Obviously, the Democratic Party has chosen to be an impotent, faux-opposition party in this bad theater they call “The Two Party System”.
We all see now that impeachment is indeed completely “off the table”. So are a lot of things, like defunding the war, and giving any opposition at all to “Mr. 28 percent”.
Many of us have had a difficult time picturing how it’s going to go in January of 2009. It’s hard to imagine Bush and Cheney just walking away from their unpopular but apparently supernaturally powerful positions as the leaders of the Only Superpower On Earth.
Well on May 9, Bush quietly signed a directive that may ensure that he and Tricky Dick II don’t have to hand over the reigns.
It’s called the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive and provides Bush with everything he needs to provide “continuance” of, well, whatever he wants to “continue”.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
Basically the directive states the in the case of a national Catastrophic Emergency”, the President, along with the head of Homeland Security, can take over the government and do whatever they please in order to provide “continuance”.
Here’s the quote right from the White House website:
(b) “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
Sounds innocent enough, right? But look at that phrase “regardless of location”. What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Would that include, say, a terrorist attack on Saudi oil fields and refineries? That would certainly “disrupt” the U.S. population and economy.
“or government functions.” Would that include mass public protests such as those during the Civil Rights and Vietnam War eras?
But it gets better. We may not even have to wait for a real “national emergency” to hit before the President can assume the mantle of near-dictator. Under the guise of “maintaining government continuity, the President could just sign a “NEF” – a National Emergency Finding:”
” As a result of the asymmetric threat environment, adequate warning of potential emergencies that could pose a significant risk to the homeland might not be available, and therefore all continuity planning shall be based on the assumption that no such warning will be received.”
Once the President signs “detects” a real or imagined threat, and signs a NEF, here’s what he gets for his signature:
The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.
In other words, to quote the old Christian hymn, “He has the whole world, in his hands, the whole world, in his hands…”
