From the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):
under the bill, the military has the power to indefinitely imprison American citizens
So it has finally come to this.
After all the many betrayals of our Congress and Presidents and a disgrace for a Supreme Court the American Federal Government is now considering a bill to take away rights of Americans.
Continued from the ACLU:
The Senate is going to vote on whether Congress will give this president—and every future president — the power to order the military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians anywhere in the world...
The power is so broad that even U.S. citizens could be swept up by the military and the military could be used far from any battlefield, even within the United States itself.
And to head off any concern trolls before they even start:
Don’t be confused by anyone claiming that the indefinite detention legislation does not apply to American citizens. It does. There is an exemption for American citizens from the mandatory detention requirement (section 1032 of the bill), but no exemption for American citizens from the authorization to use the military to indefinitely detain people without charge or trial (section 1031 of the bill). So, the result is that, under the bill, the military has the power to indefinitely imprison American citizens, but it does not have to use its power unless ordered to do so.
How did we get here?
* A group of former CIA Agents aka Mujihadeen Al-Qaeda attacked America on 9/11.
* A criminally negligent and perpetually weak Democratic Party allowed the PATRIOT Act to Become Law.
* An Orwellian moneysucking agency called The Department of Homeland Security was instituted guaranteeing a permanent industry who would lobby for more national security laws for greater profits.
* Endless Wars leading to erosion of social and financial stability and an expansion of the so-called Military Industrial Complex.
Here we are. The founders would be disgusted at such a weak and shiftless country and people.
Enjoy your prisons and have a nice day.
Update: The Udall Amendment was defeated today. Many Democrats crossed the isle, including one of my Senators, Robert Menendez. A very sad day for America.
Update 2: Senator Menendez changed his vote, from Huffpo:
Sen. Menendez later sought, and was granted, unanimous consent from the Senate to change his vote. He is now recorded as supporting the Udall amendment, with the final tally changed to 38 to 60.