Dictator Bush

#1
OWB

OWB

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#1
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."


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."


Translated into layman's terms, when the president determines a national emergency has occurred, the president can declare to the office of the presidency powers usually assumed by dictators to direct any and all government and business activities until the emergency is declared over.


Ironically, the directive sees no contradiction in the assumption of dictatorial powers by the president with the goal of maintaining constitutional continuity through an emergency.


The directive specifies that the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism will be designated as the National Continuity Coordinator.


Further established is a Continuity Policy Coordination Committee, chaired by a senior director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, to be "the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination."
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Nice power grab. Wasn't someone complaining about the Dems changing the rules the other day? :shakehead:
 
#2
#2
somewhat alarmist in tone, especially when you don't provide a source article.
 
#3
#3
MG1968 said:
somewhat alarmist in tone, especially when you don't provide a source article.
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You're up late or early.. The only link that you need to worry about is the one provided in the article.
 
#5
#5
I have been reading through the directive and in several places it specifically mentions that the Constitution remains the law of the land, and that the Presidential order of succession remains intact.

show me somewhere in the directive where the Constitution is suspended or that the President is provided with extra powers to supersede, circumvent, or otherwise undermine the Constitution.

again, a source article should be provided since it doesn't appear that the author read more than the first two or three paragraphs.
 
#6
#6
The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government. 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. The National Continuity Coordinator, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), without exercising directive authority, shall coordinate the development and implementation of continuity policy for executive departments and agencies. The Continuity Policy Coordination Committee (CPCC), chaired by a Senior Director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, shall be the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination."
 
#7
#7
I loved the comment by Bush "We will leave Iraq if they ask us too."

What about the American people who asked you to leave Iraq in the election last year with their vote? When they returned the house and senate to the Democrats mainly because they are against the war? And yes, I think the last election was a referendum on the Iraq war.

It seems like he cares more about the people of Iraq then the people in this country.
 
#8
#8
I believe the right attacked Bill Clinton when he did the exact same thing.
Nothing new.

This only matters when Bush tries to declare an emergency and tries to use some of these powers.
 
#9
#9
Has anyone bothered to compare the language of this directive to the one signed by Clinton? My understanding is that this one is changed because of the formation of the Homeland Security Office but otherwise is it the same as that signed by "Dictator" Clinton.
 
#10
#10
This was designed I think to have the president directing the emergency services, since they dropped the bomb with Katrina. Although this bill may have had good in mind, it should have not be enacted for the simple fact that the President should take control when something like Katrina happens anyway.
 
#11
#11
Here's a similarly doom and gloom report about one of Clinton's Directives:

So what does the White House have in mind?
Clinton is calling for a plan to ensure "essential national security missions" as well as general public health and safety by the year 2000. Interesting that he would pick that date. The plan must also provide ways for state and local governments to maintain order and deliver minimum essential services and the private sector to keep the economy humming.
Not interested in the federal plans? You may have to be. The document states that "it is preferred that participation by owners and operators in a national infrastructure protection system be voluntary." Note that word "preferred."
The president's national security adviser will serve as the clearinghouse for developing the plans. The first drafts from federal agencies is due on his desk this November. The military plays a big role in the plans. The Defense Department serves as the "executive agent" through the end of this fiscal year, after which, Clinton's favorite department, Commerce, takes over.
The directive also creates the "National Infrastructure Protection Center, which includes the FBI, the Secret Service, other federal law enforcement agencies, the Department of Defense and the intelligence agencies. All federal agencies are ordered to cooperate fully with NIPC. Private businesses involved in critical infrastructure will be "strongly encouraged" to share information with NIPC.
Depending on the nature of the threat, "NIPC may be placed in a direct support role to either DOD (Department of Defense) or the Intelligence Community," the document states.
Some of the immediate tasks for the national coordinator of this plan include studying existing legal impediments to information sharing, with an eye to proposals to remove these impediments. ... " and "the necessity of information classification" -- read: "secret files."
Martial law anyone? Sounds like Sen. Bennett is on to something.
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Presidential Decision Directive 63
 
#12
#12
OWB said:
The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government. 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. The National Continuity Coordinator, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), without exercising directive authority, shall coordinate the development and implementation of continuity policy for executive departments and agencies. The Continuity Policy Coordination Committee (CPCC), chaired by a Senior Director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, shall be the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination."
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Under Clinton, Directives 39 and 62 put the FBI and FEMA as lead agencies (along with 63 which tried to establish a coordinator). These agencies were directly reporting to the President.

The capstone Clinton Administration Homeland Defense measure was PDD-62, Protection Against Unconventional Threats to the Homeland and Americans Overseas. This directive solidified agencies’ roles in counter-terrorism and created an Office for the National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counter-terrorism. The directive deals extensively with consequence management and agency roles following a terrorist incident. PDD-62 encouraged military participation in Emergency Management functions through the creation of National Guard Rapid Assessment and Initial Detection (RAID) teams and the Marine Corps Chemical and Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) (see Presidential Decision Directive 62, unclassified abstract).
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PDD 62 is classified.

Even prior to 9/11, there was the lack of a central coordinating function.

The major criticism of the Clinton Administrations’ terrorism defense policies is that no one was in overall charge of the effort. Although PDD-62 created the Office of the National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counter-Terrorism, this office had little power over other federal agencies. Some analysts suggest that the National Coordinator had less power than the “Drug Czar” (see Homeland Defense: Threats and Policies in Transition). The Federal Response Plan published by FEMA has proven an effective model for interagency coordination and delineation of tasks but applies only during consequence management, not addressing interagency roles in training or preparing for disaster.
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http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~emse232/emse232jan2003org2full.html

Hmmm. Executive Branch leads in "emergency situations". Authorizes use of military in such operations. Publishes Executive Order 13132 which reemphasizes Federalism and contains this little gem:

(b) National action limiting the policymaking
discretion of the States shall be taken only where
there is constitutional and statutory authority for the
action and the national activity is appropriate in
light of the presence of a problem of national
significance. Where there are significant uncertainties
as to whether national action is authorized or
appropriate, agencies shall consult with appropriate
State and local officials to determine whether Federal
objectives can be attained by other means.
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Clinton was clearly drunk on power and attempting to consolidate Executive power...planning to use an "emergency" (probably one created by the government) to institute martial law and federalize all Hooters restaurants and Mickey Ds'.
 
#15
#15
If he was dictator I assure you that we would not be having this discussion in a public forum.
 
#17
#17
Well, I see we're back to Clinton now so nothing else matters..

I will say there's a huge difference between Clinton and Bush doing something like this. Clinton knew what he was doing and had competent people in place. Bush and his "pals" have proved over and over again that they have no understanding on how to get anything done.
 
#19
#19
OWB said:
Well, I see we're back to Clinton now so nothing else matters..

I will say there's a huge difference between Clinton and Bush doing something like this. Clinton knew what he was doing and had competent people in place. Bush and his "pals" have proved over and over again that they have no understanding on how to get anything done.
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We are simply back to Clinton as an example that the language in the Bush Directive is no more alarming than that of Clinton. Personally, neither of the Directives bother me.
 
#21
#21
OWB said:
Well, I see we're back to Clinton now so nothing else matters..

I will say there's a huge difference between Clinton and Bush doing something like this. Clinton knew what he was doing and had competent people in place. Bush and his "pals" have proved over and over again that they have no understanding on how to get anything done.
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For instance, Albright and Snuffalupugus
 
#22
#22
don't forget Janet Reno and Jocelyn Elders, two towering examples of competence.
 
#23
#23
Well, at least you all aren't denying that the Bush administration has consisted of one incompetent fool after another, so you're not completely blind.
 
#24
#24
OWB said:
Well, at least you all aren't denying that the Bush administration has consisted of one incompetent fool after another, so you're not completely blind.
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That has been the norm for the past 231 years, right?
 
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