In just a few days, the Senate will vote on whether or not to restore habeas corpus -- the fundamental constitutional right that allows citizens to challenge the lawfulness of their imprisonment. President Bush currently has the power to declare anyone, including U.S. citizens, "enemy combatants" and throw them in jail indefinitely without any explanation for their imprisonment. In September of last year, the Republican-controlled Congress passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA), which suspended the right of habeas corpus for the first time since the Civil War. This July, we told you that the Senate was expected to vote to restore habeas corpus with an amendment (S. 185) introduced by Senators Leahy and Specter to the Department of Defense authorization bill. This vote was postponed due to a dispute over funding the war in Iraq. But on Monday, the Senate will once again resume debate on this critical amendment and vote on whether to restore our Constitution. Without habeas corpus, we've taken the first step on a very slippery slope towards dictatorship. So e-mail your senators today and ask for a "yes" vote on the Leahy-Specter habeas amendment.  Please share this message with anyone you know who cares about saving our Constitution. Thank you for working to build a better world. Will Easton, Manager ActForChange.com/Working Assets 6 |
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