Dems Plan To Undo Military Tribunals Act

Rove's secret plan for defeating the Democrats in 2008? Give them poweri in 2006, and let them just go crazy with it.

A battle is shaping up between Democrats and the White House over the Military Commissions Act, signed into law last month by President George W. Bush.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is expected to take over as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and The (Calif.) Daily Journal reports that Leahy is drafting a bill to undo portions of the new law in an effort to restore habeas corpus rights for enemy combatants.

A spokeswoman for Leahy told the newspaper the bill would be intended to repeal portions of the law that prevent some detainees from pursuing federal court challenges to the government’s authority to hold them indefinitely.

Spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler told the newspaper the goal is to “try and do something to reverse the damage.”

That's smart. Hit the ground running by trying to enact the most unpopular parts of your program first. That will give you the momentum you want for further popular rejections.

More... At Instapundit, who notes the media is just getting around to reporting on the Democrats' actual "plan" which for some reason they didn't see fit reporting before the election.

They're also pushing for troop withdrawals to begin in 4-6 months.

Horrible. If you're going to withdraw, withdraw them all immediately. This "phased withdrawal" is just a half-assed way to get more troops killed -- and while pursuing a strategy of defeat and surrender to boot.

But an immediate withdrawal would be too politically unpopular. Better to kill some more troops in a war you've decided to surrender on than risk losing too much party approval rating.

posted by Ace at 02:36 PM

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