Bush & martial law


Internet rumors and misunderstandings
I didn't have time to write on or research it this morning, but there is an odd provision in Defense Authorization Act.

According to this gentleman, there is nothing all that unusual about the law.

Let's put a couple of things in perspective.

This from October, 2005.

Congressman Ron Paul has accused the Bush administration of attempting to set in motion a militarized police state in America by enacting gun confiscation martial law provisions in the event of an avian flu pandemic. Paul also slammed as delusional and dangerous plans to invade Iran, Syria, North Korea and China.

Ron Paul represents the 14th Congressional district of Texas. He also serves on the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, and the International Relations committee.
Paul appeared on the Alex Jones show yesterday and raised some interesting points about the possibility of imminent indictments of top Bush administration figures.

This also from October, 2005.

A call by President George W. Bush for Congress to give him the power to use the military in law enforcement roles in the event of a bird flu pandemic has been criticized as akin to introducing martial law.

Bush said aggressive action would be needed to prevent a potentially disastrous U.S. outbreak of the disease that is sweeping through Asian poultry and which experts fear could mutate to pass between humans.

Such a deadly event would raise difficult questions, such as how a quarantine might be enforced, the president said.

"I'm concerned about what an avian flu outbreak could mean for the United States and the world," he told reporters during a Rose Garden news conference on Tuesday.

"One option is the use of a military that's able to plan and move," he said. "So that's why I put it on the table. I think it's an important debate for Congress to have."

This from July of 2002.

Recent pronouncements from the Bush Administration and national security initiatives put in place in the Reagan era could see internment camps and martial law in the United States.

When president Ronald Reagan was considering invading Nicaragua he issued a series of executive orders that provided the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with broad powers in the event of a "crisis" such as "violent and widespread internal dissent or national opposition against a US military invasion abroad". They were never used.

But with the looming possibility of a US invasion of Iraq, recent pronouncements by President George Bush's domestic security chief, Tom Ridge, and an official with the US Civil Rights Commission should fire concerns that these powers could be employed or a de facto drift into their deployment could occur.

It's not new, that's true. Nor is it limited to President Bush. The only reason why it wasn't called martial law with President Clinton is because he reduced the military whenever he could. President Clinton did arm a record number of Federal agents though, and vastly increased the programs that allowed local police to buy military grade hardware for SWAT teams.

I'm not using Mr. Clinton's behavior to excuse the current President Bush. I'm pointing out that the pot is calling the kettle black. The same people who are attacking President Bush over this issue were only too willing to look the other way with President Clinton.

Again, this isn't a Republican or Democrat problem. It's a government problem. As in too much government and not enough protections for your rights.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Mon - October 30, 2006 at 05:19 PM  Tag


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