Bush Makes Power Grab

[eagler]

Source: World Net Daily

President Bush, without so much as issuing a press statement, on May 9 signed a directive that granted near dictatorial powers to the office of the president in the event of a national emergency declared by the president.

The "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive," with the dual designation of NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive, establishes under the office of president a new National Continuity Coordinator.

That job, as the document describes, is to make plans for "National Essential Functions" of all federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations to continue functioning under the president's directives in the event of a national emergency.

The directive loosely defines "catastrophic emergency" 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."



Read more: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55824

[meegbear]

1. When the fucktards at WND are scared about something like this ...

it's time to be scared :scared:.

[yellowcanine]

4. Oh I don't know - While I agree it is scary for Bush to do this, I don't consider what WNDers

consider to be scary any valid measure of the gravity of the situation. They are scared of their own shadows and of anything that is even remotely associated with government.

[originalpckelly]

27. Yes, I think this is a very scary moment to see a conservative publication...

talk about this. It's just a :wow: moment.

[KansDem]

2. Not to worry...

The directive loosely defines "catastrophic emergency" 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."

Remember what happed after the last "catastrophic emergency?" That's right, Bush did nothing...

I rest my case!

:sarcasm:

[Uncle Joe]

28. In a way, I agree with you, however

it's the people around him, I'm more concerned about. They will continue to tighten their anaconda coils around the very freedoms, they claim to be defending until they're strangled and Bush will do nothing.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

3. Get Waxman to put this at the top of his list

[lyonn]

5. You gotta wonder why george Needs all these Directives

Something is up with this turkey. Today's news shows U.S. ships in the gulf as a show of strength, apparently to Iran. How this president of ours likes drama time! Keep the sheeple cowering and hoping this god-like person can save them. To cover his rear he has all these Directive. He is changing the rules as he goes along. If he comes up with a legal problem, no problem, change the laws according to Bush.

[Raven]

6. Gee, I guess "government functions" might mean the 2008 election.

[kestrel91316]

12. EXACTLY

[KamaAina]

7. WND blows, but this is real

:scared:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html

This directive establishes a comprehensive national policy on the continuity of Federal Government structures and operations and a single National Continuity Coordinator responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of Federal continuity policies. This policy establishes "National Essential Functions," prescribes continuity requirements for all executive departments and agencies, and provides guidance for State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector organizations in order to ensure a comprehensive and integrated national continuity program that will enhance the credibility of our national security posture and enable a more rapid and effective response to and recovery from a national emergency.

And just who might this shadowy dictator"National Continuity Coordinator" be? Well, it is spelled out:

In order to advise and assist the President in that function, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (APHS/CT) is hereby designated as the National Continuity Coordinator.

That'd be Frances Fragos Townsend:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/townsend-bio.html

But wait! Did I hear Townsend's name mentioned as a possible replacement for AG Gone-zales?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Townsend#Career

In 2007, her name was floated as a possible replacement for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

And the minute she gets in there, the position of dictator"National Continuity Coordinator" becomes wide open... Wolfowitz? Doug Feith? Lieberman?! :tinfoilhat:

[The Iron Maiden]

26. The Progressive has an article on it...

Olbermann is supposed to be covering this...

http://progressive.org/mag_wx051807

http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/25/203917.aspx

[krispos42]

8. "regardless of location"

Um, wouldn't Iran developing nuclear weapons "...severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions." ?

Hmmm....

[Sapere aude]

9. With this in place, he could cause a disaster and there is nothing that can be done.

Remember the repukes are trying to hold on to power indefinitely. That's why they are trying to take over all authority.

This really has me worried. I do not trust them.

[kestrel91316]

13. They have been making a lot of noise about "terrorists" attacking,

maybe even nuking, Los Angeles lately. BIG perceived target.

Maybe they will attack some OTHER part of LA than the one I live in. But I am in "Little Teheran"/"Little Israel".

[cyberpj]

10. To do this with so little time left can only mean "a new Pearl Harbor" moment is coming.

Perhaps they will suspend elections. We're in for it big time now folks.

[kestrel91316]

11. The RW and maybe even the backwash are gonna start making a big fuss

about this little factoid REAL SOON, I suspect. George Noory (RW whacko talk radio host) was having a conniption fit about it last night, and had Jerome Corsi on who was also having a conniption fit about it. They were screaming about how Congress "needs to do something" about it, and I had to laugh.

Caligula may very well have overstepped his bounds finally on this one.

[libnnc]

18. I heard that too!

I was listening to it on the computer and couldn't help but chuckle at those dip-shits. NOW they wring their hands.
I'm afraid it's too late though. :scared:

[IDemo]

14. "Continuity of Government" directives go back 50 years

But White House control of the "Shadow Government", well, that's another thing -> http://journals.democraticunderground.com/IDemo

[SleeplessinSoCal]

15. Boosh benefits from mass casualties

"When the president determines a catastrophic emergency has occurred, the president can take over all government functions and direct all private sector activities to ensure we will emerge from the emergency with an "enduring constitutional government." "

George W. Bush wants to be a dictator. And what he wants, he gets. Karl we see to that.

[truthisfreedom]

16. With bush defining dictatorial powers for himself, can the next 9-11-2001 be far behind?

What date combinations have the greatest psychological significance? 9-11 permanently changed the concept of emergency 911.

Remember how much CIA evidence was destroyed when 9-11 happened. Think about where the next target would be, which would destroy as much evidence as possible concerning the roving activities of bushco.

[RaRa]

17. I worry for the soliders near Iran

My cousin's husband is on the USS Roosevelt, and I think it's out there and that makes me worry for them - are they going to be sacrificed for this piece of crap we call "Pres"?

[Barrett808]

19. I think it would need to be a domestic "attack" to invoke COG

I'd put my money on an assault on Congress, maybe Mars Attacks-style.

[IDemo]

20. Not necessarily

"Catastrophic Emergency" means 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;

Any attack that severely impacted the economy, such as attacks on oil shipments through the Gulf, would probably qualify.

[kestrel91316]

21. My money is on a fake terra attack on Los Angeles.

My assistant thinks Disneyland.

[Barrett808]

24. Well, that's just great.

Mt. Weather, here we come.

[eagler]

23. It has no limits on what constitutes an emergency

[eagler]

22. The secrecy of how this came about and its implications

should easily be grounds for impeachment. This certainly undermines the Constitution and gives the president unlimited powers not unlike Hitler received after the burning of the Reichstag. The absolute gutless nature of most of the Dems in Congress makes me shutter.

[Hubert Flottz]

25. Stock Market crashes...George becomes Fuhrer...

Game Over for Democracy!