http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29007Hartmann on HR 1959
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2007-11-29 02:01. Media
By Barbara Ellis
Those of us following S1959 (the prelimin to locking up all home-grown dissidents) and those unaware of the bill now resting in the Senate Homeland Security committee) may want to tune into Thom Hartmann's Air America show tomorrow morning.
Sometime between his 9-noon shift, he's going to do a big segment on his wakeup call about this dangerous, unAmerican bill that sailed through the House Oct. 23 (404-6, 22 not voting; Kucinich/Woolsey voting nay; Conyers a no-vote) after 40-minutes of debate. Obviously, Dems didn't bother to read it, trusting that co-sponsors (good old Jane Harman/Bernie Thompson) would never hopper such a totalitarian-flavored bill. It's likely to do the same in the Senate, though maybe Dems there won't be able to muster the troops against Blue Dog types even though it's co-sponsored by Repugs Susan Collins/Norm Coleman. Especially with folks on that Senate committee mulling over the bill—like Joe Lieberman, Blue Dog frosh John Tester with hope resting only on the super-weak reed of chairman Levin.
Ostensibly, the bill is designed to institute 2 groups (a commission and a "center of excellence") to investigate the origins of "violent" groups (hey, poverty/disrespect??). It has the caveats of Constitutional protections, but with habeas corpus guarantees gone, along with Amendments 1, 4, 6, and 8 (and MTK), whom are the authors kidding?....
So tune in (620 AM)—or the national Hartmann slot on Air America tomorrow morning—in your area. Then, write/call your senators to vote against S 1959. Or urge them to open a real 9/11 investigation.