A Chronology of Confusion

[mmonk]

On October 2nd, 2007, then Senator Barack Obama signed the following pledge issued by the American Freedom Campaign:


Dear Candidate:


Just weeks ago, with the assistance of MoveOn.org, Human Rights Watch, and the Center for Constitutional Rights, we launched the American Freedom Campaign (AFC), a grassroots and grasstops movement to defend the constitutional rights of Americans and restore our system of checks and balances. We are motivated by the current Administration’s assault on our liberties and, in no uncertain terms, on our democracy itself. (Please visit www.AmericanFreedomCampaign.org for more information, including the full AFC legislative agenda.)

From spying on its own citizens without court orders to sanctioning torture to ignoring congressional subpoenas to denying habeas corpus to detainees, this Administration has treated the Constitution as more of an advisory document than as one of the greatest and most important documents in history. As we head into the 2008 presidential election, the American people need to know that the next president will honor, protect, and defend the Constitution. Any individual who cannot pledge to do so does not deserve to lead this country.

With these thoughts in mind, we sincerely hope that you will sign the American Freedom Pledge – a pledge designed for American citizens but which is especially appropriate for presidential candidates. The text of this pledge, which we have forwarded to all Democratic and Republican candidates, is as follows:

“We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people’s phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power.

"I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President."


In 2007, Obama said Guantanamo detainees should be tried and prosecuted by courts just like any other prisoners and we should uphold the Constitution...even for suspected terrorists.
http://whereistand.com/BarackObama/115

On January 28th, 2008, lawyers for Gitmo detainees endorse Obama:
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/lawyers_for_git.html

On taking office, Obama issued the following memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies on January 21st 2009:
“A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires
transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said
to be the best of disinfectants." In our democracy, the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA), which encourages accountability through
transparency, is the most prominent expression of a profound
national commitment to ensuring an open Government. At the
heart of that commitment is the idea that accountability is in
the interest of the Government and the citizenry alike.”
http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/foia/2009foia.mem.rel.pdf

He then ordered Guantanamo Bay and secret prisons shut down within a year (except Bagram).
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22gitmo.html?_r=2&hp

Holder in confirmation hearings reiterates no one is above the law.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGK84zJcLYo&feature=PlayList&p=0C0599D45772DAC0&index=45


Then there is the case of the U.S. bullying of British courts through a threat of no cooperation in intelligence sharing if they allow the truth in a lawsuit regarding a British prisoner's treatment in the US’s “war on terror” to be published

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1q3AW6ft7M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIkYLEsgfnc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCR6GXJLwV0

And now the Justice Department continues the abuse of the “state secrets privilege” in regards to the detainees’ civil suit against Jeppesen Dataplan

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45719

(this action negates quite a bit done and said)

Anyone want to explain to me what happened on the way to the Forum? Especially to those of us who were suckered.

[Enthusiast]

1. I share your concern. nt

[mmonk]

2. It's a blatant contradiction.

Seems the administration wants it both ways but that really isn't possible.

[ThomWV]

3. This is much more important than any of the economic mess

This is the heart of the nation, the economy isn't doing anything it hasn't done before and nothing that it would not rebound from on its own given enough time.

[mmonk]

4. It strikes at the core of democracy.

The apathy among people and the media is really amazing.