Jerry Nadler: “this is how a Nation loses its moral compass, its identity, its values and, ultimately, its freedom to fear. It is…”

“this is how a Nation loses its moral compass, its identity, its values and, ultimately, its freedom to fear. It is ironic that the people who use the word ``freedom'' with reckless abandon, in everything from fries to a global vision, should come before the American people advocating the suspension of habeas corpus, secret star chamber tribunals, unlimited detention without review, and, yes, torture. Yes, we must be vigilant to protect our safety. But we must not allow the honor and values of our Nation to be permanently stained by this detestable legislation. It is beneath us. It is not what we stand for. There are many infamies in this bill, as others have pointed out. I will concentrate on just one. This bill would allow the President, or any future President, to grab someone off a street corner in the United States, or anywhere else in the world, and hold them forever without any court review, without having to charge them, without ever having to justify their imprisonment to anyone. This bill is flatly unconstitutional, for it repeals the great writ, habeas corpus; not, Mr. Sensenbrenner, a statutory writ, the statutory great writ.…”