Will there be Martial Law?

[unapatriciated]

[Hydra]

1. Yes

The question is: when?

[Chipper Chat]

3. When Cheney is through cleaning his gun.

It seems to be clogged with Obama-juice right now.

[BuyingThyme]

15. When they start doing background checks at airports.

[Hydra]

22. They don't have to- they have us all on database already!

:evilgrin:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Reading disaster capitalism by Klein...

yes it will come to this place... because the economic crisis (by design) will force this... if the house of cards falls before the GE

In fact, and I hope I am wrong, it will happen to keep the train going

[seemslikeadream]

16. If anyone still thinks that describing the United States government by using the F word --fascist --

is an overstatement in 2007, then they should see this film.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1122026

Strange Culture

Terrorizing Artists in the USA


By MICHAEL SIMMONS

....

Kurtz was illegally detained for a day, his house was turned upside down, and his work --and Hope’s body --were seized for investigation. While it was eventually ruled that there was no public safety threat or terrorism involved, the Department of Justice (oxymorons are ubiquitous in Orwell’s 21st Century America) continues to prosecute Kurtz and colleague and geneticist Robert Ferrell for wire and mail fraud, even though they followed standard procedure practiced by laboratories and universities.

The last three years have been a nightmare of filed motions and pre-trial hearings and still no one knows when the case is expected to go to trial. Kurtz and Ferrell face 20 years in prison, the same as the terrorism charges. It’s a thought crime vendetta using alleged violations that are normally civil matters.

Kurtz and the Critical Art Ensemble are guilty of practicing freedom of speech. Among other transgressions, including being anti-war and anti-GMO, they’ve accused corporations and their U.S. government proxy of inciting panic. Through mixed media (installation, performance, text), the CAE makes the case that the population-at-large is not susceptible to biowarfare; that the motivation for scare tactics is the “symbolic abstraction of fear” to control citizens and reap corporate profits. I know this panic-for-profits scam is real because I have an unopened box of Tamiflu in my closet. I shelled out many shekels for it, yet there have been no cases of Avian Bird Flu in the United States.

[Earth_First]

4. Chances are, no.

Although nadinbrzezinski's post above makes a good point.

Hmmm...

[Marblehead]

5. if there

is another attack there is a good chance, where's Cheney???

[smoogatz]

6. It would have to be precipitated by a catastrophic event

or the threat of an imminent catastrophic event. Most likely, the kinds of bad economic news we're likely to get between now and November won't be sufficient—even if there are massive bank collapses, etc., it's hard to imagine them triggering the kind of near-insurrection that you'd need to justify a declaration of martial law. Aside from a major infectious disease outbreak (bird flu finally decides to transmit itself efficiently between humans, say), there are only two (and a half) scenarios I can envision in which Bush could even begin to justify declaration of martial law:

1.Major terrorist attack, at least as bad as 9/11 or possibly much worse, or the "threat" of a major attack: the Jack Bauer scenario so beloved by wingnuts actually appears to be coming true; Israeli intel, say, tells us that Iraqi terrorists have infiltrated a nuclear warhead into the U.S. Or anthrax. Or whatever. We've got to have martial law in order to track the thing down. Elections postponed until whenever. In fact, expect exactly this scenario in mid-September regardless, but without martial law or the cancellation of elections. It would be Bush's way of trying to ensure that a Republican stays in power.

2.McCain "wins" in a squeaker, despite exit polling that indicates Obama winning by a 7 or 8 point margin. Rioting ensues. Bingo—martial law. Bring out the pain ray.

[warren pease]

10. But there's this continuity of government directive...

...that Bush shoved down everyone's throats last may called National Security Presidential Directive 51 / Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20 -- or NSPD 51/HSPD-20.

Here's the introductory section and some definitions:

Subject: National Continuity Policy

Purpose

(1) This directive establishes a comprehensive national policy on the continuity of Federal Government structures and operations and a single National Continuity Coordinator responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of Federal continuity policies. This policy establishes "National Essential Functions," prescribes continuity requirements for all executive departments and agencies, and provides guidance for State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector organizations in order to ensure a comprehensive and integrated national continuity program that will enhance the credibility of our national security posture and enable a more rapid and effective response to and recovery from a national emergency.

Definitions

(2) In this directive:

(a) "Category" refers to the categories of executive departments and agencies listed in Annex A to this directive;

(b) "Catastrophic Emergency" means any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions;

(c) "Continuity of Government," or "COG," means a coordinated effort within the Federal Government's executive branch to ensure that National Essential Functions continue to be performed during a Catastrophic Emergency;

(d) "Continuity of Operations," or "COOP," means an effort within individual executive departments and agencies to ensure that Primary Mission-Essential Functions continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies;

Section b defines "catastrophic emergency" so broadly that the sound of one hand clapping might trigger totalitarianism. It's not like Cheney is known for being cautious and deliberative about using deadly force.


Then there's this jewel, no doubt in recognition of Bush's long-standing veneration for Constitutional law.

6) The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.

I don't know about you, but trusting Bush to do much more than play with little boats and rubber duckies in the bathtub seems pretty risky.


wp

[smoogatz]

11. Well, absolutely.

That's why I say even the manufactured threat of a major attack would probably be sufficient justification, in Bush logic, to declare martial law, round up the dissidents, ship Obama off to Gitmo and appoint Cheney president for life. It wouldn't even take a real attack, I'm saying—just the threat of one.

[warren pease]

14. Might as well REALLY go nuts...

Here's a longer list of reasons to freak. We now have on the books, and I suppose enforceable, repressive legislation, executive orders and presidential directives; massive federal invasions of privacy regarding medical and http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/washington/23intel.html?ex=1308715200&en=168d69d26685c26c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">financial records; monitoring US citizens' electronic communications; re-targeting spy satellites for domestic surveillance; the TSA cavity search specialists (for attractive young women only; the rest are presumed to pose no threat to the state); no-fly and terrorist watch lists; Halliburton/KBR's detention camps; RFIDs in all new passports and in the new national ID cards scheduled to be issued this year; new TSA "behavior detection officers" to spot those who don't "look quite right;" all this wonderful new stuff from the DHS; private armies featuring mercenaries from companies like Blackwater and SAIC springing up like mushrooms after a light rain... All that and the Patriot Act, the http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/commissions.html">Military Commissions Act, http://www.aclu.org/safefree/extraordinaryrendition/22203res20051206.html">extraordinary renditions (whatever the hell that means) and torture, too. (Note: the torture link is graphic and disgusting.)

Also, see the blockquote in this post, which is a small part of H.R. 1585, the fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. Note the orders to prepare to use regular troops -- as opposed to the Guard or Reserves -- to respond to "natural disasters and terrorist events." In other words, martial law.

Looking at all this fairly obvious social control stuff, it's hard not to come to the conclusion that all the pieces are in place to lock this country down like a bank vault. They just haven't gone operational yet.

And maybe they never will. Maybe the implied threat is enough, although the Cheneys of the world don't strike me as the type to do stuff like this just for fun.

Rather, fun to them is shooting animals and, occasionally, each other. We need a lot more of the latter and far less of the former.


wp

[Rex]

7. They made a deal, no impeachment means no 'state of emergency'.

That the M$M would LOVE to have for ratings. No joke.

[Zywiec]

8. Of course not

People were complaining that the CA National Guard was stretched so thin they couldn't help put fires out last year, but now there going to control an entire population of millions?

Oh wait, Blackwater is going to do it... :eyes:

[unapatriciated]

17. for a second, I thought you forgot about bush's repuglian guard.

[Iwasthere]

9. I have been saying this for years

At first I caught a LOT of shit for bringing it up in here. Not so much anymore. Watch their smirk(s)... very telling. He has no intention of leaving. He knows he will then have to answer to all of his crimes.

[BigDaddy44]

12. And it still hasn't happened.

And it won't happen. I remember this same crap from the other side in 2000 when Clinton was wrapping up his second term. Who's going to enforce it? Our military? The one thats in Iraq???

[TahitiNut]

13. Where? Nationwide? Never been done - probably not doable/legal.

In our federal system of governance, states have sovereign authority over such issues - including the declaration of an emergency and request for federal assistance. It would be novel and unprecedented in several ways for a unilateral imposition of martial law. To say it'd be quaintly unconstitutional is an understatement.

I don't put much past the criminal cabal occupying the Executive Branch (and more than half of the other two branches) but this conjecture is a real stretch ... and postulated almost solely by those demonstrating little comprehension of the existing mechanisms for doing so.

:shrug: Rock on, all-talk-and-no-risk ones. :eyes:

[backscatter712]

18. It's why I keep guns in my house...

to protect myself against my own government.

I've said enough online, I've participated in enough politics, I've joined protests. I've been photographed by the FBI at protests.

I'm probably on The List.

And that means if Bush wants to declare martial law and send his political enemies to camps, they'll probably demand I head off to a camp.

But I won't go quietly. If they try to send me to a camp, I will respond with lethal force. They will bury me, and they will bury the savage animals they sent for me.

[MrSlayer]

19. No. How ridiculous.

There is no one to enforce it and no reason to bring it down. Bush is gone in less than a year. It can't happen quick enough for him.

[Swamp Rat]

20. Has already been declared.

Didn't you get the memo?

[tom_paine]

21. No, that would take the mask of their tyranny off far too soon.

That is something for Emperor Jeb or George P. to do.

[ThomWV]

23. I wish he would. There doesn't seem to be any other wake up call that is working.

And it would not last long. When they have to bring back National Guard troops from Iraq to shoot at their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters marching against Washington what do you think would happen next?

The question is not a foolish one.

[quadriga]

24. Cheney is building his retirement house.

http://wonkette.com/363302/cheneys-new-house-is-cia-adjacent

Hard to say, I voted 'probably will', maybe the Dark Lord will just rule the empire from his new lair.