Jul 23 2007
PROTESTING THE WAR MAY BE A CRIME
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By Peter Chamberlin
7/23/07
On July 17, 2007, Bush quietly issued an executive order entitled “Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq.” By this order, he made it a crime to commit, or to pose a significant risk of committing…, acts of violence that threaten “the peace and stability of Iraq,” or undermine “efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people.”
It remains to be seen just how far Bush will stretch this law, in light of ongoing attempts by Neocon enemies of America, who charge Americans with “subversive activities” and “providing support to the enemy,” for protesting the war. No one is safe from their crusade to brand most of the American people as “treasonists,” for opposing Bush’s out-of-control “leadership” of the war effort. Even Sen. Hillary Clinton has been accused of these “crimes” by Neocon stooges like Eric Edelman, who attacked her for requesting a briefing for her committee from the Department of Defense on contingency plans for withdrawal from Iraq.
The new Executive Order authorizes the Sec. or Treasury to seize the property and economic assets of any American citizen who is “threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq…undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq..,” or those who “have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, such…person whose property and interests…are blocked…”
Bush based this extraordinary measure on his belief that any American who did these things, or supported those who did “…would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in expanded… Executive Order 13315…” This E.O. is a continuation of the policy set by Jimmy Carter’s executive orders, E.O. 12170, 11/14/79 (which blocked Iranian government property) and E.O. 12211, 04/17/80 (which prohibited transactions with Iran). Following Carter’s precedent, George HW Bush used his emergency power to put a “lien” on Iraqi assets when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in Gulf 1. Little Bush re-adapted his father’s “national emergency,” to first, attach Iraqi assets and to prohibit transactions with Iraq after Gulf 2 began, which he later rescinded to issue another “emergency” declaration, to protect the Iraqi Development Fund. The latest order is a bizarre stretch of the law, beyond any imaginable reasonable interpretation, to justify a political clampdown, based on threats to that fund. This “bizarro” interpretation is the basis for the new threatening order.
Bush cited “the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act…, the National Emergencies Act…, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code (which pertains to any function which is vested in the President by law),” to justify his actions. His crazy interpretation of these statutes greatly exceeds all the authority that he claims to have derived from them.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act clearly defines those powers as the authority to “investigate, regulate, or prohibit… any transactions in foreign exchange… transfers of credit or payments between…,or to any banking institution, to the extent that such transfers or payments involve any interest of any foreign country or a national thereof…,or the importing or exporting of currency or securities…” The authority granted to the President by this section does not include the authority to regulate or prohibit…”articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine, intended to be used to relieve human suffering, (or the financial means to attain them) except to the extent that the President determines that such donations (A) would seriously impair his ability to deal with any national emergency… The President, in every possible instance, shall consult with the Congress before exercising any of the authorities granted…” Under penalties listed in Sec. 1705, “…A civil penalty of not to exceed $10,000 may be imposed on any person who violates any license, order, or regulation issued under this chapter…” Under these regulations, Congress has the authority to terminate any declared “national emergency” by joint resolution.
The National Emergency Powers Act says that the “…emergency powers may be stated explicitly or implied by the Constitution, if the Chief Executive believes that they may be permissible Constitutionally, or inferred by statutes. There are limits and restraints to the President’s authority to exercise the emergency powers that he has assumed. With the exception of the habeas corpus clause, the Constitution makes no allowance for its suspension, or of any of its provisions during a national emergency…” He is still bound by the separation of powers and must consult with the legislative and judicial branches before assuming these extraordinary powers. During a legitimate “national emergency” the President can “… seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens. Furthermore, Congress may modify, rescind, or render dormant such delegated emergency authority…”
This whole extended “national emergency,” which Bush 1 set in motion and Junior extended and modified, is based on Daddy Bush’s declaration that “…the policies and actions of the Government of Iraq constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States…,” which Iraq clearly is unable to do. Junior replaced that emergency with his own, parroting Daddy’s claims that threats to “…the peace and stability of Iraq and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq…” pose an “…unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States…” Just like the imaginary “Iraq threat” that was used to justify Gulf War 2, Iraq has never represented a credible threat to anything but American pride and machismo.
This “national emergency” is the latest move in a succession of Executive Orders and “signing statements” by Bush, that have continuously whittled away at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, justified by the “war on terror.” This follows the last semi-secret signing of NSPD 51 and HSPD 20 (Homeland Security) on May 9, 2007. This Executive Order will, in effect elevate the President and his National Continuity Coordinator to an unprecedented position above the entire government, when Bush decides to declare the next “national emergency,” where he alone, “…shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government…,” under the Continuity Of Government program.
According to Prof. Michel Chossudovsky of Global Research, “… NSPD /51 HSPD 20 grant unprecedented powers to the Presidency and the Department of Homeland Security, overriding the foundations of Constitutional government…NSPD 51 allows the sitting president to declare a ‘national emergency’ without Congressional approval… The adoption of NSPD 51 would lead to the de facto closing down of the Legislature and the militarization of justice and law enforcement…in a’Catastrophic Emergency’…, defined… as any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions…” NSPD 51 ensures that “…appropriate support is available to the Vice President and others involved as necessary to be prepared at all times to implement those provisions.” Many of us wonder whether Cheney hasn’t already assumed many of these special powers, judging by his elevation of himself above the Congress and the Executive Branch.
The extremely serious threat that these orders represent to American civil liberties and to our Constitutional rights cannot be overstated. On October 17, 2006, Bush signed into law S. 3930, the Military Commissions Act, which made it acceptable to violate the Geneva Conventions and the Army Field Manual on Interrogations regulations banning torture, which also enabled him to designate anyone, even American citizens, as “enemy combatants,” making Americans susceptible to everything that happens to real terrorists in secret. The Defense Authorization Act of 2006 (H.R. 1815) empowered the President to declare martial law in the event of a terrorist attack or disruption of “public order,” leaving him to determine which “disruption” is serious enough to warrant the declaration.
How much more proof do we need that our Constitution and our liberty are severely imperiled by this administration’s approach to the war on terror? Blind administration support for whatever Israel does in alleged conjunction with the war on terrorism has effectively locked us into an escalating path to war with Iran, at a time of Israel’s choosing. According to Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli government has been told by unnamed NATO and European Union officials that, “If we start military operations against Iran alone, then Europe and the US will support us.” Judging from last summer’s Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the Administration’s great public disappointment with Israel for not finishing Hezbollah off, or not invading Syria, Lieberman’s words ring true.
In light of all this evidence that we are about to let Israel start a war with Iran for us to finish, and the warnings about protests which “endanger” Bush’s plans for Iraq, our direction for opposing Bush’s Neocon war of conquest becomes very clear. All protests against the Iraq war must become protests of the Iran war, the war that Bush claims that he is not planning. The antiwar movement in America must follow Bush’s lead and switch gears. We have to save our Constitution and we have to oppose Israel and Israel’s agents (AIPAC, the American Israeli Political Action Committee in America), who are feverishly waging war against the common will of the American people. Israel must face the wrath of the American people. It is time for a total economic boycott of anything Israeli, until the Knesset figures out that they must fight their own wars, especially their wars of aggression. If it takes a national general strike to save the Constitution from the Republican and Democratic representatives who have joined together to do Israel’s will, against the will of the people, then that is what must be done. If we have to risk freedom itself to preserve the sacred heritage that has been entrusted to our care, then that is what we have to do.
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[…] Read more Crime […]
This is all about the First Amendment. Let’s not follow the gov’t down the path of censorship. After all, censorship is becoming America’s favorite past-time. The US gov’t (and their corporate friends), already detain protesters, ban books like “America Deceived” from Amazon and Wikipedia, shut down Imus and fire 21-year tenured, BYU physics professor Steven Jones because he proved explosives, thermite in particular, took down the WTC buildings. Free Speech forever (especially for colleges).
Last link (before Google Books caves to pressure and drops the title):
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-38523-0
This piece of human turd concieved from anal sex said it in the beginning of his glorios war “you either with us or against us” but little did 300 million Americans know that it meant THEM and should they not comply they will suffer the consequences.
This is Bush Democracy aka Bush Marxism. The American Bush KGB is at work and if you lucky and work for the CIA and diagree you will be exposed as a Bush traitor.
My concern is that this latest illegal “law” is so vague, it might or might not apply to giving humanitarian aid to Palestine. The population there (and the 6000 stranded in Egypt waiting to get back into Gaza), consists largely of unarmed civilians who are being “blocked” from food, aid, and even money by the US and Israel. Not only are all borders “blocked” by US-sponsored Israel, but Western Union is also “blocked,” preventing families from sending food money to their loved ones. The people are going hungry, while the US continues to pour money into Israel who conducts daily military incursions with tanks and bulldozers into Palestinian refugee camps, further demolishing homes and property.
My Fellow Americans;
I invite you to join me on my little radio show. I am following the story of this Presidential EO, of 7/17/07 and have had, on twice, the author of this article, Peter Chamberlin, to discuss it’s importance and ramifications. I will continue in this effort, and invite you to join me. I have a “stand in front of the tank” mentality, when it comes to the machinations of this Administration.
I am constantly looking for interviewees to illuminate the darkness these Repugs are casting upon our Nation, and our People.
Listen in, and participate in the solution.
Your Truly;
Jonathan Sands (Host)
“Bulls-Eye, Johnnie on the Spot”
Mon-Fri, 2-3 PM
(www.tantalk1340.com)
An executive order is not a law. All legislation…all of it…is vested in the Congress. An executive order is a memorandum to everyone…in the executive branch…and only applies to them. The only power an executive order has over ordinary Americans is that many have not read the plain text of the Constitution…and believe that the executive can write laws that apply to everyone.
People in positions of influence…journalists…bloggers…those who respond to editorials…etc. Should all become aware…and then publish that awareness…that an executive order has no legal effect outside the executive branch. That’s the way to nullify the thing…instead of waiting to see how far the executive is going to “push this law.”
When are the people going to awaken. Jefferson’s revolution is more than 200 years overdue. He did say there should be a revolution every 20 years. Too bad it wasn’t in the bill of rights. I forgot, the bill of rights is not used anymore.
It is obvious that all of us here understand the law better than the Federalist Society monarchists goons who have cut the Constitution into confetti to be rearranged at the pleasure of despotism. Let us be aware of the fact that the entire federal government has renigged on their oath to uphold, defend and protect the Constitution. Is it not obvious that the Congress is playing footsie with this tyrant rather than using the power of thier office to charge this administration with treason, and are therefore accessories, before, and after the fact? We have been left without government, and now face an ongoing criminal enterprise, composed of interlopers and pretenders on every side.
For Mary Sparrowdancer,
That is the point: the law is vague, and ends with a spurious excuse that; they won’t tell us who shouldn’t be supported, because they don’t want to tip off their target. It is the ‘chilling effect’ that they desire. I know you understand that. As with this whole agenda, the point is being made (yet again) that it is the American people who are the target. We are all ’suspects’ now. If you are suspected of having the ability to think in any capacity what-so-ever, you are a natural enemy of the state. We all should also comprehend the fact that these posts are now part of our dossiers. We are beyond the point where we can acquiess…there is no going back, nor sitting down once you have stood up. We should all take this very seriously–this is not some academic discussion. As another post recently explained the Falcon is in flight, the dragnets are spread and ready. Add it all up, and surprise will not be one of their advantages.
STRATEGY: Pluck out the All Seeing Eye of Horus. ta panta nous…soon, very soon the falconer will not hear the falconer, the center will not hold, and things will fall apart. This will not be THEIR chaos, and They shall not order it. The resistance will remain leaderless, for the true Leader dwells within us all.
“When still, be as a mirror, when in movement be like water.”–Bruce Lee
Again to Mary, I am near, speak to Carlyn Maddox she knows of me.
To C. Franklin,
Thank you for that input…just remember, the cops are run by the executive branch now, and they got that memo. Every law enforcement agency, from the local on up has been federalized: See, Opperation Falcon. Conversations come to an end at first blows. I don’t think we have all that much time to talk now. We are on the precipice, the last grains of sand enter the neck of the hourglass.
Gold has a lovely sheen, but where is happiness? Something warm to the touch?
Love is more than just holding hands.
First of all, an executive order is NOT law. It is a directive. Second of all, Congress and only Congress can enact Laws, the Office of the President is charged with EXECUTING the laws Congress has created.
Of course, all this is under the procedures set forth in the U.S. Constitution, which is a DEAD LETTER today.
The sooner we have a revolution, the better.
And you are not going to be delivered from despostism to Liberty on a featherbed.
End of fucking discussion.
If you want your children to grow up into this system of despotism, then all you need do is nothing. On the other hand, if you want them to be free from this type of despotism, you had better have a Tea Party and very, very soon.
And you must be willing to sacrifice everything in defiance of this despotic “thing” masquerading as the “US Government”.
It is NOT the De Jure Constituitonal Government. It is a DESPOTIC MONSTROSITY, and this monster WILL devour you and your eventually, unless it is met with words, blows, or both.
Hi
Where are the robotic insects that enforce these rubbish orders? Here is the key. Forget about the news media, they are and have been slaves for years. Forget about politicians, they are and have been slaves for years. Educate our neighbors, our peace officer friends, even an occasional lawyer. Get the education where it counts. Laws do not require obedience. Have you damaged your neighbor in some clear, material way? Of course, use discretion, slaves and robots are trained to control. But begin to understand and clear away the cobwebs of the offal office and black house thinking. The inner clearing gives strength if an outer clearing is necessary.
Tell your children that the president is generally powerless in their lives, because you don’t live in washington, d.c.. It’s a foreign country but most men and women don’t know it so they’d better just keep it to themselves for now. Most Americans are so bereft of any sense of what is happening that once we make it clear that D.C. is a foreign land and the president is nothing but a mouthy figurehead talking to his servants, it can become common knowledge. (First you may want to take commercial control of your underage children so the state has little control in your un-brain washing them.)
The original revolution of the colonists was because they understood clearly that England was foreign to them. Now it’s time to understand that D.C. and their slaves in our midst are the true foreigners. They are Republicans, Democrats, Bushites, Patriots, whatever you might call them, but they are not of the country where free, self-responsible men and women live.
At the bottom all countries are the same, and this country is the people we love, those we have as neighbors, others we do commerce with. Being an American is about fairness and even handed dealing with others. That’s it. The rest is all foreigners who may become friends if we meet them, but otherwise, who cares.
Living is not about the fictions of a Texas mass murderer or his fictional associates or his fictional corporate connections. Let the friends and relatives of the people he murdered deal with him as is fair.
The original fiction that most people agreed upon here was that any government had to be controlled and limited. It had zero, zero to do with their lives or neighborhoods. Fictions can be agreed upon or you can disengage from it. If you can’t disengage physically right away, at least be clearly free in the heart and mind, and you can share that separation with your friends and occasionally with others. Saying that something is the “law” is rubbish. It’s a way of saying I believe in fiction so totally that I am a slave to the fiction that others control and that is why I must obey. Responsible people don’t hurt each other, don’t refuse to help someone they are able to, and no laws are required to live a responsible life, not even one.
I refuse to be a social engineer or recognize anyone so manipulative and deluded as to think they can define society. Our societies, our neighborhoods define themselves. These are societies of men and women, not fictions, not persons, not, definitely not, corporations or governments.
Stalin would have been proud of the “US President “
In California Bankers Assn. v. Shultz, 416 U.S. 21, 26, 94 S.Ct. 1494 (1974), The Supreme Court stated that regulation are the law.
“[W]e think it important to note that the Act’s civil and criminal penalties attach only upon violation of regulations promulgated by the Secretary; if the Secretary were to do nothing, the Act itself would impose no penalties on anyone.”
Executive Orders don’t trump the Constitution. So let’s take a closer look at this particular one. 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq is the first section quoted as authority for the Executive Order, but in reading 50 USC 1701, rather lengthy, Title 31 CFR 536 Treasury Regulations and, 19 USC ( Customs) are listed concerning the assets that can be seized.
The next section quoted as authority is 50 USC 1601,this section has been terminated,it was predicated on CONGRESS declaring WAR not the President WOW! You would think the Prez would know that, he says he’s been doing allot of reading lately. have a read:
TITLE 50, APPENDIX App. > DISPOSAL > ACT > §§ 1601 to 1603
Section 1603, act Sept. 27, 1944, ch. 416, § 3, 58 Stat. 745, provided for termination of sections 1601 to 1603 of this Appendix on the cessation of hostilities of World War II as determined by Presidential proclamation or congressional resolution. Proc. No. 2714, eff. Dec. 31, 1946, 12 F.R. 1, provided for the cessation of hostilities of World War II and is set out preceding section 1 of this Appendix.
The last section quoted as authority is 3 USC 301, however, in searching for the regulations on Cornell Law Library website, it states there are no regulations for this code section.
.The President instructs the Secretary to promulgate the regulations and the Secretary has failed to do so.This code section cannot be applicable to the general public, but could be on Federal Agencies.So what’s left? lets consult the parallel table of authority for the answer.The authority for 3 USC 301 is listed as Title 31.Title 31 addresses the assets that are in question. Those that belong to a Foreigner. The sub-title of 31 CFR gives it away.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Parallel Table]
[Revised as of January 1, 2006]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
PARALLEL TABLE OF AUTHORITIES AND RULES
3 U.S.C.
301…31 Parts 536-542, 550, 560, 575, 585, 586–588, 590–592, 594,
595
32 Part 719
35 Part 3
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Office of Foreign Assets Control
31 CFR Parts 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 560, 588, 594, 595.
end.
So who’s effected, the definition of the “terms” are listed below
CHAPTER V–OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
§ 535.321 United States; continental United States.
The term United States means the United States and all areas under the jurisdiction or authority thereof including the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The term continental United States means the states of the United States and the District of Columbia. [ comment; how does Congress define United States as the United States]
§ 535.329 Person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
The term person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States includes:
(a) Any person wheresoever located who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
(b) Any person actually within the United States;
(c) Any corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory, possession, or district of the United States; and
(d) Any partnership, association, corporation, or other organization wheresoever organized or doing business which is owned or controlled by persons specified in paragraph (a), (b), or (c) of this section
—————————————————————————————————————————————- In conclusion, this particular Executive Order appears far reaching but according to the regulations is very limited. It concerns assets of foreigners (no Constitutional Rights),and U.S. citizens (residing in insular possessions) subject to the plenary powers of Congress. The War Powers Act, which President Bush seems to be acting under, stipulates that before assets of even a U.S. citizen are seized, the matter must be adjudicated in a United States District Court.
“the best form of slavery is one that is self imposed”
To clarify the whole thing about fictions, fictions are useful and necessary up to a point. What appears to have happened is that men and women no longer understand what is a fiction and what is not. The society has become a fictional structure that is like the tar baby, capturing and holding all who touch it or wade into it as if they are wading into life itself. But it is not life, nor even a close semblance to life. All groups are fictions and joining a group can be beneficial if the joiner understands that they are completely free to disengage or leave the group whenever it does not serve their purpose. So, be a Republican until you see that being a Republican no longer means what you believed it meant when you joined. Do not remain in a group with multiple purposes and you only have one. How do you know what its other purposes will lead to? Joining a fiction should not be a compromise with your basic sense of right and wrong, your sense of fairness for all men and women.
As to a Texas mass murderer, keep in mind the phrase “Bush Knew” that was in the headlines not too long after 911. Did he actually plan or was he part of the plan to demolish the four buildings and attack a certain area of the pentagon? Was Silverstein complicit in such a plan? How about the Bush brother Marvin Bush, was he involved with building security when 911 occurred? These are legitimate questions that, when looked at seriously, reveal how corrupt the public chuhuahua call the media news has become. There is no sacred or protected position when the truth is sought, or is there?
Again, we come to groups and how they are designed to protect their structure even if it means compromising their individual members. Some relatives of 911 dead have pressed suit against Bush and his cronies but perhaps to little avail. Again you are looking at groups, in this case groups of judges who have lost their sense of individuality but now are protectors of the powerful against the weak. Without the domination of group mentality tyrants have no teeth. Yet give your strength and belief to any group leader and you have commited to their sense of right and wrong, their sense of fairness. You have become, either a very lucky group member where a rare creature is in charge, or you have, more likely become an enabler of someone who had sought power for their own purposes, not yours.
I recommend self-education about fiction. Begin to regard your choices in terms of how close to real men and women your choices are. How far removed from the individual being self-directed and responsible is the man or woman. Now are they simply manipulated by their group of choice?
Keep your fiction determinations private for as long as you wish, but understand clearly that fiction is not alive, it merely steals the semblance of life and feeds on your energy. You and I should always be in control of that fiction relationship and terminate it whenever we choose. If you contract with a fiction, always ask for every detail and every obligation you are contracting into, or at least start learning what these are. I believe all contract must be completely open with no secret clauses or hidden meanings. When I hear of government secrets, I know these are tyrants not lovers of freedom, and their target of choice is the easily led populace that has been entrained to see fiction as reality.
This whole matter of executive orders, regardless of who has done them in the past. Keep clear the idea that because someone has gotten away with murder five or six times, does not legitimize murder in anyones eyes. So it is with proclomations. Believe them, give them power because someone has believed them before you, and you have joined a group. Congatrulations group member. On the other side, it may stand now that such spewing forth has power over slaves and robots and can cause damage, but it will lessen as more and more men and women see through the fallacious thinking and ignore, even if only in their hearts, all such executive orders. If writers make a point of saying that these may come to be ignored as all bad control mechanisms are, then a dent, small but potent, is made in the face of the tyrant wanna be.
Mr. John J,
May I comment on your post? I found your words compelling and deeply wise. For myself, I would never lead, will never follow. At times I find it compassionate to advise. When I look deeply at my motives, if it is not compassion, I hold my words.
You speak of the way in which precedent can be ignored or acknowledged…and it is indeed very much our own choice to regard that which should be ignored. But the problem is, a specific system has developed that makes such choices of policy without taking into account of these individual choices we might make ourselves. While I understand your use of the word “fictions’, let that not lead us into some esoteric world of non-empirical relativity. One of our contracts, when we are honest, as you suggest, is to agree on a reasonable basis of communication. Regardless of my personal spiritual beliefs, I insist on standing to reason, not merely using it as a tool for material gain.
Orin hatch is fond of saying that, “reasonable men can disagree”. As true as that is, reasonable men can also use the power of rhetoric and emotional pleas, which although plausable, are actually a tactic of your ‘fictional’ aspect. We can detect this in Mr. Hatch’s remarks if we are aware of certain facts of history. It has been my experience that truth is not so hard to find, if one is determined and digs deeply. You may say my “truth is not yours”, and while I agree that everyone has the right to their own opinion, it is also true that some opinions are genuinely wrong. My point is that not all is fiction–unless you are deluded. A forensic approach to the subject of history can produce facts and storylines that are true beyond a reasonable doubt. The only theory involved is in deciding what it means. But reason, just like that used in a jury room can judge a case true or false.
A book was produced, spured by the claims of ‘Executive Privilege’, by Assistant Attorney General Rogers, during the Watergate fiasco, that proved, the “historical precedents” sited by Rogers were a fabrication. The entire legal community agreed that, ‘Executive Privilege: a Constitutional Myth’ by Raul Berger is an airtight case…There is no legitimate place for it in Constitutional law, such a thing is not even implied by any language in that docuument–and yet in the reviews in the most prestigeous policy articles of that day which described the case set out in that book in such glowing terms ended by claiming that, ‘political expedience’ “naturally” trumps any constitutional matters. So, we have the ‘fiction’ of executive privilege driving the government paradigm…we can see how this has progressed in the 21st century.
All of this is to say, none of us can voluntarily opt out of this fiction, because it IS the actual policy being played out–that policy although based on fiction, is not itself a fiction. Do you get the distinction? I would surmise that you do. We may ignore executive orders ourselves. But we aren’t the ones that will carry out the actual policies. The carrying out of such policies is not one of those ‘fictions’, it is one of those realities. A maximum security state doesn’t provide for GET OUT OF TOWN cards for those who simply choose to ignore the authority of the state. You are considered part of this group, whether you agree by some contract or not. I am no more pleased with this inclusion in the ‘group’ they have included us in than you are. If you can simply wish them away, then you are a more powerful wizard than I.
However your logic would certainly be well taken by those fools who would enforce their own tyranny–and I applaud you for the reasoning set force in your post for that.
Even “truthers” tend to do a little fear mongering themselves sometimes. I can’t help but notice a number of websites who normally do a pretty good job at exposing the Bush Crime syndicates shenanigans, are exploiting this latest Executive Order as if its a law. An Executive Order is not a law. Its reach is only to the Executive Branch (and yes, that includes Cheney).
No matter how hard the Bush Administration tries to extort power from Congress, the president can not MAKE any laws. He can not ignore them with his “signing statements” either.
The final oversight of all three branches is still “the People”, and maybe it time “We the People” begin reigning in all the loose cannons and remind them all that even though the prez had declared the constitution “just a god damned piece of paper”, it is still the law of the land, and as such, any attempt to subvert it is treason.
Fellow Truth-seekers;
I have really enjoyed reading the posts on this article; they restore hope in the power of the people. The article was written as a warning, but more than that, it was a weak attempt on my part to explore the options open to us, for averting the coming collapse of our world.
We have always understood that in our present situation we protest the little Fuhrer’s actions at our own risk.
We protest the Iraq war in hopes of stopping it, for the sheer immorality and inhumanity of our “elected” government’s actions. Others may protest the fact that we are losing.
Now, it is imperative that we prevent the next war, which we all know will involve nuclear strikes on civilian populations. What could be a greater immorality than this?
But even this genocidal crime will not awaken the slumbering American majority to take to the streets in protest, until the horror becomes an accomplished fact.
Knowing that Cheney is manipulating the sick mind of the president into planning an attack soon, based on the claim that “if we don’t do it, Israel will,” then reconsider the last paragraph of my article. How can we rally the masses to stop the Israeli/neocon plot and to save our sacred Constitution, in the short time left to us?
Blessed are the Peace makers! We must follow Hitler’s example to realize what the Neocons will do after the next staged or real Terror attack.
The Neocons do not have a free thinker in the whole group, thus they will do exactly like Hitler but with No Jewish persecution. The book the “Turner Diaries” will also show some good tactics they will use I.E. Arrests, Propaganda, Gun confiscation, Concentration Camps, ETC., ETC. The Book “the Turner Diaries” MINUS THE RACISM will also show the tactics that will return our country back to the (G)reatly (D)esigned piece of paper!
Shalom. Sincerely,
jfele@ aol .com
keep talking.
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hey nothing changed, talk more.
hey nothing changed. in fact its getting worse. When you put a frog in a pot and slowly boil the water… he wont notice anything.
It will take more than words to fix this problem.
Reply to Willy Whitten,
Hello Willy,
I understand clearly the difference between fiction and physical life as you observe. Thank you for your comments. The difficulty has plagued many people for centuries. When a society creates its fictional shape it is intended to have certain defined limits. But … those chosen to manage the new fiction are often poor choices.
In the case of the large fictional us. government they are completely fraudulent, the shabbiest and most mean spirited of our neighbors (with few exceptions) ends up in positions where they can make the fiction meet their desires. Those desires go far beyond what the original intention of having a social fiction (government) ever were. There is no viable solution that I can see. Replacing one man or woman with another no longer corrects a fiction that is so cumbersome and law bound that it functions only to damage the man and woman that are it’s purpose to serve (not to control).
That is why I emphasize the internal. I am really not for revolution of a physical kind. Though it may come about because of the depredations of those that believe themselves to have the power to create it. They do it with the mass jingoism of a George Bush through unfair invasions and mind programming.
I do see that change of any powerful nature must come from the hearts of men and women of fair mindedness. It cannot come from the strumpets that parade around being world leaders and setting up events such as 911 and the London subway bombings.
I enjoyed your post. I haven’t said much over the years, but talk is not cheap and words do have power.
I received this information the other day about the “Executive Order” and I am furious that traditional-stream media have done NOTHING about putting out there. I don’t even think the Huffington Report has said anything.
Thank you for spreading the news about this…astoundingly arrogant and frightening to our First Amendment rights Executive Order. This whole tribe needs to be arrested for their crimes, and yet, those of us who have worked for nearly eight years to shed a strong light on them will probably be the ones who are…it’s already beginning…but I am not afraid to shout aloud my dissent of this horrible war, this sickening government…it is our mandate to prevent crimes in our government.
I think that much of this is an attempt to protect the building of a nearly $600 million US Embassy in Iraq that is the size of the Vatican and has its own power sources and the opulence of the palace of Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile, the Iraqi people stand on line in 130 degree heat for gas for their cars when none is available to them from oil fields just a few miles away!!
This is planned, permanent occupation, and I am sick of the bull!
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you americans voted for this nugget, then all you do is whine about him. getta grip!