President Obama should not extend George W. Bush's National State of Emergency declaration

End the State of Emergency!
by Lewis Seiler and Dan Hamburg
Lewis Seiler is president of Voice of the Environment. Dan Hamburg, a former member of Congress, is executive director.
Common Dreams
August 21, 2009


On August 28, 2008, then President George W. Bush extended for another year the state of national emergency he first officially proclaimed on September 14, 2001.

In a notice published in the Federal Register and transmitted to Congress, the president wrote the following: "Because the terrorist threat continues, the national emergency declared on September 14, 2001, and the powers and authorities adopted to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond September 14, 2008."

What are these "powers and authorities" that have been assumed by the executive branch? According to diplomat and author Dr. Peter Dale Scott, these "almost certainly include COG (Continuity of Government) rules."

COG rules supersede the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and can be invoked to cover "any occurrence, including natural disaster, military attack, technological emergency, or other emergency, that seriously degrades or seriously threatens the national security of the United States."

In 1987, it was revealed that FEMA, under director Louis Giuffrida, had prepared plans for the suspension of the Constitution along with detailed arrangements for the declaration of martial law. Although details remain classified, it is indisputable that the steps from a declared state of emergency to COG to martial law are firmly in place.

Under the 1976 National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601-1651), a law enacted in the wake of extensive investigations by the Church Committee of executive branch abuses, Congress has not only the authority but the obligation to review presidentially declared emergencies. Specifically, "not later than six months after a national emergency is declared, and not later than the end of each six-month period thereafter that such emergency continues, each House of Congress shall meet to consider a vote on a joint resolution to determine whether that emergency shall be terminated."

This has not occurred in the eight years since the current declaration was put into effect.

The question now is whether President Obama will continue the Bush policy of annual extensions of the national state of emergency declared in 2001, or whether he will end it. Whether you are a liberal or a conservative, the question you need to ask is this: Do I want the executive branch of the government to retain dictatorial powers?

This is the time for citizens, regardless of where they stand on the political spectrum, to stand for something bigger than partisanship; that is, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Don't allow the government to continue to hold the threat of martial law over our heads!

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/08/21-4

:dem:

-Laelth