Today, both the Republican and Democratic political parties lost the right to claim that they stand for freedom, justice and the American way.
In the U.S. Senate this afternoon, there came to the floor a terrible bill for a final vote. This bill, H.R. 1540, the Defense Authorization Act, contained a provision that would allow the federal government to imprison Americans without criminal charge for as long as it wants – on the mere accusation of association with a terrorist organization.
The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America declares that “No person shall… be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”. That makes H.R. 1540 plainly and profoundly unconstitutional. The issue isn’t even one of a right to a fair trial. At issue is whether Americans have a right to a trial at all. H.R. 1540 allows Americans to be punished for alleged crimes without any trial. The legislation completely overturns the presumption of innocence in American law, and creates a system where the presumption of guilt rules instead.
There were only 6 Democrats who voted against this insult to democracy. There were only 6 Republicans who had the courage to vote against it. Independent Senator Bernard Sanders was made the 13th senator out of 100 to defend Americans’ right to a trial.
The second group in the roll call you see below is the long list of U.S. senators who voted in favor of passage of the prolonged imprisonment of American citizens without criminal charge or trial. Every single one of these senators deserves to lose their next election. Nothing in the United States of America, not party loyalty or ideology, is more important than the fundamental right to be free of the fear that police can imprison a person without trial.
One more note, before the roll call. There lists below only add up to 99. One U.S. Senator didn’t even bother to cast a vote. Jerry Moran of Kansas gets the label of coward. On a matter of this importance, there’s no excuse for indecision and evasion of responsibility.
- The Roll Call of Honor -
Senators Who Voted Against Imprisonment Of Americans Without Charge
Senator Benjamin Cardin, Senator Thomas Coburn, Senator Mike Crapo, Senator Jim DeMint, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Al Franken, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Rand Paul, Senator James Risch, Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Ron Wyden
- The Roll Call of Shame -
Senators Who Voted In Favor Of Imprisonment Of Americans Without Charge
Daniel Akaka, Lamar Alexander, Kelly Ayotte, John Barrasso, Max Baucus, Mark Begich, Michael Bennet, Jeff Bingaman, Richard Blumenthal, Roy Blunt, John Boozman, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Scott Brown, Richard Burr, Maria Cantwell, Thomas Carper, Robert Casey, Saxby Chambliss, Daniel Coats, Thad Cochran, Susan Collins, Kent Conrad, Chris Coons, Bob Corker, John Cornyn, Michael Enzi, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Lindsey Graham, Charles Grassley, Kay Hagan, Orrin Hatch, Dean Heller, John Hoeven, Kay Hutchison, James Inhofe, Daniel Inouye, Johnny Isakson, Mike Johanns, Tim Johnson, Ron Johnson, John Kerry, Mark Kirk, Amy Klobuchar, Herb Kohl, Jon Kyl, Mary Landrieu, Frank Lautenberg, Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin, Joseph Lieberman, Richard Lugar, Joe Manchin, John McCain, Claire McCaskill, Mitch McConnell, Robert Menendez, Barbara Mikulski, Lisa Murkowski, Patty Murray, Bill Nelson, Ben Nelson, Robert Portman, Mark Pryor, Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Pat Roberts, John Rockefeller, Marco Rubio, Charles Schumer, Jeff Sessions, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Shelby, Olympia Snowe, Debbie Stabenow, Jon Tester, John Thune, Pat Toomey, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, David Vitter, Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Sheldon Whitehouse, Roger Wicker
Thanks for reporting this information, J. Clifford. Bernie Sanders, Dick Durbin and the other 11 Senators — who you importantly note are bipartisan — did the right thing.
The other 89 cheapen the Capitol Building with their presence.
All this on Bill of Rights Day. Yes, December 15 is Bill of Rights Day.
Vote the bums out!
It’s back to the middle ages! So much for democracy and the”rule of law.” What a sad story the US has become. Osama bin Laden would be proud of the reaction he started, and it seems he new our leadership better than we knew ourselves. Now we’re looked upon as little better than Syria.
bin Laden was not the cause, but more of a well-timed excuse for those who are by nature selfish and tyrannical to exert their will over a people who have themselves become selfish and decadent.
the american ideal is dead at the hands of the federal government.
the solution – dissolve the union … power to the states.
how long before such speech is declared “terror” and those who utter it consigned to the slow death of rotting in prison?
Um, of course that would be “KNEW” not new, above. Sorry for the typo.
We have the BOSS though to shut it down
Who’s the BOSS at the debates?
It would appear that “defend the constitution” is nothing more than a bumper sticker phrase.
If we the people don’t stand up and hold these senators accountable, then we don’t deserve to put that bumper sticker on our cars.
It’s looking more and more like Ron Paul is only person left standing for the Constitution (i know he has “baggage” that i don’t like, but this issue is critical).
Uh, Ron Paul has baggage like racism, homophobia, cozy ties with lobbyists, support for insane conspiracy theories, and right wing economic theories that would undo practically all legislation, leaving us at the mercy of corporate lawyers.
That’s not just baggage. It’s a 10 ton steamer trunk in the cargo hold.
Why not support Rocky Anderson or Jill Stein?
J. Clifford, you are mistaken and buying propaganda or spewing your own. Ron Paul understands that government exists to protect the people, and he has lived this for 30 years. His views are opposite to what you”re been told. You are listening to those pitting us against eachother. Ron Paul will unite us and give us our freedoms back. http://www.gcnlive.com/wp/2011/12/27/why-neo-cons-hate-ron-paul%e2%80%99s-honest-foreign-policy/
Hannah, While he speaks well on many issues, that’s not the whole game. Besides, what makes anyone think that he would have the power or ability to change so dramatically something that is baked into the cake? He wouldn’t survive a week.
Much of this bagge you attribute to others is actually his and his alone. He believes in unfettered Capitalism as a form of Governance. That is obvious to anyone who has heard him speak. He does not believe in the collective WE but in the silly objectivism of Ayn Rand.
I love how the uninformed cannot back up these claims of “baggage”. So, please prove me wrong J. Clifford. And NO bloggers writings are not evidence that is propaganda designed to mislead.
Tkoop, you’re not being clear. What am I supposed to prove wrong, exactly?
Executive orders? Ron Paul could & most likely will only be able to write executive order 13601. That order will undo all other executive orders. Thereby, setting law back to the Bill of Rights & Contstitution. Of course the corporate controlled police state will ignore this & continue to prosecute law abiding citizens. So, Ron Paul will spend his entire presidency pardoning the illegally prosecuted.