Mark Horne
Godfather Politics
3/9/2013
In blog time, John McCain v. Rand Paul is ancient history, but there is one particular point that McCain raised that I haven’t noticed that anyone addressed. McCain said,
“We’ve done, I think, a disservice to a lot of Americans by making them think that somehow they’re in danger from their government. They’re not. But we are in danger from a dedicated, longstanding, easily replaceable-leadership enemy that is hell-bent on our destruction.”
This is an amazing claim. Easily replaceable? I don’t know who McCain means…
…The Constitution’s separation of powers is a classic demonstration of how people structure their government if they are afraid it might become a danger to them. It isn’t just in the Bill of Rights; the body of the Constitution itself shows that the writers were deeply concerned about the danger of government to the people it was supposed to protect. Only Congress may declare war, not the President. A person cannot be convicted of Treason unless there are two witnesses, and then only to the same “overt act.” The Constitution is full of the language of limitation and restraint.
McCain doesn’t understand any of this…
Rand Paul correctly pointed out that McCain believes Earth is Planet Battlefield, including the United States. Bush and then Obama have made a world for McCain in which he can says a few good words about the Constitution but never worry about it. We are now in a forever war where the battlefield is everywhere. Since the Constitution does not fully apply to wartime battlefields we now have the perfect excuse for McCain and anyone else to simply ignore the Constitution as inapplicable…
Read the complete article at Godfather Politics.
Related: Even the Left Stands with Rand
…Judging by the reaction of some on the left, Rand Paul’s 13 hour filibuster exposes some deep-seated fears about Barack Obama’s potential for dangerous totalitarianism. When the progressive left is worried about overreach from Obama, it’s time for everyone to pay attention…
…The normally non-self-aware progressives even seem to recognize Democrats’ hypocrisy on the issue…
Also, The Real Reason McCain-Graham Attacked Ted Cruz
Anything involving junior Texas Senator Ted Cruz is likely to invoke some level of toxic response from Senator John McCain of Arizona and his secondary outlet of public communication, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
That Senator McCain harbors a grudge against “the Bushies” for the South Carolina primary defeat that ended his presidential run in 2000 is the worst kept secret in Washington. Having “his” candidate lose in his home state was also a blow to Graham. Known for his long memory, some Senate staffers joke the “R” behind McCain’s name is for “revenge.” Other quip Lindsey Graham is “the senator from McCain.”
You’d think they’d be over it, but never has their ax grinding against former George W. Bush allies been more obvious and counter-productive than over the last few months…
H/T E. Smith
Update: Oops!… Obama Adminstration Admits Killing 16 Year-Old Denver Boy in Drone Strike Was a Mistake
The missile strike on Sept. 30, 2011, that killed Mr. Awlaki — a terrorist leader whose death lawyers in the Obama administration believed to be justifiable — also killed Mr. Khan, though officials had judged he was not a significant enough threat to warrant being specifically targeted. The next month, another drone strike mistakenly killed Mr. Awlaki’s 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman, who had set off into the Yemeni desert in search of his father. Within just two weeks, the American government had killed three of its own citizens in Yemen. Only one had been killed on purpose.
Update 2: “I don’t know what’s happened to John McCain, but I find this very sad.”
“If our Constitution means anything, it means that your government can’t capriciously kill you without the rule of law. And it was very clear from the attorney general’s earlier letters that they were reserving the right– remember, we’re not talking about a combatant engaged in fighting against the US. The minute you do that, you lose all your rights.”
