Adjourn Your Asses!

David Weigel | April 21, 2008

I'm with Jim Antle: John McCain's poor organization is the under-reported story of the primary so far. Winning the nomination through a series of flukes (Huck wins Iowa, Rudy gives up on New Hampshire, Sleepy Fred steals Huck votes in South Carolina) saved McCain the work of creating a machine that can match up to Barack Obama. The brightest signal of this has been the ability of Ron Paul activists, utterly ignored by the mainstream media, to storm state conventions and take delegates.

Working in McCain's favor: Those state GOP leaders really hate Ron Paul activists. And they're good at changing rules at the last minute to save McCain from humiliation. Take Missouri, where Paul activists were ejected from the 2nd district (St. Louis suburbs) convention.

"It was a ramrod job!'' shouted Don Griffin, a conservative Republican activist and Paul supporter, as he confronted convention chairman Rich Magee after the session adjourned. "You should be ashamed of yourself.''

Magee, mayor of Glendale, said the delegate purge complied with last-minute changes in convention rules approved by the state party, which placed credentials committee business atop the agenda. That was necessary, Magee added, to protect the results of the state's Feb. 5 presidential primary, won by John McCain. As a result, McCain is guaranteed all 58 Missouri's delegates.

At issue were Paul supporters "who came in here and don't want to support John McCain at the presidential convention," Magee said. "These are not Republicans, in my opinion."

My god, how can any Republican not support John McCain at the RNC? Nearly 33 percent of them backed him in the Feb. 5 primary—a full one percent more than backed Huckabee! This sort of Lemming-ism looks like an advantage right now, as Hillary Clinton plants landmine after landmine in front of Barack Obama. Even McCain archfoe Rick Santorum is knuckling under. But the ability to rig a district convention isn't going to help much when the forces of Obama storm Ohio while McCain is gasping for money and volunteers.

Headline explained here:

Comments

Bingo|4.21.08 @ 1:08PM|#

I'm not a Paulbot, but if the GOP is basically going to remove dissenting voices in their party from the conventions then they might as well nominate candidates behind closed doors.

|4.21.08 @ 1:10PM|#

McCain really did luck out in primary season, and it looks like the epic never-ending battle between Clinton and Obama is helping him luck out in the general thus far.

PC|4.21.08 @ 1:13PM|#

I don't think it was 100% luck. Fred ran the most half assed campaign I ever saw. I could see Fred helping his honeymoon date out by diluting some of the more conservative votes. At any point did it ever look like Fred even wanted to win?

Nash|4.21.08 @ 1:20PM|#

Fred has no one to blame but himself for running a lackluster campaign that I don't think he really wanted to run in the first place anyway but I have a feeling that Ron Paul's success hurt him more than anyone in that camp wants to admit.

|4.21.08 @ 1:22PM|#

Great! Paul and his neoBircher, paleocon, paleolibertarian racist cracker paranoids are still on the march! Look out all you fluoridators of our water supplies and stealers of our prcecious bodily fluids! The Ron Paul Revolution will get you yet! Yay!

Guy Montag|4.21.08 @ 1:27PM|#

Okay, I will admit it. I wish Dr. Paul could take this nomination away from Sen. McCain.

There, I admitted it, grudgingly so.

|4.21.08 @ 1:40PM|#

John McCain's poor organization is the under-reported story of the primary so far.

That's why he needs Romney for Vice. Romney is one highly organized individual, ding-dang it.

Guy Montag|4.21.08 @ 1:46PM|#

That's why he needs Romney for Vice.

Only if Batman is not available.

PC|4.21.08 @ 1:49PM|#

Nash | April 21, 2008, 1:20pm | #

I was asserting that Fred ran his campaign not to win, to help out his honeymoon date, McCain.

LLStone|4.21.08 @ 1:52PM|#

Remember all the hand wringing about Republicans showing up for the Dem primaries in Texas and ruining it all by voting for Hillary? Remember all the talk about subverting the voting process and whatnot?
How is this really different? I've got no beef with Paul's supporters or using the machinery that's out there. But isn't this obviously subverting the the choice of the electorate? I mean McCain only won 1% more than Huckabee but he beat Paul by nearly 30%. How would it be right for him to lose MO's delegates?

Chip|4.21.08 @ 1:53PM|#

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/

|4.21.08 @ 2:38PM|#

That's why he needs Romney for Vice.

Romney will not countenance Vice, or Moral Turpitude, or any of that awful stuff, gosh dang it.

robc|4.21.08 @ 2:46PM|#

LLStone,

There is nothing stopping the GOP from putting in a national rule that the candidate chooses the delegates from the residents of the state himself.

Problem solved. Yet, for some reason, they chose a different method, ones that involves showing up at county conventions and etc. The Paul people are following the chosen procedure. Or, what was supposed to be the chosen procedure, until they decided to change it at the last minute.

Then again, I didnt have a problem with Texas either. If you have an open primary, you get what you deserve.

Nash|4.21.08 @ 3:03PM|#

"Nash | April 21, 2008, 1:20pm | #

I was asserting that Fred ran his campaign not to win, to help out his honeymoon date, McCain."

Considering they are political polar opposites relative to the party line, with the notable exclusion of Ron Paul I find that unlikely.

|4.21.08 @ 3:25PM|#

But the ability to rig a district convention isn't going to help much when the forces of Obama storm Ohio while McCain is gasping for money and volunteers.

A lot of good all that dinero did Obama in the Ohio primary.

Anybody expecting either major party's machinery to be anything other than a backroom dealfest is, well, a little too naive for their own good. The difference this year is that all of the rigging attempted by Hillary's people (as well as the legacy rigging surviving from elections past) backfired badly. The GOP was right on schedule in railroading forward the craven insider.

|4.21.08 @ 3:44PM|#

In MO's 5th District, which includes the Kansas City Area south of the MO River, Paul supporters won the three available slots, but were awarded them only after they agreed to sign a document following the hastily-changed party rules, which included pledging their votes to McCain.

|4.21.08 @ 4:27PM|#

What isn't reported is that Magee et al. violated RNC rules.

What also reported is that "pledged" does not equal "bound" in terms of delegates.

|4.21.08 @ 4:31PM|#

None of this "elect delegates to the state convention" for Penna. The GOP voters will elect the national convention delegates directly tomrrow. Those pledged to RP have basically been "outed" but won't they be surprised when several RP stealth delegates win because they got Party endorsement. Even some of the "outed" delegates have a chance because they drew very favorable ballot position.

oilnwater|4.21.08 @ 4:35PM|#

I agree about the GOP simply choosing its delegates behind closed doors. The current neocon/christian/jewish apocalypticist nuts/security state agendas really won't allow the GOP to present any actual choice in primaries.

What's more interesting is seeing in 4 years if marrying the neocons has killed this party or not. It will certainly come real damn close.

windycityatty|4.21.08 @ 5:19PM|#

I remember reading about the MO fiasco from the daily paul website - they linked to a St Louis post dispatch story wherein some GOP hack basically said that Ron Paul type republicans were not "real" Republicans. As the story continued it featured an interview of a guy who had his "republicanism" challenged for the first time after some 38 years in the Republican party. Because he supported Ron Paul.

If "real" Republicans only support McCain, then there is very few of them left indeed. I had hoped the neo-con + christian zionist armegeddon freaks would have sunk the party by now but I see they are still around and are trying as hard as they can to permanently remove a significant and often young/enthusistic group of newcomers to the party. What kind of retards would do that? Do they want to self-implode?

Is there anything we can do to help that implosion happen sooner rather than later?

|4.21.08 @ 6:02PM|#

WHO in the HELL is this Fred people keep refering to? As far as the GOP going against the will of the people, are you REALLY surprised? That's what they have been doing since day one! And Dick Cheney says, "SO!", what are you going to do about it? Shut up and act like you live in a free country along with all the good little lemmings!

|4.21.08 @ 6:19PM|#

I still believe that McCain is a planted loser put in place to lose against the planted winner Billary Clinton. Watch the trend continue...Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton.

|4.21.08 @ 7:17PM|#

I wish Ron Paul would wake up and realize that he is not going to change the Republican Party from within. In my opinion, he can do so much more good by running on the Libertarian ticket. I know 88 was a big waste of time for him, but things are very different now. Paleo conservatives were relatively happy after 8 years of Reagan. Not so much after 8 years of Bush.

Maybe he wouldn't win, but a Ron Paul candidacy would certainly move a ton of voters to the LP increasing its viability and hastening the death of the GOP.

B|4.21.08 @ 9:25PM|#

A fluke? So that is how this site classifies the winning of all of the primaries except for about two. I hear Ronald Reagan capitalized on similar flukes to beat Mondale in 1984.
And the GOP should be praised for giving Ron Paul the boot from various primaries. It is not to prevent McCain from embarrasment, rather it prevents the party from being embarrassed by the presence of a virulent bigot on the ballot. The guy is a fucking racist, period. Hell, he gives Jeremiah Wright a run for his money in the "2008's worst bigot" competition.

"Maybe he wouldn't win, but a Ron Paul candidacy would certainly move a ton of voters to the LP increasing its viability and hastening the death of the GOP."

Give me a fucking break. Were you ignorant fucks watching some other primaries? The guy never got more than 4% of the fucking vote, and in most states he got around 1%. Jesus Christ, I could have gotten more of the fucking vote than Ron Paul. When are the people on this site going to open their fucking eyes and realize that there is no nationwide groundswell of support for Paul in this country?
And while we are on the subject of Ron Paul, why and the hell is Reason magazine still giving Paul favorable press? His rank bigotry has done a ton of damage to the image of libertarians in this country. I pray to God that the turd is finally flushed in the TX congressional primaries. Good riddance to racist rubbage.

|4.21.08 @ 9:54PM|#

Wake up America!... cause we're being put to sleep…

Have you ever heard the question, "why don't people see what is happening to America and DO something about it?" I'll tell you why…

(the short answer) people have been given the illusion that they've never had it so good.



(the long answer) you ready...?

Picture a street with two sidewalks on either side and ever since you can remember you have walked down one of those sidewalks. Then one day you come to a blockade with a sign saying, "DANGER AHEAD - USE ALTERNATE ROUTE" So you look past the blockade and don't see any immediate threat or danger but you say to yourself "well they must know something I don't" so you decide to cross the street and use the other sidewalk. Which is fine for a couple months until you come to another blockade with the same sign. Now with both sidewalks blocked off you think to yourself, "that's weird I've used these sidewalks for as long as I can remember and I've always felt safe never thought I was in any danger" so you again resort to they must know something you don't so instead of walking in the street and getting smashed by a car you head for the nearest alley to get to your destination… though what you failed to realize is that there is now an "alley tax" or "safety fee" some 'price' to pay to be inconvenienced but you just grin and bear it and tell yourself "it could be a lot worse, what's one small fee, I mean its for my safety right??" So in essence they have fabricated fear in the minds of millions so little by little we are being led or manipulated down a path that if it were up to "we the people" would NOT go down but since we have been given options or since the illusion has been created of free choice we tend to just accept whatever new tax, fee or inconvenience is instilled and chalk it up as the "cost of freedom in America"

I know I am not the only one that thinks that is the biggest load of shit "the cost of freedom" COME ON PEOPLE! That is redundant, COST of FREEdom… hahaha this is Orwellian at its best or worst!

Freedom: The state of being free from restraints.

We are giving up our freedoms little by little, our liberties are being manipulated and done away with all in the name of what… freedom???

Liberty: 1. the state of being free from control or restriction

2. freedom from undue or unjust governmental restraints

I don't think our founding fathers planned for ANY reason to have our civil liberties and independence that we have or (had) be "payment" for freedom. That is unfathomable!

I would say the ONLY people paying any price for freedom are the soldiers and their families. THEY are the ones "paying the price" for the freedoms we enjoy THEY are the ones sacrificing daily their livelihood, mental health, appendages and sometimes their lives for a country that they believe in, love and are willing to die for… THAT is the ultimate price being paid. Now go ahead and ask any veteran or soldier in Iraq or abroad if they are fighting or fought for a 'dictatorship' or are they serving day in and day out for a 'fascist or police state' back home, my guess is that you will receive a resounding HELL NO!

Though as sad and or extreme as that sounds I think that's what is slowly happening to are "free" country. While the many brave soldiers are away fighting Americans are back home sitting idly by allowing the "money driven" congress to roll over and let bush use his dictatorial powers to run this country into the ground. You think I'm crazy? You think I'm blowing things out of proportion? Well here, do this: google any of these executive orders that Bush has signed that gives him sole authority to impose martial law and suspend habeas corpus. And see for yourself how he has been given dictatorial power with no checks and balances…


Executive Order # 10999: allows the government to take over all modes of transportation.

Executive Order # 11000: allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

Executive Order # 11921: allows the president to declare a state of emergency that IS NOT DEFINED, and congress cannot review the action for six months.

Executive Order # 11004: allows the president to take over all aspects of lodging or housing and community facilities

Executive Order # 10998: allows the president to control all food resources, farm equipment, fertilizer, and food resource facilities.

Senate Bill # 1873: allows the government to vaccinate you with untested vaccines against your will


"The government claims the power to seize ALL financial instruments: currency, gold, silver, and everything else if they deem an emergency exists."

~ Treasury Department Letter

August 12, 2005


I got the above from Aaron Russo's documentary "America: Freedom to Fascism" a MUST SEE if you haven't yet… (*you can watch it free on Google Video)


So back to my rant, is THIS what the soldiers are fighting for? I highly doubt it!


In my original question I asked why don't people see what's going on and do something? Well I honestly think it's because they have options, we've been given options so we still "feel" like we are in control of our lives or the situation… It's just like when you were a kid and your parents gave you the "option" or "choice" to go to your room and either read a book or watch a movie, we usually chose to watch a movie. So the parent got what they wanted (the kid to go to their room) and the kid got to "choose" between the two options given to him, never mind the fact that the kid really just wanted to go outside and play. Giving someone a "manufactured choice" is NOT freedom it's called manipulation and its happening on a GRAND scale…


There is the argument that societies come and go or change… sure I agree, though at what point do you look at what used to be "America land of the free home of the brave" and realize it has deteriorated into "Amerika land of the sheeple home of the manipulated" I think its going to come to peoples backs being pushed against the wall in that "newly taxed alley" and not until that happens will people drop their lattes and say wait a minute this isn't right and actually want to fight back, though it may be too late…



Americans in general have become so apathetic or numb to what is going on right under their noses, while in the mean time are filling spare time with arguing about things that really don't mean much in the grand scheme of things… right/left, republican/democrat, wake up people these things are just smoke and mirrors, these are things that take our attention away from what is REALLY happening and what is REALLY important. It should be SO clear to everyone that a democratic or republican congress DOESN'T MATTER! There is a democratic congress now and they STILL can't pass an Iraq exit strategy bill. Oh just blame it on the republicans right? WRONG, this is so obvious if you actually take a step back and LOOK at the whole situation, that it is the biggest game of good cop-bad cop EVER! It doesn't matter what 'party' controls the congress or the presidency for that matter, they say what the public wants to hear just long enough to get elected then WHAM reality hits and we spend the next 2 to 4 to 8 year bitching about THIS president, or THIS congress…

I am often reminded of what my high school English teacher used to say (and continues to say) "Nothing is as nothing seems." Think about that for a minute.

Theadore Roosevelt once said, "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, it was planned that way"




You know the more I think about it the more I think this maybe good for America, I mean really, this may HAVE to happen for people to actually wake up from their daze and realize that the freedoms we once had are no more and in order for them to realize all this the bottom is going to have to fall out! THEN people will understand the importance of electing a congress based on merit not on name recognition, as it stands the VAST majority of the elected congress does NOT have our best interest in mind. Think about it, their pockets are being greased by wealthiest people in America, so where do you THINK their loyalty is going to be focused? I say throw them ALL out, lets start over. Let's get people in there that DON'T have monetary ties to big business, who have the average American in mind…


Some of you may say I'm "un-American" or why don't I just leave then… well I have a reply to both of those statements. First if "I'M" un-American (someone who wants to enjoy the freedoms and civil liberties that we all enjoyed not so long ago, someone who looks at the decline of the dollar, housing bubble, inflated stock market, struggling healthcare system, on going war on terror, and the endless amount of dollars that are being printed and pumped into the economy to create the illusion that our current "house of cards" is made of cement) if I can see all that and am willing to stand up and say something needs to be said something needs to be done, then fine call me un-American. Let me venture to say all the many people that are "going along" with the eroding economy the eroding country and are NOT willing to say anything, to me THAT is more un-American than standing up for what you feel is right and just.

I like this quote:

"The president is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in and American citizen is both base and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or anyone else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about anyone else."

~ Theodore Roosevelt May 7th, 1918


And for you who say, "Why don't you just leave then?" I will say this one time, there won't have to be much more to happen to this wonderful country before I can honestly say that it is no longer "full-of-wonder" in which time I WILL decide to go elsewhere because something you all may not realize, America is NOT the only place on earth that I could call home…


So where am I going with this? I don't really know… do I have an answer? Nope…

I don't claim to be a political expert. I am just someone who appreciates what Immanuel Kant once said, "Have the courage to think for yourself" I guess THAT is what I am getting at through all this. Instead of being pumped full of what the mainstream media "tells you what to think or believe in" I suggest you take a step back and think for yourself. (Take this quote for example)

"Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have."
~Richard Salant, former President of CBS News



Do your OWN research, look at things from BOTH sides, don't just sit on your ass and say, "yeah, that makes sense, I'll go with that" WHY does it make sense? and have you looked at the other side? You might have missed something that the first, (maybe biased) side left out on purpose.

Or you know what… forget it, just continue to sit on your ass, fill your mind with shit that doesn't matter and live your comfortable life (for now) and hope it never changes. Remember this; The TRUTH is no less true just because it's depressing! WOW! I like that!! Hahaha…

Or take this quote by Winston Churchill,

"Most people, sometime in their lives, stumble across truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off, and hurry on about their business as if nothing had happened."



Well I've news for you, you BETTER be ready, cause when the proverbial ship "goes down" I will DAMN sure be ready!!! J


I'll leave you with this quote,

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves"
~Abraham Lincoln

Fluffy|4.21.08 @ 9:57PM|#

Let's say that we concede that if the GOP wants to change rules in the middle of the primary, that's OK. I don't think it is [you should be stuck with the set of rules you had on the day the votes were cast], but let's say it is.

It seems to me that this is a different issue from whether it's cool to have the sheriff drag out the people who complain when you change the rules.

Fluffy|4.21.08 @ 10:06PM|#

No, B, it's a fluke when despite your campaign being flat on its back and despite the fact that you're one of the most disliked men in your own party, you win the early primaries anyway because of a divided field and because your best-organized opponent is a member of a polytheistic cult.

In a two-man race against Thompson or Romney, McCain would not have been the nominee. That makes it a fluke.

Just because all the cocksucking trailer trash that makes up the GOP is now pretending to have unity doesn't erase the history of all the wailing and tooth-gnashing the party establishment and the captive party press went through when they realized McCain was going to win.

And by the way, Paul capped out at 20%, not at 4%. And the case for Paul being a racist is much weaker than the case for McCain being a racist, since McCain openly admits that he hates, in his words, "gooks", and since he proudly proclaimed his anti-Arab bigotry on the podium at a Republican primary debate. With the racist McCain as the nominee, nobody in the GOP should have any problem with anything Paul was accused of whatsoever.

Fluffy|4.21.08 @ 10:08PM|#

And also, B, the Texas congressional primaries were almost a month ago. Exactly how stupid are you? Why are you talking about things you know nothing about, you absolute moron? You really should be embarrassed to be so stupid.

|4.21.08 @ 11:20PM|#

I gotta agree. Calling Paul a racist is bullcrap. After doing alot of research on Paul for over a year, if I believed the man to be a racist I would have dropped him like a hot rock.

Ron Paul is going to change the Republican party. How do I know this? Because I see it going on.

Since when has loving your country and being a strict conservative been a bad thing? .... Oh yea.. since Dubya. The guy who increased the Dept. of Education, started an illegal war, drove up our national debt, and now... a REPUBLICAN is wanting to expand the welfare state and hand out $600 to families to 'stimulate' the inflated economy.

Trouble is, by the time people get their checks, it will only purchase $500 in goods.

'Give me contol of a nations money supply and I care not who makes its laws.' Warburg

Until Americans realize that they are paying for slavery and revolt that idea, absolutely nothing will change. 40% of your money pays for national debt. Not roads, not healthcare, not education.. just to debt created by a government out of control and stealing God given rights.

B has to be a big government loving liberal. Have fun holding signs that say 'CHANGE'. Change is coming alright.. just not the way Obamma wishes.

|4.22.08 @ 12:54AM|#

No Quarter.

Being fair to John McCain wont keep this country afloat. We're a republic. Our delegates got elected, and should get to represent the welfare of the people.

|4.22.08 @ 2:11AM|#

B:

You need to calm down, damn. You seem to have an irrationally strong hate for Ron Paul. I don't love him at all, but I'm definitely not worried that he'll get pissed off and hit the nuke button. That is definitely a risk with hot-tempered McInsane.

|4.22.08 @ 3:44AM|#

B I think its you that needs to open the eyes. If you would quit sucking up all the garbage that is being fed to the American people by the controlled media. Dr. Paul is the only one that is standing up for the citizens of this country.
I think it is funny how the people that bought Obama's ruse "hook line and sinker" try to defend him when you tell them some facts about their man. Instead of saying damn I need to do some research of my own instead of listening to the MSM.

Did any of you read the stuff about the new powers granted to the dictator. Here is the short story.
NSPD-51 A Ruse - US
Already In 'National Emergency'
Dick Eastman
4-17-8
From: Vicky Davis
To: Dick Eastman
Dick,
You've got to take a look at this. We've been having this discussion on 911blogger about the Continuity of Government and whether or not it is in effect. Read the blog of Georgewashington.
Bush has already declared a national emergency. Indeed, Bush declared one in September of 2001. NSPD-51 merely creates a red herring or smokescreen by phrasing a national emergency in the future-tense, when -- in fact -- America has continuously been in a state of national emergency from 9/11/01 to the present.

Many people have expressed outrage at NSPD-51 -- a presidential directive that gives Bush dictatorial powers in the event of a national emergency.

For example, well-known conservative writer Jerome Corsi writes:

President Bush, without so much as issuing a press statement, on ay 9 signed a directive that granted near dictatorial powers to the office of the president in the event of a national emergency declared by the president.

The "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive," with the dual designation of NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive, establishes under the office of president a new National Continuity Coordinator.

That job, as the document describes, is to make plans for "National Essential Functions" of all federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations to continue functioning under the president's directives in the event of a national emergency.

The directive loosely defines "catastrophic emergency" as "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."

When the president determines a catastrophic emergency has occurred, the president can take over all government functions and direct all private sector activities to ensure we will emerge from the emergency with an "enduring constitutional government."

Translated into layman's terms, when the president determines a national emergency has occurred, the president can declare to the office of the presidency powers usually assumed by dictators to direct any and all government and business activities until the emergency is declared over.

Ironically, the directive sees no contradiction in the assumption of dictatorial powers by the president with the goal of maintaining constitutional continuity through an emergency.

The directive specifies that the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism will be designated as the National Continuity Coordinator.

Further established is a Continuity Policy Coordination Committee, chaired by a senior director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, to be "the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination."
A Congressional Research Service study notes that under the National Emergency Act, the president "may seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens."
NSPD-51/ HSPD-20 appears to supersede the National Emergency Act by creating the new position of National Continuity Coordinator without any specific act of Congress authorizing the position.

NSPD-51/ HSPD-20 also makes no reference whatsoever to Congress. The language of the May 9 directive appears to negate any a requirement that the president submit to Congress a determination that a national emergency exists, suggesting instead that the powers of the executive order can be implemented without any congressional approval or oversight.

Most writers, like Corsi, are justifiably concerned that Bush can more or less "make up" a national emergency so as to invoke martial law authorities under NSPD-51.

However, Corsi and everyone else is missing the bigger point: Bush has already declared a national emergency. Indeed, Bush declared one in September of 2001, and has http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=7023
renewed the state of emergency each year up to the present. We are almost certainly already under martial law via the Continuity of Government plans(See http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2008/04/evidence-builds-that-continuity-of.html
this, http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2008/02/continuity-of-government-plans-were.html
this, http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2008/02/has-government-already-implemented.html
this and http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=7007
this).

So what Does NSPD-51 Really Do?

My theory is that NSPD-51 serves two purposes:

(1) It consolidates all governmental power in the office of the National Continuity Coordinator; and

(2) It creates a red herring or smokescreen by phrasing a national emergency in the future-tense, when -- in fact -- America has continuously been in a state of national emergency from 9/11/01 to the present.

|4.22.08 @ 4:40PM|#

People like B prove my point. Ron Paul will never change the Republican Party from within. There are too many ignorant knuckle draggers in the Republican Party. They're all too busy hiding under their beds from the islamo-facists to be informed about the erosion of their civil liberties or the debasement of their currency.

For everthing I read regarding an RPR victory at some GOP meeting, I read another story about how that victory was stolen by some kind of procedural bullshit. It's no wonder people like this would nominate someone like GWB or McCain.

I say, to hell with the Republican Party. It's time to move on and let it die a slow and painful death. I can't wait til November when Obama or Hillary wipes the floor with John McCain :-)