Today the U. S. Supreme Court, by the slimmest majority (5-4), has ruled that the portion of the Military Commissions Act which purports to abolish the right of habeas corpus for so-called “enemy combatants” is unconstitutional:

The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times. Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system, they are reconciled within the framework of law. The Framers decided that habeas corpus, a right of first importance, must be a part of that framework, part of that law.

Glenn Greenwald has a great writeup that explains the significance of today’s ruling.

Now, let’s remember who supported the Military Commissions Act…

…and who opposed and voted against the Military Commissions Act:

The next president will likely appoint a number of Supreme Court justices… and today, the most fundamental right under our legal system – the right to challenge arbitrary executive detention before an impartial jurist – was upheld by one vote.