Bush using "Bird Flu" as an excuse to repeal POSSE COMITATUS

[NAO]

How obvious does it have to be that he really wants to declare martial law?

The possibility of a bird flu pandemic is just one more instance of Bush & co taking lemons and making lemonade. They have a remarkable ability to alchemically transform all the shit that happens into a way to advance their policies.

[ArkDem]

1. Yes, this is already being widely reported.

[mzmolly]

2. Makes one wonder what they have in mind beyond that?

:scared:

[Captain Hilts]

3. If not the military, who?

The National Health Service? They haven't got the people or the money.

The Red Cross? They're incompetent money-grubbers.

We need a reserve corps of FEMA and National Health Service people. Until then, the military is our only alternative.

[neweurope]

5. So what do you suppose the soldiers should do? The

military isn't exactly trained for bringing health. It's nothing but a pretext.

--------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[tatertop]

7. Exactly. A creepy glimpse into the future under bush.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Actually, yes, the military has more trained healthcare folks ...

than anyone else.

The Red Cross has no oversight and has screwed up twice in major health events: the blood supply in the late 80s, early 90s and the Sept. 11th donations. They're incompetent.

FEMA doesn't have enough people.

The National Health Service would be ideal. They need a means for generating their own portable medical corps, not unlike the military. And get them out of those naval uniforms!

[zanne]

9. You don't understand Posse Comitatus.

It's the only thing that keeps the troops from breaking up anti-war protests and firing on people. Oh---and the troops would also be able to put down any "uprising" that the consitution protects.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Yes, I do.

I've always lived in military communities and in military housing. At least until recently - I'm in DC.

I don't trust George Bush one iota. I understand your concerns.

But in a major emergency, only our military has the capacity to respond quickly and in large numbers. Should they be allowed to arrest people? Hell no. Should most of them even be armed? No again.

But we really need to think about developing an alternative to the military here. Get medical professionals to be reservists with the NHS. But, right now, we've not much alternative to the military.

[texpatriot2004]

4. He wanted after Katrina (New Orleans) too. Any excuse will do.

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Daphne08]

6. A chill ran down my spine the first time I heard of this

In fact, when the issue was initially raised, I thought to myself, This can't be -- we live in America!

Then when * mentioned it again in his news conference, I literally had to sit down.

Americans really need to think about the consequences of allowing this.

[paineinthearse]

11. Someone needs to do a DU advanced search on POSSE COMITATUS

...and make a synthesis post.

If 10 or more are intersted, petition the admins to start a POSSE COMITATUS group.

I first caught wind of this a few weeks ago watching CSPAN2, when Senators Warner and Collins mentioned it in passing. His bill has been posted here, probably in the archives by now.

[jbnow]

12. That's exactly what he wants

After Katrina he said congress needed to look at that. The only offer of help regarding avian flu is the military. He said Congress needs to look at that.

He wants it handed to him again because heck, it seems like a good idea.

After 9//, the Patriot act, protect the country. Because of fear it seemed like a good idea.Got it.

After war moves toward Iraq and lies about Saddam and WMD he wanted authorization with war as last resort. (right) Because of fear it seemed like a good idea.

This is a BAD idea. He can't have that power.

[leesa]

13. Well, letting NOLA drown didn't work despite their best efforts, so

ya have to go with Plan B.

[Bridget Burke]

14. Has he said anything about preventing Avian flu?

Funding for research? Reviewing public health systems?

Fixing the levees before the storm? (Oops, that was the Last Bush Disaster.)

[Disturbed]

15. Anyone see the movie Outbreak?

That is the scenerio Bushco is pushing for.

Bushco wants to abolish FEMA. The goal of Bushco is Privatization of Everything.

[tanyev]

16. Even some Freepers are disturbed by this.

Is it just me, or is our President looking for more and more situations in which the Commander-in-Chief should be allowed to use American military forces on our own soil?

To: NJ_gent
Is it just me, or is our President looking for more and more situations in which the Commander-in-Chief should be allowed to use American military forces on our own soil?
I think it's a case of "If you all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail."

To: areafiftyone
Floods
Bird Flu
Sars
Earthquake
Wrong Election Outcome
Terrorists
Ice storm
...

To: NJ_gent
Is it just me, or is our President looking for more and more situations in which the Commander-in-Chief should be allowed to use American military forces on our own soil?
It ain't just you.

This should be a last-ditch emergency proposal - NG should be used first. A lot more people died from government last century than died in the great flu pandemic.


To: Windsong
Ridiculous....
" Bird flu has killed more than 60 people in four Asian nations since late 2003 and has been found in birds in Russia and Europe."

Let's get some perspective:
How many have died from the 'plain old' flu in this time period?
From Drunk drivers?
From food poisoning?
From an infection after stubbing their toe?

Can we mobilize the military against the citizens if there are mass toe stubbings?


To: areafiftyone
I think the President needs to rethink some things. He's going to be explaining this comment and Ms. Miers for the next month.

To: NJ_gent
I wonder if it wouldn't be a bit more effective to let the local police do the enforcement and focus on medical preparedness: prevention, treatments, distribution networks and suchlike before we end up with de facto martial law.

To: Artemis Webb
Bush: "Trust Me".

Really?


To: areafiftyone; billbears
30 people died out of 1.6 billion over a two year span and he wants Congressional pre-approval to use the military to restrict the rights of Americans to freely move?

Bullfarts.

To: areafiftyone
Just image the outrage on FreeRepublic if Bill Clinton would have asked for such power.

To: Artemis Webb
If your kids or wife is dying..along with half a million other Americans in the next pandemic I am "just wondering" what your thoughts will be then.
I'll be praying for our overlords in Washington to declare martial law and take good care of me, of course. Without them, I'm helpless.

To: areafiftyone
Someone needs to tell Big Government George that when he swore an oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies both foreign and domestic that included himself.
To: NJ_gent
It's not just you. It's beginning to make me uneasy, to say the least.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496508/posts


Of course, there are still plenty saying they trust Georgie, no matter what. Maybe those are the paid shills being sent in to quiet the masses.