Brown wants citizenship revoked for terror ties

Source: Boston Globe

WASHINGTON — Senator Scott Brown responded to the attempted Times Square bombing yesterday by cosponsoring a bill that would allow the United States to strip Americans of citizenship if the government determines that an individual supported or joined a terrorist group.

But a host of scholars and fellow lawmakers, including the House Republican leader, Representative John Boehner of Ohio, immediately questioned the constitutionality of the proposal, saying it was at odds with a half-century of Supreme Court precedents that ruled that citizenship can be relinquished only voluntarily. The legislation would affect US citizens whether they are native-born or naturalized.

Some said the Terrorist Expatriation Act was worded so broadly that those who write checks to groups on the State Department’s list of terrorist organizations could be at risk of losing citizenship.

The bill, cosponsored with Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, is the highest-profile legislation that Brown has backed. The measure, which quickly attracted considerable national controversy, amounts to a strong political statement; after spending months saying he was focused on nuts-and-bolts issues such as jobs, the Massachusetts Republican ventured yesterday into hot-button debates over immigration, counterterrorism tactics, and the extent of federal power.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/05/07/brown_wants_citizenship_revoked_for_terror_ties/

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I understand the logic of the right wing crowd. The terrorists hate us for our freedom. Therefore, if we throw away our freedoms, except for the right to carry guns of course, then the terrorists will stop hating us, right?

Also, why stop there? Why not dispose of citizenship and miranda for child molesters and rapists? Do the Republicans somehow support child molesters and rapists? What about Bernie Madoff? Does reading Miranda to Madoff and letting him keep his citizenship once again show the Wall Street bias of the GOP?

:sarcasm:

And if his proposal is extended to include white collar corporate supercriminals, then I may support this.

The thought of Bernie Madoff and Jeff Skilling in an underground dungeon with no rights is just too hard to resist.

You Liberals have no stomach for justice :sarcasm: :hi:

Dumb politicians who don't much like the Constitution may be next.

for they are the only true Americans

Just grant the person a Moon or Martian citizenship.

Oh. Maybe the Moonians or Martians might object?

I expect he's never actually READ the Constitution ... too many "big" words for the poor guy.

The ways to lose citizenship are detailed in 8 USC 1481. Terrorism is arguably already covered in this Code.

Everyone got into a tizzy because the attempted bomber was read his Miranda rights. I think the Republicans want the rights to terminate upon arrest. I don't think the proposed bill goes that far, but listen to the expressions of outrage that an American citizen was read his Miranda rights.

This guy supports child molesters?

Waumpanaug name to me.