Posted on 04/14/2002 6:31:21 PM PDT by Lord_Baltar
Big Governor Is Watching You
Terror From On High
Cloaked in the favorite conservative lingo of states' rights, the Bush administration has drawn up a proposal that ought to give even the president's staunchest backers the willies. Presented as a draft, the "Model State Emergency Health Powers Act," written by the Centers for Disease Control, sets forth procedures and rules so that a state government could respond to a sudden outbreak of smallpox, anthrax, or other form of bioterror attack. Granting governors the power to declare a "bioterrorism emergency," the proposal, as originally written, would have allowed them to quarantine the population, take property, and ration food and guns. People who don't go along could be jailed.
The act has been introduced in 12 state legislatures and is expected to be scrutinized by every state legislative body sometime this year. Key provisions:
• Governors could declare a public health emergency without consulting the legislature, courts, or public health officials.
• An "emergency" could be prompted by any "disease caused by a living organism" that "may, or may not, be transmissible from person to person, animal to person, or insect to person." This definition, in the eyes of some, could include the flu or other ordinary viral illnesses.
• Public health officials could quarantine people "suspected of having" an "infectious disease," make vaccination mandatory, order medical exams, and fine doctors if they don't comply.
• The state could mobilize its "organized militia," presumably the National Guard, and seize control of private property, including "communication devices, real estate, fuels, food, clothing, and health care facilities."
So far, three states—South Dakota, Utah, and New Mexico—have enacted the law, and a version has passed the Florida legislature. Similar proposals have been defeated in four states: Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In New York, the law has been introduced and is being considered by the state senate's public health committee.
Granted this thing comes from the Village Voice, but if this proposed bill from Dubya and Crew is remotely as described, would the Bush Defence League care to chime in with their spin to defend it?
Geez, this is just another prime example of something that if 'Toon had done it, ya'll would be screaming holy bloody hell. But since it was sent through by Dubya, to many folks are willing to roll over, like pre-orgasmic poodles for a tummy scratch from Dubya and Crew...
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