Senator Bernie Sanders Statement on Defense Authorization Bill, via his Twitter

[limpyhobbler]

Sanders Statement on Defense Authorization Bill

December 15, 2011
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - The Senate today voted for a Department of Defense bill that authorizes $662 billion for the military, almost as much as last year despite the withdrawal of all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the year. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted no and issued the following statement:

"The bill continues to authorize heavy spending on defense despite the end of the 9-year-old war in Iraq. Ironically, the Senate vote came on the same day when Defense Secretary Panetta was in Baghdad officially declaring that our military mission there has ended and that virtually all of the combat troops will leave Iraq by the end of the year. At a time when we have tripled defense spending since 1997 and spend more today on defense than the rest of the world combined, I get concerned that my deficit-hawk friends say we've got to cut Social Security, Medicare, education, health care and other programs that help working families, but when it comes to defense spending the sky is the limit.

"This bill also contains misguided provisions that in the name of fighting terrorism essentially authorize the indefinite imprisonment of American citizens without charges. While we must aggressively pursue international terrorists and all of those who would do us harm, we must do it in a way that protects the Constitution and the civil liberties which make us proud to be Americans."

http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=4e84d833-0f2b-480e-a564-36e84f29b729

http://twitter.com/#!/SenatorSanders

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(edited title and to add bold)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. Bernie gets it.

Thank you, sir.

[Autumn]

2. But I am seeing everywhere on DU that the nasty part was taken out

"This bill also contains misguided provisions that in the name of fighting terrorism essentially authorize the indefinite imprisonment of American citizens without charges."



My, my what's or who is a person to believe? I think in Bernie I trust. DU rec

[rhett o rick]

3. "In Berni I Trust". Should go on our money. nm

[vi5]

4. I trust Bernie...

And I DEFINITELY trust Bernie over the crew of apologists who will do anything to spin Obama's signing of this horrible bill as not being as egregious as it seems. Especially since they spent the past however long it's been telling us that he's going to veto it.

[Autumn]

6. If Bernie says that this bill essentially authorizes the

indefinite imprisonment of American citizens, then I know that was what was passed, and I don't care how many people say it doesn't. They are attempting to spin something reprehensible into a non issue.

[Douglas Carpenter]

5. why does Bernie Sander have to always get it so damn right!!

[Aerows]

7. Okay

I want to hear the people who are saying "The bill doesn't say this" refute Bernie Sanders, among the many others who have criticized this bill.

Please, go right ahead and tell him it doesn't say what it says, too. You had 3 Republicans, 3 Democrats and 1 Independent (Sanders) that voted against this bill. When you have people at that range of the political spectra saying "No, this bill is horrible", you can pretty much know that it's awful.

The ACLU has condemned it. An Admiral Judge Advocate has condemned it. Bernie Sanders, who I'll believe over MOST people in Congress has condemned it.

But we are supposed to believe that it's just fine and any naysayers are just Obama haters because he didn't veto it.

Excuse me for putting it politely, but piss on that. This isn't about Obama. This is about the Constitution and our civil liberties. This is WAY bigger than one man.

[Autumn]

8. And Dianne Feinstein is trying a free-standing bill titled

the Due Process Guarantee Act of 2011 , to eliminate the President’s ability to indefinitely detain American citizens. It says:

(1) An authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States apprehended in the United States, unless an Act of Congress expressly authorizes such detention.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies to an authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority enacted before, on, or after the date of the enactment of the Due Process Guarantee Act of 2011.

Why does she find it necessarily to put out a bill like this if the part allowing detainment of citizens was removed? I think she and Bernie know a little more than the people saying it was removed and it's no big deal.

[Aerows]

10. Exactly

They are trying to paint it like it is no big deal, but it IS. This was a mistake on Obama's part for not vetoing it. Period.

We aren't in a "poutrage" or being chicken little's, many of the things people on this forum have accused people of being if they dare to speak out against the bill. The people saying such things should apologize.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. K&R

[SomethingFishy]

11. Bernie Sanders is just hysterical over nothing...

[KT2000]

12. this scares the hell

out of me. We are over-run with border patrol agents who have nothing to do. Already, people are afraid to speak against them. Now I can see people who object to their stopping busses and checking ID and asking for passports being escorted to some rendition site - never to be seen again.

[hootinholler]

14. Add that to the 100 mile rule

That lets them ask for papers within 100 miles of a border, which covers like 80% of the population...

[bvar22]

13. K&R I trust Senator Bernie Sanders.

Anonymous posters on an Internet Discussion Forum
attempting to spin the meaning of "is"?

....not so much.





You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
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