Obama claims right to kill Americans in America

This is truly an outrage. Attorney General Eric Holder, in response to a question from Senator Rand Paul, confirms that the Obama administration claims the right to militarily target Americans on US soil:

As members of this administration have previously indicated, the US government has not carried out drone strikes in the United States and has no intention of doing so. As a policy matter moreover, we reject the use of military force where well-established law enforcement authorities in this country provide the best means for incapacitating a terrorist threat. We have a long history of using the criminal justice system to incapacitate individuals located in our country who pose a threat to the United States and its interests abroad. Hundreds of individuals have been arrested and convicted of terrorism-related offenses in our federal courts.

The question you have posed is therefore entirely hypothetical, unlikely to occur, and one we hope no president will ever have to confront. It is possible, I suppose, to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States for the President to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States. For example, the president could conceivably have no choice but to authorize the military to use such force if necessary to protect the homeland in the circumstances like a catastrophic attack like the ones suffered on December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001.

Impeding the military vote in Ohio?

Some on the right claim that a lawsuit filed by the Obama administration in Ohio is designed to eliminate the rights of military members to vote in the three days before the actual election date.

However, this is false. The lawsuit does not seek to invalidate the military voting rights. Rather it seeks to allow all Ohio residents to vote during the three day period since the polls will be open in any event. They seek equal early voting access for all.

Here is the brief filed in the case:

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs request of this Court the following equitable relief:…

B. A preliminary and permanent order prohibiting the Defendants, their respective agents, servants, employees, attorneys, successors, and all persons acting in concert with each or any of them, from implementing or enforcing lines 863 and 864 of Sec. 3509.03 (I) in HB 224, and/or the SB 295 enactment of Ohio Revised Code § 3509.03 with the HB 224 amendments, thereby restoring in-person early voting on the three days immediately preceding Election Day for all eligible Ohio voters;

Political quote of the day

Well, like I said, everybody has the same rights as everybody else, so homosexuals in the military isn’t a problem. It’s only if they’re doing things they shouldn’t be, if they’re disruptive. But there’s … men and women getting into trouble with each other too. And there’s a lot more heterosexuals in the military, so logically they’re causing more trouble than gays. So yes, you just have the same rules for everybody and treat them all the same.

Ron Paul in an interview with the Iowa State Daily. (via The Daily Dish)

Fallows on McCain

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30:  U.S. Sen. John ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

What the fuck happened to John McCain?

In October, 2006, John McCain, when asked about a repeal of DADT, said this:

The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy,’ then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it.

In February, 2010, after the leadership of the military came to him and said exactly that, he said this:

At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

And today, he said this:

I will not agree to have this bill go forward.

Can you imagine what history will have to say about this kind of turn-around on an issue that clearly represents the future?

James Fallows has more:

John McCain seems intentionally to be shrinking his audience, his base, and his standing in history. It’s unnecessary, and it is sad.

Meanwhile, over at The Daily Show:

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Political quote of the day

With our nation at war and so many Americans serving on the front lines, our troops and their families deserve the certainty that can only come when an act of Congress ends this discriminatory policy once and for all. The House of Representatives has already passed the necessary legislation. Today I call on the Senate to act as soon as possible so I can sign this repeal into law this year and ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally. Our troops represent the virtues of selfless sacrifice and love of country that have enabled our freedoms. I am absolutely confident that they will adapt to this change and remain the best led, best trained, best equipped fighting force the world has ever known.

President Obama