The Smoking Gun

[Urbane Guerrilla]

More the beans than any actual Ring-of-Fire heat, but yeah.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

We democrats must prevail.

The smell of dead fascists rotting is but a momentary annoyance contrasted with democracy's ongoing benefits.

(e) "Enduring Constitutional Government," or "ECG," means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers among the branches, to preserve the constitutional framework under which the Nation is governed and the capability of all three branches of government to execute constitutional responsibilities and provide for orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency;

Please place your own irony tags and consider Clintonian weasel words. Rule by decree? Oh oh I spy a non-democrat.

(h) "National Essential Functions," or "NEFs," means that subset of Government Functions that are necessary to lead and sustain the Nation during a catastrophic emergency and that, therefore, must be supported through COOP and COG capabilities; and

(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;

[Rexmons]

you cant compare "Gitmo" with what these guys are doing, remember, alquada is a terrorist group, not an entire nation.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I'm puzzled by Griff's response to me, for it seems an answer to some other post, some other thread.

Clarification, Griff?

[xoxoxoBruce]

I think he was pointing out what Bush is supposed to be doing, but obviously isn't. Just a guess.

[Griff]

I was pointing out, in a really sloppy way due to thread cross-pollination, that we may not be dealing with a terribly democratic administration. This COG business, under the cover of need, creates some serious problems for separation of powers, that must be considered given the last two administrations' penchant for signing statements. As power has flowed to the executive, more and more legislative functions have been ceded. In a self-defined emergency, the Constitution would be completely ignored.

[Undertoad]

And nobody'll notice! Bar the gates, we've got a full-fledged Constitutional crisis!

Well either that or somebody is trying to figure out how a declaration of war could be passed, or whatever needs doing, with a real representative quota... if half of DC is nuked. You know, *avoiding* the dissolution of Democratic principles in a REAL emergency.

Unless... we've reached a bias circle here!

Bush is fascist!

How do you know?

Because he does fascist things!

How do you know the things are fascist?

Because it's Bush doin' em! Q.E.D., ya dummy!

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Well either that or somebody is trying to figure out how a declaration of war could be passed, or whatever needs doing, with a real representative quota... if half of DC is nuked. You know, *avoiding* the dissolution of Democratic principles in a REAL emergency.
[/i]

The problem is this: Executive departments were charged with enforcing law not writing law. I know from reading education law that that is not how it works anymore or even has worked in a long time, because all the expertise is contained in the executive branch. This is not a deviation from but rather the continuation of a trend shifting power to the executive. This particular piece of paper should have come from legislative branch because it opens the door to bypassing them altogether. Maybe there is a specific authorization for this loosely worded document, but I've not seen it.

To reference your other thread, I am rooting against Bush, since he is obviously insane (yay! let's go after Russia and Iran now that Iraq is all set). Mainly, however, I'm rooting for Congress to grow some hair and stand up to the office. Maybe activist governments inevitably consolidate power, but I'd prefer to see balance.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Hopefully this display of actual torture will be helpful to those Dwellars who label waterboarding and other such fraternity hazing-level activities as torture.

HEY!! You forgot me!

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Hopefully this display of actual torture will be helpful to those Dwellars who label waterboarding and other such fraternity hazing-level activities as torture.

Their dispicable behavior doesn't make our behavior ok.

[Happy Monkey]

Fraternity hazing. Wow.