Democrats and Republicans at local level step up to oppose NDAA detention

Sometimes it seems as if Democrats and Republicans disagree just for the sake of disagreement. When a Republican yells “Black,” a Democrat somewhere reflexively declares, “White!”

So when the two parties begin to coalesce in agreement around an issue, you should probably sit up and take notice. And we see that dynamic continuing to evolve in opposition to indefinite detention without due process provisions written into sections 1021 and 1022 of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Currently, bills or resolutions against NDAA detention are under consideration in 11 state legislatures with bipartisan support. Utah and Maine’s general assemblies passed resolutions condemning NDAA kidnapping by wide margins, and the Virginia legislature passed a non-compliance act, which awaits the governor’s signature. In Rhode Island, a Republican representative introduced a resolution with 43 cosponsors in a House chamber made up of just 10 Republicans and 63 Democrats.

On a local level, 15 county or city governments from across the country have passed resolutions against NDAA detention, in diverse bodies dominated by both political parties.

Now, a new path of resistance – county level political party committees, both Democrat and Republican.

On March 31, the Prowers County, Colo. Democrats approved a resolution to “Preserve Habeas Corpus and Civil Liberties, denouncing the dangerous provisions in the NDAA.” The county party committee will now submit the resolution to the Colorado State Democratic Party Committee for consideration in the official state party platform. They also plan to forward the resolution to the Prowers County Board of County Commissioners in support of their efforts to adopt a similar resolution.

Across the country, the Aroostook County, Maine Republican Committee passed a resolution condemning NDAA detention provisions back on March 17. The resolution “condemns in no uncertain terms section 1021 of the 2012 NDAA as it purports to repeal Posse Comitatus and authorize the President of the United States to utilize Armed Forces of the United States to police U.S. citizens and legal resident aliens within the United States of America” and indefinitely detain them without trial until “the end of hostilities.”

The Aroostook County Republican Committee plans to forward the resolution to the county’s Republican state legislators, Maine’s congressional delegation, chairman of the Maine Republican Committee and the Republican chair of every county in the state.

Tenth Amendment Center communications director Mike Maharrey called the bipartisan nature of the resistance to NDAA kidnapping “pretty amazing,” noting that getting the grassroots of both major political parties involved has the potential to kick the anti-NDAA movement into high gear.

“These county initiatives can create a ripple effect, raising awareness and influencing state platforms. When the party faithful start taking notice and demanding action, the folks running for office and serving in elected positions will follow suit,”  he said. “This is clearly not a partisan issue. Left, right, Republican, Democrat – doesn’t matter. Americans simply don’t want the government possessing the power to drag them off into the night with absolutely no due process until the end of this endless war on terror.”

To track Liberty Preservation legislation across the country, click HERE.