I Think I Feel Myself Starting To Miss George Bush
At least there was none of that hopey-changey rhetoric surrounding his presidency. He was who he was, and we were all real clear on that. Not so for the the rock star president, Barack Obama. Andrew Rosenthal writes in The New York Times of what's become for that "hope for change":
President Obama came into office pledging his dedication to the rule of law and to reversing the Bush-era policies. He has fallen far short.Mr. Obama refused to entertain any investigation of the abuses of power under his predecessor, and he has been far too willing to adopt Mr. Bush's extravagant claims of national secrets to prevent any courthouse accountability for those abuses. This week, he is poised to sign into law terrible new measures that will make indefinite detention and military trials a permanent part of American law.
The measures, contained in the annual military budget bill, will strip the F.B.I., federal prosecutors and federal courts of all or most of their power to arrest and prosecute terrorists and hand it off to the military, which has made clear that it doesn't want the job. The legislation could also give future presidents the authority to throw American citizens into prison for life without charges or a trial. The bill, championed by Republicans in the House and Senate, was attached to the military budget bill to make it harder for Mr. Obama to veto it.
Nearly every top American official with knowledge and experience spoke out against the provisions, including the attorney general, the defense secretary, the chief of the F.B.I., the secretary of state, and the leaders of intelligence agencies. And, for weeks, the White House vowed that Mr. Obama would veto the military budget if the provisions were left in. On Wednesday, the White House reversed field, declaring that the bill had been improved enough for the president to sign it now that it had passed the Senate.
This is a complete political cave-in, one that reinforces the impression of a fumbling presidency. To start with, this bill was utterly unnecessary. Civilian prosecutors and federal courts have jailed hundreds of convicted terrorists, while the tribunals have convicted a half-dozen.
For the record, for anyone who isn't a regular reader here, I'm a Neither (neither a Democrat nor a Republican).
I've also been following this story. I've also been a big supporter of President Obama. I've been disappointed by his cave-ins in the past, but this one is beyond the pale. Indefinite detentions? What the fuck? Man the fuck up Mr. President. A lot depends on it.
whistleDick at December 18, 2011 12:23 AM
And the added kicker, is that even if you can force a trial and are acquitted, they can still throw you in Gitmo in perpetuity anyway.
Jim P. at December 18, 2011 6:04 AM
I love Pinker, but:
This is not so. Nothing "backfired"; The Iraqis were chased out. The invasion was entirely successful, right up until GHWB decided it wasn't. Incidence of international war plunged throughout the 90s, and GEORGE DUBYA BUSH nourished the trend. If there's a war going on in the world, certainly an international one, it's because the United States has given the OK. (See Barnett.)
Look at 2011, fer Chrissake. Peace (and war) didn't just seep into global affairs... They were put there by a superpower that isn't kidding.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at December 18, 2011 6:24 AM
There's something backhanded about a piece like that which could mention the United Nations but not the United States.
Is there a better display of backhanded American exceptionalism, or maybe our divine providence? They think American virtues are so mundanely obvious that it would be gauche to describe them as anything but trans-national.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at December 18, 2011 6:28 AM
Amy.
Obama made zero promises. His whole platform was that things are hugely fucked up and that he was willing to see if he could change anything at all.
On election night he reiterated that had no idea what needed to be done, what could be fixed, what couldn't be fixed. He promised only, and I quote, "to roll up my sleeves" and try to get in there to fix stuff. He also said that there were things that he wasn't sure could be fixed within four years.
To repeatedly say that he hasn't followed through on his promises is a sign that you weren't listening, as *he never made any to begin with*.
deathbysnoosnoo at December 18, 2011 7:00 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/12/18/i_think_i_feel.html#comment-2861527">comment from deathbysnoosnooAmy. Obama made zero promises.
Silly statement in the age of Google. Here -- "PolitiFact has compiled more than 500 promises that Barack Obama made during the campaign...":
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/
Amy Alkon
at December 18, 2011 7:07 AM
"Silly statement in the age of Google."
Problem is we are also in the age of "believers" which trump facts.
Dave B at December 18, 2011 8:13 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/12/18/i_think_i_feel.html#comment-2861658">comment from Dave BActually, the human brain makes us prone to be believers. I'm doing my radio show on this tonight with David DiSalvo, who just wrote a terrific new book on this -- how the brain makes us "believers," for one, and how to avoid that and be more rational. Listen/call in at 7pm Pacific, 10 pm Eastern, for an hour, and/or download the podcast afterward:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon/2011/12/19/advice-goddess-radio-amy-alkon
Amy Alkon
at December 18, 2011 8:26 AM
All of Teh Won's promises came with an expiration date.
Of course, a lot of this silliness could be done away with if the FBI and the DoJ brought back the notion of treason as defined in the Constitution.
I R A Darth Aggie at December 18, 2011 8:59 AM
Of course, a lot of this silliness could be done away with if the FBI and the DoJ brought back the notion of treason as defined in the Constitution.
Won't ever happen. Because if it did, then over 1/3 of the House and the Senate would have to be arrested for treason, as well as a LOT of CEOs. There's way too much money involved.
Flynne at December 18, 2011 10:32 AM
There is some disagreement as to whether the indefinite detention provision was really a "cave" on Obama's part or whether he positively wants that sort of power. See this:
http://www.fox19.com/story/16336829/reality-check-it-was-the-obama-administration-that-demanded-power-to-detain-us-citizens-indefinately-under-ndaa
Lester Hunt at December 18, 2011 11:39 AM
How is this worse that Pres Obama's current policy of assassinating them?
Also lets get our history right, indefinite detention and military trials have been part of our history since the Continental Army.
Military trials are good enough for our soldiers.
Bill O Rights at December 18, 2011 3:11 PM
Good grief, he's from Chicago, Illinois. The last two governors of Illinois are in jail. Even NBC ran a story on the Illinois corruption:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28141995/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/illinois-has-long-legacy-public-corruption/#.Tu6aDSNSTN0
Stinky the Clown at December 18, 2011 6:00 PM
> The last two governors of Illinois are in jail.
I'd forgotten... As do most in the region, apparently.
Thanks
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at December 18, 2011 10:32 PM
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