Does Bush have right to declare Martial law, dismiss Congress/Courts, if another 911?

[papau]

repost of Duer Me's post below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x926952



The Shadow Government Makes Another Grab At Power

SCARY STUFF!

“With scarcely a mention in the mainstream media, President Bush has ordered up a plan for responding to a catastrophic attack.
In a new National Security Presidential Directive, Bush lays out his plans for dealing with a “catastrophic emergency.”

Under that plan, he entrusts himself with leading the entire federal government, not just the Executive Branch. And he gives himself the responsibility “for ensuring constitutional government.”

He laid this all out in a document entitled “National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51” and “Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-20.”

The White House released it on May 9.

Other than a discussion on Daily Kos led off by a posting by Leo Fender, and a pro-forma notice in a couple of mainstream newspapers, this document has gone unremarked upon.

The subject of the document is entitled “National Continuity Policy.”

http://progressive.org/mag_wx051807

[atreides1]

1. There is a word for this

DICTATOR!!!!!!!!

[Me.]

2. K & R

:kick:

[BushOut06]

3. How much you want to bet that another LIHOP or MIHOP attack occurs?

If he wants to exercise these powers, then he needs a catastrophic attack - most likely a low-yield nuclear attack. Who here thinks that Bush would be willing to sacrifice an American town in order to consolidate his grip on power? Just think of everything he could accomplish if he didn't have to worry about a pesky Congress or Supreme Court.

[AndyTiedye]

4. That May be The REAL Reason that Impeachment is "Off the Table"

Perhaps the Democratic leadership already knows that Bush** and DarthCheney will stage another "terrorist" attack if Congress actually threatens their power.

It has already been made perfectly clear to us that the response to any such attack will be martial law and the end of democracy in the USA.

[pat_k]

6. Too late. Our constitution has been in breach. . .

. . . since January 6th, 2001. On that day, Congress refused carry out their duty to count only legitimate electoral votes. They cut the American electorate out of the loop when they refused throw out the illegitimate Florida electors. They failed to "preserve the government" (see tag line).

On that day we kissed our constitutional democracy goodbye.

Since that date, bush and cheney have waged an unrelenting war on the Constitution. They have turned the USA into a war criminal nation that spies on its own citizens. We passed the intolerable threshold years ago. "More intolerable" is not a very meaningful concept.

If Members of Congress are refusing to stand up because they fear that Bush would invoke martial law, they can put their fears to rest. Bush and Cheney aren't kidding when they claim unlimited and absolute power to do "whatever" they deem necessary to "protect us." They have already suspended the Constitution. Under unitary authoritarian rule we effectively live under martial law. We may not have to be off the streets by curfew today, but "the decider" claims the power to arbitrarily declare a national curfew tomorrow.

Impeachment is the only means by which we can reassert our power and enforce the terms of our common contract. Anything less than impeachment is tolerating the intolerable.

By refusing to impeach -- whatever their reasons/excuses -- Members of Congress have created a national crisis graver than any natural disaster or social ill. It is bigger than any international crisis. By tolerating the intolerable, they are surrendering our capacity to recover from disaster with humanity, solve our common problems in ways that reflect our common values, and serve as a force for good in the world. When the good will of the American people is cut out of the loop, no peoples, not our fellow Americans, not other nations, can look to us for help.

Regarding the question "Does Bush have right to declare Martial law, dismiss Congress/Courts, if another 911?"

Of course not. But we can only enforce our collective will if enough of us know that We the People are the "deciders." It is up to us to judge whether an official is acting outside the bounds we intended. Impeachment is the means by which we enforce our judgments. When enough of us look at an official's act and conclude "That's intolerable," no expert "analysis" can overrule us. All that is required is the political will to impeach.

Unfortunately, too many of us have been deceived into believing that such questions can only be answered by "experts." They have been convinced by fascist propaganda that such questions are too complex for the likes of us commoners.

Arguments that constitutional authorities present can be a valuable resource if we remember a basic truth conveyed in the story of the "the emperor's new clothes." That is, that people "in the know" often fail to see the simplest realities. If an expert's conclusions are contrary to our vision of a True America, we should trust our own judgment. When the authorities invoke legal technicality and "complexity" that trumps reality, it is up to us to call "bullshit."

By any definition -- expert or common sense -- bush and cheney are outlaws. This latest dictate is just another manifestation of their fascist fantasy that they have unlimited and absolute power to violate our laws, spit on our Congress, and piss on the Constitution to "protect us."

Tragically, as long as the men and women we elected to the U.S. House and Senate refuse to impeach, they are handing bush and cheney cover. The WH need only point to their refusal to impeach as "evidence" that their claim to absolute power is legitimate. (Would Congress have taken impeachment "off the table" if we were shredding the Constitution?)

[Senator]

5. <delete>

[zonmoy]

7. I have no doubt that the cabal is already setting up another false flag

terror attack to destroy the last illusions of our still being a democracy.

I figure that once that happens then it will be civil war once the cabals true nature is revealed.

[stfrequency]

8. Discontinuing Democracy

Hi all,

I've just finished an essay that chronicles the historical (and future) use of national security directives to amass executive power. I discuss the new directive at length and there are numerous links/references that help to explain the situation we are facing. Please read it over at http://www.realitysandwich.com/node/362>RealitySandwich.com and feel free to sign up and join in the discussion. I feel strongly that there needs to be a public awareness and discussion about this directive before it is activated.

I would very much appreciate it, if the article strikes you, if you would forward the link onto other sites/forums as well.

-ST

[lepus]

9. Stfrequency, great link.

While I do not think bush&co would ever stoop to creating a national emergency to seize absolute power. I do believe they may allow one to happen to take advantage of it.

[Puregonzo1188]

10. When I went to the site I got a securty warning-Domain-Certificate mismatch

Domain name is for progressive.org, certifcate for www.progressive.org. The message warned that someone might be trying to intercept my communications.

I believe thats what it said, its not verbatim as I couldn't cut and paste the message.

Any tech savy DUers know if this is indicative of something?

[Luke_R]

12. It's just letting you know that something doesn't jive,

and that there is the possiblilty of not necessarily being watched, but having communications intercepted. It's not anything to worry about, though. Just an error in your browser or their website.
If someone is watching, you wouldn't know about it.

[Luke_R]

11. Seriously, I don't understand why y'all would have a problem with this

He did such a good job handling Katrina in New Orleans.