Rep. Ron Paul: The NDAA Repeals More Rights

– The NDAA Repeals More Rights: (Congressman Ron Paul):

Little by little, in the name of fighting terrorism, our Bill of Rights is being repealed.  The 4th amendment has been rendered toothless by the PATRIOT Act.  No more can we truly feel secure in our persons, houses, papers, and effects when now there is an exception that fits nearly any excuse for our government to search and seize our property.  Of course, the vast majority of Americans may say “I’m not a terrorist, so I have no reason to worry.” However, innocent people are wrongly accused all the time.  The Bill of Rights is there precisely because the founders wanted to set a very high bar for the government to overcome in order to deprive an individual of life or liberty.  To lower that bar is to endanger everyone.  When the bar is low enough to include political enemies, our descent into totalitarianism is virtually assured.

The PATRIOT Act, as bad is its violation of the 4^th Amendment, was just one step down the slippery slope. The recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) continues that slip toward tyranny and in fact accelerates it significantly. The main section of concern, Section 1021 of the NDAA Conference Report, does to the 5th Amendment what the PATRIOT Act does to the 4^th.  The 5th Amendment is about much more than the right to remain silent in the face of government questioning.  It contains very basic and very critical stipulations about due process of law. The government cannot imprison a person for no reason and with no evidence presented or access to legal counsel.

The dangers in the NDAA are its alarmingly vague, undefined criteria for who can be indefinitely detained by the US government without trial.  It is now no longer limited to members of al Qaeda or the Taliban, but anyone accused of “substantially supporting” such groups or “associated forces.”  How closely associated?  And what constitutes “substantial” support?   What if it was discovered that someone who committed a terrorist act was once involved with a charity?  Or supported a political candidate? Are all donors of that charity or supporters of that candidate now suspect, and subject to indefinite detainment?  Is that charity now an associated force?

Additionally, this legislation codifies in law for the first time authority to detain Americans that has to this point only been claimed by President Obama. According to subsection (e) of section 1021, “[n]othing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.” This means the president’s widely expanded view of his own authority to detain Americans indefinitely even on American soil is for the first time in this legislation codified in law.  That should chill all of us to our cores.

The Bill of Rights has no exemptions for “really bad people” or terrorists or even non-citizens.  It is a key check on government power against any person. That is not a weakness in our legal system; it is the very strength of our legal system. The NDAA attempts to justify abridging the bill of rights on the theory that rights are suspended in a time of war, and the entire Unites States is a battlefield in the War on Terror.  This is a very dangerous development indeed. Beware.

On the NDAA:

– The American Fascist Sandwich: Indefinite Detention and Internment Camps

– NDAA ‘Indefinite Detention Bill’: Mourning The Lost Freedom in America: US Is Now A Battlefield, A Fascist Military Dictatorship, Constitution Has Been Repealed, Farewell Bill Of Rights (Video)

– Top Constitutional Expert: ‘President Obama Says That He Can Kill You On His Own Discretion’: Without Charge Or Trial (Video)

– ‘Indefinite Detention’ For American Citizens: Congress Passes $662 Billion National Defense Authorization Act – White House Drops Veto Treat

– Ron Paul Furious Over The NDAA (‘Indefinite Detention Bill’): ‘This Is A Giant Step – This Should Be The Biggest News Going Right Now – Literally Legalizing Martial Law’

– Senator Carl Levin: Obama Required US Citizens To Be Included In Indefinite Detention!

– Gerald Celente: ‘IT’S FASCIST. CAN’T YOU SEE IT?’ – ‘It’s A TAKEOVER’ – ‘Hail Obama!’ – ‘The United States Has Become One Big Warsaw Ghetto’

– The New American: US Senate Traitors Pass ‘Indefinite Detention’ Bill S.1867, Create A Military Police State – Senator Rand Paul’s Adress To The American People (Video)

– Business Insider: The Media’s Blackout Of The National Defense Authorization Act Is Shameful – ‘IF THIS BILL PASSES IN ITS CURRENT FORM THE UNITED STATES WILL BE A MILITARY POLICE STATE’ (Video)

– Constitutional lawyer (Yale Law School graduate) & Founder Of Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes: Senate Bill Declares War On Americans (Video)

– Wired: U.S. Senate Wants The Military To Lock You Up Without Trial

– Natural News: Occupied America: Senate Bill 1867 Would Allow US Military To Detain And Murder Anti-Government Protesters In American Cities

– FOX News: Freedom Watch – Judge Napolitano Interviews Rand Paul On Unconstitutional INDEFINITE DETENTION Bill S. 1867 (Video)

– InfoWars: Senate Bill Would Allow US Military To Indefinitely Detain Americans Without Charge Or Trial Anywhere In The World

– Mother Jones: Is the US Getting Domestic Indefinite Military Detention (Also For US Citizens And Legal Permanent Residents) For Thanksgiving?