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Earlier this month, Pres. Bush signed an National Security Directive centralizing power in the executive branch in the event of a national emergency. Although the directive has attracted relatively little press attention, it's an extraordinary development when WorldNetDaily and The Progressive Magazine agree that the new directive seems to give the president unprecedented powers without Congressional oversight.
Here's WorldNetDaily:
The directive establishes under the office of the president a new national continuity coordinator whose job is to make plans for "National Essential Functions" of all federal, state, local, territorial and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations to continue functioning under the president's directives in the event of a national emergency.
"Catastrophic emergency" is loosely defined 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 functions."
Here's The Progressive
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."
To some bloggers, it means that Pres. Bush as laid the foundation for imposing a dictatorship.
Brilliant at Breakfast says, Now we know for certain that there will be another terrorist attack.
The Terrorist's Dictionary Thank Heavens
Bush is finally taking steps to secure the integrity of our Constitution after national disaster. And not a moment too soon. After all, Sept. 11th occurred over 5 1/2 years ago!
And there's this From the Back Pew:
Some of the directive is old stuff -- the COOP (Continuity of Operations) plan, for example that wil "ensure Primary MIssion-Essential Functions" continue to operate in bureaucracies...that's been around for several years. But some stuff is brand new and certainly worth a long, critical look.
What do you think? Are these appropriate powers for the President to take in an emergency? Should there be Congressional oversight or approval of this order?
