this reputation concerning the rule of law that is our legacy but which we have abandoned recently. It is time to return to those American principles and the freedom and moral guidance they have provided. Let’s not lose America’s greatest nonpartisan fight, the fight for liberty and justice for all.

[tavalon]

1. Amen!

[StateSecrets]

2. K & R

[mmonk]

8. One wonders what the State Secrets Protection Act will have

on future government or whether it will become law.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. The effort to sweep the nasty business under the rug is "bi-partisan".

There are far too many complicit and bloody hands in both parties to expect the powers-that-be to do anything but sing, in chorus, that "we didn't know."

[mmonk]

4. Unfortunately.

The question is what do we lose as citizens.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Hopefully, the illusion that politicians are trustworthy.

"From such beginnings of governments, what could be expected, but a continual system of war and extortion?" Thomas Paine

"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." Thomas Paine

[mmonk]

7. That would be where any hope lies.

[pleah]

5. K&R

[MasonJar]

9. Brilliantly eloquent. Thank you for speaking for many of us.

[mmonk]

10. Thanks for your kind words.

Our voices must not fade.

[Time for change]

11. Excellent points

As you say, it is not the president's perogative to determine which of our laws he deems no longer applicable, or to make a grand display of his "bipartisanship" by choosing to make his Justice Department blind to the transgressions of the opposing party.

These are not partisan issues. Ironically, in his over-eagerness to demonstrate his "bipartisanship" he has made these things to seem like a much more partisan issue than they should be. He is in fact treating it like a partisan issue.

[mmonk]

12. Now up on my blog.

http://mmonk-ponderings.blogspot.com/

[voc]

13. And Justice for all.....

Yes it is wonderful to reminisce about the ideals of America. But when have we honestly ever had liberty and justice for all? When has the Rule of Law applied to everyone?
I submit that we asked for change and we are getting exactly what we asked for. A whole new American way that reflects the real America not the Great American Experiment , which at this moment seems illusive at best.

[mmonk]

14. Never, but we are going in the wrong direction.

Now our system is being changed.