Where is the outcry in the supposedly "liberal" media?
Bush Moves Toward Martial Law
Written by Frank Morales
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. 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."
President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act of 2006. In a sense, the two laws complement one another. One allows for torture and detention abroad, while the other seeks to enforce acquiescence at home, preparing to order the military onto the streets of America. Remember, the term for putting an area under military law enforcement control is precise; the term is "martial law."
Section 1076 of the massive Authorization Act, which grants the Pentagon another $500-plus-billion for its ill-advised adventures, is entitled, "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies." Section 333, "Major public emergencies; interference with State and Federal law" states that "the President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, to restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of ("refuse" or "fail" in) maintaining public order, "in order to suppress, in any State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy."
For the current President, "enforcement of the laws to restore public order" means to commandeer guardsmen from any state, over the objections of local governmental, military and local police entities; ship them off to another state; conscript them in a law enforcement mode; and set them loose against "disorderly" citizenry - protesters, possibly, or those who object to forced vaccinations and quarantines in the event of a bio-terror event.
The law also facilitates militarized police round-ups and detention of protesters, so called "illegal aliens," "potential terrorists" and other "undesirables" for detention in facilities already contracted for and under construction by Halliburton. That's right. Under the cover of a trumped-up "immigration emergency" and the frenzied militarization of the southern border, detention camps are being constructed right under our noses, camps designed for anyone who resists the foreign and domestic agenda of the Bush administration.
An article on "recent contract awards" in a recent issue of the slick, insider "Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International" reported that "global engineering and technical services powerhouse KBR [Kellog, Brown & Root] announced in January 2006 that its Government and Infrastructure division was awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in the event of an emergency." "With a maximum total value of $385 million over a five year term," the report notes, "the contract is to be executed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers," "for establishing temporary detention and processing capabilities to augment existing ICE Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) - in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs." The report points out that "KBR is the engineering and construction subsidiary of Halliburton." (3) So, in addition to authorizing another $532.8 billion for the Pentagon, including a $70-billion "supplemental provision" which covers the cost of the ongoing, mad military maneuvers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places, the new law, signed by the president in a private White House ceremony, further collapses the historic divide between the police and the military: a tell-tale sign of a rapidly consolidating police state in America, all accomplished amidst ongoing U.S. imperial pretensions of global domination, sold to an "emergency managed" and seemingly willfully gullible public as a "global war on terrorism."
This is the text of a speech I gave in front of a bunch of Republican knuckle draggers. You have to imagine it loud, and "take no prisoners". They gave a "boo!" or two, but they were like gasoline on a fire.
I am a Democrat because the Democrats are clearly,
· the party of the people. · They are the party with solutions. · They are the party of real moral values. · The Democrats are the party that defends our nation. · They are the Party of real fiscal responsibility.
In January of 1944 Franklin Roosevelt’s gave his message to Congress. In it he illustrated what he called a Second Bill of Rights. They are:
· The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation; · The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation; · The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living; · The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad; · The right of every family to a decent home; · The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health; · The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment; · The right to a good education. Congress never codified these rights. But, if they were to be carved in the stone of legislation and Constitutional Amendment, it would be Democrats that would lead the charge. These are rights of the people rather than the rights of Republican corporate and special interest masters.
Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, and Clinton all presented America with successful solutions to American problems. While the Republicans are mired in corruption and cover-up scandals, Democrats are the party of real moral values: values like protecting our education system, investing in scientific research, taking care of our seniors, protecting social security, etc. These are the real moral values of America and values embraced by Democrats. Democrats are the party of Defense. Democrats believe in supporting our troops at all times. That means supporting them from the time the get on the bus for boot camp until the time they get on the plane for home, whether that’s on their own two feet, on a gurney or under a flag. Republicans send them to war without the basic equipment they need. Republicans cry “Unpatriotic!” or “Against the Troops” if someone votes against a bill that gives away billions to the Republican Vice-President’s company, in no-bid, no over-sight contracts. Republicans tell you to leave America if you question the lies and distortions the President told in order to haul our children off to his war. The incompetent Republican administration couldn’t get a promised $300 million for mental health services to returning Vets to the VA. They had the money, but just didn’t spend it on our vets. Democrats mean it when they say, “Support the troops!”
Democrats believe in defending American citizens by having sound foreign policy; strong border protection; strong port protection; defending civil liberties, defending social security from the Republican private account scam, defending the right of a woman to make medical decisions for her own body.
Her party gives lip service to ideas and then under funds or guts legislation that would have any effect on real issues:
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND talked about education but was left un-funded and has failed our children miserably.
THE CLEAR SKIES INITIATIVE put the polluters in a room and gave them carte blanche to write legislation that didn’t “clear any skies”, but rather, cleared some of those pesky regulations they had to follow.
Their HEALTHY FORESTS ACT is anything but healthy for the forests.
700 MILE BORDER FENCE: It was funded to the tune of 1.2 Billion dollars but the Home Land Security Czar says it might be done in 5 years! They must have Haliburton to build it. They should have hired the local fence guy, down the road. They’d be halfway done by now. Over and over, deception has been perpetrated on our nation by the Republicans.
When the last Democrat President left office, the nation had a balanced budget and a surplus. Republicans have spent that surplus into a deficit at a record pace. Republicans hastened that deficit by giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans; and for the first time, tax cuts were given in a time of war. While our soldiers were raiding Iraqi junk yards for scrap iron to weld into their vehicles for protection, her party was working overtime to ensure Paris Hilton and Mike McGavick got the tax cuts that will be paid for by the sweat and toil of our grandchildren.
As I said in the beginning, I am a Democrat because Democrats are the party of the people, of solutions, of real moral values, of fiscal responsibility and the party of Defense.
The Republican Speaker started off with, "Well, you've heard the Democrat position and you heard a lot of partisanship and anger."
I leaned over to the Democrat State Representative next to me and said, too loudly, "D'uh!"
Kirsten Powers of PowersPo!nt has some timely words of caution:
Let's Party Like It's 2004!
Oh, wait. We lost in 2004...even though we were definitely going to win because an incumbent president with approval ratings under 50 NEVER wins re-election. Plus, who would ever vote for George Bush twice?
Our Congress allowed the Constitution to die. On 17th the President formally killed it by signing the Military Commissions Act ending habeas corpus in America. We are now little different from the tin-horn dictatorships we've propped up and/or taken out at our whim through the years depending on their willingness to share the wealth.
While this is a Republican scandal far more important than sex, we can't ignore the complicit Democrats involved.
Carper (D-DE) Johnson (D-SD) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Lieberman (D-CT) Menendez (D-NJ) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO) Stabenow (D-MI)
Any seven of them could have joined their fellow Democrats and stopped the Death of the US Constitution. But, they didn't.
I'm aware of a local event scheduled on Veteran's Day (11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour) to mourn the Death of the Constitution. I hope there are other Memorial Services around the country. At each, these willing accomplices should be remembered as well.
That was then: It's Only A Crime When Foreigners Do It
According to this morning's Washington Post, the US has in the past prosecuted waterboarding as a war crime:
...in 1947, the United States charged a Japanese officer, Yukio Asano, with war crimes for carrying out another form of waterboarding on a U.S. civilian. The subject was strapped on a stretcher that was tilted so that his feet were in the air and head near the floor, and small amounts of water were poured over his face, leaving him gasping for air until he agreed to talk.
"Asano was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) told his colleagues last Thursday during the debate on military commissions legislation. "We punished people with 15 years of hard labor when waterboarding was used against Americans in World War II," he said.
This is now: Power to detain indefinitely and torture
On this issue, Amnesty international notes that the Act will:
Fail to provide any guarantee that trials will be conducted within a reasonable time. Permit the executive to convene military commissions to try “alien unlawful enemy combatants”, as determined by the executive under a dangerously broad definition, in trials that would provide foreign nationals so labeled with a lower standard of justice than US citizens accused of the same crimes. This would violate the prohibition on the discriminatory application of fair trial rights. Establish military commissions whose impartiality, independence and competence would be in doubt, due to the overarching role that the executive, primarily the Secretary of Defense, would play in procedures and in appointments of military judges and military officers. Permit, in violation of international law, the use of evidence extracted under cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or as a result of “outrages upon personal dignity, particularly humiliating or degrading treatment”, as defined under international law. Permit the use of classified evidence against a defendant, without the defendant necessarily being able effectively to challenge the “sources, methods or activities” by which the government acquired the evidence. Give the military commissions the power to hand down death sentences, in contravention of international standards.
As had been threatened, North Korea's Kim Jong-Il reportedly conducted an underground nuclear test yesterday, a move which promotes a global nuclear arms race and nullifies non-proliferation agreements.
Take it personally.
How ironic that North Korea carried out its nuclear test as an armada of US warships heads to Iran, ostensibly in retaliation for Iran's alleged nuclear-development plan, which US intelligence agencies estimate would take over a decade to implement, if it exists at all. Different countries suffer different consequences for proliferation.
If nothing else, North Korea's flamboyant tyrant, Kim Jong-Il, appears once again to have outfoxed the world community, and his nuclear test will play well domestically, with his people facing another hungry, harsh winter. Kim can also rely on the usual US response to his transgressions: harsh words, talk of UN sanctions, and then complete disinterest as fighting in the Middle East takes precedence.
Kim Jong-Il knows full well that Bush's record on North Korea has been characterized by bravado and indifference. The administration's 2002 Nuclear Posture Review, for example, aggressively warned North Korea and certain other countries about potential US "nuclear strike capabilities" in the vaguely-worded "event of surprising military developments." (Pyongyang's response to the Nuclear Posture Review was predictable: "Now that the nuclear lunatics are in office in the White House, we are compelled to examine all agreements with the U.S.")
But for all the bluster, US punitive measures against North Korea have been less than consistent. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld repeatedly threatened Pyongyang over developing its nuclear capabilities, yet failed to mention his own contribution: Rumsfeld was on the board of ABB, a company that sold hundreds of millions of dollars of equipment and services to North Korean nuclear plants. In another intriguing coincidence, despite his administration's slamming "axis of evil" nukes, in 2003 Bush requested $3.5 million for a consortium building nuclear reactors in North Korea.
While the Bush administration lashes out against North Korea's nuclear test and inevitably tries to spin it as justification for increased war-on-terror funding, Pyongyang's reaction will be interesting. Kim Myong-chol, the so-called "unofficial" spokesman of Kim Jong-il, recently had an ominous article in the Asia Times entitled "Kim's message: War is coming to US soil." The propaganda-laden piece (which referred to Kim Jong-il as "the greatest iron-willed, brilliant commander") nonetheless provided clues into how Pyongyang will justify its nuclear test:
* "Absent US hostility, nuclear blackmailing, sanctions, threats of isolation and regime change, the Kim administration would never have thought at all of acquiring nuclear deterrence."
* "The sole reason for the development of nuclear weapons is more than 50 years of direct exposure to naked nuclear threats and sanctions from the US."
* "US hostility, threats and sanctions are the very engines that have propelled the development of nuclear weapons."
Kim Myong-chol's article also noted that the North Korean nuclear test signified, "a long, overdue farewell to the nuclear non-proliferation regime, with the Bush administration standing in the dock as prime defendant accused of sabotaging nuclear non-proliferation. Had the Americans been steadfast in upholding the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty by reducing their nuclear weapons and respecting the sovereignty and independence of the non-nuclear states, North Korea would not have felt any need to defend itself with nuclear weapons."
Loosely translated: the US devil made me do it.
But the global implications of Pyongyang's nuclear test are extremely dangerous. Kim Myong-chol's article warned that North Korea has "all types of nuclear bombs and warheads, atomic, hydrogen and neutron, and the means of delivery, short-range, medium-range and long-range, putting the whole of the continental US within effective range," and added, "a next war will be better called the American War or the DPRK-US War because the main theater will be the continental US, with major cities transformed into towering infernos."
Bombast aside, North Korea's nuclear test both encourages other countries to proliferate and gives Pyongyang an effective blackmail card: give us cash or we'll sell our nuclear weapons to your worst enemies.
So take North Korea's nuclear test personally. It isn't just a danger "over there" but yet another indication of how the Bush administration's misguided foreign policy is endangering you right at home.
Action Ideas:
1. For online anti-nuke activism, head over to GREENPEACE International's "Abolish nuclear weapons" campaign. There you'll find up-to-date information plus various ideas for anti-nuke activism. Visit Nuclear Files , which offers a comprehensive history of nuclear weapons, extensive resources for educators and a free eNewsletter on global security issues. For regular updates on nuclear issues, sign up for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Sunflower e-newsletter and join its "Turn the Tide Campaign" action-alert network.
2. CTBT? ABM? NPT? If you're not sure what to make of contemporary arms control agreements, help is available on the net. The Federation of American Scientists has an easy-to-use compilation of resources, under the Strategic Security heading on its site. All kinds of related activities are also available; you can see the projected impact a nuclear detonation would have on certain cities, search a database of US and global arms sales, and take action on promoting arms control agreements.
Another place to explore disarmament issues is the Arms Control Association, which offers fact sheets, interviews, and easily accessible information organized by country and subject area.
George Bush appointed Elin Miller, former North American president of Tokyo-based pesticide maker, Arysta Life-Science regional administrator for EPA's Region 10 headquartered in Seattle. She'll oversee Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho.
It makes perfect sense when you think about it.
Energy polluters write the Energy Bill behind closed doors.
No Child Left Behind leaves schools falling short.
Clear Skies clean no skies.
Why wouldn't pesticide makers run EPA? If an environmental disaster occurs in the Northwest, Elin would be in line for a Medal of Freedom!
"The people in government I know that worked for her had a lot of admiration for her, because she took off her industry hat when she went in and went to work there," said Jay Vroom, president of CropLife America, a group representing the pesticide industry.
Matt Drudge "can reveal" now that at least part of the Republican Foley debacle was a "PRANK GONE AWRY". This will no doubt be part of the enormous spin job coming at the electorate in the next few weeks to pull the GOP out of the POT.
There is a problem with this spin, however. It is fair to say that very few, if any, 50+ year old elected officials who ARE NOT pedophiles could be "goaded" into asking a 16 year old to measure his penis, or asking how he masturbates or with what lubricant or tell the 16 year old what type of lube he uses or wonder if they could meet up and wonder what might happen, etc.
Just in case Matt and Karl Rove are going to start playing-the-victim-of-a-prank card to excuse the Republican slime in Washington D.C., it won't work.
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU OCT 5 2006 22:01:25 ET XXXXX
According to two people close to former congressional page Jordan Edmund, the now famous lurid AOL Instant Message exchanges that led to the resignation of Mark Foley were part of an online prank that by mistake got into the hands of enemy political operatives, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.
According to one Oklahoma source who knows the former page very well, Edmund, a conservative Republican, said he goaded an unwitting Foley to type embarrassing comments that were then shared with a small group of young Hill politicos. The prank went awry when the saved IM sessions got into the hands of political operatives favorable to Democrats.
The primary source, an ally of Edmund, adamantly proclaims that the former page is not a homosexual. The prank scenario was confirmed by a second associate of Edmund. Both are fearful that their political careers will be affected if they are publicly brought into the investigation.
The prank scenario only applies to the Edmund IM sessions and does not necessarily apply to any other exchanges between the former congressman and others.
This is an absolutely, unbelievable, compilation. Prepare for a jawdropping:
Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd was arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex with an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable.
Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
Republican Party leader Bobby Stumbo was arrested for having sex with a 5-year old boy.
Republican teacher and former city councilman John Collins pleaded guilty to sexually molesting 13 and 14 year old girls.
Republican campaign worker Mark Seidensticker is a convicted child molester.
Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
Republican Mayor John Gosek was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from two 15-year old girls.
Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.
Republican Committeeman John R. Curtain was charged with molesting a teenage boy and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida.
Republican zoning supervisor, Boy Scout leader and Lutheran church president Dennis L. Rader pleaded guilty to performing a sexual act on an 11-year old girl he murdered.
Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
Katherine Spatula-Makeup Harris lets the cat out of the bag!
In a mailing to her constituents, Florida Senatorial candidate, Katherine Harris wrote:
"In just a few short weeks, millions of Americans will decide the direction of our country. Like many of you, I believe that our communities and our values are in danger from ultra-liberals Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid and the rest who value rights over national security."
We appreciate Katherine's candor. But, her prioritizing national security over rights reminds us of another quote, often attributed to Benjamin Franklin:
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
It would seem that Rep. Harris failed GOP Rule # 1 "Don't tell them what the hell we're doing!"
That was then:
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