GOP Bill to Suspend Laws is MOVING!

[VaLabor]

From: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/8/1735/41549

The House GOP Leadership is apparently moving to pass H.R. 418, "The REAL ID Act of 2005," in the House THIS WEEK. This is the bill that would give Homeland Security the power to suspend all laws!
The Rules Committee is moving fast. From their website:


Dear Colleague:
The Rules Committee has announced that it may meet the week of February 7, 2005 to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 418, the REAL ID Act of 2005.

Any Member who wishes to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in room H-312 of the Capitol by 12 noon on Tuesday, February 8, 2005. A copy of the form used to submit amendments to the Rules Committee is on the back of this letter. Members should draft their amendments to the bill as introduced on January 26, 2005.
---


H.R. 418 is the bill that contains the infamous "Section 102" -- which would give the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to waive, at his absolute discretion, any and all laws he deems necessary to waive in order to expedite construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the U.S. border. He decides what is necessary to waive! He decides the scope of his own authority, really, because his decision is NOT REVIEWABLE BY ANY COURT!

Think: Goodbye, environmental laws. Goodbye, labor laws. Goodbye, whisteblower protections. Goodbye, democracy.

Apparently, any amendment to strip this language or modify this language must be filed with the Rules Committee by noon on Tuesday, 2/8. Then the Rules Committee decides whether to allow a vote by the House on the amendment. But based on the Rules Committee website notice, it sounds like they don't want to allow any amendments: "...to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process..."

Guess who chairs the Rules Committee: Rep. David Drier (R-CA) -- the Congressman who proposed this language to usurp the rule of law in the first place! He proposed this language for the 9/11 bill last year, but it was ultimately stripped from the final bill.

Read more about this issue here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1568728&mesg_id=1568728

and here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/5/15448/41910

[Mojambo]

1. This is more frightening

than a thousand 9/11's...

[TwentyFive]

2. One guy can suspend ALL laws?

You're right, this is more scary than a thousand 9/11's...or Abu Ghraibs.

[tridim]

3. Question: If this thing happens

can anyone stop it, short of full-on revolution? Because they will use it, I have no doubt. Can congress overrule HLS if the courts cant?

[calimary]

4. Can't this be fought as unconstitutional? Assuming, of course, that

there still IS any Constitution left...

FUCKERS.

[Erika]

5. We need to contact our DC reps

This is not YET Hitler's Germany. Please contact them. Now.

And thanks so much for this post.

[undergroundpanther]

6. Arrrgh

Goddammit I hate these fuckers and the assholes who voted them in!And the so called fake Dem's who are really re-thug fucks who roll over for * like spaniels,and the lame ass brown nosed suck up,'precious careers' media!!!

[BlueTarheel]

8. my thoughts exactly n/t

[sandnsea]

7. It only applies to the borders

"shall have the authority to waive, and shall waive, all laws such Secretary, in such Secretary's sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section"

I don't think one person should have complete control of what happens at our borders, but this isn'at the GOP suspending ALL laws. Not by any stretch.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c109:1:./temp/~c109aX9jY3:e8964:

[fujiyama]

11. Either way

Stopping the free movement of people is another hallmark of authoritarian governments.

It reminds me of something out of Soviet Occupied Eastern Europe.

[meow2u3]

12. Not the way the neocons will twist the laws

They'll try to suspend the law of the land, period!

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

9. Rep. Bill Young's staff...........

will be in Dunedin today. I will be sure to bring this up with them.


If anyone is interested in going the address is as follows:
330 Douglas Ave.
William E. Hale Activity Center
Time: 10am-12pm

[loudsue]

10. So THIS is how they'll keep Americans inside the U.S. when the

army tanks start rolling down mainstreet, and we all want to leave???

Welcome to the republicans' version of Amerikka!

:kick::kick::kick:

[ChickMagic]

13. My boss talked to her sister

in NY state last week and was told that if you go into a different county you get searched. The barriers at this time appear to be county lines. Look out Texas, NM, Arizona, Calif!

[PatrioticOhioLiberal]

14. Counties?

Are you serious?

Of course you are, but I'm just sitting here mouth agape.

I weep for my country.

[ChickMagic]

15. I know

I felt like I had been drawn by Tex Avery. My jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes bugged out. Ahoooga. Counties are a convenient boundry.