So said Senator-elect Scott Brown in his victory speech last night.  As Kent has noted, Brown's win means that efforts to dilute or repeal the AEDPA are probably doomed.  Moreover, the addition of "the 41st vote" now renders problematic any attempt to codify the administration's foolhardy and unpopular decision to give alien terrorists American constitutional rights, and to try them in civilian court rather than before military tribunals.

The elevation of high-minded platitudes over national security has been a hallmark of the present Justice Department, and I plan to give it more examination in the coming weeks.  For now, it's enough to start off with this short and pungent piece from Scott Johnson on Powerline (http://www.powerlineblog.com/):

"In his remarks at last night's victory celebration, Scott Brown reiterated one of the winning themes of his campaign in a memorable fashion: "And let me say this, with respect to those who wish to harm us, I believe that our Constitution and laws exist to protect this nation - they do not grant rights and privileges to enemies in wartime. In dealing with terrorists, our tax dollars should pay for weapons to stop them, not lawyers to defend them."

The national security policy of the Obama administration in its treatment of enemy combatants as American citizens is indefensible. The case of Umar Abdulmutallab is a powerful example. The Obama administration has in fact put forth no principled defense of its endowment of enemy combatants such as Abdulmutallab with the rights of American citizens. The irrationality of the Obama administration on this point is obvious and devastating. Andrew McCarthy elaborates in "It's the enemy, stupid."