GUEST EDITORIAL: Not good enough

As Democrats and Republicans fall all over themselves trying to come up with ways not to raise payroll taxes on millions of Americans - all with an eye toward next fall's elections - there is another, more sinister proposal working its way through Congress.

The Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., by a vote of 93-7.

That measure would have, if not for an amendment offered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., allowed the military to hold, indefinitely, without charge, terror suspects arrested inside or outside the United States, including American citizens. And it would have transferred authority to prosecute those individuals from the Justice Department to the military.

Certainly, if not for the amendment that states: "Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States," the president would have been forced to use his veto power. The amendment passed 99 to 1. Who was the lone holdout? Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

We all want to stop terrorism, but the ability of government to hold American citizens in military custody without charge or trial, indefinitely, is not consistent with our Constitution and way of life.

What would make our lawmakers believe such a proposal would not be objectionable? Fear. Fear makes men and women do foolish things. While we have to be ever vigilant, we must not, in our desire to protect ourselves, lose our soul.

- The Telegraph, Macon, Ga.