from the chattanoogan: The Republican re-writing of the Insurrection Act gives Bush the authority to declare martial law. For the first time since 1878, the president has the power to deploy troops within the United States. Bush and future presidents now have a power that, in other countries, is reserved to the dictator.
Despite the unprecedented and shocking nature of this new law, there has been no outcry in the American media and little reaction from our elected officials in Congress.
The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) had historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), prohibited military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
Now, Public Law 109-364, or the "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007" (H.R.5122) allows the President to declare a "public emergency," station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor.
the following piece was written by father frank morales, an episcopal priest & longtime activist. listen to an interview with him here
President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act of 2006
: JustaDog
LOL
Wow – Democrats must be getting desperate!
LOL
pater tenebrarum
‘democrats must be getting desperate’ is the extent to which you have thought this through? don’t you realize that it doesn’t matter one iota whether one or the other party rules in this context? they can BOTH use, or rather, mis-use, this new law. Bush is only standing out because he made it possible. the man is btw. anything BUT a conservative. ‘nation-building’ (i.e., social engineering abroad), abridgment of civil liberties, massive snooping operations by the State, and an enormous expansion of government deficits and spending are NOT conservative agendas. he is best described as a national socialist actually. it is thus not surprising that he paves the way for martial law.