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Don't We Have a Constitution, Not a King?

By Marjorie Cohn, AlterNet. Posted June 1, 2007.


Bush has issued a directive that would place all governmental powers in his hands in the case of a catastrophic emergency. If a terrorist attack happens before the 2008 election, could Bush and Cheney use this to avoid relinquishing power to a successor administration?
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As the nation focused on whether Congress would exercise its constitutional duty to cut funding for the war, Bush quietly issued an unconstitutional bombshell that went virtually unnoticed by the corporate media.

The National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, signed on May 9, 2007, would place all governmental power in the hands of the President and effectively abolish the checks and balances in the Constitution.

If a "catastrophic emergency" -- which could include a terrorist attack or a natural disaster -- occurs, Bush's new directive says: "The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government."

What about the other two co-equal branches of government? The directive throws them a bone by speaking of a "cooperative effort" among the three branches, "coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers." The Vice-President would help to implement the plans.

"Comity," however, means courtesy, and the President would decide what kind of respect for the other two branches of government would be "proper." This Presidential Directive is a blatant power grab by Bush to institutionalize "the unitary executive."

A seemingly innocuous phrase, the unitary executive theory actually represents a radical, ultra rightwing interpretation of the powers of the presidency. Championed by the conservative Federalist Society, the unitary executive doctrine gathers all power in the hands of the President and insulates him from any oversight by the congressional or judicial branches.

In a November 2000 speech to the Federalist Society, then Judge Samuel Alito said the Constitution "makes the president the head of the executive branch, but it does more than that. The president has not just some executive powers, but the executive power -- the whole thing."

These "unitarians" claim that all federal agencies, even those constitutionally created by Congress, are beholden to the Chief Executive, that is, the President. This means that Bush could disband agencies like the Federal Communications Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Reserve Board, etc., if they weren't to his liking.

Indeed, Bush signed an executive order stating that each federal agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee. Consumer advocates were concerned that this directive was aimed at weakening the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The unitary executive dogma represents audacious presidential overreaching into the constitutional province of the other two branches of government.

This doctrine took shape within the Bush administration shortly after 9/11. On September 25, 2001, former deputy assistant attorney general John Yoo used the words "unitary executive" in a memo he wrote for the White House: "The centralization of authority in the president alone is particularly crucial in matters of national defense, war, and foreign policy, where a unitary executive can evaluate threats, consider policy choices, and mobilize national resources with a speed and energy that is far superior to any other branch." Six weeks later, Bush began using that phrase in his signing statements.

As of December 22, 2006, Bush had used the words "unitary executive" 145 times in his signing statements and executive orders. Yoo, one of the chief architects of Bush's doctrine of unfettered executive power, wrote memoranda advising Bush that because he was commander in chief, he could make war any time he thought there was a threat, and he didn't have to comply with the Geneva Conventions.

In a 2005 debate with Notre Dame professor Doug Cassel, Yoo argued there is no law that could prevent the President from ordering that a young child of a suspect in custody be tortured, even by crushing the child's testicles.

The unitary executive theory has already cropped up in Supreme Court opinions. In his lone dissent in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, Justice Clarence Thomas cited "the structural advantages of a unitary Executive." He disagreed with the Court that due process demands an American citizen held in the United States as an enemy combatant be given a meaningful opportunity to contest the factual basis for that detention before a neutral decision maker. Thomas wrote, "Congress, to be sure, has a substantial and essential role in both foreign affairs and national security. But it is crucial to recognize that judicial interference in these domains destroys the purpose of vesting primary responsibility in a unitary Executive."

Justice Thomas's theory fails to recognize why our Constitution provides for three co-equal branches of government.

In 1926, Justice Louis Brandeis explained the constitutional role of the separation of powers. He wrote, "The doctrine of the separation of powers was adopted by the convention of 1787 not to promote efficiency but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power. The purpose was not to avoid friction, but, by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of the governmental powers among three departments, to save the people from autocracy."

Eighty years later, noted conservative Grover Norquist, describing the unitary executive theory, echoed Brandeis's sentiment. Norquist said, "you don't have a constitution; you have a king."

One wonders what Bush & Co. are setting up with the new Presidential Directive. What if, heaven forbid, some sort of catastrophic event were to occur just before the 2008 election? Bush could use this directive to suspend the election. This administration has gone to great lengths to remain in Iraq. It has built huge permanent military bases and pushed to privatize Iraq's oil. Bush and Cheney may be unwilling to relinquish power to a successor administration.

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Marjorie Cohn is a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, president of the National Lawyers Guild, and the US representative to the executive committee of the American Association of Jurists. Her new book, Cowboy Republic: Six Ways the Bush Gang Has Defied the Law, will be published in July. Her articles are archived at http://www.marjoriecohn.com/.

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The Great Dictator
Posted by: Tom Degan on Jun 1, 2007 12:42 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Oh, my goodness! I hope - no, I pray that the Bush Mob tries to avoid the succession of power to the next (read: Democratic) president on 20 January 2009. The people will rise up, break down the doors of the White House and send the hideous little bastard out of town on a rail. Of course, this little fantasy of mine is merely academic. The Bush presidency will not survive the year. Count on it. By summer's end, the people will be demanding the impeachment, prosecution and imprisonment of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney for their crimes against humanity.

Why are they issuing this directive now? Could it be - could it possibly be that the tidal wave of human shit that comprises this disgusting administration knows that there's a serious attack coming and wants to use the incident to consolidate power in defiance of the United States Constitution? Time will tell, my friends; time will tell. But of this you may be absolutely sure: This president, this vice-president - and countless others within the most overtly corrupt and criminal administration in American history - will die in federal prison. Take it to the bank.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
"The Rant" by Tom Degan

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» You're kidding, right??? Posted by: AndyF
» RE: the bank is closed; now what? Posted by: peacefullaim
» RE: the bank is closed; now what? Posted by: Susan Kipping
» RE: the bank is closed; now what? Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: the bank is closed; now what? Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: the bank is closed; now what? Posted by: peacefullaim
» RE: The Great Dictator Posted by: spiritsha
» Why do the Democrats keep silent? Posted by: Paul Lookman
» Even Better Posted by: Lincoln fan
» I think you are right. Posted by: wheresarah
» RE: The Great Dictator Posted by: Wild Woman
» Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: malcolmartin
» RE: Joe Sixpack Can Save Us Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: Joe Sixpack Can Save Us Posted by: peacefullaim
» Not an option Posted by: MadFlacc
» RE: Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: Persephone8
» RE: Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: malcolmartin
» RE: Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: mac-lady
» RE: Fred Thompson Will Save Us Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: Ron Paul Will Save Us Posted by: sasquuatch55
» RE: on Paul Will Save Us Posted by: Lincoln fan
» "... get out of the kitchen"? Posted by: MadFlacc
» RE: The Great Dictator Posted by: Lincoln fan
» The same rhetoric in 04... Posted by: vangogh69
» RE: The same rhetoric in 04... Posted by: azmtnman
» RE: The Great Dictator Posted by: babs
» RE: The Great Dictator Posted by: dangerouslysane
Tyranny under the guise of protecting society
Posted by: freedom on Jun 1, 2007 12:45 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Catastrophic emergency" is loosely defined and us citizens have to remember how this administration believes in evolutionary theory, that is, the meanings of their words are constantly evolving. So "catastrophic emergency ", as loosely defined as it is, could be used for anything such as a nationwide protest marches against the war in Iraq as well as mass protest marches calling for the impeachment of Cheney and Bush.

This administrations’s response has led to two developments: centralization of authority in the White House and securitization of our domestic sphere. This means our administration can say our civil liberties are a weakness in our system, for now, and that we have to give them up so they can protect us from terrorists.


Robert Lightfoot

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» Execution, huh? Posted by: MadFlacc
» RE: Robespierre? Posted by: peacefullaim
Can AlterNet make a non-propagandist argument?
Posted by: EagleMB on Jun 1, 2007 1:36 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The article states:

What about the other two co-equal branches of government? The directive throws them a bone by speaking of a "cooperative effort" among the three branches, "coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers." The Vice-President would help to implement the plans.

And then in true propagandist style states:

"Comity," however, means courtesy, and the President would decide what kind of respect for the other two branches of government would be "proper."

Well, “comity” literally means courtesy among political entities, but unlike the author’s propagandist interpretation, that in no way means that the President has authority to choose or not to choose to respect the powers of other branches of government. Our legal definition of comity comes from the Comity Clause of the Constitution which gives citizens of one state all the rights and privileges of a citizen from another state. The legal definition of comity is a mandatory respect for other branches (not a permissive respect as the author incorrectly argues). But even if we ignore the legal definition of comity, the wording of the order clearly establishes the separation of powers still exists.

Again, the article states:

"cooperative effort" among the three branches, "coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers. (emphasis added)

Thus, the express terms of the order ensures that the Constitution has not been circumvented.

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» Excuse Me!!! Posted by: dkm
» RE: xcuse Me!!! Posted by: EncinoM
» RE: What is your point? Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Facts prove.... Posted by: sheena2u
» RE: Facts prove.... Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: What are you talking about? Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: What are you talking about? Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: What are you talking about? Posted by: Ian MacLeod
» RE: Really? Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: eally? Posted by: Crazy H
» RE: eally? Posted by: EagleMB
» Correction... Posted by: Illiteratilumen
» RE: Correction... Posted by: Reggie
» RE: Partially correct... Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: eally? Posted by: sheena2u
» In defense of EagleMB Posted by: Illiteratilumen
» RE: In defense of EagleMB Posted by: secretchief
» RE: In defense of EagleMB Posted by: EagleMB
» EagleMB quote of the day Posted by: fanny666
» RE: In defense of EagleMB Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: In defense of EagleMB Posted by: sheena2u
» RE: Can you get your Constitution right? Posted by: Illiteratilumen
» RE: You are quite desperate... Posted by: YogiBear
» RE: Do you speak english? Posted by: EagleMB
» Bad argument Posted by: themotie
» RE: Bad argument Posted by: EagleMB
» Thanks, brunowe. Posted by: mjabele
» Your list proves you wrong Posted by: brunowe
» No, he doesn't. Posted by: brunowe
» RE: No, he doesn't. Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: No, he doesn't. Posted by: brunowe
» RE: No, he doesn't. Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Are you sure? Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Yes, I'm quite sure. Posted by: David V
» RE: Yes, I'm quite sure. Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Yes, I'm quite sure. Posted by: David V
» RE: Yes, I'm quite sure. Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Yes, I'm quite sure. Posted by: David V
» Fine... Posted by: David V
» RE: Fine... Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Fine... Posted by: David V
» RE: Fine... Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: Fine... Posted by: David V
» Actually... Posted by: David V
» RE: Game Over? Posted by: EagleMB
» Yes....GAME OVER, EagleMB Posted by: David V
» No! NOT Off Topic!! Posted by: David V
» Wrong Again, EagleMB! Posted by: David V
» RE: You Are a Disgrace!! Posted by: EagleMB
» RE: You Are a Disgrace!! Posted by: sheena2u
» You Are a Disgrace!! Posted by: David V
CONSTITUTION vs MONOPOLY EMPIRE
Posted by: Hal on Jun 1, 2007 1:56 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Like so many others at Alternet, this piece frames the wrong issue and evades the one that chokes the west like a cancer.

I say again, GW Bush is the most transparent puppet pretender to squat at the White House from before Warren G. Harding and Woodrow Wilson. This clod and his regime is barely a hood ornament for those pulling the strings.

A temp BushCo sham is only a symptom of a Corporate Monopoly State that ruled Washington and the MSM when the Gilded Age hadn’t yet swept America. It’s only since a grotesque 911 cover-up and its phony “war on terror” that the oligarchy behind DC has let the farce of “democracy” slip in favor of the Fascist power behind the runway show.

By definition, this is a blood money power that can only serve its Fascist cartel owners. Until rank and file Americans wake to this baseline fact, they will continue to be shocked! simply shocked! at democracy missing in action throughout the west.

Every key founder warned of the future nation and its constitution subverted by oligarchs. They cautioned that unless corporate monopoly power could be kept out of politics, Americans would become no better than slaves to a criminal power fought at the American Revolution.



“The inability of the colonists to get the power to issue their own money, permanently, out of the hands of George III and the international [cartel] bankers was the prime reason for the revolutionary war.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (a founder of America condemning global cartel power. 1706-1790)

“History records that money changers [i.e. cartel bankers] have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible, to maintain their control over governments, by controlling money and its issuance.”
PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON (the 4th president as acknowledged “father” of the U.S. Constitution and a founder of America on abuses of global banking cartel power. 1751-1836)

“The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations.”
PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON (a founder of America in condemnation of present and future cartel power. 1743-1826)

“I believe that [private cartel] banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies…The issuing [money] power should be taken from the [cartel] banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”
PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON (a founder of America on private cartel rule. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin, 1802. Published 1809)

"The paper-money system and its natural associations—monopoly and exclusive privileges—have already struck their roots too deep in the soil, and it will require all your efforts to check its further growth and to eradicate the evil.”
PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON (the 7th President on private monopoly money power. Jackson defeated monopolist bankers and their scheme for privately rigged “U.S.” central bank. 1767-1845)

“The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson.”
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (on oligarch rule in a letter to handler “Colonel” Edward M. House, confidence man for the cartel and founder of the Council on Foreign Relations. House also handled President Wilson in the foisting of a private and unconstitutional “Federal Reserve” Corporation sham with its IRS in 1913. FDR speaks of monopolists at cartel centers of New York & London that own the U.S. Government. November 21st, l933)

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» WWII was for the banks! Posted by: vangogh69
» National public service Posted by: hagwind
King George -- America's "Thinking" President
Posted by: HughScott on Jun 1, 2007 2:07 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
During a September 2006 TV interview with NBC's Brian Williams, George W. said in regards to his role as president, he had to make decisions based on "what I think is right."

THINK? Show me in the Constitution where it says the chief executive can do what he or she thinks.

Such wording does not exist in the sacred document and for good reason. Our founding fathers were afraid of replicating a dictatorial monarchy like the one they had escaped in Great Britain. Their fear was so great that many framers of the Constitution wanted separate offices for domestic and foreign affairs -- one person for president, the other for commander-in-chief.

Following a long and often rancorous debate, our founders agreed to consolidate the positions and make one person responsible for war and peace, with Congress having the final say-so before armed conflicts began. What the framers didn't anticipate was a power-hungry politician like Dub-ya -- ironically, a blueblood Yankee aristocrat born in New Haven, Connecticut, to a family of means with ancestral ties to England's King Henry III.

Motivated by political gain and personal revenge (Saddam had tried to kill Bush 41), Royal George attacked Iraq in March 2003 and ascended to the throne two months later aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, wearing an ermine flight jacket and a crown shaped like an aviator crash helmet. The rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks to Bush's belligerent and incompetent leadership, Iraq is a quagmire, Iran has emerged a major Middle East power and Lebanon, the only Arab democracy, was nearly destroyed by Israel last summer, all because Dub-ya thought he was doing the "right" thing.

Assume for a moment the Constitution did say our chief executive could take actions based on THOUGHT. What assurances would we have that President Bush's thinking was "right" for the American people?

None, of course. We would be at his mercy like our founders were under England's King George III. In the mother of all ironies, as affirmed by the Brian Williams interview, the U.S. has become the dictatorial monarchy our forefathers feared -- controlled by another King George.

For citizens in denial of Bush's obsession for absolute authority, he made it clear on August 21, 2006, at a news conference by saying, "We will stay in Iraq as long as I'm commander-in-chief."

That's a king talking, not a president.

Previously, according to Bob Woodward in his 2004 bestseller, State of Denial, George W. told him,
"I won't leave Iraq even if only Laura and Barnie [his dog'] are supporting me."

That's a lunatic talking.

NOTE: This comment was extracted from the nonprofit investigative website, King-George.biz, the only one with hardcopy proof of White House corruption.

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» I gave you the wrong rating Posted by: Tom Degan
» RE: Who are you quoting? Posted by: EagleMB
Martial law was and is ready to be unleashed even without this latest plan
Posted by: Rune on Jun 1, 2007 2:31 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
First of all, given the expansive definition of a "catastrophic emergency," there need not be any actual emergency at all. The president could simply puff up some half truths about secret intelligence and reports from foreign governments to claim that there is a catastrophic emergency, as he did to justify the invasion of Iraq, and it would be a done deal under this plan.

Just how terrible the plan is, we don't really know because the last provision of the publicly released statement says that the details are classified. To date, however, experience has shown that when the president is hiding something, it is not good and quite often not a legitimate state secret either.

What we do know is that the entire Clinton plan for maintaining continuity of government has been scrapped by this plan. Why? Was there truly nothing sound about the Clinton plan? Or is it a matter of taking the matter to such an extreme of dictatorial powers that nothing Clinton saw as reasonable reaches nearly far enough to satisfy the Commander Guy and his Loyal Bushies?

Meanwhile, this comes against the backdrop of a whole host of powers and activities held in common with dictators and totalitarian governments.

There is the monitoring of all electronic communications that the media tries to ignore for some reason. And looking beyond our own borders, but never forgetting that what goes around can always come back to haunt us, there are the matters of torture, secret prisons, kidnappings, people being "disappeared," and the lack of habeas corpus protections (which the Democrats are too cowardly to take on), all summed up quite nicely in this article. Of course, we have already been witness to mercenary paramilitary forces being turned loose on Americans in crisis. And perhaps we have forgotten, but one of the first assaults on our civil liberties (that we knew of) unleashed by this president involved the rounding up of visible minorities who were isolated and intimidated while the former attorney general, who looks like a white knight compared to the thug that replaced him, warned the rest of the country not to speak out against the government for violating our constitutional rights as it would "only aid terrorists" and "erode our national unity."

We have in place military spy operations to keep tabs on Americans with the encouragement of a Republican senator who wanted Alberto Gonzales to rest assured he saw no reason for a warrant to use military forces in such a manner. And if the military should discover hundreds of thousands of untrustworthy Americans, KBR has been building labor camps to hold them while the military is used to round up (or shoot down?) those Americans perceived to be a "threat," as many nonviolent members of peace groups have already been labeled. In the interest of maintaining a false sense of security, the military will also be using PSYOPS to mislead the people it is meant to protect. (Hopefully they will be no more competent than the $63 million per year propaganda operation the U.S. government is running in the Middle East.) If any of that comes as news to you, be sure to read all about it, now.

Most importantly, however, the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007 and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 have already made martial law, in which the U.S. military will be turned against the citizens of the United States, likely according to Senator Patrick Leahy.

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Phil
Posted by: philstowe on Jun 1, 2007 3:58 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
So now you know! Whatcha gonna do about it?

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» TALK SOME MORE!!!!!! LOL Posted by: Prophit
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Class dictatorship, Corporrate fascism leads to class Tyranny
Posted by: Universal on Jun 1, 2007 4:02 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Even at its best, The Republic, based on the betrayal of the French Revolution, by its commercial classes, where Property rights over universal rights, meant class laws, class despotism, and a Class Republic, already reflected the generic class corruption, where the emerging capitalist oligarchy imposed unpaid labor, African slavery, and indentured servitude, with the help of its corrupted middle layers, themselves transformed into class Liberals, both conservative and liberal class elites, thus betraying the revolutionary liberals and their goal of overthrowing Feudal class system, with an international social mechanism based on a fully developed middle class, without class masters.

This corrupt class mechanism, between the oligarchy and its corrupted middle layers, produced the class hierarchies, which filtered out democracy, corrupted democracy, and was justified by the class ideologies of its two class parties. This is called class dictatorship, or dictatorship of Capital. The American Indians and the African slaves were the very first victims of the Class Democracy. However, this generic class corruption, which is carried out by its class appeasers, its class elites, and class hierarchies, both within nation states and between nation states through class nationalism, and Class Empire begins to degenerate, deform its class democracy even further, into the class rot of oligarchy, plutocracy, and Corporate fascism, which first expressed itself when German Capitalism was in crisis, and needed its middle layers to service its brutaliy, and become the shock troops, class mercenaries, against the revolting lower working classes, and parts of the middle layers alligned with workers opposed to this fascist dictatorship. German corporate fascism was defeated militarily, though not politically, and in fact its corporate fascist structure is now the norm of most Western Late Capitalist structure.

The betrayal, generic corruption by its middle class layers, servicing this fascism can be clearly seen by the capitulation of all three branches here in the U.S. where the executive, legislative and judicial class elites are complicit in the war crimes, dictatorship, and Corporate fascist laws, hence the equality of the branches means nothing, if all three branches are corrupted by its class elites, particiipating as war criminals and judicial nazis who rule that negating 800 years of legal processes and habeus corpus is legal, when in fact it is unconstituional, not to mention against international laws, then we must get to the heart of this generic class appeasement, class betrayal, and "general failure'..."of the entire government" which Keith Olbermann referred to as institutional, and is based on a class of "Neville Chamberlain" appeasers who capitulate to this class rot, routiinely.

Class dictatorship and Corporate fascism, is appeased by its corrupted middle layers, who are complicit in this dictatorship, which Hannah Arendt called "the banlity of Evil", the normalization of fascism, by its middle layers, and the backbone of corporate class dictatorship. Hence both Hitler and Bush are financed and supported by its most regressive, nationalist, class thugs, but also by its class appeasing liberal class whores, who like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosis are unwilling to change the policies of Class Empire, fascist foreign policies, but instead are willing, complicit criminals, by giving the green light to Bush to invade, and carry out nuclear aggression against Iran, which explains why they will not impeach Bush, because they are complicit war criminals themselves. This class rot, generic class despotism must be dismantled if we are to survive another Holocaust, and continuing class regression. The only way to accomplish this is to disconnect the class hierachies from their oligarchy, by dismantling its connection to its class masters.

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Caesar77
Posted by: Caesar77 on Jun 1, 2007 4:05 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Why are we not suprised that Bush and company are getting away with this nonsense.? Because Americans are getting feed a steady diet of, Britney Speark, Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton by what is laughinly called responsible mainstream media. And if they get tired of that garbage, they always have American Idol to fill their days/nights. We deserve everything we get from this corrupt administration. Wake up America.!!

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A DICTATOR not a KING, Marjorie
Posted by: citizenjoe on Jun 1, 2007 4:35 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Look, we are not living in 1776. In our century, republics get destroyed by dictators, eg, Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Pinochet, caudillos in Central and South America, etc. Please stop making analogies which are thoroughly anachronistic. The "unitary executive" of Bush's legal ideologists is based on a theory of permanent dictatorship developed by the Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt.Bush like Duvalier would like a dynastic dictatorship, not monarchy for god sake. The history of the 20th century is the history of dictatorship replacing monarchy as the form of state in which great political nations can have empires. People like yourself - and there are many-- who prattle on about "King George" Bush mislead your readers into thinking Bush is a quaint throw-back to a long gone era, hence a glitch that will soon be corrected. In fact, Bush belongs to the new world of dictatorial state authority required to rule over empires in a world in which monarchies have lost legitimacy in nation-states. For god sake, wake up! Don't journalists know anything about history and politics any more?

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» A dynastic dictatorship? Posted by: Lloyd Drako
» Jeb,of course Posted by: citizenjoe
» You got the message! Posted by: citizenjoe
» Zog was mostly Mussolinis' Posted by: citizenjoe
You Are Surprised?
Posted by: the islander on Jun 1, 2007 5:05 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is news? You are surprised?

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Get a grip, people!
Posted by: Lloyd Drako on Jun 1, 2007 5:20 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Half the presidents we've had since 1789 have been hysterically accused of wanting to be king: the original GW, both Adamses, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, both Roosevelts, JFK, LBJ, Nixon. . . . Bush in company with these? You are misoverestimating the poor shlub.

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» RE: Get a grip, people! Posted by: hagwind
» RE: Get a grip is right Posted by: kbest
» RE: Get a grip is right Posted by: sasquuatch55
Our Beloved Country
Posted by: machaventia on Jun 1, 2007 5:38 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
My friend had the most astounding dream. She sees the future like a prophet of old.
In this dream, she saw a great assembly of people from all over the United States surround the Capital Building in Washington and the Halls of Congress. This great ocean of eyes burned right through the buildings, rendering them transparent. All of America stood at the gates surrounding those we call politicians, now trapped inside as they slunk in their seats of power, ashamed and naked before us all.
Their power was dissolved, made null and void, as we all saw, knew and felt who we are, one nation, with no more need for leaders...taking back our country.

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» RE: Our Beloved Country Posted by: don't jolive my olive.
THIS IS NOT NEWS
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Jun 1, 2007 5:47 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's all a benign sounding way of being able to take over everything and everyone. GWB gets to decide on the seriousness of the situation and immediately grants himself the power to do whatever he deems neccessary "to protect us". He can legally declare a police state at the least provocation and probably will. This is not cute. Read the new 'Presidential Directive". Once more where's congress ? Where's anybody who cares. Thanks, ANNA

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The fourth branch of the U.S. government
Posted by: hagwind on Jun 1, 2007 5:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It is indeed scary that this latest effort hasn't produced a hullaballoo in the mainstream media, or in Congress. Given the dead-duck Congress (OK, OK, the Democrats have been asleep in the backseat for so long that maybe we shouldn't be surprised that they're not quite awake at the wheel) and the stacked Supreme Court, possibly the media have forgotten that the U.S. government has three parts? But it doesn't take much of a memory to recall the botching of the war on Iraq and the Katrina relief effort, both of which are still going on, so how can anyone believe that national security and catastrophic events constitute a good reason to expand this particular executive's powers?

At the same time, this essay would have been more effective and useful if it had provided some historical context. Executive power grabs are nothing new in U.S. history. As the impeachment hearings got under way against President Nixon, we young lefties titillated ourselves with speculation along the lines of "What if he refuses to leave?" His outfitting of the White House guard in uniforms that would have done justice to the Prussian court was taken as evidence of his imperial ambitions. (The uniforms were widely ridiculed, whereupon they quietly disappeared.)

As the Vietnam War escalated in the mid-1960s and especially after the Tet Offensive of early 1968 woke many USians up to the fact that the war was not going well for "our side," plenty of people -- including some congressional Democrats -- thought that Lyndon Johnson had hijacked the government and that quite possibly he was crazy, i.e., out of control.

Similar charges were lodged against FDR, and indeed it's hard not to see that he pushed executive powers to the limit -- and occasionally, as with the attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court by packing it with New Deal sympathizers, went over the line. The "excesses" of the New Deal may well have saved democracy from the consequences of the excesses of Wall Street: the stock market crash and the Great Depression.

There are enough similaries between the "roaring" 1920s and the deregulated 1990s and 2000s to make me wonder if a strong executive might be the only way to keep democracy from going down the drain again. Not this executive, of course. The differences between this executive and FDR are worth pondering, and it's hard to ponder them without considering that these days, as in the 1920s, the U.S. government has, in effect, four branches. The fourth branch is, of course, Wall Street -- which is shorthand for Big Finance. FDR and the New Dealers stood up to it. Bush II and the Shady Dealers are in its pocket. So is a big chunk of the Congress. And when both the executive and the legislative branches are compromised, the judiciary can't help but being likewise: where do the justices and judges come from, after all?

Since this fourth branch of government isn't mentioned in the Constitution, an essay on constitutional law can be forgiven for omitting it. But it should be included in any discussion of checks and balances -- if we're to have any hope of saving democracy in this country.

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» RE: WHAT WILL WE DO? Posted by: Lincoln fan
An International Comparison
Posted by: dchauls on Jun 1, 2007 6:05 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In 1972, I was living in the Philippines when Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. His excuse for doing so was that the country had just undergone a major natural disaster (a huge flood) and that local 'terrorists' had set off a few explosions in Manila (suspected by many to have been done by Marcos' own people).

Prior to that time, the Philippines was a functioning democracy. As a Peace Corps Volunteer living in a small village before Marcos was elected President, I had had the opportunity to observe an election campaign, and was very much impressed by the knowledge that my neighbors had about the candidates for who they were voting. They understood the democratic process and were proud of their role in selecting their leaders.

When Marcos declared martial law, democracy died. It took over a decade to get rid of him. But even now, three decades later, the country continues to suffer. The Marcos legacy remains in the form of cynicism about the democratic process; a country that had been one of the leading lights of Asia is now a backwater.

If this experience is any guide, I predict that if King George decides to exercise his version of martial law, the United States will require decades to recover.

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No, never - trust in this president is completely gone
Posted by: ggmurray on Jun 1, 2007 6:37 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Absolutely no more power for this guy. If he were my bus driver, I'D GET OFF THE BUS!

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bigtime
Posted by: pnut on Jun 1, 2007 6:40 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think he is dictator now, the fine print says he does not have to tell us why he is declaring marshal law, all he has to do is do it, and with all my soul I think he will do it. The boys and girls of talk radio are getting us ready for it now, just turn on Mr. O, or Mr. L or Mr. H and you will see this is the plain, we can not stop it now it has gone on to long now. I have not got any hope for us, as the people in Washington will not stand up to Mr. Bush & Co. We have had it. Bill Bavidson

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I knew it!
Posted by: Robba29 on Jun 1, 2007 6:59 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Shortly after 9/11 I speculated to my friends and family that I thought this guy would try to go for it all rather than leave office. Most of them laughed. This guy is a megalomaniacal idiot, and is very scary. I agree with Tom Degan at the top, though--and I don't believe it is a fantasy. If Bushy tries it, we will have a massive riot and breakdown of society. I know where I'll be.

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This is What a Fascist Coup Looks Like From Within!
Posted by: gracefounddog on Jun 1, 2007 7:02 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Immigration Bill (which can be read here: http://www.total411.info/Immigration070518.pdf ) is part of the Corporate Agenda to conquer and control all of us THE WORLD OVER. Both Democrats AND Republicans are losing their parties right now because we the American People are losing our country. This bill has the underlying intention of furthering the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, which WILL destroy our Republic if it is allowed into being:

Official site for this unconstitutional ‘partnership’ is here: http://www.spp.gov/
The Canadian Green Party has a great FAQ here: http://www.greenparty.ca/en/policy/spp_FAQ#5.

PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS!!! OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS THREATENED FROM THESE TRAITORS POSING AS OUR GOVERNMENT!!!!

I thought this Youtube video was pure BS but if you dig around you’ll see there’s something sinister going on here, all connected with the Immigration PLAN and the “Partnership”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P-hvPJPTi4

Google: Homeland Security Contracts KBR for Vast New Detention Centers in US:


Finally, the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is now being pushed by Bush Co for a quick vote.

Google: Last Stand For American Sovereignty (wont let me post link)

UNCLOS was formely LOST http://www.aim.org/guest_column/5493_0_6_0_C/ ):

The Cable Industry (the one that is trying to steal our internet commons away from the PEOPLE via stripping us of net neutrality) will benefit from UNCLOS being passed. Google this - I can't post the link for some reason.


All of this makes Directive 51 make perfectly evil sense: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFB_a3_VNnc

I am not inclined to conspiracy theories, but after digging around I have no doubt something evil this way comes!!

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minjiwe
Posted by: minjiwe on Jun 1, 2007 7:05 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is the scariest thing I have read about the Bush/Cheney administration. And I have read a lot of scary things. I pray to God this does not happen, however, looking at what has transpired since Bush was 'seated', I would not doubt it could.

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Maybe it Would Be Better....
Posted by: AmbiUbi on Jun 1, 2007 7:18 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If something actually DID happen and King Bush took over. Maybe that would be the only thing to really get this country mobilized. I mean, SOMEthing needs to be done to get the majority of this country's focus away from the unimportant "news" of Paris going to jail or what food will kill you this week. Just sayin'.

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Sadly, the constitution has been in shreds for years...
Posted by: Michael Boldin on Jun 1, 2007 7:27 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
And Bush is by far the greatest violator we've seen. But, it's the natural progression of years and years and years of letting politicians "bend the rules" and do things that aren't authorized in the Constitution. Many have been for good goals or reasons and many have not.

But, we should always be concerned less with the abuse of power - rather, we should always pay attention to the power to abuse.

All expansions of power in the federal government are liable to abuse in the future. Bush is living proof of this.

The Constitution and Bill of Rights aren't just recommendations - they're the law. Period.

Some reading:

"Contract with America: Bill of Rights" - click here

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» this is why we need a president Posted by: kellysgarden
Impeachment, Iran
Posted by: lucillebh on Jun 1, 2007 7:30 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I believe the reason Nancy Pelosi has taken impeachment "off the table" is because she and other higherups know that, if impeachment preceedings are brought about for Cheney and/or Bush, Bush would immediately declare pre-emptive war on Iran and use "limited" nuclear warheads. This insane action certainly meshes well with a lot of other dictatorial powers he's grabbed, including his revocation of posse comitatus and suspension of habeas corpus. Someone please wake up the red staters and tell them that this is neither a democracy or a republic any longer, it's a dictatorship. But of course they wouldn't care. Gotta keep that OIL coming in for their Escalades, Navigators, Suburbans and Sequoias.

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» RE: You must be smoking from the Posted by: Ydotheyhateus
the king is dead, long live the king
Posted by: karyse on Jun 1, 2007 8:13 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
25 years ago I had a friend from the U.K. who made the claim that what the U.S. NEEDED was a king/queen. The King/Queen could represent country, mom, apple pie, homeland, hearth, and so on, but basically be a powerless figurehead that all of the uninformed "people" could love and cherish. Bad mouthing the King/Queen would be unpatirotic, but getting rid of the president/minister would be an easy affair.

The elected president/minister could be easily removed at any time without the corresponding "love it or leave it" rhetoric. I'm beginning to see that my friend was right.

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Rudy floated the same idea after 9/11
Posted by: surfreality on Jun 1, 2007 8:16 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He offered to postpone the upcoming mayoral election. He volunteered to stay on the job an additional 3 months. He threatened to work to repeal term limits if he wasn't allowed to stay on the job. Bloomberg and Greene BOTH supported this proposal. Ferrer said no, but offered Rudy the job of recovery Tzar.
The idea was shot down by "the man in the street". Polls showed NYers overwhelmingly against the idea.
Bush like Rudy thinks he is indispensible... but I think , like Tom Degan above, that Americans would actually wake up and start to mobilize if the Bush/Cheney crime family cartels actually tried to pull off such a stunt.

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Bush doesn't "believe" in separation of powers
Posted by: fanny666 on Jun 1, 2007 8:18 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush and his handlers try to make the case that the Executive branch is allowed to interpret laws as they see fit. They call it the "Unitary Executive Theory".

Unitary Executive Theory

Actual conservative (as opposed to the non-conservative right-wingers who now control the Republican party) former Ass't Secretary of Treasury (Reagan Administration) and former editorial board member at the Wall Street Journal Paul Craig Roberts has been pointing out for years that Bush ignores his oath to uphold the Constitution, and that the Patriot Act sets the foundation for a Police State.

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» "theory" Posted by: fanny666
» RE: "theory" Posted by: surfreality
Irate Buckeye
Posted by: sercle on Jun 1, 2007 8:42 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I could have told you this was going on long ago. I have no doubt that Cheney and Rove promoted a war strategy from the very start so that the president could exert more power. The intent was to keep the war going throughout his presidency while they infiltrated the executive branch with all manner of Republican lawyers and graduates of the "Christian" colleges.

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Now uyou all start talking about this!?
Posted by: outlander55 on Jun 1, 2007 8:43 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have been following what has been going on for 5 1/2 years. Almost every time I have posted, I have harped on this issue.
What can be done about this blatant violation of the Constitution?

The people have to wake the F**K up. Since the Nixon presidency, the population has, for the most part, become complacent. Corporate America has hypnotized the majority them with the likes of fast food, cable TV, and credit cards with high limits. The antics of Paris Hilton and runaway brides have become more important than world and political events. Our election turnout is one of the lowest in the free world. The education system sucks. Most high school students don't even get any civics education at all. The corporate Masters have slowly withered away our rights with their high payed lobbyists buying off our members of congress. We allowed a draft dodging, cocaine snorting, beer drinking sociopath steal an election and become the Embarrassment in Chief. Now, he wants to be King!!!
THIS IS SOME SCARY S**T!!!

One can only hope that this will wake America from its slumber of the last forty years.

Good night and good luck....

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That was...sickofsleaze
Posted by: ladybug1@carrollsweb.com on Jun 1, 2007 9:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
my rallying cry when the Bush mob's power grab negated the Constitution and Bush called it that "Goddamned piece of paper" not being smart enough to know it is written on parchment.
Hope the unrest in the militatry; not only the "boots on the ground" but the officer corps is unhappy enough with this sensless slaughter of our troops as well as helpless Iraqis and bracing for an unprovoked nuclear attack on Iran to mutiny.
According to witnesses Bush is increasing unhinged; surpassing Nixon's and Hitler's paranoia

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This is a replacement for a Clinton-era Directive
Posted by: mgloraine on Jun 1, 2007 9:09 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Paragraph 22 of the text posted at the White House site states:

"22) Revocation. Presidential Decision Directive 67 of October 21, 1998 ("Enduring Constitutional Government and Continuity of Government Operations"), including all Annexes thereto, is hereby revoked. "

So the Bush League didn't invent this item in its entirety. It would probably be useful to look at the text of the original directive to see what has been changed. Obviously, all items mentioning "Homeland Security" are new additions.

The idea of planning for "continuity" is not sinister by itself. Planning for "business resumption" or "disaster recovery" became a serious project for many business organizations during the 1990s as day-to-day operations became increasingly dependent on computers and telecommunications assets.

Our federal government also needs to have business resumption plans to deal with situations like hurricanes, floods, blizzards, etc., which can disable standard telecomm infrastructure. It would be very unwise to have no plan at all.

So perhaps we need to determine what is new and different about the replacement directive and address the specific points which are cause for concern. The mere existence of the directive is not adequate to support claims of malignant intent, since the executive directive to establish a continuity plan predates the Bush White House.

The present administration is clearly not trustworthy, as they have demonstrated time and again. The motives for issuing this directive at this time are highly suspicious. Still, it is important that, unlike our opponents, we get our facts straight before making public accusations of malfeasance.

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Scary!! Here comes Blackwater!
Posted by: saywhat on Jun 1, 2007 9:23 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/sp070523.shtml
This gives the directive in full. It is the scarest thing I have ever read.

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Even Kings get Assignated- usually by their friends
Posted by: DrSuess on Jun 1, 2007 9:30 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Since Bush stole the 2000 and 2004 elections- people have been speculating how he will stay in power. There have been constant thoughts about how he will “end the republic”. People have fantasized about “well planned” terrorist attacks, and disease outbreaks that make it necessary for him to stay. The Industrial Military Complex, the Drug Companies, the Oil Companies, and his other power bases still support him- but their support decreases with each passing day.
Top Generals no longer support him, and his base among the troops is weak at best. The most likely way for the Iraq war to end is with a troop mutiny. You have soldiers there who don’t know what they are fighting for- and are not being rewarded by society for their efforts. The weapon manufactures are still 100% behind him, and while they represent unlimited funds (gleaned from the US taxpayer) they cannot rule alone.
The Oil Companies haven’t achieved their aim in Iraq – which is the Iraqi government signing over its oil. They still push for Iran- but the pressure to stop from within the US is rising. When Oil prices explode through the roof, Oil Company executives will be tarred and feathered on American city streets. Even now with gas a mere $3.50 per gallon there are calls to lynch them. Wait till gas goes even higher.
So far the Drug companies have gotten what they want- a total grip on the US consumer. But they are also having problems. One of the major forces driving outsourcing is the out of control costs of medicine. When employers have to pay an extra 1/3 to ½ to their employees in terms of benefits, they rethink having Americans work for them at all.
These companies may continue to support Bush and his cronies, but I doubt even they will be happy about having a president whose lieutenants are being impeached or humiliated, and whose ratings are somewhere below sea level continue to represent their interests.

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Scary!!
Posted by: saywhat on Jun 1, 2007 9:31 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's MUCH worse than the above article states. Really read the directive. Its amazing. The President only has to assume there MAY be an attack to use this power.

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Jefferson and Franklin warned us of Bush and his kind..
Posted by: TJ-stars4peace on Jun 1, 2007 9:45 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thomas Jefferson Said:

"Ours is not a System based upon Trust, but one of Suspicion..!

He is referring to the intentional design of the Three Equal Branches to over see and balance the distribution of powers..!

Due to the eternal abuses of government..!

These Federalist Society Tory sycophants and usurpers seek to undo and over thrown our very system of government..!

They are Traitors to The Constitution and our very system of Government and the inarguable intent of our Founding Fathers and their great wisdom..!

These sycophants like Alito who I know personally to be a criminal and corrupt and a perjurer along with Scalia , Chertoff, Thomas, Kennedy Roberts, Gonzales are a greater threat to our Republic than al-Qaeda could ever be..!

They should all be arrested by order of the senate and every other who touched and signed off on this intended coup and treachery and immediate Impeachment hearings commenced before this Dictatorship is enacted and installed..

Bush is a threat to our very system and he is surrounded by those who will tell him whatever this sociopath and maybe psychopath wants to hear..!

Here's the link to these treasonous dangerous vague vile documents..

NSPD-51 and HSPD-20

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspd/nspd-51.htm

Read them for yourself and be forewarned Dictatorship is one signature away from America..!

Also while it was not mentioned in this great article it also gives Bush as Supreme Unitary ass-hole all power over all Industry as well, so it is nothing less than a Reich and Chertoff that other incompetent corrupt scum bag will be
Reich Chancellor Chertoff or Bush's Albert Speer..!

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» Madison too Posted by: fanny666
» RE: Madison too Posted by: TJ-stars4peace
High gas prices
Posted by: Artkansas on Jun 1, 2007 9:50 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Could be considered a "catastrophic event" by the directives definition.

It appears that the president has claimed the sole power to determine what is a "catastrophic event". A car backfiring in an airport could trigger the whole mess if people got panicky enough.

This is the man who said it would be good to be the dictator, and he has just given himself the authorization, congress has not objected and the courts are in his pocket. I expect him to exercise this in the next six months. Maybe August when congress is out of session.

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Yes...
Posted by: JoshuaLudd on Jun 1, 2007 9:54 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He will ensure constitutional government... WHEN? He isn't answerable to anyone while this is in effect. He doesn't have to EVER allow it to lose effect. He could easy as pie say that he will reinstate freedom, democracy, and constitutional government as soon as the crisis is passed... and if the crisis is the war of terror... well, when is that ever going to pass???????

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They tried it before
Posted by: Badger1492 on Jun 1, 2007 10:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
By "they" I mean the powers behind Bush. We all know he is just a puppet for whoever is really running things.

Some people (though not most of those here) might be inclined to think this is a bit paranoid. But it was tried before. Do you remember Iran-Contra? The Reagan-Ollie North gang was setting up FEMA to act in the same capacity in case of "national emergency" and to suspend constitutional liberties. If the whole Iran-Contra thing hadn't blown up on them, they might have succeeded. I knew they'd try again someday. 9/11 was the first chance they saw. They had the "Patriot Act" ready and waiting to go.

Troubling times.

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» patriot act Posted by: kellysgarden
This isn't news...
Posted by: vangogh69 on Jun 1, 2007 10:03 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Nazi Germany provides a ripe example of how swiftly a country can fall into barbarism when its run by ruthless men. The Constitution is barely there anymore and to this day, a US citizen (Padilla) is still locked away and labeled an "enemy combatant", a term new to the US and world. Camps are already being built (you can google this and find the AP story on it!) and both parties have proven themselves finally bankrupt when it comes to truly helping all citizens (as opposed to the financially well-off). None of this, with Bush, is surprising. After all, who or what is there to stop him/them? The People (though partly awake) have defaulted on their responsibilites as active and alert citizens and can be expected to take yet another plunge into blind nationalism should there be/when there is another attack and/or the invasion of Iran.

Could US citizens be ready to live under a Presidential Dictatorship? If the nonchalance people showed when boots and tanks were "securing the peace" in post-Katrina New Orleans, then the answer is a definate yes! Just be sure to keep on American Idol and Desperate Housewives! Ugh!

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» RE: This isn't news... Posted by: scmp
» RE: This isn't news... Posted by: dlf
» RE: This isn't news... Posted by: aurora2484
Not entirely new
Posted by: scmp on Jun 1, 2007 10:08 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
There were already plans for the continuance of the government in case of emergencies. The last detailed plans were laid down during the Reagan administration and involved FEMA. Bush & Co revised them a couple of years ago and issued another executive order and now this one. The new stuff is that this last executive order takes the Congress completely out of the picture. Also interesting is that "internal dissent against military occupation abroad" falls under these "exceptional circumstances". No, they don't have any plans to give up power in '08 and the Constitution is toilet paper for these criminals.

My prognosis is this: Netanyahu wins the elections in Israel, attacks Iran, a "false flag" operation against a US ship in the Gulf is carried out, we join Israel and occupy Iran. The American citizens hit the streets in the US in protest and Bush & Co declare the martial law. The elections are suspended and democracy a thing of the past. Case closed. Welcome to the 21st Century America - a military dictatorship.

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» RE: Not entirely new Posted by: jbloggz
» RE: Not entirely new Posted by: babs
How about that first sentence?
Posted by: Knowmad on Jun 1, 2007 10:20 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
". . . bush quietly issued an unconstitutional bombshell that went virtually unnoticed by the corporate media."

I believe this tiny statement is the most telling and important in the entire article. Think about it. First is the perfectly ludicrous assumption that this wan't noticed by the msm; if you believe that, then I've got an excellent used toothbrush with your name on it. Further, the fact that the msm were obviously directed to ignore this, and complied without a whimper - as they have with so many of the nefarious doings of your neocon children in office - is like a spotlight on the severity of trouble your sad country is in.

With a gullible, apathetic majority such as yours, that prefers to take whatever the msm says as gospel - and what they don't report as meaningless - what's to stop the chushrovian whores from continuing to do whatever they wish, whenever. I mean, it's not as if they have to worry about their crimes and immoral activities being reported in a media that the populus actually pays attention to, now is it?

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» ...and who controls the media? Posted by: terminus
Louis B. Brandeis and the Need to
Posted by: edgar_michel on Jun 1, 2007 10:20 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Samuel Warren and Louis P. Brandeis argued in an article called "The Right to Privacy," Harvard Law Review Volume IV December 15, 1890, No 5, that technology had advanced to the point where the protections afforded by the Constitution were in jeopardy of becoming ineffectual unless the effect of advancing technology on those protections was addressed. Now the new Presidential Directive not only does not address the deleterious effect that technology is having on Constitutional protections, but it is aggressively undermining those protections outright and undermining the authority of the body that has the power to address the effect that technology is having on those protections.

This Presidential Directive is written in a deceptive way as well. It is made up of many definitions that reference other definitions that change the meaning of the originally defined precept. For instance, this directive says that in the event of an emergency "including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack related emergencies," that the executive departments and agencies ensure that Primary Mission-Essential Functions continue to be performed. But Primary Mission Essential Functions means those Government Functions that must be performed in order to support or implement the performance of National Essential Functions, which are necessarily supported by Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government which means coordination by the executive and specifically the president. But I should point out the Government Functions are defined again as the executive.

Enduring Constitutional Government, coordinated by the president is to provide orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency which of course means that Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government which is coordinated by the president become operative. But further on in the document, specifically item (4) Implantation Actions, prescribes, “continuity requirements shall be incorporated into daily operations of all executive departments and agencies. As a result of the asymmetric threat environment, adequate warning of potential emergencies that could pose a significant risk to the homeland might not be available, and therefore all Continuity planning shall be based on the assumption that no such warning will be received.”

I'm not sure how to read this, but it seams to me that once the president declares a national emergency for any of the reasons above, he would be able to implement any policy he so desired because of the asymmetric threat environment.

Not only is the Constitution of the United States threatened by this, but according to item (11) of this directive: "Federal Government Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government and Enduring Constitutional Government plans and operations shall be appropriately integrated with the emergency plans of State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate, in order to promote interoperability and to prevent redundancies and conflicting lines of authority.

In other words, to run the nation like a corporation dissolving all jurisdictions except the prerogatives of the executive.

I believe that our constitution is in great need of modernization, but it is still a basic framework that defines the interoperability of all people.

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» Good point! Posted by: saywhat
» RE: Good point! Posted by: edgar_michel
Might I suggest a new form of government?
Posted by: randyn on Jun 1, 2007 10:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For millennia, we have had kings, rulers, dictators, representatives, and other forms of leaders.

That is how it has always been done, but... now we have the technology to govern ourselves. True democracy has never been possible until the advent of the internet, and Web 2.0.

Have a look at the Metagovernment project and tell me why that system is in any way less appealing than the status quo.

I doubt it is perfect, but it is, as they say, better than all the others.

And before you go off explaining how the powers that be will put a stop to it, first explain how they can stop it; then explain what your better alternative is. Shall we just let totalitarianism become reality, or shall we at least try to nip it in the bud?

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» spread the word about Ron Paul Posted by: kellysgarden
I am, therefore I is
Posted by: willymack on Jun 1, 2007 10:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Ah, yes! I can see it now. Another phony 9/11, perhaps using a nuke this time to REALLY scare us into submission. Lesee, who to blame for this one? Iran? Al Queda? The Democrats? Just so long as it focuses our people's fear and anger away from the REAL culprits and enables the neothugs to sweep away what's left of our democracy, suspend (later, eliminate) future elections, and establish a dictatorship which would make Hitler's Germany look like heaven on Earth. It REALLY COULD HAPPEN, you know, unless we Americans (the real ones) become sick and tired of being screwed over, lied to, and twisting in the wind, wondering if we EVER get back to "normal", and paralyze the country by refusing to go to work or obeying anything this junta orders us to do. It takes a lot to anger easy-going Americans, but once that's done, WATCH OUT!

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» RE: I am, therefore I is Posted by: pito516
» another 9/11 Posted by: kellysgarden
» Phony 9/11? Posted by: apophenia_monkey
Just plain evil!!!
Posted by: pito516 on Jun 1, 2007 10:56 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
There's no if, ands, or buts about it Bush is just evil incarnate.
Big brother has got us by the balls and it appears that there is nothing we can do. Or is there? Wake up Amerikkka and spark the revolution.

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Grotesque Abuse of Executive Power......(2)
Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Jun 1, 2007 11:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As of December 22, 2006, Bush had utilized the phrase “unitary executive” no fewer than 145 times in his signing statements and executive orders, demonstrating the extent to which his Presidency is wedded to this doctrine. Yoo, who is considered to be the chief architect of Bush’s doctrine of unfettered executive power, has written memoranda asserting that Bush may flout the Geneva Conventions, and may make war unilaterally at any time that he perceives the US to be under threat. Yoo actually argued, in a 2005 debate with Notre Dame Professor Doug Cassel, that Bush may order the young child of a suspect to be tortured, even by crushing the child’s testicles, without any legal restraint. This doctrine has been cited approvingly by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, in Thomas’s dissent in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 547 (2004) (in this decision, the Court reversed the dismissal of a habeas corpus petition filed by a US citizen who had been designated an “enemy combatant” and detained indefinitely, ruling that detainees who are US citizens have the right to challenge their detention before a federal judge).

I believe that this miserable excuse for a human being may decide to remain in power without regard for such trivial procedural matters as the electoral process, the separation of powers, or notions such as the checks and balances that were built into the Constitution by its Framers. Bush was once an alcoholic, and I believe that he remains an addict -- all that has changed is his drug of choice. Whereas he was once addicted to alcohol, he is now addicted to power. His entire Administration is rotten to the core, and it has become impossible to determine exactly who is in control of this government (although Bush is certainly merely one of several autocrats). Our democracy has been hijacked by these so-called neoconservatives, who are neither new nor conservative. Tyranny has been a tool utilized by wicked men and autocrats throughout recorded history – and there is nothing conservative about throwing constitutional government out the window in the name of “protecting” the American people.

I would not put it past these evil swine to engineer a "catastrophe," carefully timed to precede the elections that would otherwise cause this evil bastard to leave the White House in shame and humiliation -- which would then “permit” them to justify the suspension of democratic government, the implementation of martial law, and the abolition of the Bill of Rights. I hope that the American people will rise up and throw these bastards out of government, out of their expensive offices, and out onto the streets. Their behavior is what I would expect of the megalomaniac named Robert Mugabe, in Zimbabwe.

Let us be clear about one thing -- Bush and Cheney are not the real powers running the country now. The country is being run by those who have a vested interest in seeing the Iraq invasion played out for as long as possible, despite the fact that the US has clearly and manifestly lost the war. The invasion must continue, without regard as to the number of young US soldiers who lose either their lives or their souls in this cannot-win situation. I am reminded of Vietnam -- about 2,600 Huey helicopters were lost in that war, to the benefit of the Bell Company. Assuming that the present-day value of each helicopter was US $1,000,000.00 (and this is probably a conservative estimate), Bell turned over more than today’s equivalent of 2,600,000,000.00 on these helicopters (so-called “Hueys”) during the course of that war alone...

(continued)

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Grotesque Abuse of Executive Power......(3)
Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Jun 1, 2007 11:01 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Neoconservatives are not above attempting to criminalize policy differences -- a recent column by Frank Salvato ("The "Fifth Columnization" of America") opines that people who state that the invasion of Iraq is a lost cause are guilty of high treason -- merely for stating such an opinion. Salvato and his ilk wish to paint all who disagree with the Bush / Cheney Iraq doctrine as traitors to their country. It is not those who disagree with the Bush / Cheney / neoconservative policies who are treasonous, however -- it is the neoconservatives themselves who are guilty of high treason for initiating and maintaining this invasion, and for propping Bush up as he signs such blatantly unconstitutional decrees. Salvato believes that Nancy Pelosi should be charged with high treason for “…her non-authorized and unconstitutional contact with the leader of a State sponsor of terrorism in a time of war in direct violation of the Logan Act. And for then declaring that she was “too busy” to meet with US General David Petraeus when he came to Washington to brief Congress on the current situation on the ground in Iraq.” (The fact that the US has not, officially, declared war on Iraq apparently evades Salvato’s grasp or understanding; furthermore, Pelosi was under no mandate, constitutional or moral, to meet with Petraeus.) Salvato also believes that charges of high treason should be brought against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for “…his declaration “The war is lost,” a statement that most certainly aided and abetted the propaganda campaign of terrorist organizations with which the United States is currently at war.” (Once again, Salvato ignores the fact that a state of war between Iraq and the US has not been declared.) The call for the criminalization of opinions – of policy differences – is truly frightening, because this represents an attempt to paint all who oppose the invasion of Iraq by US forces as traitors to their country. If Salvato’s opinions are those of his fellow neoconservatives – and none of them have, to the best of the writer’s knowledge, made any attempt to distance themselves from these statements – then it appears that the neocons wish to employ the mace of government coercion to silence opponents of the invasion. Salvato and his ilk would presumably shoot Cindy Sheehan and other opponents of the invasion, merely for stating their opinions relative to this act of barbarism on the part of US Armed Forces.

(I presently reside in the UK, and am both appalled and disgusted by the manner in which Tony Blair capitulated to the wishes of the imperial President of the US, groveling before him in public. I am sickened by the manner in which Blair adopts an affected, John Wayne-type swagger when in the company of Bush. Carefully watch footage of Blair in Bush’s company – Blair adopts an exaggerated, macho stance, attempting to convey, through his abuse of body language, a sense of grandeur as a “player” on the world stage.)

Should Bush invoke this decree in an attempt to remain in power following a manufactured “catastrophe,” it is my hope that the US Supreme Court will declare Bush’s actions (and hence, by proxy, the actions of those who support this pathetic, evil figurehead) to be blatantly unconstitutional. No President has the power to declare that the powers of the other two branches of US government may be suspended – as the US Supreme Court made clear in Ex parte Milligan, 71 U.S. 2 (1866), the only provision of the US Constitution that may ever be disturbed is the writ of habeas corpus; and that writ may only be suspended in cases of rebellion, insurrection, or invasion. It may certainly not be suspended when the civil courts are open and unobstructed in their powers, and when none of these situations obtains...

(continued)

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Grotesque Abuse of Executive Power......(4)
Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Jun 1, 2007 11:02 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Court wrote, with eloquence that this writer is unable even to approach, that “[t]hose great and good men [the Framers of the Constitution] foresaw that troublous times would arise when rulers and people would become restive under restraint, and seek by sharp and decisive measures to accomplish ends deemed just and proper, and that the principles of constitutional liberty would be in peril unless established by irrepealable law. The history of the world had taught them that what was done in the past might be attempted in the future. The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and people, equally in war and in peace, and covers with the shield of its protection all classes of men, at all times and under all circumstances. No doctrine involving more pernicious consequences was ever invented by the wit of man than that any of its provisions can be suspended during any of the great exigencies of government.” [emphasis mine]

The Court also foresaw the possibility that a wicked and evil man or woman could, one day, assume the powers of the Presidency, and opined, with respect to such an exigency, that “[t]his nation, as experience has proved, cannot always remain at peace, and has no right to expect that it will always have wise and humane rulers sincerely attached to the principles of the Constitution. Wicked men, ambitious of power, with hatred of liberty and contempt of law, may fill the place once occupied by Washington and Lincoln, and if this right is conceded, and the calamities of war again befall us, the dangers to human liberty are frightful to contemplate. If our fathers had failed to provide for just such a contingency, they would have been false to the trust reposed in them. They knew -- the history of the world told them -- the nation they were founding, be its existence short or long, would be involved in war; how often or how long continued human foresight could not tell, and that unlimited power, wherever lodged at such a time, was especially hazardous to freemen. For this and other equally weighty reasons, they secured the inheritance they had fought to maintain by incorporating in a written constitution the safeguards which time had proved were essential to its preservation. Not one of these safeguards can the President or Congress or the Judiciary disturb, except the one concerning the writ of habeas corpus.” [emphasis mine]

I have long believed that the American people were lied to about the events of 9/11, and that there was more to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers (and other buildings) on September 11, 2001, than we were told. I am not, by nature, a conspiracy theorist – I tend to regard with distrust material gleaned from the Internet. However, one of the strengths of this means of communication is the fact that it enables such theories to be discussed, and to be subjected to a level of scrutiny that would not otherwise be possible. It also permits neutral observers to unearth and publish the opinions of political figures, even when (or particularly when) those figures do not wish for their theories and policies to be discussed. Above all, it permits ordinary men and women to review the actions of their leaders, and to call their leaders on acts of arrogance, abuses of power, and unconstitutional decrees. It is precisely because the Internet permits ordinary men and women to question the actions of their governments that totalitarian regimes do everything in their power to shut down Internet servers and to block the Web sites of political opponents (China, for example, routinely blocks Web sites containing “inappropriate” content). It is my fervent hope that the American people will avail themselves of this medium and do whatever is necessary to uphold the principles of constitutional law, and to ensure that the US government remains a government of the people, by the people, for the people.


PHILIP

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Watch your back; this latest directive GUARANTEES there will be another attack!
Posted by: fool-on-the-hill on Jun 1, 2007 11:02 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just as this criminal conspiracy had plans to invade Iraq long before 9/11, we can be sure this directive creating a dictatorship is being put in place to prepare for the next "terrorist attack" --- which the conspirators may well be planning, themselves.

I tried to avoid the 9/11 conspiracy theories, and still find some of their claims implausible. But explain this: a great deal of money was made in the U.S. stock market as a result of 9/11; the windfall was statistically impossible to have been coincidence. WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO ATTEMPT TO "FOLLOW THE MONEY" TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHO KNEW THE ATTACK WAS IMMINENT?

The only answer to that question is that the people who might have launched/carried out such an investigation, DID NOT WANT THOSE WITH ADVANCE INFORMATION TO BE KNOWN.

I would be glad to consider a different conclusion, if anyone has a factual basis for one.

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» Congratulations Posted by: apophenia_monkey
» RE: Congratulations Posted by: edgar_michel
» RE: Congratulations Posted by: apophenia_monkey
Grotesque Abuse of Executive Power......
Posted by: philipcfromnyc on Jun 1, 2007 11:07 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
On May 9, 2007, with little media attention, Bush signed a decree named the “National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive.” The reach of this directive is truly frightening – it would place all governmental power in the hands of the President and effectively abolish all of the checks and balances guaranteed by the US Constitution. More specifically, this decree states that, in the event of a “catastrophic emergency,” the President “…shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.” The directive nods in the direction of Congress and the federal judiciary by referring to “a cooperative effort coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers." It is important to recognize that the word “comity” merely means courtesy, and that the President, under this directive, would decide what kind of respect for Congress and the federal judiciary would constitute “proper” respect.

The phrase “unitary executive” has been bandied about by the Federalist Society and by ultra-conservative jurists for several years now. This seemingly innocuous terminology refers to a doctrine that would gather all executive power in the hands of the President, and insulate him from any oversight by Congress or by the federal judiciary. In a November 2000 speech to the Federalist Society, then judge Samuel Alito (now the most junior member of the US Supreme Court) stated that the Constitution "makes the President the head of the executive branch, but it does more than that. The President has not just some executive powers, but the executive power -- the whole thing." Believers in “unitarian” executive power assert that all federal agencies, even those constitutionally created by Congress, are subservient to the President. This means that Bush could disband agencies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Reserve Board, etc., if these agencies act in manners that are not to his liking.

Shortly after the 9/11 disasters, former deputy assistant attorney general John Yoo first employed the words "unitary executive" in a memo that he wrote for the White House: "The centralization of authority in the President alone is particularly crucial in matters of national defense, war, and foreign policy, where a unitary executive can evaluate threats, consider policy choices, and mobilize national resources with a speed and energy that is far superior to any other branch." Six weeks later, Bush began using that phrase in his signing statements. Bush has already signed an executive order stating that each federal agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee. At the time Bush signed this order, consumer advocates were concerned that this directive was aimed at weakening the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Its true purpose may be much more sinister.

The phrase “catastrophic emergency” is not defined in the decree, leaving open interpretation of what constitutes such an emergency. This inevitably gives rise to the inference that Bush could suspend the electoral process in the event that such an emergency occurs prior to the Presidential elections of 2008, utilizing this new decree as a tool to enable Bush and his acolytes to remain in power indefinitely. This would represent an almost unbelievably audacious power grab on the part of the President, who has been repeatedly criticized, even by the conservative US Supreme Court, for acting not like the President of a democracy, but like a king in a society run under the thumb of a monarchy...

(continued)

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kinetic_yankee
Posted by: kinetic_yankee on Jun 1, 2007 11:17 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The good folks over at TPMMuckraker checked into the Presidential Directive and found,
"The consensus amongst experts seems to be that the directive, aimed at establishing 'continuity of government' after a major disaster, is not new nor does the policy seem to expand executive power."

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NEWS FLASH: A key King George court jester quits.
Posted by: HughScott on Jun 1, 2007 11:34 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
WASHINGTON (June 1) - Dan Bartlett, one of President Bush 's most trusted advisers and his longest-serving aide, said Friday he is resigning to begin a career outside of government.

The move was announced on Bartlett's 36th birthday. He has been with Bush for nearly 14 years, from Bush's first campaign as governor of Texas, through two races for the White House and more than six years as an official administration spokesman.

End of news flash.

So why is Bartlett's resignation a big deal? For starters, he knows about Bush's dishonorable service in the Texas Air National Guard.

In 1999, Bartlett reportedly helped covert GOP operatives remove damning documents from Dub-ya's ANG personnel file in Houston, unaware that duplicate records were stored in Colorado.

Fast forward five years. In 2004 while surfing the Internet for information about Shrub's missing (AWOL) Guard service, I found a falsified official biography of his that someone in the White House had been advertently posted on a U.S. State Department website.

Brazenly, the fabricated Guard history claimed George W. had flown ANG F102s almost SIX years when the actual time was 27 months. The text contained other misrepresentations as well -- all intentional, not typos or mistaken dictation.

For example, the bogus bio asserted that Shrub spent four years helping to keep two F102s on strip alert. In truth, he was only qualified for alert duty 22 months and the last 60 days were plagued by pilot problems attributed to poor airmanship, excessive drinking and a rumored fear of flying.

So why was the phony bio written? you're probably wondering.

According to my case theory, in 2000 then-Texas Governor Bush inflated his weekend warrior duty to make him competitive with his only viable Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, who spent five and a half years as a POW during the Vietnam War.

After he won the New Hampshire primary, McCain was targeted for dirty GOP campaign tricks alledgedly orchestrated by Karl Rove. The tactics worked. McCain dropped out the race and copies of the bogus bios were shredded except for the one accidentally sent to the State Department website manager.

Republicans will argue that Shrub never knew about the bogus bio. However, specific details such as "two F102s on round-the-clock alert" were most likely known only by him.

George W. also had a reputation for a fiery temper and maintaining tight management control. It is inconceivable that a member of the 2000 campaign team would risk his wrath and certain termination by publishing a false ANG record for public consumption without Bush's approval.

To validate my discovery, I called the Boston Globe. Impressed, it ran the story the next morning, on 02/28/04, under the headline, “Bush Bio on Web Inflates Guard Service,” and gave me credit as the source.

When questioned by the Globe about the errant information, Dan Bartlett explained lamely that the State Department bio did not "reflect the facts of his [Bush] service" and would be "corrected."

Unfortunately for voters in 2004 who deserved to know about Dub-ya's bogus bio, not one paper or media outlet in the United States carried the story. Why? My best guess is -- because the Globe article was published on a Saturday. Apparently back then, people in the news business took weekends off instead of serving the public good.

For more information about the “Bogus Bush Bio Caper,” visit my nonprofit investigative website, King-George.biz -- the only one with hardcopy proof of White House corruption (Shrub’s phony bio).

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Now let me get this straight-
Posted by: WitchyNy on Jun 1, 2007 11:42 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We can't let BUSH stay in power-because then the DEOMOCRATS will not get into power. Is this right?

You mean those same Democrats who just voted to support Bush and his war? With 93 Billion additional dollars of OUR money?

They are ALL the same guys! WHEN will we realize this????

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I used to vote
Posted by: Jeanne on Jun 1, 2007 12:13 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
but it's all over now. While our congress and our media slept, Bush and those who control him have staged a coup d'etat. Bloodless, on a mindless populace. When does he change the office's name from President to "Chancellor?"

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There isn't a military on the planet strong enough to protect them if they tried it
Posted by: xbj on Jun 1, 2007 12:15 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'd like to see them just try it, despite the carnage. Nothing could drive home the fact more permanently that Nazi Amerika exists, today.

Maybe they were right in the 60's when they said "The revolution will be televised."

And they think a mere draft would get people out on the streets rioting by the millions...

Quit worrying. Even a stunt like "Jericho" (the nuking of 5-7 major US cities) wouldn't keep these cretins in office a second longer than their term.

As just as they did during the Clinton Era, they've proved they can scheme, plan, and accomplish almost just as much, if not more, behind the scenes from under their Goddamned rocks.

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monitoring the expansion...
Posted by: particle61 on Jun 1, 2007 12:40 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
of the power of the "sole organ" - redstateupdate reported this story two weeks ago, see- Bush Demands Complete Command in Catastrophic Emergencies, issue 103

redstateupdate.net has followed the mutation of our constitutional democracy into limited liability corporation with an unaccountable CEO and board...see stories
United States Congress Votes to Overturn Magna Carta;
Signing Statements Signal Sentiments for Sidestepping Statutes, and;
State of Emergency Laws Reduce Congress to Comatose Posse-
and more in the 'interpreting the constitution' archive

and, a new gwbush comic every week
www.redstateupdate.net
funny, frightening, free
and 'it's all true'

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George W. Bush and 911
Posted by: magistre on Jun 1, 2007 12:47 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
No one seems to see that "911" was "necessary " because it made George W. Bush a "war president". While he owns the A.G. and the Supreme Court he could have them declare the 22nd Amendment unconstitutional and really have himself crowned. He Doesn't need another (phony) incident to get more power.
And thus goes my argument to the President for why he doesn't need to commit another (bogus) act of "terrorism" on the American people.

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» RE: George W. Bush and 911 Posted by: philipcfromnyc
» RE: George W. Bush and 911 Posted by: aurora2484
American Land of the Free, or is it?
Posted by: BeTrue on Jun 1, 2007 1:11 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"If you're not with us, you're against us." Get it now people? Make a stand. It's time to unify and take America back from the hands of the evil-worshippers, for our children's sake. Would you rather sit there and do nothing until it's too late?

America belongs to the people not to these horrendous individuals who make up the Bush Administration, whom i believe that killing and destroying other people's lives is a game they very much enjoy playing.

If you get shot on the face, would you then apologize to the shooter just like Dick Cheney's victim did? This is just one of the many examples how twisted this administration is...

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Homeland leads to dictator
Posted by: gdonald on Jun 1, 2007 1:17 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Let's face facts. Any President that would set up an agency called Homeland Security is following the Hitler mentality. It was bad enough that Oliver North during the Reagan years set up the agency called FEMA under the color of law with the motives to have a shadow government set up and in place to run the country in event of a national crisis. Every President since that time has just continued signing the Executive Orders or descisions to further that agenda along.

What I find more alarming than a mad man in the Whitehouse who is operating as G.W.Bush does, is that our Congress is just letting him get away with it. What is even more alarming is that we the people have not yet marched into D.C. and demanded an end to all this madness.

I expected these actions from G.W.Bush and find it to be in line with who he has always been. What I do not understand is why we're all complaining and wasting tme replying to blog sites like Alternet when we should be marching into D.C. and refusing to leave until this administration is held accountable and the tyranny is ended. It's time we the people forced a roll back in the draconian way in which President's have ruled and Congress has ignored we the people. We're the cowards for letting it all happen.

Let's quit whining like a bunch of school kids and take action and march into D.C. and refuse to leave until our redress of greviences is heard and dealt with according to will of we the people.

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Not a King but a Ceasar
Posted by: Artkansas on Jun 1, 2007 1:27 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]

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walt1944
Posted by: walt1944 on Jun 1, 2007 1:30 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have been saying since he was re-elected that Bush would do something to remain in power beyond 2008 and the May 9 directive is a start. What surprises me is that the Democrats in Congress are either clueless to it, or by keeping quiet about it, are accepting it! It's as if the Republicans were holding both houses again and rubber stamping everything the emperor wants. I don't expect the average person will do anything about it, we will be too busy trying to keep ourselves and our families afloat to march on the White House and attempt to lynch Bush, Cheney, and Rove.

So, it doesn't look good for the future even with Democrats supposedly "in power" in Congress. Bush will stay in office beyond 2008 calling himself president for life, and if Cheney's pacemaker gives out, Alberto Gonzalez will step in as VP ( for life, naturally!). The founding fathers will be rolling over in their graves over what this country has become: the USSA (United Socialist States of America).

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» RE: walt1944 Posted by: babs
If the 2008 election does not proceed because Bush invokes emergency
Posted by: zyxwvut on Jun 1, 2007 2:02 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
powers, we had all better be prepared to participate in a violent revolution. It does not matter if a person has family to worry about, if does not matter if a person's job is at stake. It is the duty of the populace to overthrow the government if it becomes tyrannical, and no other act of tyranny could be as clear as suspending a national election. People unwilling to participate in action against the government - whatever it takes to achieve overthrow - would be committing an act of treason.

We must be prepared to launch bombings and assassinations if this occurs. The penalty for treason is death.

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» i suppose... Posted by: apophenia_monkey
What's next?
Posted by: kelt65 on Jun 1, 2007 2:06 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I really fear that they will try something crazy, such as manufacture another terrorist event - and they love to talk about mushroom clouds, don't they?

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We can be nearly assured that if Bush declares an emergency and calls off elections, that
Posted by: zyxwvut on Jun 1, 2007 2:08 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
something extremely nefarious - at the level of the Nazi dictatorship - is forming. It would be a historic crime for a citizen of this country, or even for an immigrant who lives here illegally and wants to enjoy the bounty of this country, not to challenge this situation by any means necessary. If a dictatorship emerges in the United States in our lifetimes, may every future generation spit on our graves and curse us. We would deserve to rot in hell.

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» We need to impeach him before Posted by: kellysgarden
Get ready for another terrorist attack
Posted by: blitzmesser on Jun 1, 2007 3:39 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
managed by the Bushteam!

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Hand Bush in Effigy
Posted by: momilitia on Jun 1, 2007 5:36 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Which is a small town outside of DC.

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Huh.
Posted by: bberna on Jun 1, 2007 7:21 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Anyone believe that America, run by the infamous George W. Bush, is starting to downslope into a society much like George Orwell's 1984? Care to migrate to Canada with me?

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Shoulda Known
Posted by: apophenia_monkey on Jun 1, 2007 7:31 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...the foil cap crowd would show u p on this article.

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My God What A Frightening Thought
Posted by: doneman2000 on Jun 1, 2007 8:33 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
A permanent Bush presidency. This is the only president who would be arrogant enough to try something like this. They are also the only administration who are evil enough to "set up" an"occurence" which would prompt the curtailing of a national presidential election. I believe once Bush was put out of office it would be the end of the GOP as no liberal, independent, or true conservative would stand for a party that would allow this to happen i.e. if the Republican members of congress would allow such a thing to stand. Who would have thought we would even be hypothesizing about such an unAmerican agenda from a sitting president? Bush the WORST president ever? Without question. Who voted for this guy, the worst president ever, twice?

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Remember the Reichstag Fire?
Posted by: JackieGiles on Jun 1, 2007 9:04 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
How convenient that King George issued his "decree" just before tornado, hurricane and wildfire season. Surely there'll be something big enough to require him to take over and "save" the country. The problem with Katrina was that the All Knowing,All Wise Leader did not have unfettered power to "fix" everything. Well, he's "fixed" that, hasn't he, with his over-reaching power grab? Yeah, right! Read on--"those who will not learn from History are doomed to repeat it"

An Enabling Act (Ermächtigungsgesetz in German) was passed by Germany's
parliament (the Reichstag) on March 23, 1933. It was the second major step after
the Reichstag Fire Decree through which the Nazis obtained dictatorial powers using largely legal means. The Act enabled Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his cabinet to enact laws without the participation of the Reichstag. The formal
name of the Enabling Act was Gesetz zur Behebung der Not von Volk und Reich "Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the State").

Don't say you weren't warned.

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Funny
Posted by: greekTowner on Jun 1, 2007 9:08 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Some posters do not make any sense

They argue that Repubs = Dems, same thing, no difference, yada, yada, yada...

If that's the case, why would Bush suspend elections? If the dems win, same shit...so the shit stays and morons keep voting every 4 years

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» Because.... Posted by: mizipi
The scary shit is happening NOW
Posted by: greekTowner on Jun 1, 2007 9:17 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The same US foreign policies and corporations exerting power

The best thing for this country of dumb lazy people is for Bush/Cheney to suspend the elections

Maybe that wakes them up

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wake up
Posted by: dudu on Jun 1, 2007 9:30 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The United States wake up to late, they just faund that bush is a dictator, can all of you tell me where in the worl you live people. aj

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Makes Ya Wanna Go Hmmmm....
Posted by: maternatura on Jun 1, 2007 9:38 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've read the article about Bush's latest power grab and chosen people throughout government backing him up on it. Then I've read a fair number of comments of those all up in arms now advocating violence to overthrow this government. I wonder where all of those angry voices were when Bush stole the 2000 election. Where were they when the Supreme Court decided who would be president? Where were they back before we even went to Iraq when Bush et al were pushing for war? Where were they when Bush sent our troops into a war without congress's constitutional declaration for war? Where were those voices when the "Patriot Act" was passed virtually destroying our Bill of Rights? Where were those voices when poor communities were denied the right to vote through trickery, lack of adequate voting machines and legitimate voters being erased from the voter rolls guaranteeing another Bush win in 2004? Where have those voices been as some of us watched in horror as our constitutional rights have eroded and our free society destroyed?

The only voices I heard while some of us fought through letter-writing, marching, and trying to get Americans to see what was happening were those who called us "Liberals" in a derogatory way and unpatriotic nuts. Everybody was wrapping themselves in the flag and joyously watching us bomb the hell out of Iraq. After all, it was only another football game so grab your beer and your Doritos and watch the bombs drop. Were Number One! God Bless America, but send the rest of the world to hell and anyone else who questions the rightness of this government to do anything it wants.

Well, Folks, you voted for these guys who you allowed to take away our rights and our free society because we were too afraid of the terrorist boogieman to see that the real boogieman is sitting behind the curtain at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue manipulating all of us with fear.

Violence isn't the answer. The answer lies in using your swelling voices, writing letters, marching, and demanding that congress act to impeach this lawless regime.

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Now you know why we have a Second Amendment
Posted by: hisradiance on Jun 1, 2007 10:00 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Given the powers that the president has chosen to accrue unto himself by himself, it should now be crystal clear why the founding citizens demanded that their right to KEEP and bear arms be secured by an amendment to the new constitution.

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Well Duuhh!
Posted by: solstice on Jun 1, 2007 10:31 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What the hell do you think their plan has been all along? Did you ever really think we'd be done with them?

God Damn IT!

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Shame on Alternet for posting such irresponsible articles
Posted by: ateo on Jun 1, 2007 11:47 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If one of these nut jobs actually goes out and shoots a judge, or blows up a building I hope the editors of Alternet and anyone associate with it is held accountable.

You're inciting violence against federal officials.

I have reported this article and commentary to the secret service and FBI.

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» Have you reported....... Posted by: mizipi
One more step towards fiefdom
Posted by: YogiBear on Jun 1, 2007 11:54 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Tell me again, why y'all what to ban firearms?

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Why is Alternet the last to write about this?
Posted by: johngary66 on Jun 2, 2007 1:26 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have posted the issue at least three or four times on Alternet in the last few weeks. Most of the other blogs had articles about this about two weeks ago. Truthout,Common Dreams and The Smirking Chimp to name a few. Don't get me wrong I'm glad you finally are posting something. It is incredibly important that people find out about this. I have sent letters to my Congressional delegation and I haven't even gotten a form letter back yet. I would hope that others would do the same. It's interesting that MoveOn.org hasn't said boo.

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Missing from this article is mention of the Classified Annexes.
Posted by: johngary66 on Jun 2, 2007 1:45 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They are mentioned in the directive, but are of course secret to everyone except the administration. Somebody had better tell Nancy were not happy about her silence. I wrote to my congrssional delegation and told them this won't remain a secret for long.

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dockboy
Posted by: dockboy on Jun 2, 2007 5:18 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Articles such as this, and postings by mostly morons, show why Alternet is less than a second-rate news site and nothing more than hate-filled propaganda. Bush is not going to usurp the throne. The elections next year will occur as usual, and a new president will be inaugurated in January 2009. I'm no fan of Bush, but I live in a real world. The left-wingers accuse Bush of using the fear factor in rallying support for the Iragi war and the war on terror. If so, those who promote fear would be proud of this article's fearmongering.

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» RE: dockboy Posted by: EncinoM
» RE: dockboy Posted by: YogiBear
Obsession
Posted by: Lincoln fan on Jun 2, 2007 6:56 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The commenters on AlterNet seem obsessed with the 2008 election and with Bush remaiing in power.

In my opinion, they are worrying needlessly. As long as people believe that our elected officials control our government, and that we can vote them in and out of power, nothing will upset the established order.

The election will go as scheduled and a Democratic or Republican figurehead will become President. Some voters will think that they've won and others will think that they've lost. The winners will be happy and the losers will be sad and think that next time they can win.
Bob Reichenbach,
Director, The Lincoln Initiatve

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» Last Chance for America Posted by: terminus
Ron Paul makes both parties win!
Posted by: Maggieb on Jun 2, 2007 11:08 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is the man who will get government out of our pockets and end this war immediately. The fascists are working hard to keep him out of the next debate and they may succeed if we don't fight.
I choose to fight!

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We have to get those bums and their rubberstamp cronies outta there asap!
Posted by: judette on Jun 2, 2007 12:10 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Need I say more?

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And what are we doing about this?
Posted by: freedom38 on Jun 2, 2007 1:42 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I predicted something like this would happen. So, what do we do now? Shall we stage a coup d'etat or just impeach the culprits?

Whatever we do, we'd better act fast. I don't know about anyone else, but I am extremely uncomfortable about living under an absolute dictatorship.

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Face It: We Dummies No Longer Have "Inalienable Rights"
Posted by: formertraveler on Jun 2, 2007 1:54 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Early on in the Bush days I was chilled when I read an article about Dick Cheney's wife, Lynne, who is director of a conservative think tank.

High on her agenda: ridding our schools of social science teachers who teach American history "warts and all".

Here's some real history. After our Constitution was created, we settled into a period of "Constitutional euphoria" . People understood and revered the document.

This went on for a long time. An example: in the 30's FDR, frustrated by a very conservative Supreme Court, tried to get the Constitution amended to increase the Court's size to 15.

As widely popular as he was, the populace was enraged at his attempt to change the Constitution for his own political purposes. It was the worst political mistake he ever made.

Well, we no longer have a population which understands, let alone reveres, the Constitution. We are a dumbed-down nation and the neocons seek to dumb us down even further by the attacks on our education system.

Many nations have wonderfully democratic Constitutions---on paper. One example is Colombia which has---on paper--- what has been described as a "Constitution of the Angels".

Is our Constitution going to become a meaningless piece of paper? Yes, I fear, unless people such as Alternet's readers, organize and begin to counterattack the neocons and extreme fundamentalists who have organized attacks on vital areas such as local school boards and libraries.

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While we're on the subject, don't bother with "Death of a President"
Posted by: xbj on Jun 2, 2007 2:10 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Despite all the promising negative publicity about this film, I think Karl Rove wrote and backed it. The protestors look like insane 60's rioting terrorists (carrying posters that don't even exist on the net TODAY of Bush with a bullseye on his forehead), they have arms-length access to Bush and his motorcade (AS IF) and one black guy is actually wearing a J J Walker "Dyn-o-mite"/Moms Mabley "Jed Clampett" hillbilly hat from 1978.

Complete and total joke, the "money shot" wasn't even satsifying (as it obviously wasn't meant to be) and I didn't even wait for the man to die as they stretched it out to try and eke some suspense out of BS, it was obviously the JFK-style mourning that would follow (in the film; in real life it would be like Mardi Gras in the streets, as long as Cheney went with him.) Couldn't wait to see the anchorman with a mustache pull of his glasses, wipe a tear, look at the clock, and announce the death. NOT.

Does make the unenviable Secret Service look good though, obviously the heroes of the piece (o.s.) doing an impossible job "because Bush just loves the people so much he refused to not go out amongst them."

Bush as Clinton amonst the people... what a transparent piece of propagandic bullshit.

NO WONDER they got clearance for the usage of entire speeches of Bush and his real image throughout. Thank GOD I didn't see this p.o.s. in a theater. A Fox News production through front companies, ALL THE WAY.

Disclaimer: This MOVIE REVIEW is not to be construed as for a single second advocating assassination of anyone at anytime, anywhere, for any reason whatsoever. In the first place, unless you were a patsy for Cheney (like Oswald was for LBJ and Poppy B.), you wouldn't be able to get within TEN MILES of Bush in real life. That goes for mere protestors as well. These two men have more protection than any other person in all of human history because they badly need it, and NOT JUST FROM HUMAN BEINGS EITHER.

In the second place, what goes around comes around. Killing is not ever worth it, despite the slick marketing campaign of Hollywood and D.C.

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Don't you get it?
Posted by: terminus on Jun 2, 2007 4:06 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is not about right-wing anything. It's about neocons, or otherwise known as fascists. George Bush is no more a coservative than he is a liberal. He is a fascist wanna-be dictator who will stop at nothing to destroy this country and it's Constitution.

The old labels don't work any more. They all work for the same masters. Put your hope and faith in people who adhere to the Constitution, who stand for the rule of law, and the Bill of Rights.

You supposed "liberals" had best wake up soon, and start preparing for the day when you will defend your country.

They ALL work for the same masters. Wake Up People.

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Tear it all down...
Posted by: terminus on Jun 2, 2007 5:18 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Tear it all down. Strip it to the Constitutional minimum as our forefathers designed it. Get rid of the massive federal machine and restore our rights. There is no other solution.

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Shades of '69
Posted by: momilitia on Jun 2, 2007 6:09 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As the lead comment says: "purely academic"

Hand out the arms and ammo
We're gonna blast our way through here
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolutions here
And you know it's right
And you know that it's right
We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now


Just a question, were these words more true in '69 than now?

BTW, Thunderclap Newman, a Pete Townsend side band.

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Impeachment and Iran
Posted by: fanny666 on Jun 2, 2007 6:43 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
HR 333 Impeachment Iran

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WHY IS EVERONE SO SURPRISED? BIG, CENTRAL GOVT PROGRESSISM ALWAYS LEAD TO THIS.
Posted by: poppop_schell on Jun 2, 2007 7:17 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Folks, Progressivism/Populism has greatly changed from the days of the first Populist, Thomas Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton was a BIG, central government progressive. In fact, he wanted to have a KING rather than a President. John Adams who argues for a powerful central government fortunately won out. Washington refused to serve as a King.

From Hamilton's time, and after the advent of modern Progessivism starting perhaps with FDR, we have seen the huge increase in the size and power of the central government and the loss of power to the people. Bush is just following the logic of big government, tell everyone what is best for them. True populism trust the people and leaves power in their hands.

So, as long as you continue to advocate a big, central government, you simply help make a King possible whether that will be a GOPer or DPer.

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Yes They Could...
Posted by: bob t on Jun 3, 2007 12:19 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...and they will.

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All hail King Idiot!
Posted by: MTguy on Jun 3, 2007 1:19 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Man... just when you think it couldn't possibly get any worse, this comes along. Sadly our president has proven himself ignorant of the facts necessary to govern in modern times in any kind of effective manner. He only reads what amounts to preaching from the choir, doesn't watch the news or keep up with what's happening globally.

He does work out a lot though, so he's got that going for him.

As my late father would have said, he wouldn't know enough to pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.

It will be our own fault if he and Cheney pull some stunt to try and remain in office about the time the next administration is due to take the reins. We have stood idly by while Bush & Co. have wiped their feet on our constitution and what it stands for all while cloaking themselves in our blood soaked flag.

Maybe we're the real idiots here, eh?

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Whaddya mean, IF. . .
Posted by: monkeywrench on Jun 3, 2007 9:40 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
. . .a terrorist attack happens before 2008?! How does anyone think The Little Dictator started down the road to a monarchy in the first place? The 9/11 disaster was too convenient – and the physics and govenment machinations surrounding the acts too obviously revealing of a controlled situation – for it to have been anything but a put-up job paving the way for a power grab. One more "terrorist act" will seal the deal – and these wise guys now know that they can carry one off under the gullible public's collective nose without serious inquiry or consequences. So stand by for another "attack on America" in the next few months – over and above the one we're experiencing already from our own government.

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Practically speaking, peremtive action needed!
Posted by: purplewarrior on Jun 4, 2007 12:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I cannot imagine how such a power grab is not unconstitutional. But what worries me is that, say Bush suspends elections. Then what? Does he control the military such that they will back him? Will they respond to his command to support the dismantling of the constitution? If they don't, does Blackwater have the numbers to protect him? Peremptive action is need with respect to this directive. It will be extremely ugly if he exercises the power that he has given himself.

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WANT TO PROTECT THE SACRED CONSTITUTION? ONLY ONE WAY... VOTE FOR RON PAUL
Posted by: poppop_schell on Jun 4, 2007 12:09 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
N/C

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SJ
Posted by: SJ on Jun 4, 2007 2:31 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Unnoticed by Corparate media is unlikely, after all this is their war baby too. Which makes it even more alarming.

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CREEPS-Corporate Reptilian Evangelical Extremist Parasite Snobs!
Posted by: williameon on Jun 5, 2007 6:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
King George II
Is
The Miss-Leader of the Land
Crowned by Big Oil
$4 DOLLARS a gallon
Mission Admonished
Now do
You
Understand?

It is all about Big Oil.
And keeping the prices high
Devaluing your currency
Then raising the prices
To the sky.

Public finance of Elections
Instead of Corporate selections.
Would begin to change our government
For the better
Until then
Slick-Politics
Is the name of the game.
In the Land.

Stop!
Special interest
Stop!
The
Revolving Door
Stop!
The
Hordes of Lobbyists
Whores
They've Invading Washington
Installed a vile
Puppet King
Promoting
The Stench
of
Corporate Welfare
That
Permeates the land.

The Corpirate Media Military Conspirators
Rule
With a iron fist
Assassination
Spying
Torture
War
Secrecy
then a
Conditioned
Hypnotic
Delusion
To keep you pacified
In your place.

They get away with everything
while
You
Must obey
Their Rules
Another sick evil twist.

Everything preludes
The ultimate result
It’s
All for me!
None for you!
With an insult thrown in
For good measure
It is not enough to own everything,
Without throwing it
In your face.

Let us
Privatize everything
The water that you drink
The air that you breath
And
The land under your feet.

Let us
Steal everything
Or
We'll bomb you into oblivion
From the heavens
Or
Our Black Ops
Corporate Army
Will
911 you
Into defeat

They would love to
Leave you dangling
In despair
No job!
No Education!
Your Country Privatized
Beyond
Repair!

People have begun to understand
And see the
Color
of
RED
As
Their
Endless
Piles
of
Innocent dead victims
Reverberates
In your head

The
21st Century
Holocaust
Is upon you.
It’s happening now.
While
In the halls of government
Their busy
Looting;
Social security
The Treasury
Our Country
And
Heritage
All
While gutting
The Constitution
Somehow!


Lies and Fascist
BU__! SH__!
Foul the air.
Ever
Polluting the Environment
As you sit
In
Your living room
An
American Idol
Without a care.

Drugged
Poisoned
&
Franken Corn
Syrup-ed
To death
The
Stooge
Co-conspirator
Prostitutes
Continue to
Sell their
FAUX wares.

When will Gulliver awaken?
How long?
Will the giant sleep?
For
He alone
Can save us!
From these
CREEPS!
Corporate Reptilian Evangelical Extremist Parasite Snobs

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maybe this woman can be bush?
Posted by: litleist on Jun 5, 2007 8:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
finish the sentence
http://yenibiris.sendeyolla.com/
medyadetay.aspx?&tid=3&cid=57&id=62082

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Great thread but, where to go from here
Posted by: Holly Sue on Jun 5, 2007 7:51 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am very relieved to see this thread, because the couple places I usually frequent aren't saying much about this situation. I started a thread on icfpv.com about the bill that was so quietly passed, and the response was limited to "yeah, we know about this" but no ideas, feelings, anything. The other site banned me for several weeks because I called some policy of the government stupid. So I have no clue if anyone there is speaking up, but I doubt it, because that has been my role. Almost no one else is risking a smack on the back of the hand with a ruler.

I'm not sure that there is an answer. America has so clearly become amerika, and it appears that the population is too stunned to do anything about it. I have no idea of what to do. Voting became an obvious total farse 6-&-1/2 years ago. Bush was never elected, but installed, twice, no less!! Our rights are submerged in quicksand. The fear has paralized people of many political stripes, from what I can tell. Even the outspoken Libertarians I thought I knew are silent now.

Anything that a public figure says that would encourage the people to pull together and just say no to GWB will be used as the excuse for the Bush government to end the game, and just publicly show themselves as the dictatorial tyrants that they already are.

Who of us that recognize what is going on are ready to risk being jailed and tortured by these sicko politos if we tried to actually start a revolution? I'm not!! I was a cautious actrivist in the 60's; being a survivor of a battered childhod made me extremely hesitant to risk billy clubs coming at my head at the hands of the police. Viet Nam further traumatized me. The late 60's was the beginning of the active stage for me of what is now recognized as health conditions that are only recently being named -- Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Myofacial Pain Syndrome. Of course there are emotional components of depression and anxiety, and stress increases and intensifies the symptoms, which are quite disabling.

Our entire society is sooo freaking sick, that I named my practice Healthy Responses in a Dysfunctional Society. It was primarily about addictions and codependency recovery, but I have had an ever increasing number of clients who share a bunch of my symptoms -- not only the above mentioned disorders, but lower levels of PTSD than battered wives, combat vets, police, or rape victims show. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the new normal! Being chronically lied to by pretty much everyone in high authority is devastating to the human spirit as well as body.

The people in control are poisoning our air, food, ground, and water. So many people are getting sicker with a variety of things. At the same time, our health care insurance system is doing less while over charging way more! We know that stress triggers all kinds of disease process progression, and now we have a government who uses terror to control our internal population, as well as other countries. That is what creating an on-going state of fear is called. Our government has done a masterful job of making bin Laden's attack on 9/11/01 look like a rookie attempt. If it was even bin Laden who did that to NY and DC.

I do not tend towards conspiracy theory, but this country is so clearly not a republic or a democracy any more. We've been informed that our government is closely watching what we say, write, and do. Part of me actually wonders if my failing business is due to some kind of external interference to attempt to quiet me. My physical disorders are certainly limiting the amount of what I write on the web. And my exhaustion and pain levels pretty much rule out a protest march.

Even if my last couple paragraphs are sheer paranoia, I am usually too tired and weak to even get involved in a protest gathering. CONTINUED

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» Holly Posted by: rockpicker
It's Time for an Investigative Report....
Posted by: kgs1947 on Jun 6, 2007 5:25 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
on the effects of Bush's alcoholism on this country. I bet it would make a best selling book and would contribute greatly to the education of the public about alcoholic/drug addictive behavior and consequences. Who's up to the challenge?

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artmart
Posted by: artmart on Jun 6, 2007 6:05 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Frightening thought: Political Satirist Mark Russel was a guest speaker/performer on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager a few weeks ago. During his second show he took a poll of the obviously Conservative audience. The last question was "If it was possible to do it, how many here would vote George W Bush back into office?" The majority of the audience exploded into applause, cheers, foot-stomping and the rafters shook. It was, for some, the scariest moment of the cruise.

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Very Interesting… I think
Posted by: franckhedrin on Jun 6, 2007 6:16 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hi everyone ;
as you may know we have some problems in common, in France and America… About constitutions and kings… Here in Paris there's a lot of discussion about what we should do… And I read this book, New Origin it is called, where the author draws some lines for a new society and a "peer to peer society"… It's all downloadble for free on the website www.lanouvelleorigine.com and there's video too… It's full of hope… And of course in french… but if some of you get this language i'd really like to have your opinion… Well also if you want to know more about France i might post some other comments soon ! hope an email will tell me also if you respond to it… Looking forward to reading your foreign opinions !

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Revolution would be necessary
Posted by: Garbl on Jun 9, 2007 2:52 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If a president ever tried to implement these unconstitutional powers, patriotic U.S. citizens would have to resort to revolution, even presidential assassination. I would hope we could also encourage a military coup--directed by civilian rebels.

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New French Leader a Threat also
Posted by: SJ on Jun 9, 2007 6:49 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hope to see more posts of news from France- Contact how? a Link to me as sjcolorwing thru Yahoo groups pigeon genetics

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Another Phony 9-11 is their trump card
Posted by: ginger on Jun 10, 2007 12:37 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Of course,the 2008 Election will be suspended. Ladbrokes, the Odds Makers in London, give 6-1 odds that another phony 9-11 will result in suspension of Election 2008 and implmentation of Polcie State.

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