Judd Gregg votes against no arbitration for investigating sexual violence in DoD cases

If you assume that one of the primary incentives for contracting (0.00 / 0)

out military functions is the desire, on the part of public officials, to avoid having to be accountable to the public for how money is spent and for how the obligation to respect human rights (including the right to be secure in one's person) is met, then placing contractors under such limitations is in conflict with the original intent.
That the evasion of Constitutional limitations was the original intent was, of course, not admitted.  However, since none of the reasons offered for hiring contractors (cheaper, more efficient, more professional service) have been borne out in practice and the absence of accurate accounts of all aspects of the enterprise can't be missed, the only logical explanation is that was the intent.  Missing records are a tell.

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by: hannah @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 01:43:07 AM CDT

If this were anything else, (0.00 / 0)

I'd wonder whether it's even possible to give up one's right to legal action over that range of events that may or may not occur in the future.

But at this point, it's become abundantly clear the degree to which the previous administration was willing to fabricate legal no-man's-land situations for contractors, interrogations, and surveillance. Paging Eric Holder.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 09:04:32 AM CDT

ah, but Douglas (4.00 / 1)

we've moved on. We don't want to revisit the past - or prosecute those responsible for it.  

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by: susanthe @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 10:45:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

When other countries disregard liberty/human rights/democracy/rule of law, (4.00 / 1)

I'd like my country to have credibility in denouncing them. Is that so much to ask?

America not leading the world on these issues is like the Vatican without Catholicism. It's like Monte Carlo without tourism. It's like Boston without massive hospitals and universities. It's like Washington without the federal government. It's like Tokyo without way too many people. It's like Los Angeles without traffic. It's like Texas without things that are big. It's like Canada without maple syrup. It's like a UN summit without clinically insane world leaders. It's like Wyoming without empty space. It's like penguins without tuxedos. It's like a Dan Brown book without an ancient conspiracy to conceal a secret that CHANGES EVERYTHING. It's like New York without a strict intolerance of people who walk too slowly. It's like New Hampshire without hills, trees, and people who only vote for Presidential candidates they've met more than once.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 11:35:30 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'd like my country practice what it preaches. It doesn't. n/t (4.00 / 2)

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by: NH Ex-pat @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 12:52:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

GOP trademark: take a nominally good idea and drive it into the land of lunacy. (4.00 / 1)

Be required to agree to go through arbitration first, in many cases?  Probably a very good idea in a number of circumstances, if structured carefully.

Be required to agree to go through binding arbitration, with no further legal recourse, in every case, regardless of what degree of felony it would involve in a court of law?  No way, no how.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 10:47:56 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Whatever you agree to in a private contract is binding unless (0.00 / 0)

the other party agrees to an amendment.  That's why your insurance policy is a contract and, if you don't read the fine print, too bad.  Ditto for homeowners' insurance.  They send an amendment and if you don't reject it right away, that's it.
All of these enterprises count on people not reading every word.  They spend big bucks on lawyers to draft the documents.

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by: hannah @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 11:15:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The People Versus (0.00 / 0)

Isn't justice administered by The People and not solely on behalf of an individual victim? Do these agreements allow criminals to escape justice? Or, is this an artifact of our outsourcing of so many tasks once performed by our military who are covered by the UCMJ? Are these contractors not subject to some sort of jurisprudence?  

Looking at how the vote broke down it is interesting that the 30 dissenting votes were MALE Republican Senators. Shame on them. Shame on you Judd Gregg. Shame, sir.

"What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority." -- Molly Ivins  

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by: The Grand Panjandrum @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 10:50:08 AM CDT

This has sent a wave of absolute disgust through my core (4.00 / 1)

The fact that these Senators could stand and defend the 'fairness' to Halliburton rather than defending a young woman against the most brutal attack she could face is absolutely ludicrous. I am so disgusted by and ashamed of these members of Congress, especially "my" Senator, Judd Gregg.

because who is to doubt the American Way is not the way?

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by: peacekeeper @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 11:11:29 AM CDT

Roughead has ordered a review of Navy response to abuse allegations: (4.00 / 1)

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/0...

They call it hazing.

The documented hazing and abuse, much of it directed at Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph Rocha, eventually drove Rocha out of the Navy. Rocha said he became the target after he refused the services of a prostitute, causing some sailors at the kennel to question his sexuality. Rocha, now 23, gave up an appointment to the Naval Academy after telling a commanding officer in 2007 that he was gay and suffering from post-traumatic stress brought on by the abuse.

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, a retired rear admiral, sent Navy Secretary Ray Mabus a letter on Sept. 11 asking about Rocha's treatment and Toussaint's promotion.

Sestak said he learned of the matter a few weeks ago.

Although the case doesn't involve any of his constituents, Sestak said he felt compelled to act after reading descriptions of hazing and apparent abuses in the kennel, which included having men and women simulate oral sex as part of dog-training exercises. He fully expected to find that someone had been held accountable, but the investigator's recommendations for action were redacted by the Navy.

"There didn't seem to be any accountability in what occurred," said Sestak, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He said he hopes the case is an aberration that somehow got lost in the chain of command.

Sestak is seeking the Senate seat currently held by Specter as a Democrat.

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by: hannah @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 11:35:44 AM CDT

More (4.00 / 1)

After my original comment on this, it later ocurred to me that Judd Gregg must be on board with the Polanski sympathizers. Who knew he was a Hollywood Liberal Elitist?

"What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority." -- Molly Ivins  

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by: The Grand Panjandrum @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 14:20:32 PM CDT

Franken: (4.00 / 1)

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 20:59:24 PM CDT