On May 4, 2007 President Bush signed an executive order that could ensure that he won”t have to relinquish office in 2009, or he could just deliver a dictatorship into the hands of a future chief executive. The official name of this charming order is the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, specifically NSPD?51 /HSPD-20.
NSPD?51 didn”t receive any coverage in the mainstream media and in fact it was only discovered when the unclassified portion was posted on the White House Website on May 9th. It included no further announcement or presidential briefing.
According to NSPD?51, in the event of a “catastrophic emergency” the president can literally take over all government functions and direct all private sector activities to ensure that the United States emerges with an “enduring constitutional government.”
How the government is supposed to remain constitutional in the face of the de facto dictatorship and abridgement of the separation of powers that NSPD?51 would deliver isn”t addressed in the language of the directive. “Catastrophic emergency is defined as any incident regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population infrastructive environment, economy, of government functions.”
Even more frightening; there is no requirement that the president submit to Congress a declaration that such a state of catastrophic emergency even exists. NSPD ?51 can be implemented without congressional approval, of course, since Congress would also be directed by the president, why should they be bothered to approve has right to rule?
Conspiracy theorists who have speculated that the Bush administration won”t be giving up the reins of power so easily come Jan. 20, 2009. These theorists argue that NSPD?51 could put the stage for the cancellation of the 2008 presidential election, or serve to justify a suspension of the transfer of office from Bush to the new president elect.
For all those people counting down the days and hours to Bush”s exit; that would be a major disappointment to say the least. Until then, we will all just have to hold our collective breath in the hope that no such “catastrophic emergency” comes to pass.
Chuck Michglicei
Kelseyville
