While you were sleeping...
This is two shocking stories in one. Let's start with the true horror: a July 17th Executive Order.
[A]ll 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come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, . . .
(B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. . .
(iii) 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.
That's about as sweeping as a law can be, and although I'm not a lawyer it certainly sounds like the White House has just given itself the authority to seize the assets of... anyone who criticizes the war?
At least one staunch conservative and Reagan appointee is far from pleased about this:
Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran.
Bush has put in place all the necessary measures for dictatorship in the form of "executive orders" that are triggered whenever Bush declares a national emergency.
I guess that concern for civil liberties puts him in the Bob Barr wing of the party. And as often as I disagree with Bob Barr, I appreciate that he's bucking the party on this issue. Especially because he's doing it in spite of the fact that it's made him persona non grata in most conservative circles.
[A]ll 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come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, . . .
(B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. . .
(iii) 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.
That's about as sweeping as a law can be, and although I'm not a lawyer it certainly sounds like the White House has just given itself the authority to seize the assets of... anyone who criticizes the war?
At least one staunch conservative and Reagan appointee is far from pleased about this:
Unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the US could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran.
Bush has put in place all the necessary measures for dictatorship in the form of "executive orders" that are triggered whenever Bush declares a national emergency.
I guess that concern for civil liberties puts him in the Bob Barr wing of the party. And as often as I disagree with Bob Barr, I appreciate that he's bucking the party on this issue. Especially because he's doing it in spite of the fact that it's made him persona non grata in most conservative circles.
posted by Matt Sandwich | 11:42 AM
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