Update on June 8 - no reply, although the form had a checkbox letting one specify that no reply is needed, a box which I didn't check off.
I just submitted the following comment at whitehouse.gov:
The New York Times states as follows: "In a court filing last month, the Obama administration agreed with the Bush administration position that 600 prisoners in a cavernous prison on the American air base at Bagram in Afghanistan have no right to seek their release in court." (Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/us/politics/08obama.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss). I personally don't see how any, and I mean any, prisoner should be denied habeas. There can always be mistakes where an innocent person is imprisoned, which is a horrible fate. This may occur despite the best intentions of the authorities involved. Furthermore, such intentions should not be taken for granted in a situation as serious as the detention of human beings. Even in a POW situation, a bystander may be mistaken for a combatant. There may be such cases where habeas needs to be streamlined, due to sheer numbers. But I seriously believe it should never be shortchanged. Please let me know where I may read a copy of the filing referred to in the Times article. I will be posting this question on my blog at ravingmoderate.com, and very much look forward to your response, so that I may understand how this filing is consistent with the Administration's apparent desire to stand on principle, and not just legalisms. I appreciate the apparent progress that has been made so far in this regard. Thank you.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
Layoffs in an Economic Downturn
(This is a response to the New York Times article linked above)
For decades we've been told that in the long run laissez faire capitalism will produce the best economy. This type of situation (massive layoffs in an economic downturn) illustrates the tension between the former and the latter. Our economy needs more people to be put to work; the capitalists would rather lay people off to keep their stockholders happy, and indeed may need to do so in order to keep their companies solvent. Even our government is asking the auto companies to trim their payrolls in return for bailout money, at the same time as the stimulus package is supposed to be largely for the purpose of producing jobs.
For decades we've been told that in the long run laissez faire capitalism will produce the best economy. This type of situation (massive layoffs in an economic downturn) illustrates the tension between the former and the latter. Our economy needs more people to be put to work; the capitalists would rather lay people off to keep their stockholders happy, and indeed may need to do so in order to keep their companies solvent. Even our government is asking the auto companies to trim their payrolls in return for bailout money, at the same time as the stimulus package is supposed to be largely for the purpose of producing jobs.
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