Who voted for the Military Commissions Act and why should we care?

The news showed yesterday that the 9-11 suspects would be tried by the Military and not in a Civilian Court. As I stated earlier, these secret Courts use a different level of scrutiny of information allowed in the Court. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I abhor what the terrorists did to us on 9-11 and that anyone that was part of this deserves the full force of the law so that justice can be handed out and that we can allow the families of the World Trade Towers some peace of mind finally.

However, I want this to be done in a manner that is a tribute to the rule of law here in the United States and a model for the hopes for justice in the rest of the world. It is so important that this is not perceived to be a lynching. That is why it should be in a public setting and viewed, as we did the Nuremberg trials.

This will not happen because in September 2006, prior to the Democratic victory in November of that year, the Military Commissions Act, was passed by the Republican controlled Senate. When they voted to approve this act, they said these trials of 9-11 suspects would be done by the Military, not our Judiciary system. It is important in this election year to remember who voted in favor of this Act and who voted against it.

Let's start with the Presidential candidates:

John McCain voted in favor of the Act
Hillary and Obama voted against the Act

Now you might think it's because we didn't have a majority in the Senate in Sept. of 2006 or the Democrats would have stopped the Act from becoming law and ensuring we would have these men judged out in the Civilian court by our Judiciary. Well, surprise! A number of Democrats voted in favor of the Military Commission's Act. Here is a list of Democratic Senators that voted in favor of the Act, and all are still in office today! Here they are:

(D) Mark Pryor AR
(D) Ken Salizar CO
(D) Joe Lieberman CT
(D) Tom Carper DE
(D) Bill Nelson FL
(D) Debbie Stabenow MI
(D) Ben Nelson NE
(D) Robert Menendaz NJ
(D) Frank Lautenberg NJ
(D) Tim Johnson SD
(D) John Rockefeller WV

The surprise is that if Democrats hadn't voted for it the Act would not have passed as some Republicans voted against it too.

So when the trials begin and the verdict is read at the conclusion, ask yourself are you now proud as an American of what has transpired and if the answer is no, help work for change in America. Many Americans were asleep at the switch when this was passed as many were also during the passage of the Patriot Act. We can't just continue to blame the politicians, as we have allowed their choices, by the silence of our collective voices. Wake Up America!

UPDATE: 5:30pm PST.
Headline reads: US compares 9/11 trials to Nuremberg.

The Bush administration has instructed U.S. diplomats abroad to defend its decision to seek the death penalty for six Guantanamo Bay detainees accused in the Sept. 11 terror attacks by recalling the executions of Nazi war criminals after World War II. To read the entire article click here.

This can't pass as real as the World community tried those at the Nuremberg trials and the world watched on TV. This is no comparrison nor will U.S. Diplomats be able to defend the Bush policy and bring anyone along with us. It is Bush arrogance, squared!