New US Defense Act curtails liberties not military spending
The US Congress has already approved National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2012 (NDAA 2012) and President Barack Obama has announced his readiness to sign it. The most radical analysts are comparing the new law to the edicts of the “Third Reich” or “Muslim tyrannies”.
Even moderate observers have noted an unprecedented expansion the US executive powers, first of all an expansion of presidential power. From the point of view of liberals and civil rights activists, adoption of the anti-piracy law in the Internet or SOPA (Stop Online Piracy ACT) which has also become a subject of fierce debates, would be another blow to democratic values.
According to the new law on Defense, the US military will have the power to detain Americans suspected of involvement in terrorism without charge or trial and imprison them for an indefinite period of time. Right activists claim that the application of the law could almost completely destroy civil rights of Americans. Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) regard the new act as unprecedented assault on the rights and liberties of US citizens.
The president will ask for yet another increase in the debt limit this week. We have no federal budget (again) and no effective leadership in the executive and legislative branches. At least no leadership that the political parties will listen to. The fate of the country is based on election issues instead of our nation’s future. Unfortunately for us, both parties have no solution to uncontrolled spending and are content to watch the train head for the chasm. 
