
Originally Posted by
thegodfather
Typical Republican banter? Because Hillary Clinton didn't vote for the Patriot Act. It would more accurately be described as typical neo-conservative/big government banter.
Under Bush, we lost the writ of Habeas Corpus, tortured people in violation of our own Constitution and international law, lost the 4th amendment, the 5th amendment, and the 1st amendment(see free speech zones). The violations against the Constitution and civil rights were disgraceful. Although not novel, because if you look at any point in US history, there has always been a contraction of rights during "wartime" under the guise that it would make the country safer. The United States is no safer today than it was on 9/10/01.
Under Obama, the practices of indefinite detention and denial of habeas corpus CONTINUE. Obama has conceded that there are some people who will NEVER BE CHARGED, because the evidence is so tainted against them because of torture, but who will NEVER BE RELEASED because they are considered "too dangerous." So the United States now deals life-term prison sentences to people without charging or trying them. Under Obama, he said we need to "Look forward, instead of looking to the past," which translated from political double speak basically means that he is letting hundreds of WAR CRIMINALS off the hook because it will be politically unpopular. Under Obama, the practice of warrantless wiretaps and searches CONTINUES, and under Obama the occupation of foreign lands and foreign intervention continues.
Change? The only changes that happened in Washington were faces.