In Obama We Trust?
On December 31 st , 2011, while most Americans were celebrating the New Year, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This pernicious legislation significantly expands the power and scope of the federal government to fight the War on Terror, including the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects without trial. Under the new law the US military has the power to carry out domestic anti-terrorism operations on US soil. Even worse, the NDAA authorizes the military to detain US citizens under the broad new anti-terrorism provisions provided in the bill; once again, without trial. Originally, President Obama threatened to veto the bill unless that specific provision was retooled, so that the civil liberties of US citizens were not in danger. Basically, this law now opens the door for the military to conduct policing inside the United States, which would overstep the powers of the Executive Branch. The image of military patrolling the streets