People seem to be making a big deal of this on the internets and Facebook. Is there any thing actually to this or is it just the usual tin foil hat paranoia?
No. As with all legislation that supposedly spells the arrival of fascism in America, this won't have much real world impact.
I know you have a low opinion of me
That's not true at all, Mint. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. I've got a lot of time for you.
Yeah, I'm naturally sceptical of anything that supposedly heralds the last gasp of American freedom or whatever, though... I'm not saying that this is necessarily a good bill, but as far as I can see - and admittedly I've only taken a cursory glance, so feel free to correct me - this doesn't change a whole lot as the current situation stands. Now, whether you think the current situation as regards indefinite detention is acceptable is another matter...
No, it doesn't. But that's the point. The point of electing a "liberal" Democrat was that this sort of thing
would change. This doesn't stem from any naive illusions that Obama was some sort of leftist; civilians' right to a civilian trial with some sort of due process is generally standard in first-world democracies.
I hate to play the Worm, being broadly anti-libertarian, and I
really hate to play the morally odious K-man, but there is something outrageous and hypocritical about how many Democrats are acting here with the president one of their own.