Mikulski Stands For Habeas Corpus. Why Won’t Clinton and Obama?

March is a new month for the Project to Repeal the Military Commissions Act, and with the turning of the month, another Senator, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, has endorsed S. 576, the Restoring the Constitution Act. S. 576 was introduced to the floor of the United States Senate by Christopher Dodd, who is seeking support for the bill on his Restore Habeas web site. S. 576 does not completely repeal the Military Commissions Act, but it does undo most of the worst provisions of the infamous law.

Christopher Dodd is also running for President, so standing up against the Military Commissions Act can be seen as a good political move for him – a way to gain the support of the freedom-loving political base of the Democratic Party. Whatever Dodd’s motivations, working to undo the Military Commissions Act remains the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, the other Democratic senators who are running for President in 2008 don’t seem to see it that way. Barack Obama has not endorsed S. 576. Neither has Hillary Clinton. The Restoring the Constitution Act has not been endorsed by Joseph Biden either.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t expect Senator Biden to do the right thing. Joseph Biden usually seems more interested in preening and talking about his own wisdom than in joining in the struggle to do the right thing. I expected better from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, though.

Why won’t they take a stand against the Military Commissions Act? Are they too busy?

Senator Clinton hasn’t been too busy to introduce S. 748, a bill to establish the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center in New York City. Senator Obama hasn’t been too busy to go and give a speech before AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a group that proudly calls itself “America’s pro-Israel Lobby”.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have plenty of time to support the effort to undo the Military Commissions Act. Both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama have talked about how bad the Military Commissions Act is. So far, however, all they have to offer against the Military Commissions Act is talk. They don’t seem to care enough about the issue to really do anything about it – even though they have the power as U.S. senators to make a big difference.

The inaction of Obama and Clinton does not speak well of the kind of leadership that they would offer if elected President of the United States. Would they seek to use the powers of the Military Commissions Act once they gained the power of the presidency?