I'm grappling here for something. Anything. All I come up with is a question. What's the point anymore? Was there ever a point?
Oh yes, those convictions. You know, like how I believe to my core that while the Democrats will mentally abuse us and cheat on us and end up impregnating their mistresses, we can also be just as sure that the Republicans are going to more or less kill us.
And being more or less dead is like his mistress being more or less pregnant.
Tricky stuff that will likely give you migraines and a drinking problem. If you don't already have one.
I once blogged like any of this shit matters. Here's what I had to say about Executive Orders back in my old idealistic, lacy black bra days.
UPDATE: TPM Muckraker covers the concerns about this Executive Order here and here.
AND how about the timing of the E.O. with this from Jill at Brilliant at Breakfast.
The Pentagon told Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton that her questions about how the U.S. plans to eventually withdraw from Iraq boosts enemy propaganda.
Learn more about Executive Orders here.
I don't have time to go through this carefully, but read it. (Thom Hartmann opened his show with this and it immediately got my attention.)
Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq
Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)(IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order blocking property of persons determined to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. I issued this order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, and expanded in Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13350 of July 29, 2004, and Executive Order 13364 of November 29, 2004. In these previous Executive Orders, I ordered various measures to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by obstacles to the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in that country, and the development of political, administrative, and economic institutions in Iraq.
My new order takes additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13303 and expanded in Executive Order 13315 by blocking the property and interests in property of persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. The order further authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, to designate for blocking those persons determined to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, such an act or acts of violence or any person designated pursuant to this order, or to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.
I delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, the authority to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of my order. I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.
GEORGE W. BUSH
The White House, July 17, 2007.
And this...
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)(IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)(NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, find that, due to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by acts of violence threatening the peace and stability of Iraq and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, it is in the interests of the United States to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, and expanded in Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13350 of July 29, 2004, and Executive Order 13364 of November 29, 2004. I hereby order:
Section 1. (a) Except to the extent provided in section 203(b)(1), (3), and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(1), (3), and (4)), or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the date of this order, all property and interests in property of the following persons, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, read the rest.
Even people on the right are discussing how dangerous this Administration is. Read this from Paul Craig Roberts.The best thing about that old post was its title: He issues Executive Orders. We yawn, scratch our asses and check the TV Guide for tonight's entertainment options
I miss the good old days with its transparency and lack of corruption.
What?
Check TV Guide? C'mon. I've got DVDs, duh.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Randal. It's a self-serve nation. I can Roku myself silly. The hell with being held hostage to the TV guide.
DeleteAt what point do we stop voting for all the monsters who keep war going, who keep us tied to corporate dominance? I'm through voting for the lesser of two evils. I'm voting Justice in 2012.
ReplyDeleteWe're reached that point, Dr. MVM. We're overdue for radical change.
DeleteWasn't it about the second week in office when Prez Obama became a moderate Republican? It boggles the imagination what Romney would turn into if he gets in office. Would we then pine for the good ole days of Bush?
ReplyDeletePining for Bush. There's a chilling thought, Bill. But then the corporate control of our federal and state governments has made it nearly impossible for the two parties to substantially differentiate themselves from the other. One goes crazier to the right and the other goes along for the nauseating ride.
DeleteA now forgotten or ignored fact ... all the rotten eggs and crooks of the Ronnie Raygun administration who were charged or did jail time ... as i recall, his was one of the most corrupt in US history ... and Ronnie is the Republican "Ideal".
ReplyDeleteDo we know how to be an enlightened, compassionate, civil country?
I remember, Bill. And if our actions and policies are any indication, I'd say no. We're not worthy of the titles enlightened, compassionate and civil.
DeleteWe're going backward in the sciences by having to grant equal status to religious dogma. We're peeling away our social safety nets. And reality TV is made up of incivility. Proof enough for me.
This got me scratching my ass alright!! Isn't that last one being decided by the Supremes as we speak??? The end of E-bay, graigslist and yard and garage sales all over the country?????
ReplyDeleteThis week should be an interesting one for Supreme Court watchers, Kulkuri. All kinds of things coming down, I hear.
DeleteSorry to be late to this excellent post.
ReplyDeleteI was as happy as anybody when the current president was elected to office but the thrill was gone for me as soon as he announced the members of his financial cabinet. Ooops. Not too long after it appeared that the progressive left would likely have been much better off had the other party won. At least we wouldn't have witnessed the incredible fragmentation that resulted when the only discourse allowed was centered around what could only be interpreted as a fight for the essential middle. Compromise always favors the the worst of plans.
It seems nowadays there's not much that can be done. You can speak 'truth to power' by organizing giant demonstrations, writing angry editorials, or even write or call your local elected representative. I did a lot of that for a long time and would always get a nicely worded, bland and generic response saying he or she was in complete agreement, and by the way please send another donation. The million people who showed up to march in opposition will either be ignored by the media or be chastised for preventing people getting to their jobs. The problem we have is that power doesn't listen to anyone who has less power or money than them. As things worsen for the 99% we'll see more areas being ignored. Remember Katrina? Maybe one of these days some still unknown, but not unanticipated, event will see the lights go out and stay out.
Probably the best thing to do in the meantime is to simply sit back and practice some deep breathing exercises. (If you're ever compelled to watch speeches and witless political drivel on television, breathing into a paper bag might be good.) Developing interpersonal relationships at a community level will help to keep things civilized when anger and confusion threaten the larger 'civilization'. People are essentially good and cooperative. Just because those in positions of power are paranoid doesn't mean the rest of us need to follow suit.