Obama’s Democratic Authoritarianism

He’s not closing Guantanamo, he’s continuing the "preventive detention" policy of the Bush administration under a new rubric ("prolonged detention"), he’s on board with military commissions ("reformed," of course) and the denial of habeas corpus – and last, but certainly not least, his supporters in Congress have launched a campaign to give him and his … Continue reading “Obama’s Democratic Authoritarianism”

A Start on Guantánamo, but Not Enough

Speaking at a press conference to mark his first 100 days in office, Barack Obama made two bold claims about the policies he has already implemented to tackle the executive overreach of the Bush administration, with regard to detention and interrogation policies in the "War on Terror." "We have rejected the false choice between our … Continue reading “A Start on Guantánamo, but Not Enough”