Hau Ruck.

[wolven7]

Do you ever get the feeling that the United States of America is just looking for new ways to punch itself in the kidneys and kick itself in the testicles/ovaries? No?

'Executions May Be Carried Out at Gitmo'

"US Judge Scalia on 'So-Called Torture'"

President Bush Seeks to Pardon Self and Administration from War Crimes

How about now?

Comments

[mendori.livejournal.com]

Jefferson is screaming in his grave.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Screaming and crapping himself with rage.

[unknownbinaries.livejournal.com]

Unrelated.
I know you're not reading anymore for your thesis, but these books might be interesting anyway:
History of British Magic After Crowley (http://www.amazon.com/History-British-Magic-After-Crowley/dp/0955523702/ref=pd_sim_b_title_4), and Aleister Crowley and the 20th Century Synthesis of Magic (http://www.amazon.com/Aleister-Crowley-Century-Synthesis-Magick/dp/0955523729/ref=pd_ys_ir_all_96?pf_rd_p=258372101&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=list&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XX084JQQR1547EGVWBS).

[unknownbinaries.livejournal.com]

And I'm fairly certain, more so the more I think about it, that he is really trying to leave a clusterfuck for the next guy/girl.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yeah... If not him, then there's definitely an undercurrent zeitgeist, in the administration...

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Thank you, for that.

[nausved.livejournal.com]

How the fuck do you pardon yourself? Wouldn't that make you a dictator?

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i think it would.

[wacko1138.livejournal.com]

That video is not new (for one thing they refer to the Democrats maybe gaining control of Congress so that puts it in 2006) and actually refers to section 8 of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 which was actually just an amendment to section 1004 of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 which did not pardon anyone. It states, if I'm reading it correctly, that in a civil or criminal case against "an officer, employee, member of the Armed Forces, or other agent of the United States Government who is a United States person" (which is clearly not just his administration) involving the detention and interrogation of "aliens" (i.e. not citizens) the accused can use as their defense a claim that they didn't know their acts were unlawful. It also states, thanks to the 2006 bill, that the government "shall provide" counsel and pay for the defense.

And here's the kicker against claims that it provides a pardon: "Nothing in this section shall be construed... to provide immunity from prosecution for any criminal offense by the proper authorities."

Now I do think Bush has taken a dump on the Constitution (and the fact that they've stated the people they're now putting on trial for 9/11 who've been in custody and interrogated for 6 years now have the right not to testify against themselves is, well, I can't call it laughable with a good conscience) and I'm all for calling the administration on it, but far too often these claims get blown out of proportion because people don't bother doing a bit of research. I'm directing that more at the guys on CNN than you of course since it's their job. Not everyone's as nutty as me and actually likes looking up and reading legislation. If more people would before they make these claims though it would save me from having to *shudder* defend Bush (I think I just threw up in my mouth).

(I am feeling a bit off tonight, hence my being here on lj instead of at trivia.)

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the video is pretty old (couldn't find an exact date, but, yeah: 2006 turn-over).

I think that, honestly, every news organisation should be made to make available every piece of federal legislation, before reporting on it.

That being said, the provisions, misdirections and circumventing of questions regarding prosecutable offenses needs to stop.

[wacko1138.livejournal.com]

The government makes every piece of legislation, reported on or not, available at thomas.loc.gov, "In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, legislative information from the Library of Congress". It includes every form of a bill too and information on where it is.

Of course the media almost never mentions the actual bill number so it's harder to find (which may be what you're referring to), but in case anyone else didn't know about Thomas.

And yes, they do need to stop it. Though they have not managed to change the Constitution so we have that to be thankful for.