Get Your Palpatine On

WashPost reports today of a move by the Administration to drastically increase the use and scope of military courts in the wake of the Supreme Court's rejection of the military trial system as it exists today:

The plan...would also allow the secretary of defense to add crimes at will to those under the military court's jurisdiction.

Under the proposed procedures, defendants would lack rights to confront accusers, exclude hearsay accusations, or bar evidence obtained through rough or coercive interrogations. They would not be guaranteed a public or speedy trial and would lack the right to choose their military counsel, who in turn would not be guaranteed equal access to evidence held by prosecutors.

Detainees would also not be guaranteed the right to be present at their own trials, if their absence is deemed necessary to protect national security or individuals.

The military lawyers nonetheless supported extending the jurisdiction of the commissions to cover those accused of joining or associating with terrorist groups engaged in anti-U.S. hostilities, and of committing or aiding hostile acts by such groups, whether or not they are part of al-Qaeda...

AMERICAblog points out that if you take the words used by this Administration about reporters who are critical of the war effort, they fit exactly with the words of the new proposal as people who would be eligible for trial under these expanded Commie-characature courts.

Congress has got to change hands in 2006. It has to. It is the only way to put the brakes on this Administration. The Republic is dying folks, unless we do something about it.

One more time for the slow ones: We are losing the Republic.