Salon.com
Constitutional law attorney and contributing writer to Salon.com; writer of the blog, Unclaimed Territory; author of How Would a Patriot Act?: Defending American Values from a President Run Amok, A Tragic Legacy: How a Good vs. Evil Mentality Destroyed the Bush Presidency, Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myth of Republican Politics and With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law Is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful
Obama's 'Kill List' and the Rules of War The New York Times has published a lengthy account of what it calls, "the strangest of bureaucratic rituals." At meetings held every week or so, President Obama presides and takes full responsibility for deciding which of a "kill list" of suspected terrorists will live or die. His use of drone technology goes well beyond what the Bush Administration even tried. We speak with Times investigative reporter Jo Becker and others about the consequences in the law, for morality, international diplomacy and the upcoming election.
Obama the Warrior in a New Kind of War Soon after President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, he began authorizing the killing of individuals deemed threatening to the United States. Now he presides over regular meetings that determine which terrorist suspects will live or die, along with others who may become "collateral damage." New drone technology allows precise targeting, but what about the laws of war, the crossing of international boundaries and basic morality? In this election year, we hear why Republicans and Democrats are calling Obama "Bush-Cheney on steroids."
The Obama Record, His Re-election Campaign and the Middle Class After a first term full of disappointments, some progressive Democrats are saying that President Obama finally found his voice this week in Kansas. Obama's carefully crafted speech invoked Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, who made a speech in the same town more than 100 years ago, calling equal opportunity the cornerstone of democracy. In his first major effort to lay out the themes of next year's re-election campaign, Obama picked up on the rhetoric of the Occupy movement, denouncing Wall Street and supporting "the 99 percent." But, does his record match his rhetoric? Will centrists see him as the champion of the Middle Class or an advocate of more government regulation? How does his re-election agenda stack up against the crowded field of Republicans? We get a range of opinions from across the political spectrum.
The Debt Ceiling and the 2012 Presidential Playing Field The deficit reduction deal isn't over yet and it might play a role in next year's presidential campaign. Tea-Party favorite Michele Bachmann opposed any debt ceiling increase; moderate Jon Huntsman said one was needed. Other Republican presidential contenders had little to say while the debate was on, but now that it's over, Mitt Romney calls it a bad deal. Rick Perry , who's not yet announced, is still silent. What does that tell us about how the Republican nomination campaign is shaping up? Did the President give up so much he looks like a weak leader?
The Debt Ceiling, the President and Next Year's Campaign Republicans claim they made deficit reduction the price the President had to pay for increasing the debt ceiling so the US could pay its bills. Does that make Barack Obama look like a weak leader? Did he give up too much to hold on to his base or the right amount to appeal to centrist voters? Tea-Party favorite Michele Bachmann opposed any debt-ceiling increase; moderate Jon Huntsman said one was needed. Other GOP presidential contenders had little to say while the debate was on, but now that it's over, Mitt Romney calls it a bad deal. Rick Perry , who's not yet announced, is still silent. What does that tell us about how Republican nomination campaign is shaping up? Will the new bipartisan "super committee" roil the political waters all over again? Will Tea Partiers be able to extend their influence from Congress to the race for the White House?
Sex, WikiLeaks and the Law Julian Assange spent last night in a London Jail, without bail on an arrest warrant from Sweden. He has not been charged with a crime, but Swedish authorities say two women have accused him of rape and sexual harassment. Assange says it’s really all about WikiLeaks .
Sex, WikiLeaks and the Law Julian Assange spent last night in a London Jail, without bail on an arrest warrant from Sweden. He has not been charged with a crime, but Swedish authorities say two women have accused him of rape and sexual harrassment. Assange says it's really all about WikiLeaks . Meantime, the international uproar over WikiLeaks continues. Today, the Foreign Minister of Australia, where Assange is a citizen, called him "irresponsible" but innocent and blamed the United States for the leak of classified cables. A Swiss bank has frozen his legal defense funds, and Visa and MasterCard have cut him off. American politicians have called for his head from the Right and the Left. Could he be extradited to the US? Would WikiLeaks retaliate with a massive document dump? What about the First Amendment?
Torture Memos: Will the Truth Lead to Consequences? President Obama says Attorney General Eric Holder will have to decide if lawyers in the Bush Justice Department should be prosecuted for memos justifying harsh interrogation techniques. This week, the Senate Intelligence Committee revealed that dissenting legal views were brushed aside by the Bush White House. In testimony before a House subcommittee today, Holder stressed that he would not politicize policy differences but would pursue wrongdoing “to the full extent of the law…in an appropriate way.”
The Torture Memos: Truth and Consequences President Obama says Attorney General Eric Holder will have to decide if lawyers in the Bush Justice Department should be prosecuted for memos justifying harsh interrogation techniques. This week, the Senate Intelligence Committee revealed that dissenting legal views were brushed aside by the Bush White House. The release of the memos has raised a host of troubling questions. Did the memos justify war crimes? Should the lawyers who wrote them be prosecuted? Were the interrogation methods being used before the memos were written? Did the methods, including waterboarding, produce information that made American safer? Would other methods have been more reliable? If Obama says some people should be prosecuted while others are spared , is he “politicizing” the issue? Is he violating the law?
DOJ Follows Bush Lead, Invokes ‘State Secrets’ in Rendition Case Candidate Barack Obama harshly criticized the Bush Administration's treatment of detainees in the so-called War on Terror and has ordered the closing of Guantánamo Bay. But in a federal court yesterday, a government lawyer told surprised judges there will be no change on invoking “state secrets” when it comes to “extraordinary rendition,” the practice of taking suspects to other countries, where they often claim they've been tortured. Five detainees have filed suit against a subsidiary of Boeing for arranging such flights. The Bush Administration argued that the case should be dismissed because even discussing it in court could threaten national security. Constitutional law attorney Glen Greenwald is a contributing writer at Salon.com .
Has the Bush Administration Taken Presidential Power Too Far? If Bill Clinton's impeachment was a curb on the excesses of the executive branch, it didn't last long. Even some Republicans concede that George W. Bush claimed unprecedented presidential authority, which may have led to violations of law. Now some constitutional lawyers advocate high-level prosecutions for torturing prisoners, spying without warrants, and denying American citizens basic rights. Are such trials needed to re-establish the rule of law or is it better to move on?
Did the FBI Really Crack the Anthrax Case? Soon after September 11, seven anthrax-laced letters killed five people, injured 17 and stoked fears of a new wave of terror. Steven Hatfill was publicly identified as a “person of interest” in the case. The FBI took reporters along when they raided his home. Since then the government settled lawsuit the government scientist brought for $5 million. Now, the focus is on Bruce Ivins, who also worked at the Army's biological research lab at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Ivins allegedly committed suicide last week because he learned he was about to be indicted. Although the FBI is about to close the case, not everybody is satisfied that the evidence is all in.
Lame-Duck President Gets His FISA Bill Last week the Democratic majorities in Congress passed--and the president signed --the FISA bill . The biggest revamping of federal surveillance powers in 30 years allows more wiretapping of people overseas and at home, and provides phone companies with immunity from lawsuits for what they did - at the Bush Administration's request- before the law was passed. Barack Obama voted for it, despite earlier promises that he would filibuster if it contained that provision.
Obama: A Transcendent Figure or the Conventional Politician? Despite many months of campaigning and hours of TV exposure, Barack Obama remains a puzzle to millions of potential voters. Is he a high-minded idealist with the vision and the capacity to get America back on track, or another Machiavellian politician who just wants to win? We hear about core values, the flip-flop on public financing and fighting the unfounded rumors. Can he win over skeptics with his oratorical skills? Is he in need of a Big Idea?
Terrorist Suspects and the November Election Yesterday, the House passed new rules for detaining, interrogating and prosecuting suspected terrorists . They are key to President Bush's national security agenda, which Republicans plan to showcase during the mid-term election campaigns. Today, Bush went to Capitol Hill, urging Senate approval of the bill . While even some Republicans say the measure might be thrown out by the courts, most Democrats are lying low to avoid being called "weak" on security. Are the Democrats sacrificing principles or are they really tougher than Republicans want to admit? Has preoccupation with the November elections made this a do-nothing Congress? What's the likely impact on voters?
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.