The real gameplan of this Neocon saturated Administration (Part 3 of 3)

This is the third posting on where I see we are heading in the next year or so. The first posting titled, "We The People, are way ahead of the politicians," discussed the Non-Binding Resolutions to stop the surge of troops in Iraq and how the American people want Congress to do something actually substantive to limit the power of this President, especially now with Iran the focus of the recent saber rattling rhetoric by a White House use to this drill from taking us to war in Iraq. The second posting titled, "Martial Law" was to describe who has the right to call for Martial Law, the powers of the President claimed by previous President's and how Congress, by not stopping a President, actually sanctions the process unless they object and pass legislation stopping it.

This post deals with when this hypothetical situation I have alerted you to which I truly believe could eventually take place. In the first place, the Democrats in Congress are now in the process of laying the necessary groundwork of arousing their base to see that they care about their views and are in the process of doing something about it by having the floor debate that the Senate has been unable to muster due to procedural actions taken by Republicans. When the House does vote against the surge the President is moving ahead on, (and against all counsel to do so), it will set the stage for the Senate showdown on the matter. It will take place in an upcoming Bill, which is necessary to vote to keep the government running, as the Republicans voted only for a temporary Resolution before the Nov. elections, to keep the government funded until March 15th. So the Senate can take a stab at passing the Warner Bill, which is in opposition to the President's surge. This could pass the Senate in light of what will pass now in the House.

This sets the stage for the American people to have their hopes that the President will listen to Congress and reconsider his actions to surge the troops. You know that neither President Bush nor Vice President Cheney will acquiesce and reconsider. That sets the stage for many more demonstrations and a big march on Washington, which will do little to change the course that has been set. However, this next march will attract more people and start a real movement in opposition to the war, as was the case during the Vietnam War. This movement will build while at the same time deaths of American GI's will increase, as from previous recent troop buildups, we know and come to expect more deaths and more violence will follow. If you think that will not happen, then ask yourself what reaction do you expect by an Iraqi population which has experienced many deaths of their own people and an increase of revenge sectarian violence. It is inevitable. The increase in deaths of both Iraqi's but more relevant, Americans, will push the anti-war movement to make more noise in the streets on behalf of the families whose members are dying in Iraq with some skirmishes along the Iranian border and incursions into Iran, to be more angry and frustrated. It will be shown on 24/7 news outlets and it will infuriate Americans because it appears their government isn't listening to them. This is often the melting pot which comes to a roaring boil.

Now the situation is ripe for the imposition here of Martial law. Oh, and add in any, and I mean any, terrorist attack here on our shores, whether real or manufactured by our government to make us take notice of the real threat, and you the makings of a police state or a movie staring Denzel Washington. Oops, hasn't he made a movie almost exactly like this scenario? Watch for the second in the series to seem almost really happening! Stay tuned.

Martial Law (Part 2 of 3)

As a follow up from my last posting, I did some research on Martial law and what the Constitution has to say about its use. Here are some interesting points many are not aware of:

Article 1, Section 9 states, "The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." Habeas corpus is a concept of law, in which a person may not be held by the government without a valid reason for being held. A writ of habeas corpus can be issued by a court upon a government agency (such as a police force or the military). Such a writ compels the agency to produce the individual to the court, and to convince the court that the person is being reasonably held. The suspension of habeas corpus allows an agency to hold a person without a charge. Suspension of habeas corpus is often equated with martial law.

Because of this connection of the two concepts, it is often argued that only Congress can declare martial law, because Congress alone is granted the power to suspend the writ. The President, however, is commander-in-chief of the military, and it has been argued that the President can take it upon himself to declare martial law. In these times, Congress may decide not to act, effectively accepting martial law by failing to stop it; Congress may agree to the declaration, putting the official stamp of approval on the declaration; or it can reject the President's imposition of martial law, which could set up a power struggle between the Congress and the Executive that only the Judiciary would be able to resolve.

In the United States, there is precedent for martial law. Several times in the course of our history, martial law of varying degrees has been declared. The most obvious and often-cited example was when President Lincoln declared martial law during the Civil War. This instance provides us with most of the rules for martial law that we would use today, should the need arise.

For more detailed cases read this information by clicking the web site below. Also you can connect to the original source material from this site if you are interested:
usconstitution.net

We The People are way ahead of the politicians (Part 1 of 3)

And I might add on nearly every issue, but especially Iraq, the American people, voter and non-voter alike, are so far ahead of the politicians that it speaks to the significant flaws in redistricting legislation. We are not getting the politicians we need that know where we stand and can articulate and support difficult positions because the races have been neutered by both Parties.

Take Iraq for example, (no, please take Iraq!) :) 75% of the American people are against the surge, against the war and want the troops home. The best that the Senate can do is point fingers at each other as to which is to blame for not allowing debate on something as meaningless as a non-binding Resolution of the Senate. I think what it is going to take to change this dialogue is the same thing it took during the Vietnam War, Civil disobedience. It isn't until those that espouse getting out of Iraq with the same level of commitment, as our troops have, that things will change in the debate.

I ask myself, why is it that President Bush and Vice President Cheney are blatantly ignoring all the input from the Iraq Study Group, the former Generals and the Congress, Senate and the American people in overwhelming numbers. I have concluded that what they wish for the most is an unruly public, that takes to the streets in protest, causing much disruption and possible destruction, so that they could make the final move to secure their true purpose; to institute martial law and seize all government activities and throw away all laws in the guise of protecting the American people from anarchists and sympathizers of terrorists. God I hope it is not true and that this is all a reaction to the anger I feel at so called leaders impotence. That may be why Sen. Barack Obama is causing a stir as he provides some new politic. But America is ready and time is running out. The Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation Act, HR 770, will never get support by the Congress to pass. That is going to frustrate many. Remember the song, "The times, they are a changin!"

Even some States are ahead of this government when it comes to Healthcare. Massachusetts and California are changing the debate from what to do at the Federal level, to taking away all illusion that the Federal government is going to help at all. The same is true in the area of Global Warming, where California is taking a stand against carbon emissions. We The People are far ahead of the politicians and hopefully they are going to know it soon, too.

UPDATE: Nov. 5th, 2008

It looks like this post was prophetic as Barack Obama was elected President with a Landslide in the Electoral College votes winning 359 of the required 270 needed and also won the Popular votes. The times they are a changin!