Bush’s Executive Order on Lebanon Even Worse than the One on Iraq
George W. Bush is churning out executive orders and Presidential directives just as fast as Dick Cheney’s lawyers can fill up yellow legal pads.
The power that he is asserting-no, grabbing-with these executive orders is astonishing and alarming. Such power imperils our liberties and our democratic system of government.
Two weeks ago, Bush issued an extraordinary executive order entitled, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq.”
It gives to the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to freeze the property of people who are engaging in violence or who “pose a significant risk” of engaging in violence against the Iraqi government or the economic and reconstruction plan for Iraq.
It also bans donations of “food, clothing, and medicine, intended to be used to relieve human suffering” to anyone whose property has been frozen.
On August 1, Bush issued a similar executive order, this one entitled, “Blocking Property of Persons Undermining the Sovereignty of Lebanon or Its Democratic Processes and Institutions.”
Syrian meddling in Lebanon constitutes an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” Bush asserted, adding, “I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.”
This executive order is even more sweeping.
Where the one on Iraq applies to people who engage in violent acts or pose a significant risk of engaging in violent acts, this one doesn’t even bother to limit it to that. Anyone who engages in any act-violent or nonviolent-against the government of Lebanon can now have his or her property frozen.
And it also gives the Treasury Secretary the authority to freeze the assets of “a spouse or dependent child” of any person whose property is frozen.
What’s next? Impounding the family dog?
The executive order on Lebanon also bans food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to anyone whose property is frozen-and that includes the “dependent child” mentioned above.
Representative Dennis Kucinich denounced the new executive order as “reckless and dangerous.” He said it is part of a strategy to “generate more turmoil” in the Middle East.
And amass more power in the Executive Branch.
© 2007 The Progressive Magazine
I don’t get it. Is Bush dictator of Lebanon now too? The man is pure genius, being able to rule six countries all at once (USA, UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel).
Dumbfuckistan indeed.
The little pr!ck thinks he runs the world.
Fa$ci$t, through and through. And now, we’re through.
Does anyone know where I could find a phone booth?
All phone booths are bugged.
If Bush doesn’t read, how does he know what he is signing? It is a given he didn’t write any of those executive orders. They must have dozens of serfs penning writings, being dictated by Tony Snow, Cheney, Coni, Dean and Rummy.
Its a national emergency to the US that people are shooting at each other in Lebanon? Come on! That’s been going on for 30 years at least. Next we’ll be told its a national emergency to the US if Mexicans eat corn tortillas.
Well, as a matter of fact, I have some videos I’ve taken of Mexicans eating corn tortillas. That’s a good enough excuse for Bush, seeing he’a a Texan,__ remember the Alamo and such.
Mexico has lots of oil and if we invaded them, we could ignore the border problem. Just shock and awe them and take the whole country instead of just half of it, like we did in the last war we won with Mexico.
I know, we didn’t really take it, we bought it, two cents an acre. Hell of a good deal. We might as well just keep going and take Panama too, it’s our canal, we built it and then our southern border would be just a few miles in length. We could build a fifty foot high wall there. It the Mexicans don’t greet us with open arms and flowers, Bush could nuke em.
Not a good idea? Why not, it’s working in the Mid-East.
Bush has gotten away with murder (literally) because we have a Democratic party that is like an old dog that knows only one trick–roll over and play dead. And this is the bunch that proclaimed late last year that they were going to “get the U.S. out of Iraq.”
Cheney/Bush are the most dangerous people in the entire world. I tremble before their power grabs. I fear for my grandchildren because following presidents (if we have elections) will have this same power. We have seen what happens when the wrong people grab absolute power. It corrupts absolutely. We must impeach the two bastards.
NOW!! The dems are useless.
“It (Bush’s Executive Order) gives to the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to freeze the property of people who are engaging in violence or who “pose a significant risk” of engaging in violence against the Iraqi government or the economic and reconstruction plan for Iraq.”
Would this be the same Secretary of the Treasury who keeps telling us that our debt to Communist China is not a problem while they continue to spend $$billions on developing their military strength?
“Representative Dennis Kucinich denounced the new executive order as “reckless and dangerous.” He said it is part of a strategy to “generate more turmoil” in the Middle East.”
Yes, our country does have some representatives on Capitol Hill with functioning balls! One of them is Dennis Kucinich……and he is running for PRESIDENT IN 2008.
We carry WEAPONS OF MASS DISTRUCTION aboard every ship, sub and plane, everyone better do as we say or your country will exist only in the history books. Because our GOD said thou shell not kill and we mean well.
Balls are the weakest link in a man Gail.
A little tap’ll do ya.
Kucinich has a great deal of inner strength and character. ___ Maybe solid brass balls.
Bush is such a great man we should dip him in bronze and make a statue. Alive of course.
Why do executive orders that give unconstitutional powers to this bunch of slimy war criminals carry any weight? It is just as though Bush believes he is a real dictator. And why don’t we hear anything from the bunch of Demowimps we thought would at least make an effort to get us out of Iraq?
It makes me almost glad to be nearly 80 with advanced cancer. Maybe I will get to check out without seeing the worst that is yet to come! Sad but true!
Sounds like, if you criticize anything dealing with Lebanon, not only can your ass-ets be frozen, but so unto your children and your children’s children. Of course this means that, when you can’t pay your mortgage, you get thrown out into the street, to beg or starve.
Anybody who takes pity upon you and gives you or your starving children food, clothing, blankets or other help will also be frozen and wind up starving on the street.
I can see the storm troopers now, with their whips and guns, enforcing the rule and laughing at the starving, no doubt “sub-humans” dying on the streets.
What a wonderful country we are becoming. Have become already, if you think about it.
“everyone better do as we say or your country will exist only in the history books”
.
What history books? Now that Rupert controls all publishing the Minestry Of Truth writes ‘History’ as they like it.
.
But, as I recall, Bush and the Jewish State were deeply involved with Undermining the Sovereignty of Lebanon by bombing the civilians and their infastructure back to the stone age. Ditto the Congress that voted their approvial.
Have you ever noticed, as you are drifting off to sleep, that faint high pitched whine? That is George Orwell spinning at 350,000 RPM and rising.
Bushs actions seem guaranteed to expose Americans to Islamic terror attacks for decades to come.
Which, of course, helps get ‘tough on terror’ Republicans elected.
Two birds, one stone. And all Bush needed was an undying hatred of both.
Honestly, why is this man still allowed in our country, much less lead it?
Although aimed at Iraq and Lebanon - these EO’s are setting a precedent (legitimizing punitive measures on the basis of “may”) which could in future be applied to anything.
Guilty until proven not innocent.
Bush is holding up the stabilization of Iraq. Will he have his family assets impounded?
“The executive order on Lebanon also bans food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to anyone whose property is frozen-and that includes the “dependent child” mentioned above.”
So does this mean they can freeze the assets of the ones who give humanitarian aid to the dependent children? You know, ones such as the UN, and Red Cross?
One can not blame the democratic leadership, they´ve seen what happened to Paul Wellstone and they DO NOT want the same thing to happen to them or their family members. Think of another way to get bush out.
By commenting about this issue haven’t we “posed a significant risk” and made our assets subject to seizure? It is all about control.It is amazing that this new order “visits the sins of the father upon his sons”, this will insure that the next generation will remain under the governments thumb. We the PEOPLE are not being listened to by our elected officials and it is time to remove the whole lot of criminals. Orange jumpsuits for all.IMPEACH and IMPRISON now.
The same story was discussed and covered a few days ago by “No Questions Asked” writer Lisa Finnegan at her blog:
http://www.noquestionsasked.org/blog
There she wrote
(you have the links to all the subjects she discusses on the page):
I was surprised to see the latest executive order signed by Bush. It seems that he is not only concerned about people ”preventing the progress in Iraq” — he is also worried that some people will ”undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon or it’s democratic process and institutions.” To summarize: If you complain about US policy in Iraq or Lebanon, the government can take everything you have and throw you in jail.
We haven’t even publicly announced we are doing anything worth protecting in Lebanon but the president felt strongly enough to issue an executive order threatening to seize the property of anyone who undermines that country’s sovereignty.
What is Bush planning to do in the near future? First there was the executive order giving him dictatorial powers in case of a “national emergency” in the US, then the executive order making it legal for him to confiscate the property of anyone who disagrees with him and about Iraq and now he is doing the same thing with Lebanon.
What does our country have to do with Lebanon? Do you think he wants to declare war with Israel? If I recall correctly, it was the Israeli government who destroyed the infrastructure of Lebanon and it’s “institutions.”
Is it a step by step plan to prepare for an attack against Iran?
Does the Fox News reports warning of multiple terrorists attacks inside the United States in the next 90 days have anything to do with this?
Is this the preparation for the false flag attack that Seymour Hersh warned us about?
Why is the president bypassing Congress and why aren’t any of the lawmakers complaining about it?
We stand back and wait as Israel bombs the heck of out of Lebanon and now we are protecting Lebanon against anyone who dares to interfer with what ever we decide is being interfered with? Will he freeze all of the Israeli assets? Something really smells bad when two and two equal five. What ever the screwball reasons for this EO it will means more $$$’s in somebody’s pocket. What will the next EO be? A nice terror threat will keep everyone out of Washington while the rats continue to rape and pillage America.
LIBERTAS FUGIT: I do hear the “sound.”
FARHAD ABDOLIAN: You make an excellent case for connecting dots few minds would think of connecting. Chilling, isn’t it? A nation of law… turned to dust.
You had your chance, when the votes were ‘counted’ in Florida. You had your chance when the votes were ‘counted’ in Ohio. You could have spoken up so many, many times since then, but have remained silent, addicted to ‘reality TV’ and McFood. Silent when you should have taken to the streets in numbers to large to hide or ignore or downplay.
Now you have an untreated alchoholic/drug addict megalomaniacal psychopath with delusions of grandeur and persecution in control of the most powerful array of weapons technology the world has ever seen, and the will to use them, all backed up by a millenial armageddonist religous worldview.
Bush is surrounded by a circle of self-serving enablers who are only ensureing that their corporate masters will reap even more, ever more obscene profits while the population of the US and the world is ground under their fascist bootheels.
You had your chance. As the quote goes: ‘You have sown the wind. Now reap the whirlwind.’
Best of luck, and walk in peace.
Dang dude! I farted and that was it! *pop* “theres little Bushie”!
Funny on the article…Did anyone think he was going to get better?
GALEN there is SOME truth in your indictment. In some ways this nation is spoiled, given its wealth, we expect those we pay to FIX things (not fix elections or FIX the cause/case to go to war). There has been a pervasive “deer in the headlights” sense that THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING as we watch the “presidency” as askance as you describe it, line by line, rip through our laws, our Constitution, centuries (Habeas Corpus) of civlized behavior to foment a holy war. This THING is so out of control it will take outside HELP to fix it, just as our first revolution required some similar outside assistance. We citizens are now very much like inmates of an institution… our borders appear to be closing, there are no fly lists, we are being electronically spied on, our media does not represent to the average person WHAT is going on so they are clueless. Meanwhile the most egregious have taken both religion and patriotism as their fig leaf disguise to hide what they’re really up to. We have lived as a nation for 200 plus years believing that our government held self-correcting mechanisms, chiefly in the ingenious doctrine of the separation of powers that SHOULD HAVE made what IS taking place now impossible. We know from the Bible that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil, and as Clinton deregulated media, thus forcing all senators and congress people to PAY the airwaves/TV stations for media time, and in order to raise those sums (there being a high corelation between a candidate’s fiscal “war chest” and likelihood of victory in the voting booth) become beholden to the growing K street lobby system… well, it’s a recipe for politics selling out to produce the nightmare that Nader prophesied aptly: that of no difference between the 2 parties in that both must essentially worship at the same (fiscal) altar: big business. So here we are… citizens do not have the monetary clout to establish their own TV stations or media to counter the incredibly pervasive messages articulated by the rightwing. MANY presume “if it’s on TV as news, it MUST be real.” And the saddest part of this whole democratic melt-down is the role religion is playing to hype the surge towards Armageddon. Today’s American reality would challenge sci-fi were it not all to real. It is a sad and sorry state of affairs. I cannot say what percentage of the population is aware or awake to what’s going on, but more than half support impeachment, and finally 70% are against the war… but the mechanisms through which to generate political response to public will appear to be broken. Therein lies the rub, and one of the reasons so many of us contribute to this forum is that we are seeking the ways and means to regain the reins to our nation’s destiny, before it heads over a moral abyss and takes potentially millions along for a very very bad ride.
Here is an article that perhaps explains it quite well.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_stephen__070804_the_black_hole_theor.htm
Every day that passes makes it more unlikely that we will break free.
angryinADK August 5th, 2007 9:42 am
“By commenting about this issue haven’t we “posed a significant risk” and made our assets subject to seizure?”
Probably, but don’t worry about it. By the time our government has completed its duties of outsourcing and insourcing jobs to foreigners, we’ll all have to pawn anything we own after we’ve exhausted any savings we might have, just to buy food and water. We are quickly becoming a third-world country.
In order to better understand the rationale behind the insanity of these actions by the president, go read:
The Christian Right and the Rise of American Fascism by Chris Hedges at
http://www.theocracywatch.org/chris_hedges_nov24_04.htm
It is a good executive summary article of his recently released book of the same title. Neither Dubya nor Cheney are that stupid or insane but their controllers are.
They have many fellow travelers among the elite old money who fancy (like Dr. Frankenstein)that they have some measure of control over the monster whose creation they have willingly enabled. They are just like the academics, industrialists, and military general staff of Germany in their regarding of Hitler and the Nazi’s in the 1930’s. By the time they start to fully realize their mistake it will be too late for the rest of us.
I (and jakgillespie) asked this question in two posts on another thread a few days ago and got NO answer. So here it is again -
Question - and demanding an answer from someone who knows:
What gives a pres the right to calmly change the laws Congress has passed with signing statements, Executive Orders, or Executive Directives? I find nothing in my copy of the Constitution about these things.
Lots of very smart people on this blog and someone somewhere must know this. Please, educate the rest of us.
Siouxrose yours is the most articulate summary and commentary on this site of the present situation, one growing steadily worse. Unfortunately, we are all preaching to the converted and lack the means to reach any others.
No matter what the source of outrage, I learned long ago there is no way to overcome the inertia of large groups and generate an effective response. Taking to the barricades, pitchforks in hand is not going to stop this fascism. Like some others who have commented here, I am gratified to have only a very few more years to live, so sick am I of this materialistic society bent on self destructing. Yes, we have brought it on ourselves by apathy and greed. The only question that really remains is what will be the final mechanism of dstruction - another idiot dictator with his finger on the red button, or reduction of the earth to the point it will not sustain any life?
Siouxrose,
You want some outside help? Ok. Here’s my two cents worth.
1) Abandon the consumer lifestyle. Learn to reuse just about everything. Very soon there will be a scramble for resources that will make the present Iraq war look like a picnic. Bt this time there will be no other lands to exploit. This is the best piece of advice I will give. You might even be able to ignore the rest…
2) Understand that democracy was an experiment. Based on a flawed model from ancient Greece. It failed then, it failed now. People are not meant to live in such massive concentrations. We need to return to a small scale local economy. The above mentioned resource shortage will force us to it.
3) There is no quick fix. Yes, the US has been around for more than 200 years. But as empires go, it’s barely above the bar. When you have a ruling class that last for generations, as in feudal China or ancient Egypt, then THATS an empire. The government that has evolved is the result of years of slow, methodical erosion, and those in power WILL kill to retain it.
4) When the time comes for the government to turn on it’s population, it will do so with very little warning, and an astonishing level of violence. Think Kent State was bad? Think a thousand times worse. And this time it will be government paid corporate mercenaries, not the National Guard. Blackwater and their ilk are the guys who were rejected by various special forces as too uncontrolled and violent. So stay low to the ground. Most people will simply ‘go along to get along’ just to survive. Don’t be one of them, because just like in France after WWII, those who co-operated will be hounded down as the colaborators then were, and dealt with in much the same way.
GALEN as a basic Hippie at heart, I live on very little, I can assure you. The nightmare scenario is ONE possible reality, but not the only one. Evidence may support gloom but miracles can and do happen. It’s obvious we are dealing with an unapologetic power grasp on the part of ill-fated, dangerous sub human individuals. Years ago I attended a session filled with psychologists and health care professionals. A medium by the name of Pat Rodegast channeled an entity named EMMANUEL. One question put forth was if there would be a world war III and the answer THEN (I pray it’s still true) was, “Divine intervention would not allow it.” How can that operate? Maybe Cheney’s battery goes dead. I for one would be quite pleased. I wrote a story called THE GREATER GOOD based on a renegade Buddhist monk who comes to America and teaches meditation. He also understands the power of the focused human mind, which as ALL masters teach, is exponentially increased in its force when “two or more are gathered together” focusing on the same outcome. The story pursues the question, which is the greater good: to allow a politically corrupt DC establishment to go forward with plans of expanding war, thereby MURDERING innocents; or to use the inherent power of MIND to literally BLINK these renegade spirits OUT. We are electrical beings, that’s how our brain sends impulses down our nerve endings to various organs and muscles, etc. If the electricity stops, we blink off. Divine intervention, maybe a plane, not Wellstone’s this time, goes down. We cannot see all possibilities, although mostly everyone on this site HATES injustice (as I do), and seeks a way to bring meaningful change into our nation AND the world. WE are one planet, one living being, and whatever happens in ONE place reverberates everywhere else. A few months ago a foreigner visiting the US commented on the pessimism which he took as inverted guilt. It’s true. We are NOT a happy society. Do readers in this forum remember the article that tried to show that statistically more Republicans claim to be happy? At least it pursued the question does one’s sense of happiness begin and end with the “continent of self,” or does it extend empathetically to those who are targets in the US senseless line of fire? Spiritually aware persons recognize in Jesus’ words (correct me if these words came elsewhere in the Bible), “Whatsoever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.” We are here for the well being of all sentient beings. Happiness is IMPOSSIBLE when we are part of a nation that willingly sets forth unapologetic carnage. Karma always comes back around, and the cycles of time do NOT favor much more of our present direction.
Oh please please please…let karma land on Bush with both feet.
OLD DOC 74: I appreciate the KUDOS. I come to this forum–like a thirsty animal seeking water–because it is SO intelligent and I learn so much. Those of us who read CD fairly frequently recognize names. Some who contribute know so much about history, others about economics, others about the U.S constitution. I believe I serve as the mystic in this forum, although I share that designation with a number of illumined souls. I just received a rejection on a major script which is SO demoralizing. When one observes what Hollywood actually produces, it’s daunting to share wisdom, humor and ideas that could actually stimulate and/or lift minds, and see one’s work tossed as inconsequential. Sometimes I tell myself it’s really a compliment to be rejected in times like ours, when most people are focused (and I do not think this is inherent, it’s a conditioned response, little different from Pavlov training his dogs to feeding scheduled… I am alluding of course to what passes for news or entertainment, and the line has been diffused between the two. How sad that the media that could cause a mass awakening, instead is used to put people into a soporific state akin to political sleep.) Again. Thank you.
Siouxrose,
Keep the artistic flame alive.
We will be the ones who remember what REALLY happened, and we will teach our children to live close to the Earth, without the traps laid by high technology and massive government.
Walk in peace.
GALEN: Thanks. I never give up… the worst betrayal is to feel that one has been given a gift and does not attempt to put it to good use. To me, the gift is the capacity to use imagination to tell stories that expand others’ field of vision. Self-publishing is now very financially viable, and I am taking that route. It’s been said that a prophet is not without honor except in his/her own country. Sometimes that feels all too true.
Paranoid obscenities really help a lot.
I wonder… how can Bush say Lebanon should not be interfered with, when last year he sat idle as Israel murdered thousands of innocent Lebanese? By his own (twisted) reasoning, should the US then not intervene and disarm the agressors in the region i.e. Israel and Syria?
Or is his family too busy making bloodsoaked profits from arming both sides in hopes of starting the much anticipated Christian Armageddon?
GALEN: Justice would be for all the ill begotten profits… Halliburton, Bechtel, Bush “family values,” and military blood money be given back to the nation that was raped in obtaining these false profits. THAT would be a start, but I am not waiting for justice to be served that fairly or eloquently. We can dream the good dream, however.
RE: Galen August 5th, 2007 12:26 pm
“Now you have an untreated alchoholic/drug addict megalomaniacal psychopath with delusions of grandeur and persecution in control of the most powerful array of weapons technology the world has ever seen, and the will to use them, all backed up by a millenial armageddonist religous worldview.”
Thankyou, Galen, for such a concise appropriate portrait of Bush. I’ll try to memorize it verbatim.
“Bushs actions seem guaranteed to expose Americans to Islamic terror attacks for decades to come.
Which, of course, helps get ‘tough on terror’ Republicans elected.
Two birds, one stone. And all Bush needed was an undying hatred of both.
Honestly, why is this man still allowed in our country, much less lead it?”
One scenario I think BushCo is planning: In the near future there will be some terrorist attacks–a number–something like three in a short period of time, so that the American public will be so frightened that they will not question anything BushCo does. The elections will be suspended and BushCo will be in office indefinitly.
Hopefully there will be divine intervention, but suppose God trusts us–then what? Are we ready to continue to speak up just as load and as blatently as we have; to act non-violently but non-cooperatively? Will we insist on our free speech rights being respected? Will the American public wake up, or shrink into a sheepish response? This will be an opportunity to put emperialism finally into its box. What will we do? Will we stay attached to something of a comfort zone, or will we be willing to risk life and limb for our people to be free?
Are executive orders even in the constitution?
I know there have been like tens of thousands of them since like Lincoln or something, but seriously, when and where did they start. And if they are not clearly in the US constitution, then obviously another thing to impeach this and probably future presidents from office.