Thom Hartmann began his program on Thursday by reading from a new Executive Order which allows the government to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with its Iraq policies. He then introduced old-line conservative Paul Craig Roberts -- a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Reagan who has recently become known for his strong opposition to the Bush administration and the Iraq War -- by quoting the "strong words" which open Roberts' latest column: "Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran." "I don't actually think they're very strong," said Roberts of his words. "I get a lot of flak that they're understated and the situation is worse than I say. ... When Bush exercises this authority [under the new Executive Order] ... there's no check to it. It doesn't have to be ratified by Congress. The people who bear the brunt of these dictatorial police state actions have no recourse to the judiciary. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule. ... The American people don't really understand the danger that they face." Roberts said that because of Bush's unpopularity, the Republicans face a total wipeout in 2008, and this may be why "the Democrats have not brought a halt to Bush's follies or the war, because they expect his unpopular policies to provide them with a landslide victory in next year's election." However, Roberts emphasized, "the problem with this reasoning is that it assumes that Cheney and Rove and the Republicans are ignorant of these facts, or it assumes that they are content for the Republican Party to be destroyed after Bush has his fling." Roberts believes instead that Cheney and Rove intend to use a renewal of the War on Terror to rally the American people around the Republican Party. "Something's in the works," he said, adding that the Executive Orders need to create a police state are already in place. "The administration figures themselves and prominent Republican propagandists ... are preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events," Roberts continued. "Chertoff has predicted them. ... The National Intelligence Estimate is saying that al Qaeda has regrouped. ... You have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda's not going to do it, it's going to be orchestrated. ... The Republicans are praying for another 9/11." Hartmann asked what we as the people can do if impeachment isn't about to happen. "If enough people were suspicious and alert, it would be harder for the administration to get away with it," Roberts replied. However, he added, "I don't think these wake-up calls are likely to be effective," pointing out the dominance of the mainstream media. "Americans think their danger is terrorists," said Roberts. "They don't understand the terrorists cannot take away habeas corpus, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution. ... The terrorists are not anything like the threat that we face to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution from our own government in the name of fighting terrorism. Americans just aren't able to perceive that." Roberts pointed out that it's old-line Republicans like himself, former Reagan associate deputy attorney general Bruce Fein, and Pat Buchanan who are the diehards in warning of the danger. "It's so obvious to people like us who have long been associated in the corridors of power," he said. "There's no belief in the people or anything like that. They have agendas. The people are in the way. The Constitution is in the way. ... Americans need to comprehend and look at how ruthless Cheney is. ... A person like that would do anything." Roberts final suggestion was that, in the absence of a massive popular outcry, "the only constraints on what's going to happen will come from the federal bureaucracy and perhaps the military. They may have had enough. They may not go along with it."
that executive order bush signed should theoretically kick him out of office, as it says: Section 1. (a) Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(1), (3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3), and (4)), or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the date of this order, all property and interests in property of the following persons, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, (i) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of: (A) threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq; or (B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people; I love the part at the end though: Sec. 8. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or any other person. Pretty much saying "everyone who funds terrorists or disrupts Iraq's stabilization will have their property seized, except for the US government because we are above the law." If there was as much civil unrest as there was in the 60s I think Bush would've been either assassinated or impeached by now. Thanks MelT. Very depressing.
im so fuckin glad i dont live there....thats exactly what i expect the US to turn into too. look at all the shit going on right now and try and tell me something different happening. u guys need to move to the happy land of canada, now with 90% less of a chance of getting blown up! lol and i say 90% and not 100% in case one of the many countries america has made enemies with accidently misdirects a bomb....
There's always something in the works to trigger a police state...I think... it's such an ambiguous word...
Very scary...and its what everyone has been saying..since 9/11...our real enemy is using another enemy as a smokescreen..shit does anyone not watch Star Wars?!?!?!
If you look closely enough, you will see that we have continously been under martial law since the great depression, which was triggered by the collapse of the stock market, which incidentally is about to happen again! Congress has no balls...Supreme Court stacked to the Right.... Do you see any checks or balances left in America today? The warning is not news to me, I actually predicted this in 1999, when I witnessed the cold blooded character assassanations, one by one, of every member of the Republican Party who stood in opposition to him. The machine these guys have built is way too huge to shut down! Impeach for Treason Impeach for Malfeasance of Duty Impeach for Incompetence But do it quick!
Do you honestly think, for one second, if we become a police state that you are ANY safer in Canada? Hmm....interesting...
WOW. GWB is out of control. Who thinks he will try to extend his term some how? Like Rudy tried to do in NY after 911. I know who needs a bullet......
Lol...if America becomes a police state, Canada will be in it too. North American Union is all I'll say.
If what the OP is talking about is indeed going to happen (that is the Cheney and Bush succeed) It won't be about extending his term Selectah, his term will be as long as he wishes it
You know rudy sped up the removal for some of the rubble from the 911 WTC attacks solely for the purpose of filling potholes and cracks in the city streets? Take it as you will, but I think it's disgraceful.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3684.html MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Rudy Giuliani said if a Democrat is elected president in 2008, America will be at risk for another terrorist attack on the scale of Sept. 11, 2001. But if a Republican is elected, he said, especially if it is him, terrorist attacks can be anticipated and stopped. “If any Republican is elected president -- and I think obviously I would be the best at this -- we will remain on offense and will anticipate what [the terrorists] will do and try to stop them before they do it,†Giuliani said. The former New York City mayor, currently leading in all national polls for the Republican nomination for president, said Tuesday night that America would ultimately defeat terrorism no matter which party gains the White House. “But the question is how long will it take and how many casualties will we have?†Giuliani said. “If we are on defense [with a Democratic president], we will have more losses and it will go on longer.†“I listen a little to the Democrats and if one of them gets elected, we are going on defense,†Giuliani continued. “We will wave the white flag on Iraq. We will cut back on the Patriot Act, electronic surveillance, interrogation and we will be back to our pre-Sept. 11 attitude of defense.†He added: “The Democrats do not understand the full nature and scope of the terrorist war against us.†After his speech to the Rockingham County Lincoln Day Dinner, I asked him about his statements and Giuliani said flatly: “America will be safer with a Republican president.†Giuliani, whose past positions on abortion, gun control and gay rights have made him anathema to some in his party, believes his tough stance on national defense and his post-Sept. 11 reputation as a fighter of terrorism will be his trump card with doubting Republicans. “This war ends when they stop coming here to kill us!†Giuliani said in his speech. “Never, ever again will this country ever be on defense waiting for [terrorists] to attack us if I have anything to say about it. And make no mistake, the Democrats want to put us back on defense!†Giuliani said terrorists “hate us and not because of anything bad we have done; it has nothing to do with Israel and Palestine. They hate us for the freedoms we have and the freedoms we want to share with the world.†Giuliani continued: “The freedoms we have are in conflict with the perverted, maniacal interpretation of their religion.†He said Americans would fight for “freedom for women, the freedom of elections, freedom of religion and the freedom of our economy.†Addressing the terrorists directly, Giuliani said: “We are not giving that up, and you are not going to take it from us!†The crowd thundered its approval. Giuliani also said that America had been naive about terrorism in the past and had missed obvious signals. “They were at war with us before we realized it, going back to '90s with all the Americans killed by the PLO and Hezbollah and Hamas,†he said. “They came here and killed us in 1993 [with the first attack on New York's World Trade Center, in which six people died], and we didn't get it. We didn't get it that this was a war. Then Sept. 11, 2001, happened, and we got it.â€
what a scarry idea. age of empires, this time its for real. maby its just the most realistig game ever for bush and cheny. im stockin up on amo before its too late.
America will never be a police state . . . there will uncontrolable riots, assassinations and anarchy before there will ever be a police state (or at least i will be involved in them) i always hoped that eventually a point will come when the majority of americans will wake up and say, "They did what now? Oh hell no, i declare shenanigins! Everyone grab a broom!"
I'm not so sure Stew. There are PLENTY of "bush supporters" that think he is the best thing to ever happen to this country. America, the home of the ignorant.
true, im prayin that their supporters can be shown some logic. also im just hopeing that for ever stark bush supporter there is at least one nut job who is willing to all that he can to keep america free
I get a completely different vibe, myself. And I'm smack dab in a blood red state. No freakin' hint of blue. By no stretch of the imagination are there PLENTY of Bush supporters around here (and before I couldn't swing a stick without hitting a half dozen, which would have been satisfying) and his approval rating is in the high 20's or low 30's? Problem is for the next year and a half his supporters are in power! I agree with the previous poster, there are plenty of people around who would wake up, get off the couch and do whatever needed to be done, once they have hit their personal tipping point. More points being tipped daily, at this rate. Whole song for those interested.