The End of Habeas Corpus?

***Updated link above***

It's not up yet, but Keith Olbermann had a segment on Tuesday night's show (October 10, 2006) regarding the Bush Administration and the Republicans in Congress seeking to abolish the Writ of Habeas Corpus. This ought to shock every American. The Great Writ, as it is called in legal circles, is the foundation upon which freedom in America is based.

Article 1, Section 9, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution:

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

There is no rebellion here in America (yet). There is no foreign invasion, either. As for Al Qaeda, they are just ordinary criminals whose motive is to create some fantasy "caliphate."

If Congress abolishes the Writ of Habeas Corpus, we won't be on a "slippery slide toward dictatorship" as former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor called it. We will be there already.

The mere fact the Republicans are seriously talking about this ought to be enough to severely punish them at the polls in November. If we get there in time.