Sorry my US friends, but it seems your president just pulled the final trick. Read http://politics.slashdot.org/commen...hold=1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&cid=16625110 for a better account than I could write. ".......In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law (1). It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President's ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions......" The fact that I didn't read about it here seems to indicate that nobody knew and that it indeed was a stealth manouvre. ALso I can't think of a good reason why he'd want these laws enabled now; it's almost directly against all that the constitution stands for. Also, someone else found this http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=eed74d9d44c30493706fe03f4c9b3a77 ".......A Halliburton subsidiary has just received a $385 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security to provide "temporary detention and processing capabilities......" Maybe I'm paranoid, but if the next elections are rigged and if some courageous ppl start to protest this administration now has everything it needs to silence them. If you still think these guys have good in mind than you're either stupid or naive. Ursa..
Exactly. FEMA has the power to supersede the 2nd amendment. The Patriot Act is just the War on Drugs refined. I still find it COMICAL that newbies think the ereosion of rights started with Bush. Aparently only RM and me are concerned about bookmakers being prosecuted by RICO. It's been going on for decades. Remember Waco!
Yawn..... Let me guess: Next up will be a coup led by a right-wing general brainwashed by Rush Limbaugh who will personally torture all dissidents. Once he has purged all Dems from Congress and shot Chomsky, Zinn, Maher, Dowd, Franken, Sheehan, et al., Bush will be declared Emperor For Life. No maybe about it. Seek help.
Yes, I'm aware of that. Wouldn't mind if I was, and the disturbing thing about it is: I'm not an enemy of the US, I'm just very concerned about these heavy-handed steps taken in a short timespan: - disable habeus corpus ground-right - enable martial law - build detention camps What more do you want? Election results were very dubious last 2 times, Bush has lowest rating ever for any prez, so the GOP will lose it's power next round. My opinion is that Cheney and his fellows have everything they want. Why give all that up? Nobody will stop them anymore.... Ursa..
Public Law 109-364, or the "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007" (H.R.5122) (2), which was signed by the commander in chief on October 17th, 2006, in a private Oval Office ceremony, allows the President to declare a "public emergency" and station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to "suppress public disorder." Sounds like a direct response to Katrina. Blame New Orleans/ Lousiana for their gross incompetence and providing the case for this law. There was hardly any opposition, not suprising, more power for the Feds, (themselves). More proof Bush is no conservative. This is awful though ... Perhaps we'll have to wait for a liberal president to over-turn, maybe it's unconstitutional... SCALIA TO THE RESCUE! "And so it is particularly worrying that President Bush has seen fit, at this juncture to, in effect, declare himself dictator." Can you people make any points without invoking the paranoid delusion of Bush goose-stepping into cities rounding everyone up. Bush has 2 years left ... There was virtually no opposition, according to the column, so the Democrats must have wanted this as well. Dictators don't have term limits. "Bush Dosn't Care About Black People..." , No you stupid, ignoramous, the local government is grossly incompetent and corupt, (not to mention the stupidty of the people who remained below-sea-level during a cat 4 hurricane.)
I agree that it's paranoia. But I disagree with your attitude. Just because the law was passed without any opposition, doesn't mean it is good law. IMHO, it is very bad law. It puts many things in place for an eventual dictatorship. As you noted, there are still pieces missing so that Buch cannot declare himself the King yet. But don't we need as much safeguard as possible? We want to strengthen the safeguards, not weaken them. I think you have the problem of a kneejerk reaction to defend your Republican government at the cost of sacrificing your own beliefs.
Irrational protests beget authoritarian laws. The left beefs about the admins lack of "preparedness" for 9/11, hence the Patriot Act. The left flips out over Katrina hence the "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007". The next time some nut goes postal in a mall or a McDonalds we'll surely see another kneejerk assault on our 2nd amendment rights. Few are wise enough to heed the old adage "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it"