Fri 29 Jan 2010
FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL
Posted by admin under politics
I know what you are saying. That I am late again because it is time, once again, for another edition of the AWMD Friday Free For All. This is the only time of the week when our arguewithmydad.com readers can control the topic(s) for discussion. All you have to do is get someone else to respond to your suggested topic and then the floor is yours. Don’t be shy and don’t hesitate. Get busy and be sure to let us know your views and arguments so everyone can read and react to them. Right here on arguewithmydad.com. I will make some suggestions for possible topics, but they are only suggestions. Today is Friday so only you can be the decider. But you need to tell us what you want to discuss. So, what the heck is on your mind today? With all that is going on, how can you not speak your mind? Let’s hear from you!
The first suggested topic that I have involves the unprecedented question and answer session that President Obama had at the House GOP retreat. It turns out that the President fielded the questions directly from the GOP members for an hour and one half and the whole event was broadcast on TV and radio! http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/29/obama.gop/?hpt=T2 & http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/29/russert-gop-obama/ According to the Think Progress article that I already linked to, the Republicans may be wishing that they hadn’t invited him and that the question and answer session was broadcast. http://twitter.com/RussertXM_NBC/status/8380253627 It is a pleasure to see Obama taking the bull by the horns and hitting back at the Republicans where they are weakest, the facts! Take a look at the articles and let me know what you think?
The second topic that I would like to suggest is the news story that the Feds are considering moving the trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged 9/11 mastermind, from New York City due to security concerns. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/01/28/2010-01-28_white_house_orders_justice_department_to_look_for_other_places_to_hold_911_terro.html#ixzz0dz1GU1pO I do not agree that the trial should be moved. I understand that there are security concerns, but wherever you try this animal, you will have security concerns. What happened to the intestinal fortitude of our country? Since when do we cower in fear from our responsibilities? Since when do we allow terrorists to dictate our actions? In the linked article we learn that some of the local authorities have suggested some alternative sites in New York State. “Leaders have suggested other venues for the trial, such as the Military Academy at West Point or Stewart Air National Guard Base in upstate Newburgh.” I don’t like the idea of having it at a military base because he should be tried in a normal United States criminal court room. The Feds agreed to pay for most of the legal and security costs that New York City might incur, but some of the local leaders think it would hurt the businesses too much if it is a multi-year trial. I realize that this trial might last awhile, but I am not sure it will be a multi-year process. Besides, who said that Justice is easy?
I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions. Let’s hear what You want to talk about. I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about. It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about. Let’s hear from all of You! Don’t be shy and do not delay in telling us what you think. It won’t hurt to let us know what You think.
Larry:
I really wanted the President to be able to govern as a centrist. But now I think he has to take a stand. He should support of progressive/left of center agenda and let the country decide.
This trial business in New York is perfect example of the problem. Gibbs basically said on Sunday that we’ll give them a fair trial and then hang them.
The terrorist trial boxed them in. How can the trial be fair? And if god-forbid, they are acquitted, it will Carterize the adminstration and not help us overseas.
Maybe it’s winter malaise but President Obama needs a “game changes” and I’m not sure it Plouffe,
Don,
It is good to hear from you again. I don’t think Obama was elected to govern as a centrist. I agree that he has always been a center left politician, but the progressive left have been his backers from the beginning. He needs to be bold and shouldn’t worry about the Republicans. They are already on record that they do not want to cooperate or negotiate. They simply want Obama, and therefore the country, to fail. Why are you worried about the alleged terrorists might be acquitted? Aren’t they entitled to get a fair trial and if the government can’t prove its case, they should be acquitted, (nothwithstanding Obama’s and his Press Secretary’s comments of guilt. I think the game changer that you are looking for happened on Friday when Obama spanked the House Republicans at their retreat.
“My Dad”, the only spankings being administered are those currently being given to Obama and Holder. I think I mentioned late last year that the KSM trial decision would be a nightmare for the administration.
Even staunch lefties like Feinstein and Schumer are against the trial being held in NYC. No not because they philosophically disagree with the Administration, but simply because they do not want to lose their Senate seats.
You see, based on a new Rasmussen poll today, 44% of U.S. voters say the trials of all suspected terrorists linked to 9/11 should be held at Guantanamo Bay.
Voters believe that Guantanamo Bay prisoners should be tried in a military tribunal rather than a civilian court. Sixty-seven percent (67%) favor the military tribunal route, and just 15% are opposed.
That my friend is the game changer.
Qman,
It is good to hear from you. It is interesting that we are using the term suspected terrorist instead of unlawful combatant or detainee. I think you are misreading Schumer and Feinstein’s concerns. They are simply reacting to the Fox News spread of nonsense that the United States of America can’t handle the trial of an alleged criminal because it might be too dangerous! I remember an America that didn’t back down from doing the right thing just because it is hard to do. Fortunately, the Constitution is there to protect us from poeple who are swayed and frightened by the daily onslaught by Bush and Cheney during their reign and from Cheney since he left office. It doesn’t matter if we are trying an alleged terrorist in NYC, Boston, Chicago, or elsewhere. The important thing is that this individual was held without charges for years and was illegally tortured during that incarceration and it took a Democratic President to follow the Constitution. Schumer is in favor of the trial, he just doesn’t want it in his back yard.
“My Dad”, even Richard Cohen from the left of center Washington Post seems to get what eludes most liberals.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=519748
Qman,
You are one busy guy today. If you think the Washington Post is a left of center paper, you haven’t read it in awhile. The prime example of that is the author that you linked to, Richard Cohen. He is about as liberal as Attila the Hun. As you can see by his investors.com article, he has bought into the same fear tactics that the Bush regime used and Cheney is still using(didn’t I just say that somewhere?) and thinks that we can’t protect a prisoner or the city where he is being tried. As you can see by this Media Matters article, Richard Cohen is a pro-torture guy too. He is wrong on both counts. http://mediamatters.org/blog/200909010009
“My Dad”, if not Richard Cohen, how about Steny Hoyer?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32396.html
Now you are talking about the move of the detainees to the Illinois maximum security prison site and not the trial in NYC. Steny Hoyer isn’t the only Dem who is cautious or against it, even my Congresswoman, Melissa Bean is against it. If they have ever been to that part of Illinois, it is almost as deserted as Gitmo! A secure prison is a secure prison,no matter where you put it. Even the General Petraeus wants Gitmo closed and has gone on the record that Gitmo has given Al-Qaeda recruiting fodder. I have a novel idea, let’s follow the Consitution and actually give these guys due process under the law. Most of them aren’t even terrorists. At least they weren’t when they were locked up years ago.