Yesterday, I wrote about a the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility Closure Act of 2007 bill introduced to the United States Senate by Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin. I remarked at how surprised I was that no other senator has yet co-sponsored the bill, which would require the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prisons within 120 days.
The good news is that there is another bill in the Senate requiring the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prisons. It’s not as strong a bill as the legislation proposed by Senator Harkin, but it’s better than nothing. Harkin’s legislation requires closing the Guantanamo gulags within 120 days. The alternative bill, sponsored by Senator Diane Feinstein, gives George W. Bush one year to close down the prisons of Guantanamo down.
The co-sponsorship of Feinstein’s bill is telling for those citizens looking for points of distinction between the Democratic canddates for President in 2008. There are four Democratic presidential candidates who, as senators, are able to give co-sponsorship to either Harkin’s bill or Feinstein’s bill. However, only two of those candidates have actually bothered to act.
Christopher Dodd and Hillary Clinton have supported Diane Feinstein’s legislation to close the Guantanamo Bay prisons.
Barack Obama and Joseph Biden have withheld their support from both bills to close the prisons at Guantanamo.
I know that Barack Obama talks big about how he would close down the Guantanamo Bay prisons if elected President. Talk is easy, Mr. Obama. Actions are what matter.
As for Joe Biden, this sort of inaction is just what I’ve come to expect. It’s a safe bet that if there’s an important piece of legislation going through the Senate, Senator Biden won’t lift a finger to help it through.
There is another presidential candidate from the Senate who has promised to close the Guantanamo Bay prisons if he is elected: John McCain. Wouldn’t you know it? John McCain’s actions don’t match his words. John McCain has not cosponsored either Tom Harkin’s legislation or Diane Feinstein’s legislation. Flip flop McCain. First he’s against Guantanamo, then he’s for it. I wonder what his position will be next week.
