(no subject)

[novapsyche]

Officials worry of summer terror attack -- Translation: Officials want you to worry about summer terror attacks. Because actually it's their job to break up possible attacks before they happen, not broadcast that one might happen on their watch. This tactic strikes me as analogous to news stories about gas prices going up. (You know how I feel when gas goes up? I get upset, but my anger is mitigated, because I'd already been warned that the price was going to rise. Is there such a thing as preemptive collateral damage control?)

yellowmouser lends some gossip: Dick "John" Cheney on DC Madam list?

Endgame is coming soon, folks. Who wants to place bets on martial law by Thanksgiving?

Comments

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

Translation: Officials want you to worry about summer terror attacks. Because actually it's their job to break up possible attacks before they happen, not broadcast that one might happen on their watch.

A-men.

[goodbadgirl.livejournal.com]

I second that a-men. Perfectly stated.

Endgame indeed.

[xterminal.livejournal.com]

According to a number of sources I've read, martial law was actually very quietly declared during Gulf War I, and has never been rescinded...

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

If ANY law is "very quietly declared" and never enforced, used, or even cited, it doesn't matter. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, but laws do need to be declared and enforced by their very nature. If not they're about as potent as a fart in a hurricane.

[xterminal.livejournal.com]

If ANY law is "very quietly declared" and never enforced, used, or even cited, it doesn't matter.

"Never enforced, used, or even cited"? I'd like to live in your universe. I'm guessing you don't live in a place where curfews have suddenly cropped up (as they have in Cleveland), where racial profiling is at an all-time high (as it is in Cleveland-- though I must say, some of the African-American members of the community are quite relieved that it's not them taking the heat this time-- but my wife's Lebanese family members ain't too happy), where people are getting tossed into prison and held on suspicion for months or years at a time (do I really need to give an example?), where the power of various law enforcement agencies has risen to unprecedented levels (oh, wait, that's the entire United States, but let's go back before 911. Hmm, the Rodney King riots were before or after Gulf War I? Let's see...), where the country's commander-in-chief is capable of authorizing bombing raids against other countries without Congress' approval in order to cover up investigations against them...

shall I go on, or have you got the idea?

[vrax.livejournal.com]

You did something wrong.

Cause I like you.

However, I gotta note that they've had curfews in most of Cleveland since the 80s. Gods know I got caught and driven home or arrested by cops citing curfew violation a lot in my youth. That said, I wouldn't be in the leats bit surprised if enforcement has gone way up recently.

And the profiling is off the fucking hook around here.

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

They're not doing any of that under any law I've ever heard of. That's why all of it's causing scandal after scandal. If martial law had been declared, that would be the ONLY scandal and everything else would be exercises of power under that declaration with no further justification necessary. Oh, and it'd probably cause an insurrection.

As an aside, the commander-in-chief has ALWAYS been capable of authorizing bombing raids against other countries without Congress' approval. They're called "police actions" and can't last over 30 days without going to Congress. The problem here is that Congress is a bunch of spineless losers who rubber-stamp every military bill that comes before them rather than look like they're "against the troops". Their power of the purse was SPECIFICALLY put into the Constitution so that they could rein in an otherwise warmongering president, but they've become too scared to use that power and give it to the president by default because of their cowardice.

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

Oh, and another thing: are those enforcing curfews, tossing Cleveland natives into prison, etc. military personnel? Because if not, that's not the definition of martial law. Martial law is when the military takes direct control, and there'd be tanks in the streets and M16-armed soldiers patrolling in squads. Don't use hyperbole to try to make your point. Have bad things been going on? Sure. I think under this president the country's gone downhill to the worst state it's been in since before WWII both domestically and on the international scene. But it's not martial law.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

The use of SWAT teams for routine police matters has mushroomed in the last decade. There's also the increased use of Blackwater personnel for domestic security. So maybe there hasn't been increased use of specific US Army personnel for law enforcement (though you are aware i'm certain of recent court decisions that effectively repeal the law of Posse Comitatus) but law enforcement is taking on a decidedly militaristic approach in the US.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! Maybe he got a blow job and we can impeach him now!