Originally published November 25 2005
Bush administration moving toward establishment of a police state, columnist says
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to columnist Paul Craig Roberts, America's recent treatment of prisoners and the latitude of the Patriot Act, at the expense of basic civil liberties like habeas corpus, are signs that indicate a police state could soon be in operation, under the guise of democracy.
The hysterical aftermath of September 11 has put into place the main components of a police state.
Habeas corpus is the greatest protection Americans have against a police state.
President Bush claims the power to set aside habeas corpus and to dispense with warrants for arrest and with procedures that guarantee court appearance and trial without undue delay.
These new "seize and hold" powers strip the accused of the protective aspects of law and give reign to selectivity and arbitrariness.
The judiciary has to some extent defended habeas corpus against Bush's attack, but the protection that the principle offers against arbitrary seizure and detention has been breached.
Americans may be unaware of what it means to be stripped of the protection of habeas corpus, or they may think police authorities would never make a mistake or ever use their unbridled power against the innocent.
Bob Barr, the former US Representative who led the impeachment of President Clinton, fought to limit some of the worst features of the act.
But the act still bristles with unconstitutional violations of the rights of citizens, and the newly created powers of government to spy on citizens has brought an end to privacy.
The prohibition against torture has been breached by the practice of plea bargaining, which replaces jury trials with negotiated self-incrimination, and by sentencing guidelines, which transfer sentencing discretion from judge to prosecutor.
Having no idea who the detainees are and pressured to produce results, torture was applied to coerce confessions.
Stewart was indicted, tried, and convicted of providing material support to terrorists.
Stewart's indictment sends a message to attorneys not to represent too dutifully or aggressively clients who are unpopular or demonized.
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