NSPD-51: The Pathway to Dictatorship

Does this concern anyone else?

We know that our country will be attacked again. We know this. We’ve pissed off too many people and blowback is assured.

We also know that Mother Nature is not always our friend. We know that there will be tornados, hurricanes, snow storms, floods, and droughts.

The question is how will we respond when we are next attacked by humans or nature?

Well, President Bush has got that all figured out. On May 9th 2007, the White House released the text of National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51), which can be found right here on the White House website. NSPD-51 gives instructions for what will happen in the case of a “catastrophic emergency”. For those of you that don’t want to read it, allow me to show you some highlights.

All of the following quotes were copied directly from NSPD-51. Anything in italics or inside parenthesis were added by me:

"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;”

(Translation: “Catastrophic Emergency” means an incident that occurs somewhere in the universe, including places outside of the United States, that results in any of the following: multiple deaths, damage to buildings or the environment, or a disruption of the economy or the government’s daily routines.)

“This directive establishes a comprehensive national policy on the continuity of Federal Government…”

"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”

(Note how the legislative and judicial branches are not mentioned)

“The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government…”

"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...”

(Comity is “an informal principle that nations will extend certain courtesies to other nations, particularly by recognizing the validity and effect of their executive, legislative, and judicial acts”. Courtesies are not legally binding.)

"The Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate the integration of Federal continuity plans and operations with State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure..."

(Translation: Federal decisions will trump State, local, and everyone else’s.)

“The continuation of the performance of PMEFs during any emergency must be for a period up to 30 days or until normal operations can be resumed”

(Translation: There is no legislated end date).

Here’s a link to the White House website to check it out for yourselves.

Hmm…

A government that is run by the executive branch alone.

An executive branch that is not required, but is only encouraged, to respect the constitutionally mandated powers of the legislative and judicial branches.

An executive branch that controls the functions of state, local, and all other territories.

An executive branch with no set ending to their extended power.

An executive branch that is controlled by George W. Bush.

“Constitutional dictatorship”: when a nation's constitution allows for usually a single person to have absolute authority over all branches of government.

A few questions to ponder:

1) Why haven’t we heard about this on the news?

2) (For blindly-partisan Republican’s only) Let’s assume Bush doesn’t use this NSPD during the 580 days he has left in office. How would you feel if a Democrat were put in office with NSPD-51 on the books? Concerned now?

3) Should the American people do something about this before its too late? Is the complete destruction of the United States Constitution enough for us to say this President has gone too far?

You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programming. Or you can tell everyone you know about this, contact the media and your representatives, and raise a little hell.

Your choice. But you can no longer say, “If I only knew…”