CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS ALERT!
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While the extreme unconstitutional aspects of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) have gotten a lot of coverage lately, the broad, systematic, bipartisan congressional attacks on our civil rights continue. And if you thought the NDAA was over the top, read on…
Now we have something truly extreme, called the “Enemy Expatriation Act” (H.R. 3166; S.1698) which can lead to citizens accused of terrorist activities or supporting such activities of being stripped of their citizenship. As with the NDAA, the specifics of what constitutes “terrorism” or “supporting” are left purposely vague in order to be maximally elastic.
The House version was introduced by Rep. Charles Dent (R-PA15) and the Senate version was brought forward by that old enemy of the people Joe Lieberman (I-CN) - this guy is the equivalent of terminal bone cancer. As if you needed another excuse to send a donation to Elizabeth Warren’s senate campaign, her opponent, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) was Lieberman’s co-sponsor.
The two bills are very short; not much longer than the shopping list of a busy fascist. And the calculus is coldly simple; non-citizens don’t have the rights of citizens, which makes making them disappear into prisons, or, death or perhaps, subject to rendition to other nations where torture is common much easier.
“Put simply, this bill gives the U.S. government the power to revoke your citizenship, thereby nullifying your RIGHTS as an American citizen, if they believe you are even merely SUPPORTING acts against the United States. The Obama administration has pledged not to use the NDAA against American citizens. However, if this bill passes, you could be stripped of your citizenship, and subjected to the full, treacherous acts of the NDAA. You will no longer have your rights as a citizen to protect you.” http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2012/01/13/the-enemy-expatriation-act
And of course, if you are suddenly declared to no longer be a United States citizen then it’s all the easier (though it is disgracefully easy already) to subject you to the lawless discretion of the the NDAA.
Let’s say Obama would hold to his word and not use the powers of the NDAA or this new proposal. Great. But what do you think the chances would be of a President Gingrich holding to the traditions of legal niceties? Heck, I doubt Obama wouldn’t use those powers. Look at how patriot Bradley Manning has been treated by this administration. While Obama likes to crow that he has stopped torture, Manning has been tortured.
One would hope that everyone , no matter their political leanings, would see both the NDAA and the “Enemy Expatriation Act” as the serious threats they are to the rights and civil security of every single American. I would consider a tea party activist subject to this law to be as wrong as if it happened to a friend in the Occupy movement.
This is, truly, an example of where a “threat to one is a threat to all”.
Isn’t amazing how something so dangerous to our daily rights and security can be bubbling along in congress and the mainstream media completely ignores it. Well, we really shouldn’t be surprised. The Occupy movement has shaken the corporate controllers right down to their shiny wingtips and all the machinery of government from cops to the military to the drones being launched into U.S air space to the courts to the legislature have been thrown into high gear to institutionalize, systematize, economize and (in their minds) legitimize the police state crackdown that will happen .
Between the ramping up of Occupy actions in the spring and the war against Iran that will be launched sometime after the fall elections, they will have a need to corral and control large numbers of people. And make no mistake, both parties in congress and the White House are ramming this shit through to shut down dissent.
There’s more to learn about this latest threat to our liberties, but this video will provide an overview. A few other links on details of the bills and their status are provided below.
14-Minute Video. There is also an essay that accompanies this video, which provides some historical context and perspective: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/9032.html
Text of H.R. 3166: Enemy Expatriation Act: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h112-3166
Where H.R. 3166 is in the legislative process: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-3166
Text of S.1698: Enemy Expatriation Act: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:s1698:
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