Fuckers (updated with names... again)

Sent my sister a text message about this:

The Senate is set to vote this week on a Pentagon spending bill that could usher in a radical expansion of indefinite detention under the U.S. government. A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act would authorize the military to jail anyone it considers a terrorism suspect — anywhere in the world — without charge or trial. The measure would effectively extend the definition of what is considered the military’s "battlefield" to anywhere in the world, even within the United States.

She texted back a one-word response, "Fuckers"

That pretty much sums it up.

Update 1: Here are the lists of senators who voted to keep the indefinite detention in the National Defense Authorization Act; or rather the senators who voted "nay" on an amendment to take the indefinite detention of US citizens out of the bill.

Democrats: http://www.opencongress.org/roll_call/sublist/9543?party=Democrat&vote=Nay

Republicans: http://www.opencongress.org/roll_call/sublist/9543?party=Republican&vote=Nay

And if you scroll down the full list you'll see the lovely Joe Lieberman voting Nay like a good little crony.

Both senators from my home state of Wisconsin, Herb Kohl (D) and Ron Johnson (R) voted to Nay.  I can't say I'm surprised, Wisconsin senators tend to have a flair for the occasional authoritarian freak-out.

I'm not going to waste much time on this tripe, except to link to the ACLU response to the issue.  In fact, I'll even post the quote here, free of charge just for you!

UPDATE I: Don’t be confused by anyone claiming that the indefinite detention legislation does not apply to American citizens. It does. There is an exemption for American citizens from the mandatory detention requirement (section 1032 of the bill), but no exemption for American citizens from the authorization to use the military to indefinitely detain people without charge or trial (section 1031 of the bill). So, the result is that, under the bill, the military has the power to indefinitely imprison American citizens, but it does not have to use its power unless ordered to do so.But you don’t have to believe us. Instead, read what one of the bill’s sponsors,Sen. Lindsey Graham said about it on the Senate floor: “1031, the statement of authority to detain, does apply to American citizens and it designates the world as the battlefield, including the homeland.”
There you have it — indefinite military detention of American citizens without charge or trial. And the Senate is likely to vote on it Monday or Tuesday.

Update 2: Ok, so maybe Senator Kohl isn't entirely bad.