but here goes:

Because, really, when do monarchs ever surrender power?

i believe the hint lies in the operative word, surrender.

at least, that was the attitude of our often-lionized "founding fathers". the american revolution was not fought and won by writing broadsides alone, although that clearly played a part. and the tree of liberty was not watered by coffee alone, although that too played a part.

now, do i have the mettle to stand by my convictions as they did? all signs point to "no" - i am little more than a geek who spends too much time on the intarnets. it just seems odd and sad to me that we as a people have devolved to the point where if we can't vote in the change we want by text messaging from our cell phones, it's not likely to happen. as much as people on the left as well as the right seem to enjoy pillorying cindy sheehan as sanctimonious and self-serving, she's certainly got more intestinal resolve than i do.

okay then - feel free to moderate away.

Soooh-prahs, soooh-prahs!
I ustaq get such a ration of shit for even suggesting such a thing.
Why, the People wouldn't stand for it!!!!

but of COURSE they would, if they were afraid enough.

and the GOPuke platform, already being implemented, is to promote fear, terror, and uncertainty.
...

Did you start the yellow highlighting or did the NSC folks forget to shut off the data-mining magic marker thingie again?

or at least that's what I always say when *I* forget to close a tag properly.

"I MEANT it to look like that dammit! It was for emphasis!" [extended bluster while frantically fixing goof in time that nobody else will see it.]

should be fixed now. Of course the first time I tried to fix it I turned not only all the following type yellow but the whole damn page. Praise Goddess for the Preview button.... :)

You know, the one that Joe Lieberman leaves behind him?

No authoritarians were tortured in the writing of this post.

..that BushCo really doesn't want to cancel the '08 elections. Not for any high moral purpose, just because it's sooo much easier to keep the peons in line if you can say with technical accuracy that we live in a democracy. They'll gin up terror alerts, further castrate Congress, do whatever they can to steal the election for the GOPer candidate who finally gets the official nod.. but they'd have to be totally desperate to completely call it off.

And even if they do go ahead with it, when the dust settles, I bet Bush isn't president. The man doesn't want the job anymore, even with a promotion to president-for-life.

Rut Ro...

TAB 'A' > http://www.correntewire.com/us_ambassado...

Mr. Bush has in his head some sort of scenario where, for reasons of national security - real or drummed up - the 2008 elections will have to be postponed and he will get to stay on.

+

SLOT 'B' > http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/art...

Bush Makes Power Grab - And Response
posted May 24, 2007

President Bush, without so much as issuing a press statement, on May 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," NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive...

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."

=

Almost assuredly a 'f**king for Amerika, and, it's right around the corner.

I don't doubt that Bush has buffed this particular turd up a bit and added some new chrome on the bumpers but the overall Executive Order giving the "president" these emergency powers dates to the earliest days of the nuclear era.

At which time it actually made some sense. Think Cuban Missle Crisis days, if you're old enough to remember such or have studied the period in school. The prospect of a guillotine strike--Washington turned into a radioactive puddle, the entire federal government wiped out, communications utterly disrupted, the order of succession in a state of higgledey-piggledey, etc.--was not only very real but could happen at any minute.

Some sort of legal status for a restoration of order had to be put in place, otherwise one nuke getting through would throw the country into complete anarchy. This was a measure intended to provide a command structure, if you will, on which things could be put back together without having to be rebuilt from electoral scratch.

And not one damn thing has changed to keep exactly that scenario from happening today. Nukes still exist after all. I have no doubt whatsoever that a Russian submarine is stationed off the Atlantic coast that could lay down a MIRVed barrage with a travel time of about five minutes. All that ever kept this from happening was the MAD doctrine: Mutual Assured Destruction. Of course that only operated when we were comfortably assured that we knew where such a strike was coming from and who to punish from the grave.

That, alas, is no longer the case. Too many nukes running around off the leash, ownership unclear. But the need for continuity of government still exists.

Should such an attack (not pissant stuff like crashing airliners; I mean the Real Atomic Deal) hit our capital, it matters very little who the titular head of state is. It matters a great deal that we have one, whoever it might be. Otherwise the chaos that would ensue would be worse than a temporary period of tyrannical excess that can be corrected after things calm down.

let's all head over to the barbed-wire enclosed "free speech zone".

not.

fortunately, democrats aren't just a bunch of silly-ass rich boys getting richer off blood money.
If the dems win in '08, we will restore the Bill of Rights, respect for the USA, and put the fear in the hearts of terrorists, not Americans.

A democrat president beat the Italians, the Japanese, and the Nazis all at the same time. Bush's buddies may want endless war and endless billions of public dollars, but the dems will finish what Bush has so miserably failed to do.

If Bush cancels elections, he will see why it's impossible to keep order in a free society. People have to want order.
If Republicans don't cheat, they can't win.

The Constitution does not require elections but it does clearly address the term length of a President. The 22nd Amendment clearly limits the number of terms a person may serve as President. So even absent elections, Bush doesn't get to stay on as President.

Succession goes to the VP whose term ends the same time as the President. So Dickhead Cheney isn't in the line of succession as soon as noon rolls around on the 20th of January (20th Amendment).

Suppose Bush resigns and turns over to Dickhead Cheney. Cheney only gets to fill the unexpired term. After that (unless a VP replacement was confirmed and sanctified in the meantime) the Speaker of the House is next in line.

Even the current crop of eunuchs that masquerade as Congress and the 4th estate would likely cry foul and I seriously doubt that there would be a single ranking member of the military who would acknowledge orders from anyone under those circumstances.

Now if you want to talk about them launching a nuclear strike before leaving office, you may be onto something.

Dumbya would certainly suspend the election and declare a state of emergency to extend his term (since the Constitution is less important to him than toilet paper, what it says and means is irrelevant). And since most of the commanders on the ground have their heads buried further up their own asses than he does, following his orders would be fine with them (after all, they're part of the 20% of the U.S. voting age population that did actually vote for him).
Now, what will he use as the excuse to try to snow the other 80%? It won't be anything that puts him or Darth Cheney in real danger (though, like 9/11, it may well cost a few thousand citizens their lives 'for the cause'). They've already laid down the lie that Al Quaida is strong and planning another attack (of course, without giving us any real info to go on).
My guess is they'll hit something on the west coast, to throw fear into the hearts of the demon liberals who live in California. Also, it's an area of the country that's been pretty much immune from such things, so it's 'their turn' by his insane thinking.
And I fully expect this to be removed by the moderators because it tells the truth, albeit from only one man's perspective.

If Bush did try to do this I think that would be the straw that broke the nations back. There will be widespread revolt and with the military tied up with Iraq they would never be able to stop a coup.
Bush and Cheney would be physically thrown out of the White House by an angry mob.

I've never thought this to be anything approaching a realistic possibility. Why not? Simple. Keeping in mind the complete failure of the Democrat Congress to usher in the change that, by its very fact, they were elected to bring about what difference does it make if it's a Bush in the Whitehouse or some Democrat? Which party a politician belongs to matters little, they're still a politician.

To preemptively reply to the usual answer as to why the Democrats haven't done what they were elected to do, surely any sort of sabotage on Bush's part endangering American citizens to scupper any Democrat push for change would be a prosecutable offense?

Man you Yanks like to talk alot about the criminal and vice criminal in charge but not one of you want to do anything about it. Not your so called congress, so called senate or the so called people from the home of the brave. When your all in re-education camps it will be too late. Bunch of wankers.

so don't know whether to thank you for Blair or Howard, they've both been such eager and important contributors to this cockup.

Either way, Chuckie, if it weren't for us wankers you'd be speaking German, or Japanese. Maybe next time we'll just stay home and, as you say, take care of our own problems. You should do the same.

http://www.rense.com/general77/clamp.htm

US citizens rioting in the street? The Cheney Administration has already thought of it, and he's preparing the troops to turn on the people they swore to protect.

We're not rioting in the streets YET, which tells me they've only just begun to piss off the American Public.

There will be elections and they will be rigged which will be yet another infringement on our rights by the gov't. Add it to the ever-growing list of violations:
They violate the 1st Amendment by opening mail, caging demonstrators and banning books like "America Deceived" from Amazon.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns during Katrina.
They violate the 4th Amendment by conducting warrant-less wiretaps.
They violate the 5th and 6th Amendment by suspending habeas corpus.
They violate the 8th Amendment by torturing.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting 2 illegal wars based on lies and on behalf of a foriegn gov't.
Support Dr. Ron Paul and end this madness.
Last link (unless Stark County District Library caves to the gov't and drops the title):
America Deceived (book)

I have to laugh at the poster who thinks Americans will take to the streets if Bush calls off the election and take over the White House. What will happen is all the morons will line up behind Bush and attack anyone who disagrees with them. All fired up with nationalism and religious bigotry, the same Americans who supported Bush after 9/11 will gladly goose-step to the neocons' tune.

Really, can we impeach now?

It's the only way to claw back Bush's authoritarian gains before the next President gets them.

Notice, please, the very conspicuous silence of all the Democratic candidates on this issue--very unlike the UK.

No authoritarians were tortured in the writing of this post.

From those I have talked to I figure there are about 2 to 3% of the American Public that are not candyass loudmouth cowards like some of the above, but even so 6 to 9 million pissed of citizens can make a force that will cause a lot of problems. It would be impossible for our military or any military to defeat a guerilla force of that size. In a situation like this only a fool would take on an army head on. It worked in Viet Nam, it's working for those in Iraq and it would work here.

the mob won't be organized. even 20 million non-organized folks cannot take on the organzied military. example: who will you know to shoot ?

what if the military folks cannot be differentiated from the non-military ?

what if the military has a way to tell who is on their side immediately, whereas our angry mob would be (at the very best) shooting blind.

All presidents have their bust done for posterity engraved with their years of service. Check out the decider's engraving.

http://www.art-for-a-change.com/blog/200...

Much as I sympathize with "the blood dimmed tide is loosed" crowd... In the words of Talleyrand, that approach would be "worse than a crime, a blunder."

No authoritarians were tortured in the writing of this post.

Bush's bust gives me the creeps. It doesn't look like him at all, but you can almost see the laurel wreath on his brow, as if He were an Emperor.

The lagniappe is that the sculptor works "in the realist" tradition, and Bush is about as far from being a realist as you can get without being locked away in a rubber room.

I have to post on this. Thanks for the link, Max.

No authoritarians were tortured in the writing of this post.

well peoples,I hope that there are even elections in 2008- In the next month,Bush will meet with the heads of Canada and Mexico to ratify the SPP to form the North American Union-this will mean the end of sovereignty for all 3 countries-using the "amero" as a currency-that is after the engineeered stock market crash or terrorist attack.Whole new country, whole new rules-and who better to guide us?UGGGH. Man, do I hope I'm out to lunch on this one check out www.SPP.GOV and see for yourself.

It's plain to see that all politicians, regardless of party, owe their lofty positions to large corporate backers. So, all the sniveling about the Democrats not having the votes to clean up Washington is meaningless. Never in my lifetime have I seen such a bunch of criminals in charge of government, and I'm 72 years old. The Bush Administration makes the mafia look like a church tea group. Cheney, Bush, and the rest of the crooks in this administration belong in prison! This entire administration should be impeached NOW! None of this criminal Bush Administration bullshit would be happening if congress was doing their job! Congress is violating the oath they took to uphold the constitution by allowing the criminals in the Bush Administration to break the law with impunity! Republicans in congress are aiding and abetting the Bush administration criminals! Trying to vote the crooks out is hopeless. All you get is more crooks! It's the way politics is set up in this country. The rich and powerfull will always control the rest of the people as long they are allowed to do so! It MUST BE OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE THAT THE COUNTRY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK! It's up to the citizens of this country to protect the constitution! The politicians will not do so. The people in this country need to wake up, and take matters into their own hands! It's time to march on Washington with pitchforks and torches, and tar and feathers! These crooked bastards, who have highjacked the country, are not going to throw themselves into prison! It's time for these crooks to realize that no government is immune from public pressure! Let's get with the program! The alternative will be to bend over and kiss our collective ass's goodby!

The evil village idiot and these neocon lunatics have made it obvious that the Constitution , the law , we the people and this country as we have known it means nothing to them , they want to do away with it all and destroy it , these are evil madmen . As of now it is an out of control dictatorship , accountable to no one and we the dumb ass American people for the most part are completely oblivious , shit oh dear about a third are so friggin stupid they still back W. and think he's doing a swell job ! Bush and the cons have already for all practical purposes pulled of a coupe . Anyone notice that the Republicans are still backing Bush even though it's party suicide . why aren't they abandoning ship ? I think we are in for something big and the question is will we the people finally pull our heads out of our asses and reclaim our country or are we such a pathetic generation that only a few of us will declare war in defense of our country while the majority sit on their asses , " no big deal " and let these insane madmen take over . Put nothing past these guys !

"That would be REALLY tough to pull off
Submitted by Elmo"

Yes tough to pull off, but, the constitutional provisions Elmo cites mean little to an administration (and party - it ain't just Bush) that has already used the constitution like toilet paper.

Read today's front page story in the Washington Post if you have doubts about their contempt for constitutional government.

There was actually a trial balloon sent up in the summer of 2004 concerning this very issue. Bush's newly appointed chair of the FEC stated that in the event of a terrorist attack the 2004 elections might have to be cancelled or postponed.

No one commenting here can say with any real certainty that the 2008 elections are or are not going to be cancelled. If I were forced to bet I would bet that the elections will go forward. But, I wouldn't be even mildly surprised if the election were cancelled. It should be understood who controls the military.

After the past six years I wouldn't be surprised at anything this administration, with the enthusiastic cooperation of the GOP and compliance of the press, does.

Remember what constitutes today's Republican party: Theocons who are contemptuous of the Constitution and want 'Biblical Law' (Whatever that is) to supplant the Constitution. Neocons who are contemptuous of the Constitution, a large percentage of Paleocons who never have embraced the Constitution and big business, a part of which simply regards the rule of law as an impediment.

Today, constitutional government in our nation is hanging by a pretty thin thread.

Now you know why FEMA is building the concentration camps as we speak!

Look past the immediate - like shit, they too, mere men, will pass. Consider the options you may have when they do, and how to advance goodness and decency at that opportunity. The chimp and his puppet master Dr Evil set out to create revolution, and now they have it. The natural history of revolutionary events is they are followed by, uh, "disagreements" over the matter of how power will be excercised and by whom. Rule or be ruled, or as Truman said "lock and load"...as we have seen, violence generally results in failure. Naturally I intend to submit and obey. Don't you?