Vermont labeled “rogue state” by Bush administration (VT Guardian)

[struggle4progress]

By Shay Totten | Vermont Guardian

Editor's Note: Due to a last-minute legal challenge by federal lawyers, the Guardian was not able to post this story yesterday as scheduled. The administration's temporary injunction was not granted, so we are now posting the story.

Posted April 1, 2006

WASHINGTON — Efforts to impeach the president are helping to place Vermont on a new list of “rogue states” being circulated by the Bush administration, the Vermont Guardian has learned. <snip>

The Bush administration is using the over-arching policy contained in the NSS as well as disparate, and little-known, federal laws to ensure that it can take swift action against a domestic population seen as an “emerging threat.” Those laws are contained in the updated USA PATRIOT Act, the Congressional authorization to use force in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, a weakening Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, a law that forbids active-duty military to be used to arrest or search U.S. civilians.

While military action against Vermont is not being contemplated at this time, there is growing concern within the Bush administration that Vermont “may be getting a little too big for its Carhartts,” said a White House source familiar with the memo. <snip>

http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/032006/RogueVermont.shtml