Patrick Leahy: “I am always concerned that when they speak of terrorism we are constantly adding new things to our laws to show how we…”

“I am always concerned that when they speak of terrorism we are constantly adding new things to our laws to show how we are opposed to terrorists. Maybe it would be easier to just to pass a resolution 100 to 0 saying we are all opposed to terrorists. Of course, we are. I also remember when it was written and attributed to Benjamin Franklin at a time when he and other Founders of this great Nation faced the hangman's noose. Had they failed in their efforts to create a democracy instead of trade, their liberties for security deserve neither. We should go very slowly when we want to make changes on the great rift. The distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee is absolutely right. We should oppose this amendment. We made a major change in the habeas corpus laws a few years ago when we were looking at that to see how that works. This is not the time nor the place nor the bill to willy-nilly--that is really what it is--make this change in the habeas corpus law. There are just too many things going on--whether it is the reports in the press about us using secret prisons that had been abandoned by the old Soviet Union following criticism of every President, Republican or Democrat, in my lifetime, that we are now using that, to questions that are raised and appropriately raised about Guantanamo.…”