Obama Signs the “National Defense Authorization Act "

"Democratic Dictatorship" in America

With minimal media debate, at a time when Americans were celebrating the New Year with their loved ones,  the “National Defense Authorization Act " H.R. 1540 was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The actual signing took place in Hawaii on the 31st of December.

According to Obama's "signing statement", the threat of Al Qaeda to the Security of the Homeland constitutes a justification for repealing fundamental rights and freedoms, with a stroke of the pen.  

The controversial signing statement (see transcript below) is a smokscreen. Obama says he disagrees with the NDAA but he signs it into law. 

"[I have] serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists."

Obama implements "Police State USA", while acknowledging that certain provisions of  the NDAA are unacceptable. If such is the case, he could have either vetoed the NDAA (H.R. 1540) or sent it back to Congress with his objections.

The “National Defense Authorization Act " (H.R. 1540) is Obama's New Year's "Gift" to the American People. 

He justifies the signing of the NDAA as a means to combating terrorism, as part of a "counter-terrorism" agenda.  But in substance, any American opposed to the policies of the US government can --under the provisions of the NDAA-- be labelled a "suspected terrorist" and arrested under military detention. 

"Moreover, I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens. Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation. My Administration will interpret section 1021 in a manner that ensures that any detention it authorizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war, and all other applicable law."

Barack Obama is a lawyer (a graduate from Harvard Law School). He knows fair well that his signing statement --which parrots his commitment to democracy-- is purely cosmetic. It has no force of law.

His adminstration "will not authorize" what? The implementaiton of a Law signed by the US president?

Section  1021 is crystal clear. The Executive cannot refuse to implement it.  The signing statement does not in any way invalidate or modify the actual signing by President Obama of NDAA (H.R. 1540) into law. 

Scary.

Now should the government start to get even more out of hand and face more 'mainstream' opposition, and rallies such as the 'occupy ______' rallies get more intense, how long until all of those people end up being potential terrorists?

anyone who opposes the establishment can easily be labeled a terrorist...





this is such a buzzkill

The bill will "allow the military greater authority to detain and interrogate U.S. citizens and non-citizens and deny them legal rights protected by the Constitution."

In several cases, the president called those changes “minimally acceptable” and vowed to use discretion when applying the provisions.

“I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists,” Obama said. “I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens.


...
So the power is now there, but Obama promises us that his administration won't abuse these powers against U.S. citizens.

Fantastic, what do we have to worry about   And I'm not a politics guy and don't affiliate myself with either of the puppet-headed groups flying red and blue people that pretend to represent the people -- I just want the power of the government to be in check.  Chalk this up as a big loss for my type.

  Beginning of the end.  Maybe they made this bill to detain citizens that riot when the economy and dollar collapse.  

Of course they did.  Those people are a threat to America and its supportive citizens.  Lock 'em up.

You goofs better elect Santorum then. What could possibly go wrong? 

There were plenty of threads about it.

I've posted in this thread more than anyone I'm not pro-conservate, I think the best thing we can do as a nation is forget about political parties and get our voice back, government is out of control and the people don't dictate shit.

Don't turn this into an anti-this or pro-that thing - its about everyone's constitutional rights being blatantly violated.  We should all be on the same page here, even if you do believe in big government power, you can't possibly think this isn't unconstitutional.  It's gone too far.

Why 'articulate it in writing'?  I don't follow, what would be the point of that.

You know what nevermind, please don't answer.

Fuck it, delete this thread.

It's the most recent republican vs. the current democrat for the next 27 pages.

Excellent post

Why people feel the need to label themselves a democrat or republican and blindly agree with everything the party stands for  is beyond me. Why not look at each issue separately and objectively and form your own opinion?

Horseshit act by the way. In this particular instance our president has failed the american people

If you ask me, the big campaign liberal and big campaign conservative are going to do a few things differently but both will probably make these type of self-serving moves with hidden motivations, there will always be a veil over the eyes of the public.  Maybe it doesn't make sense to label every big campaign candidate that way, but history has made me feel that way - I haven't been alive long enough to see a president with revolutionary ideas, they all seem like puppets to me.

The republican candidate will call this a disgrace, but won't throw it out when they get into office.  That wouldn't be good for the

 USA's power rankings.

Fuck the people, chase the power. 

When President Obama was running for President and if asked if he would ever in a million years, sign this thing, what do you think he would have said? He would have said no way. That is a fact.

Couple things cross my mind here.

1. What would John Adams say? I'd wager he would be very dissapointed.

2. Any President would say this: Let's see what you say/do when YOU are the President. You can say this and that while running for President but things quickly turn into a reality once you are actually the guy responsible for the American people. Obama has set the record for Predator strikes on Pakistani soil. He's also going to arrest American citizens if he deems them a possible terrorist threat. Odds are, he is not sleeping during his morning CIA briefings.

why don't the military and police understand that THEY ARE THE 99%?

Don't kid yourself, the government does a great job making you "think" you are choosing a side.  Rep & Dem are controlled by the same people, they trick us into even thinking that we're choosing one side and laugh as we watch why we chose what side.

I hate the bs we live in

it is funny to watch the wacko-nutjobs on this side preach their one-sided rhetoric and take every petty shot possible at the other side... Pathetic

OBAMA WILL BE GONE SOON AND THE REPUBLICANS CAN CLEAN UP OBAMA'S MESS. DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW......BUT IF THE IDIOT GETS RE-ELECTED, GRAB YOUR GUNS AND HEAD FOR THE HILLS.

inflation

the beneficiaries of new monies created are those who have access to it first...government, banksters, military

dont think any of those are in the 99%. by military i mean Boeing, Northrup, not the soldiers

inflation steals from the poor/middle and gives to the rich

"Inflation is a tax on the middle class"