two approaches
Oct. 29th, 2006 08:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdBig Brother is shouting at you. Quoting from the article:
Of course, I should be used to that sort of creepy WTF at this point, given the arguments I've been having over torture and executive power - not Presidential, we no longer have a President - but I guess it's good that things can still creep me out. For some low value of good. I mean, hell, it could be worse. The executive could be handed the power to unilaterally declare martial law or something, over the objections of governors, thus gutting posse comitatus and nationalising the various state National Guards. Oh wait - that already happened. Congress added a little clause in the 2007 National Defense Authorisation Act - in conference committee without debate - making it dramatically easier for the chief executive to do exactly that.
Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.I mean seriously.
"Smith!" screamed the shrewish voice from the telescreen. "6079 Smith W.! Yes, you! Bend lower, please! You can do better than that. You're not trying. Lower, please! That's better, comrade."The really creepy part is the comments section on the news item - specifically, the comments from all the people who like it.
Of course, I should be used to that sort of creepy WTF at this point, given the arguments I've been having over torture and executive power - not Presidential, we no longer have a President - but I guess it's good that things can still creep me out. For some low value of good. I mean, hell, it could be worse. The executive could be handed the power to unilaterally declare martial law or something, over the objections of governors, thus gutting posse comitatus and nationalising the various state National Guards. Oh wait - that already happened. Congress added a little clause in the 2007 National Defense Authorisation Act - in conference committee without debate - making it dramatically easier for the chief executive to do exactly that.
Not only does this Conference Report unfortunately drop the Empowerment amendment entirely, it adopts some incredible changes to the Insurrection Act, which would give the President more authority to declare martial law. Let me repeat: The National Guard Empowerment Act, which is designed to make it more likely for the National Guard to remain in State control, is dropped from this conference report in favor of provisions making it easier to usurp the Governors control and making it more likely that the President will take control of the Guard and the active military operating in the States.I guess between the style of authoritarianism and the substance, Britain is picking the style, and the US is, well...
The changes to the Insurrection Act will allow the President to use the military, including the National Guard, to carry out law enforcement activities without the consent of a governor. When the Insurrection Act is invoked posse comitatus does not apply. Using the military for law enforcement goes against one of the founding tenets of our democracy, and it is for that reason that the Insurrection Act has only been invoked on three — three — in recent history. The implications of changing the Act are enormous, but this change was just slipped in the defense bill as a rider with little study. Other congressional committees with jurisdiction over these matters had no chance to comment, let alone hold hearings on, these proposals.
