martial law

[mellowtigger]

Scorpioatl and Pangolin noticed this issue before I did, but it's important stuff worth repeating. I did a little more digging. Pass this blog entry along to folk if you think it'd be worthwhile to help make people more aware. I don't know exactly how awareness can help stop what's going on, but I figure it's gotta be better than nothing.

"There ought to be limits to freedom."

That's what one of my t-shirts has written on it. It's a direct quote from George W. Bush in 1999, before he entered the White House, as he was commenting upon a parody website called gwbush.com (which is no longer in service). After becoming president, the same man has made his mark on our national history by dismissing international treaties, constitutional limits on executive power, and centuries-old standards on limits to government authority (like habeus corpus). It seems, sadly, that it's time to add another violation to his legacy.

The US has two laws that significantly limit the ability of the president to deploy troops on US soil. They are the Insurrection Act and the Posse Comitatus Act. It would require an act of Congress to allow a president to do such a thing. But "W" is not a typical president. He has already done it without asking Congress for permission.

According to the Army Times:

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.

It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. In August 2005, for example, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed hell in Mississippi and Louisiana, several active-duty units were pulled from various posts and mobilized to those areas.

But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.

After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one.

The deployment of troops on US soil is itself enough to make me skittish, since it's a precedent that is dangerous given how "W" misuses the power at his direction. But now, coincidentally (of course), there's the real possibility of martial law under his command.

Skip 9:00 minutes into this YouTube video for the relevant part.

Some members of Congress were threatened with martial law if they did not pass the bailout bill.
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Yes, keep thinking about it. It should scare you eventually.

Comments

[lordalfredhenry.livejournal.com]

The scariest thing was having that law passed and not the lack of passing the Emergency Bailout. People seem to understand fear very easily compared to persuasion. I think this situation is getting out of control very quickly and people need to take precautions now. I'd recommend:

1) Making or finding a storm cellar/hidden panic area.
2) Stocking up on things and living on things that don't require money/living with less dependence on money/planning to transition back to hunting/gathering but temporarily planning to wait out the chaos.
3) personal protection/escape routes. Finding the best places to take refuge to if things get really bad.

[mellowtigger]

I would disagree with such extreme reaction, except...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=71Jux68F_AQ

Bush has been doing this stuff from the beginning of his first term. (Have other recent presidents practiced these kinds of tactics?) And he has few days left in his term of office. If he's going to make a move, I suppose we'll find out soon.

[khrysso.livejournal.com]

Why on *Earth* do you think I would benefit from being any more scared?

I already feel like one of Seligman's dogs, who learned helplessness once they came to believe that they had no control over their environment.

[mellowtigger]

I wish I could think of something concrete to do that would be effective in changing course. I did write online letters to protest the bailout plan and insist that I wanted no bailout.

Participatory, yes. Effective, obviously not.

I'm open to suggestions.