I was not at all happy with Obama signing the bill, and I find it one of his biggest tactical mistakes. He did so with great reservation, but also because he needed all the other provisions that were at the core of the bill. In order words, the indefinite detention was an add-on, from the Republicans in Congress. It was added to the bill by Republicans to get something they wanted out of something Obama needed. Obama needed the National Defense Authorization Agreement (NDAA) passed because it contained the provisions to pay for the ongoing military actions in Afghanistan and to pay for most of the military bases. The Republicans wanted to spoil the well, if you will, and thus included that detention provision. As I understand it, the Obama administration is presently attempting to have the act heard by the Supreme Court, to have that particular provision stripped from the act.
Obama's tactic, of utilizing the Supreme Court to clean bills he poses into laws/acts, is not exactly my view of how it should have been handled. I, personally, think he should have gone public about the whole thing and said the Republicans are unwilling to support the military without removing the rights of citizens, of due process. However, I also know the dogheadedness of the present batch of Republican Representatives. There is simply no way Obama could have obtained the authorization to afford maintaining the military without approving of the bill as is.
These are the games being played by Republicans, exploiting the circumstances to undermine the U.S., and discredit the President. Let's face it, Obama succeeding at anything hurts the GOP, a party that was left floundering after 2008. It is the dogma posed by the GOP, in attempting to keep their party viable, that is undermining the United States and attacking the U.S. Constitution at every turn. They are, in no uncertain terms, putting their Party before the People.
So, what I'm saying here is, do not judge a book by its cover. Look deeper into the issues and you see the facts, the Machiavellian actions of an unscrupulous political party that will do "anything" to remain viable. In this, and other instances, such as the extension of the tax cut for the wealthy, Obama has compromised. Not out of diplomacy, not because he agreed to all aspects of these bills, but because of necessity, of the need to ensure the economy doesn't collapse, the employment rate not skyrocket, and the military not fail.
It is the collapse of the U.S. economy, the rise of employment, and/or the failure of military actions that helps the Republican party to claim Obama is incompetent and unable to function as the President. It is a win/win situation for the Republican party when they pose such bills, knowing Obama cannot say no to a need, yet must swallow a very bitter pill at each signing.
Once again are you guys still wanting a Republican in the White House, someone who will pose laws/acts into effect because it's what the GOP wants instead of what's good for the country? Obama is forced to do so sparingly, and under great reservation, and with a dependency for the Supreme Court to rule such additive provisions as unconstitutional. But a Republican President? He'll sign it, and many more, willingly and without reservation, then celebrate his pwning of the People with his fellow party affiliates and corporate cohorts.
Let's also make it clear, the NDAA did not change anything in regards to indefinite detention. This was already previously posed in Bush' so-called Patriot acts. What it did was impose an Obama administration "okay" to what's been going on already since the first Bush term. Just as the telecom and tax cut issues, these are things installed during the Bush administration, which the Obama administration is having a hard time getting rid of, because Republicans in Congress are ensuring that when Obama "needs" something, the Republicans slip in some clause that reaffirms the continuation of policies posed during Bush's administration. It's dirty politics at its dirtiest. The fix is not easy. Indeed, I frankly don't know what is the fix. However, I do know for sure that a Republican President won't fix it because they don't see it as broken.