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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Monday, January 22, 2007 10:32 PM CST
Letter: Bush tries to suspend right of habeas corpus

By PHYLLIS CHAPMAN, Shelbyville

In October 2006 the Military Commissions Act was passed, a bill which contains a part that authorizes the president to suspend the right of habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is Latin for “you have the body.” It grants prisoners the right to request from a judge the reasons for his incarceration. Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution plainly states: “The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.” The writ of habeas corpus in common law countries is an important instrument, for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action.

The Military Commissions Act says that prisoners could be imprisoned indefinitely and even tortured without legal recourse. Language within the act apparently places innocent U.S. citizens in jeopardy.

The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2006 S. 4081 would restore the great writ of habeas corpus, for hundreds of years a cornerstone of American liberty that Congress and the president rolled back in an unprecedented and unnecessary way with October’s Military Commission Act.

The Justice Department’s brief says that the government can detain any non-citizen declared to be an enemy combatant. But this law Congress passed says that government need not even make the declaration; they can hold people indefinitely who are just awaiting determination whether or not they are enemy combatants.

It gets worse. Republican leaders in the Senate greatly expanded the definition of “enemy combatants” in the dark of night in the final days before the bill’s passage, so that enemy combatants need not be soldiers on any battlefield. They can be people who give money, or people that any group of decision-makers selected by the president decides to call enemy combatants. The possibilities are chilling.

Let your Washington congressmen know that you support S. 4081!

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Falcobldr wrote on Jun 11, 2007 8:21 AM:

" Fine, so now we can bring up the Clinton Era in "Our White House". How he stained the carpets with Monica and hit upon other women. Just now we discover Hillary lead the campaign to destroy the women that came forward to tell of the "Clinton Conduct" while in their presence. Remember Jennefier, Monica, and others? How many families have 54 "friends" to die of unexplaine d reasons. Why did the Democrats--Hillary included-- clean out Vince Fosters office before the Police arrived?? Did not Mrs. Clinton's Press Secretary find the Rose Office Billing records in Hillaty's private office?? Did not Hillary fail in her attempt to create a 1000 page health coverage program?? If you visit the Clinton Library, just take time to stand back and look at the building---fitting it looks like a aroused sexual organ protruding toward the river. "