Posted on 05/23/2007 7:00:50 AM PDT by cbkaty
LAW OF THE LAND
Order for emergencies apparently gives authority without congressional oversight
President Bush has signed an executive order granting extraordinary powers to the office of the president in the event of a declared national emergency, apparently without congressional approval or oversight.
The order was signed May 9 without any announcement, says Jerome R. Corsi in a WND column.
Titled, "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive," it was issued with the dual designation of NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive.
The order establishes under the office of the president a new national continuity coordinator whose job 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.
"Catastrophic emergency" is loosely defined 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."
Corsi says the president can assume the power to direct any and all government and business activities until the emergency is declared over.
The executive order says the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, currently Frances Fragos Townsend, would be designated as the national continuity coordinator.
Corsi says the executive order makes no attempt to reconcile the powers created for the national continuity coordinator with the National Emergency Act, which requires that such proclamation "shall immediately be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register."
A Congressional Research Service study notes the National Emergency Act sets up Congress as a balance empowered to "modify, rescind, or render dormant" such emergency authority if Congress believes the president has acted inappropriately.
But the new executive order appears to supersede the National Emergency Act by creating the new position of national continuity coordinator without any specific act of Congress authorizing the position, Corsi says.
The order also makes no reference to Congress and its language appears to negate any a requirement that the president submit to Congress a determination that a national emergency exists.
It suggests instead that the powers of the executive order can be implemented without any congressional approval or oversight.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke affirmed to Corsi the Homeland Security Department would implement the requirements of the order under Townsend's direction.
The White House declined to comment on the order.
I do wonder if he knows of an impending attack that would actually require such powers....that senario is a possibility.
I do wonder if he knows of an impending attack that would actually require such powers....that senario is a possibility.
This is old news.
Reading — Empire by Orson Scott Card, fiction but fascinating. Relevant to this thread.
I could see the need for any President to have this power. Could it be abused? Sure, but presidents also have their finger on the nuclear button.
Which is more dangerous?
I bet threats about that sort of thing come in all the time.
Then he was blamed for the slow response...
Which powers have we jelously guarded recently?
Not being combative, but is there ANYTHING that would make joe 6 pack stand up and say “Now you’ve done it. You’ve gone too far.”
You mean like FDR did during WWII?
*sigh* No.
Well shutting off professional sports broadcasts would probably do it.
5 million man march on Washington
Maybe it’s a good idea to actually read the document in question before going nuts:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
“(e) “Enduring Constitutional Government,” or “ECG,” means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers among the branches, to preserve the constitutional framework under which the Nation is governed and the capability of all three branches of government to execute constitutional responsibilities and provide for orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency;”
“(a) Ensuring the continued functioning of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government;”
Chalk up another vote for “Corsi selling books by feeding the conspiracy brigade”?
We need people paying attention, we need alarmists. We also need to weigh what they are saying with other perspectives and going to the original sources for clarification.
Tad replied, "Five."
"No son, he has four, calling it a leg doesn't make it a leg."
I've wondered that many times, especially when I see people on here defending crap like this, who would be raising total hell if Clinton would have done it. Just like ShadowAce said, soon it will be Clinton or some other authoritarian liberal. People should be mindful of the fact that all of these additional authoritarian powers the government is bringing to itself, and with the blessing of many FReepers, will someday be wielded by liberal democrats. THEN, those FReepers will suddenly have a problem with the government doing such things and it will be too late....
.....and your point is? A search did NOT display a previous post....
Is that you Mr. President?
This is very unusual . . . I’m beginning to suspect that the people saying we have already had our last national election are onto something. But that would mean I’m thinking like a believer in conspiracies. Oh, no! You mean to say that down deep we are all stupid ‘sheeple?’ Baaad Baaad. Really, really Baaad Baaad.
He could eat a live baby at a press conference and posters on this board would applaud his "boldness" in the face of massive democratic criticism...
Be Ever Vigilant ~ buy lotsa ammo and pray!
God help us.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.