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    House Passes Indefinite Detention Bill After Obama Reverses Veto Threat

    House Passes Indefinite Detention Bill After Obama Reverses Veto Threat

    Update (7:10 p.m.): The House just passed the bill. The Associated Press reports, "The vote Wednesday evening was 283-136. In a closed-door meeting, conservative Republicans had expressed some concerns over the provisions, fearing an expanded role for the military in domestic law enforcement." Next stop: the Senate, where the bill is likely to pass. Then, Obama's desk.

    RELATED: Bush Administration Wiretap Whistleblower Won't Face Charge


    Original Post: Despite some pretty serious-sounding threats, the White House told reporters on Wednesday that President Obama would not be vetoing a controversial defense spending bill. You might not have heard of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes some language about how the United States deals with political prisoners. (After all, that other freedom-stomping piece of legislation with a four-letter acronym, SOPA, has been hogging a lot of bandwidth.) Mother Jones's Adam Serwer has kept a close eye, though. Serwer explains in a pretty disappointed-sounding blog post:

    As I reported Tuesday, the latest version of the NDAA effectively rendered the provisions "mandating" military custody of non-citizen terrorism suspects arrested on US soil optional. The revised NDAA would make it possible for someone like convicted underwear bomber Umar Abdulmutallab to go from capture to trial without ever passing through military custody.

    Serwer concludes:

    The administration had said that the military detention provisions of an earlier version of the NDAA are "inconsistent with the fundamental American principle that our military does not patrol our streets."

    The revised NDAA is still inconsistent with that fundamental American principle. But the administration has decided that principle isn't actually worth vetoing the bill over. 

    Just because Obama is backing down from his threat does not mean that NDAA will be signed into law. Lawmakers expect to vote on the $622 billion defense spending bill as soon as this week. What people like Serwer are really irked about -- and if you don't believe us, just read some recent tweets -- is the fact that Obama apparently just caved to pressure from lawmakers. On the bright side, at least Congress is getting something done.

     

    4 comments

    • Clifford  •  5 mths ago
      2. 40% of every Federal dollar spent is deficit spending (borrowed money).
      STOP BORROWING IMMEDIATELY!

      For every DOLLAR the Federal Government spends, 40 D**N percent (40%) of that dollar is DEFICIT SPENDING. That means it is BORROWED money, and a big chunk of that borrowing is from China, Russia and OPEC nations. Now is that stupid as HELL or WHAT??

      We owe the Chinese, ALONE, 8X the gold that is sitting in Fort Knox! That’s over a TRILLION BUCKS!

      The Democrats ‘plan’ for paying back the $15 TRILLION National DEBT? Increase Federal Income Taxes (and NOT just on the ‘wealthy’, trust me) AND BORROW ANOTHER D**N $15 TRILLION in 10 years! Now is that stupid as hell or what?

      This whole irresponsible National Debt ‘fiasco’ all started with LBJ, the Democrats, the ‘Great Society’, the War on Poverty and the Vietnam War. Our nation has been going down the toilet ever since.

      Democrats will tell you that they will take care of the deficit and the National DEBT in the ‘LONG TERM’. What they DON’T tell you is that the ‘LONG TERM’ arrived during LBJ, the Vietnam War and the ‘Great Society’.

      The Federal Government doesn't create JOBS...but they d**n sure can destroy them!

      3. ONE out of every THREE DOLLARS (33%) sent to the Federal Government is lost due to fraud, waste and gross mismanagement (Grace Commission Report - 1984).
      Reduce fraud, waste and gross mismanagement to less than 3% immediately.

      Quote:

      "Resistance to additional income taxes would be even more widespread if people were aware that:

      One-third of all their taxes are consumed by waste and inefficiency in the Federal Government as we identified in our survey.

      Another one-third of all their taxes escapes collection from others as the underground economy blossoms in direct proportion to tax increases and places even more pressure on law abiding taxpayers, promoting still more underground economy - a vicious cycle that must be broken.

      With two-thirds of everyone's personal income taxes wasted or not collected, 100 percent of what is collected is absorbed solely by interest on the Federal debt and by Federal Government contributions to transfer payments. In other words, all individual income tax revenues are gone before one nickel is spent on the services which taxpayers expect from their Government." -

      Grace Commission Report to President Ronald Reagan - 1984

      As President Ronald Reagan once told the Russians, "Trust, but verify."

      Well a Balanced Budget Amendment would go a LONG ways towards ‘verifying’ the 'garbage’ that spews out of politicians’ big, fat, stupid, filthy, lying mouths!

      Reaganomics won't work without a Balanced Budget Amendment.
      And Obamunism won't work PERIOD!

      Do you really believe the Federal Government can spend, invest or give YOUR money away better than YOU can?
      Do you really want YOUR children and grandchildren 'investing' in Social Security and Medicare?

      I didn't think so.

      When FEDERAL waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement have been reduced to LESS than 3% of the Federal Budget, THEN and ONLY THEN do we ‘discuss’ raising taxes on ANYBODY.

      To keep throwing money down a ‘BLACK HOLE’ is STUPID!
    • Clifford  •  5 mths ago
      My Fellow Americans,

      'Hope and Change' has become 'Stupidity, Ignorance and Arrogance'.

      Raise Federal Income Taxes on the ‘wealthy’?? Yeah, right ...and tomorrow it will be you and me. Trust me.

      First of all, NONE of these Washington politicians, Democrat OR Republican, are talking about cutting Federal spending …PERIOD. What they ARE talking about is REDUCING the rate of GROWTH of Federal spending. Just terrific.

      Instead of the GROWTH of Federal spending increasing by 7% a year, it would be REDUCED to ...oh, say...4% GROWTH per year? And we ALL know how great the Federal government is at 'estimating'?

      The National DEBT has surpassed $15 TRILLION (11/16/2011).
      And we're spending $450 BILLION a year in INTEREST payments on that DEBT. That's right, $450 BILLION A YEAR!

      Based on current deficit spending it has been estimated in 10 years the National DEBT will be $30 TRILLION (2021). And those INTEREST payments will be …A TRILLION BUCKS A YEAR!
      Kinda’ makes your butt pucker doesn't it?? It does mine!

      What part of ‘WE’RE BROKE!’ do you stupid kids NOT understand??

      We don't have a TAX REVENUE problem, but we D**N sure do have a SPENDING problem!

      Okay folks; let's make this one real simple.
      BEGIN SEVERE AUSTERITY MEASURES IMMEDIATELY …IN THIS ORDER.

      1. A Constitutional Amendment that requires a 3/5 majority (60%) of BOTH Houses of Congress to increase the National DEBT or increase Federal Income Taxes/fees on the American people.

      The IMMEDIATE and LONG TERM solution to getting our nation out of this economic mess, promoting SUSTAINABLE PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!, EXPAND our ECONOMY EXPONENTIALLY and promote LONG TERM ECONOMIC STABILITY is that we MUST FIRST…

      …. pass a Constitutional Amendment (or a Balanced Budget Amendment if you like) that REQUIRES, AT A MINIMUM, a 3/5 majority (60%) of BOTH Houses of Congress to increase the National DEBT and/or increase Federal Taxes/Fees on the American people.

      A simple majority (50%+1) would be required to lower the National DEBT or lower FEDERAL TAXES/FEES on the American people.

      On March 20, 2006 the National Debt stood at $8.3 TRILLION.

      Quote:

      “The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies…

      Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

      - Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), March 20, 2006

      Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and ALL the Senate Democrats voted AGAINST increasing the National Debt.

      When the Senate vote came up to increase the National DEBT limit in 2007 ($850B) and 2008 ($800B), Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) didn’t even have the COURAGE or COURTESY to show up to vote either time. Yeah, that’s REAL leadership.

      And NOW...POTUS Obama has expressed ‘regret’ for his vote??? Well so do a lot of Americans, Mr. President, so do a lot of ‘taxpaying’ Americans.

      What about the rest of the Senate Democrats, Mr. President? Do they also regret THEIR votes?? Nobody is buying the lies and b**l $**** you and the Democrats are shoveling anymore, Mr. President.

      After 70 years of real world ‘experience', it should be obvious that POTUS Obama and the Democrats have proven, BEYOND a doubt, that this Keynesian Macro-Economics ‘Theory’ has been thoroughly 'Myth Busted'.
    • Clifford  •  5 mths ago
      We MUST protect ALL of our citizens, including low income and middle class citizens, from FUTURE Congresses, Presidents, Supreme Courts, Federal Reserves, government bureaucrats, public unions and most importantly those g*d d**n lobbyists!

      Democrats are STUPID, quite a few Republicans are IDIOTS and NEITHER should ever be allowed anywhere near our economy. Common Sense huh?

      Increasing the National DEBT is simply increasing taxes on future generations of our children and grandchildren. An exponentially growing National DEBT devalues our dollar, the result is inflation. Inflation is a hidden tax and is the most evil tax of all.

      Yes, my friends, there is plenty of ‘blame’ to go around the last 50 years, Democrats, Republicans, Independents and roaming gnomes.

      The truth is we 'Baby Boomers' have no one to blame for this ‘little’ economic mess except ourselves. We're the ones who elected these idiots to office, so knock off the phony 'outrage' and take responsibility. We’ve been warned about this Social Security / Medicare ‘house of cards’ for decades.

      It is OUR debt, NOT our children and grandchildren’s. To pass it on to them is WRONG, it is UNCONSCIONABLE, it is IRRESPONSIBLE, it is PURE D**N EVIL! And we ‘Baby Boomers’ should be d**ned ashamed of our selves.

      A National DEBT of $15 TRILLION is not only a National disgrace AND embarrassment; it is also a VERY CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER to our National Security…regardless of whether you are a Democrat OR a Republican. This horrifying National DEBT is the cause of the ‘Crisis of Confidence’ that has and will continue to grip our nation for decades to come.

      If you don't think INCREASING the National DEBT limit $2.5 TRILLION BUCKS will have the same EXTREME, draconian, destructive AND devastating effect on our economy as INCREASING TAXES $2.5 TRILLION BUCKS, you’re either REALLY, REALLY stupid…..or a Democrat.

      In 1973, the 26th Amendment, which gave 18-20 year old ‘Baby Boomers’ the Right to Vote, was passed by 3/4 of the states in LESS THAN 4 MONTHS.

      Surely, saving our children and grandchildren from an ‘economic’ Armageddon is JUST as important?

      We MUST 'raise the bar' for Congress to ‘borrow’ money and HOPEFULLY lawmakers will be forced to live 'within their means'.

      Congress is composed of 535 duly elected, intelligent, thoughtful, mature, adult men and women (lol!).... Okay, well maybe that IS a stretch, but anyway....

      After a Balanced Budget Amendment is passed, just leave it to Congress to work out the details of 'living within your means'. If we are REAL lucky, most of Congress will just say to hell with it and resign! Priceless.

      Just pass a Balanced Budget Amendment and it will ALL be good my friends, it will ALL be good. Trust me. I guarantee it.

      After a Balanced Budget Amendment is enacted, our nation’s SPENDING PRIORITIES will come into sharp focus, real quick. A Balanced Budget Amendment will force massive, massive, SUPER MASSIVE SPENDING CUTS and we won’t be borrowing 40% of every dollar spent.
    • Clifford  •  5 mths ago
      4. PRIORITIZE FEDERAL SPENDING IMMEDIATELY.

      a. Set up payment schedule to pay off PRINCIPAL and INTEREST on $15 TRILLION National DEBT in 30 years.

      Everyone knows that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, would make our economy fly like a ‘bat out of hell’; create millions upon millions of SUSTAINABLE, PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!, keep interest rates low AND drive down the price of gas more than going from a National DEBT of $15 TRILLION to a National SURPLUS (rainy day fund) of $4 TRILLION in say...oh...30 years?

      I don’t know about the rest of working Americans, but THAT is how important my HARD EARNED money is worth to me. We are ALL going to come to hate the term 'AUSTERITY MEASURES' over the next few decades.

      b. National Defense

      "The most significant threat to our national security is our debt …and the reason I say that is because the ability for our country to resource our military -- and I have a pretty good feeling and understanding about what our national security requirements are -- is going to be directly proportional -- over time, not next year or the year after, but over time -- to help our economy. That's why it's so important that the economy move in the right direction, because the strength and the support and the resources that our military uses are directly related to the health of our economy over time." – Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, CNN 08/27/2010

      “I haven’t changed my view that the continually increasing debt is the biggest threat we have to our national security,” – Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, Washington Post 08/11/2011

      Next to paying off the National DEBT in 30 years, our National DEFENSE is our next most important expense. But make no mistake; ALL National Defense expenditures must be reviewed VERY carefully. There are no blank checks anymore.

      "Senate approves $662 billion defense bill ... The vote was 93-7 for the bill authorizing money for military personnel, weapons systems, national security programs in the Energy Department, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1." AP - 12/01/2011

      THAT IS BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT! Take note liberal dimwit Democrats, take note.

      c. …and if there’s any money left …everything else.

      Eliminate Corporate Income Taxes. Corporations DO NOT pay taxes. ALL taxes MUST BE passed on to the consumer in order for the company to remain in business and for the employees to keep their SUSTAINABLE, PRIVATE SECTOR, JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!

      Eliminate Federal Income Taxes on those making less than $200K(S) and $400K(MFJ).

      Eliminate deductions and LOWER Federal Income Tax Rates on those making MORE than $200K(S) and $400K(MFJ). Remember, the ‘wealthy’ would also be paying Consumption Taxes like the rest of us.

      Replace these taxes with a Consumption Tax (National Sales Tax), fuel taxes and mileage taxes with exclusions for basic food items and exemption amounts for housing, utilities and transportation

      Thank you,

      Please copy my comments and send/email to the news media, your newspapers, local, state, Congressional Representatives, the President, Governors and 10 friends (and ask them to do the same).
      We have got to go viral before it’s too late. Thank you.
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