Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Asleep at the Wheel

No, this isn't about the "Kings of Texas Swing". I wish it was.

FAIR

Press ignores congressional OK for martial law

On October 17, 2006, when George W. Bush signed the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2007 - a $538 billion military spending bill - he enacted into law a section called "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies." In the view of many, this Act substantially changed fundamental laws of the United States, giving Bush - and all future U.S. presidents - new and sweeping powers to use the U.S. military anywhere in the United States, virtually as he sees fit—for disaster relief, crowd control, suppression of public disorder, or any "other condition" that might arise.

I think the upcoming Democratic victory in the '08 election might qualify as an "other condition" to Bush. Maybe even the prospect of an election.

Indeed, the president could order the Guard of any state into any other state - even if the governors of both states objected. Or the president could choose to use any element of the U.S. military - the Army, Air Force, Navy or Marines - to suppress a protest or carry out practically any kind of domestic action the president desired. And all of this with essentially no oversight - or checks and balances - on how the commander-in-chief uses these powers. Basically, after sending the National Guard somewhere, he or she merely needs to report to Congress every couple of weeks to let them know what the Guard is doing.

They won't be doing very well. Oh sure, the Guard will do fine against unarmed protesters, Code Pink, Grannies For Peace, etc. They might have a little trouble occupying Michael Moore...

I'm not too worried about the imposition of general martial law. The Guard's resources are at an all time low because of Iraq. They don't have the vehicles or logistics support they should have, and recruitment and retention of personnel is declining. They come to my town, they're liable to freeze to death or starve. I personally will be glad to trade them a hot nutritious meal for an M-16 or a SAW. They're Americans just like me, after all.

If push should come to shove, which is highly unlikely, there are a lot more old jungle fighters still in the prime of life than there are Guardsmen. Skill in treachery will always trump youth and enthusiasm.

Then of course, there's a good chance that the Guardsmen will balk at occupying their own country and repressing their own countrymen. They're just liable to tell their superiors to go fuck themselves right up the chain of command.

On the other hand, it might get them out of Iraq. Welcome to my town, Guard boys and girls. Just sit there nice and safe and don't do a damn thing and you'll be fine.

Here's the money shot:

What does it say about the fourth estate that such significant changes occur in our laws without news media coverage and without the intelligent and vigorous public debate one would hope for in the world's oldest democracy? The Jeffersonian ideal is of a well-informed citizenry capable of intelligent self-determination. All too often, thanks to a media asleep at the wheel, precious few even know that something has happened.

This administration banks on the media being asleep at the wheel, and has gone to great lengths to co-opt them. It also counts on the public's ignorance, ADD, and fascination with bread and circuses to hide their malfeasance from the light. Our ignorance is Bush's bliss. That's starting to change, but not fast enough.

The media has to pull the scales off its eyes, grow some sack, and start telling the truth. I don't know how they can sleep at night after ignoring, even promoting, the many crimes of the Bush administration.

There are some out there who are doing a good job, Sy Hersh, Frank Rich, and others, but there needs to be a lot more of 'em.

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