Decidering Dictatorship

Can’t say he didn’t warn us can we?

A commenter at one of the US liberal blogs at the start of the Attorneygate hearings, I forget who, wondered idly what Bushco were up to while the rest of us were watching the dog & pony show in Congress, on the general principle that they’re tricksy, ruthless bastards and should never be understimated, despite their apparent incompetence. Could Attorneygate be another Bushco bait and switch, masking other, wickeder misdeeds?

That struck me, and I’ve been wondering myself ever since.

If you’ve ever interviewed anyone in a counselor/client situation you’ll know that there’s a presenting problem and then there’s the real, underlying problem. Same with Bushco: the scandal you’re presented with is never the one you should be looking at. I know now what I should’ve been looking at.

Even as the political corruption of the Justice Department and the machinations of his corrupt administration was being exposed Bush was making an end run round Congress and any future oversight, issuing the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive; it’s declared purpose the

“Assignment of Power to Executive Branch: the directive assigns sole power to the executive branch of government.”

Screw oversight, screw impeachment: Bushco have been preparing a White House coup, to be implemented by Homeland Security at presidential decree.

With scarcely a mention in the mainstream media, President Bush has ordered up a plan for responding to a catastrophic attack.
In a new National Security Presidential Directive, Bush lays out his plans for dealing with a “catastrophic emergency.”

Under that plan, he entrusts himself with leading the entire federal government, not just the Executive Branch. And he gives himself the responsibility “for ensuring constitutional government.”

He laid this all out in a document entitled “National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51” and “Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-20.”

The White House released it on May 9.

That was a great day to bury news; it was “Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Gonzalez, impeach, impeach, impeach.” all over the media and the blogosphere. A bit difficult to hear anything else, with that noise going on. That hardly lets the paid media off the hook for not picking this story up though – they were just as taken in by the Good ol’ Alberto show as the rest of us.

Good ol’ Alberto, the good and faithful servant, dumb and blind, was acting as lightning rod for Bush that day in more ways than than were immediately obvious. Not quite so dumb as he looked, then.

The news-burying strategy worked:

Other than a discussion on Daily Kos led off by a posting by Leo Fender, and a pro-forma notice in a couple of mainstream newspapers, this document has gone unremarked upon.

The subject of the document is entitled “National Continuity Policy.”

It defines a “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 function.”

This could mean another 9/11, or another Katrina, or a major earthquake in California, I imagine, since it says it would include “localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies.”

It could mean virtually anything, especially as the full text of the directive has yet to be published. That’s the beauty of words as broad as ‘any incident, regardless of location’. And guess what, the Deciderer get to decide what’s an ‘incident’ – it’s a catastrophic emergency when he says it is. Sweet.

The document emphasizes the need to ensure “the continued function of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government,” it states.

But it says flat out: “The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.”

I suppose we should be grateful for that nod to propriety, ’cause a nod’s all it is, given past Bush history.

The document waves at the need to work closely with the other two branches, saying there will be “a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government.” But this effort will be “coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers.”

“Proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers?” Wahahaha. Don’t make me laugh. This is Bushco we’re talking about. They don’t do adherence to the law, because they believe they are the law. L’etat, c’est Bushco. This bit of paper, like the infamous Torture Memo, is just ass-covering for those who do obey the law despite it’s having been made by crooks. “I did what I was ordered. That’s what the law said”. Ego te absolvo.

Among the efforts coordinated by the President would ensuring the capability of the three branches of government to “provide for orderly succession” and “appropriate transition of leadership.”

Ah, now we’re getting to it. Could that ‘catstrophic incident’ possibly be to do with the upcoming ’08 election, the one that if it goes ahead and popular feeling remains the same, the Republicans are almost bound to lose? Or might Bushco be thinking about the growing movement for impeachment (of Cheney at the very least) even amongst US conservatives?

The document designates a National Continuity Coordinator, who would be the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

Currently holding that post is Frances Fragos Townsend.

But not for long. Too many wingnuts out of a job just now…

Where are we so far? Oh yes; the President has given himself the power to declare a national emergency and have his personal security goons take over the state. Bush decides what’s a catastrophic emergency and Bush decides whether to order Homeland Security to take over the government.

Seems clear enough … but wait – there’s something missing here. Where’s Dick Cheney in all this? Surely Chimpy didn’t think of this all on his own?

The document gives the Vice President a role in implementing the provisions of the contingency plans.

“This directive shall be implanted in a manner that is consistent with, and facilitates effective implementation of, provisions of the Constitution concerning succession to the Presidency or the exercise of its powers, and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (3 USC 19), with the consultation of the Vice President and, as appropriate, others involved.”

Phew, that’s a relief: that exemplar of integrity and probity Dick Cheney’s in charge. For one awful minute there I thought a madman had enabled a American dictatorship and no-one had noticed.

Oh.