Making martial law easier

International Herald Tribune ^ | February 19, 2007 | Unknown opinion

[passionfruit]

A disturbing recent phenomenon in Washington is that laws that strike to the heart of American democracy have been passed in the dead of night. So it was with a provision quietly tucked into the enormous defense budget bill at the Bush administration's behest that makes it easier for a president to override local control of law enforcement and declare martial law.

The provision, signed into law in October, weakens two obscure but important bulwarks of liberty. One is the doctrine that bars military forces, including a federalized National Guard, from engaging in law enforcement. Called posse comitatus, it was enshrined in law after the Civil War to preserve the line between civil government and the military. The other is the Insurrection Act of 1807, which provides the major exemptions to posse comitatus. It essentially limits a president's use of the military in law enforcement to putting down lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion, where a state is violating federal law or depriving people of constitutional rights.

SNIP

[Shady]

Herself's fix is in.

[beltfed308]

The Dems will love this when they get back the WH.

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

And Bush gave it to them on a F'ing platter.

[ASOC]

Hummm

No posse comitatus restrainsts

Bill Clintoon as Prez

(awakes screaming and covered in sweat)

Whew - glad that won't ever happen...no, wait. What? Who's at the door?

[secretagent]

Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the president may now use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any "other condition."

Any "other condition" - a large category.

[Disambiguator]

"other condition"

Other condition = private gun ownership

[beltfed308]

Any "other condition" - a large category. Almost like a blank check?

[passionfruit]

It's scary how quietly this was done, and how the US press isn't eeven covering it.

[wku man]

Again, patriots need to prepare now. When the axe falls, there won't be time to make plans.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[beltfed308]

Perhaps the AWB that has just been introduced will be amended for complete ban? No 'grandfather" clause? This will feed tinfoil tendencies for sure.

[Clioman]

Hey, look -- if a rap star can have a posse, why can't the U.S. government?

[hosepipe]

Must be getting ready for Hitlery's administration..
As well as the multi millions of new democrat votes from across the border..

Heck I guess the RINOs(and democrats) had to replace 49 million abortions in the last few decades... some way.. with insurgents from all over the world.. mostly from Mexico..

Baring civil war America is over..

[3AngelaD]

International Herald Tribune, owned jointly by New York Times and the Washington Post. Gee, I wonder which way its bias leans.

[Quix]

Hey missus frog . . . come on in . . . they're taking the chill of this water.

. . .

Ahhhh, that's more like it . . . great for the rheumatism.

. . .

Nothing like a good soak in the hot tub with night cap, hey, Mrs frog?

. . .

Uhhhh, honey, could you turn the temp down a bit . . . I'm startin' to really sweat . . .

blub, glub,

croak.

[Quix]

Who's at the door?

. . . a REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL . . . donkey . . .

with an arse bigger than a mammoth and a 100 times more foul.

And it's half way through the door already.

[353FMG]

"..laws that strike to the heart of American democracy have been passed in the dead of night."


Don't you know that this information does not go unnoticed by the rest of the world? This knowledge is used as part of their planning of their future relationship with the US.

[panaxanax]

"And Bush gave it to them on a F'ing platter."

It does seem odd.

They're all in bed together, HildaBeast, Bush, Julie-Annie, Daddy Bush, Clintoon, MSM, et al. What is it going to take for Americans to wake up and realize that it's out of our (voters/citizens) hands?

[panaxanax]

Indeed.