Somebody tell me this is an April Fool's joke..Please!!..W's 3rd term

[SoCalDem]

Somebody tell me this is an April Fool's joke..Please!!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/01/gwot_cha/


Bush preps historic Third Term - memo
It's war. It's a 'Continuity Presidency'
By Thomas C Greene in Washington
Published Saturday 1st April 2006 10:33 GMT

Exclusive The US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the office of the White House Counsel are preparing a draft document laying out the President's wartime authority to remain in office past 2008, The Register has learned.

The scheme is described as an emergency "continuity presidency," made necessary by the extraordinary circumstances and unique challenges of protecting the United States from the threat of international terrorism. "The world changed on 9/11," a confidential DoJ memo obtained by The Register explains, "and no Administration in US history is better suited to adapt productively to those changes than this one. "The Attorney General supports the basic framework in the White House Counsel's draft proposal for a future Executive Order establishing a Continuity Presidency, with two provisos: 1. There must be at least the appearance of a time limit, which the AG believes might be satisfied by tying the duration of the Continuity Presidency to the duration of the GWOT ; and 2. The House and Senate Majority Leaders and the Chairpersons of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees must issue a written certification that they have approved the plan.

"AG does not believe that the plan will succeed unless those conditions can be met. Suggest you liase with Legislative Affairs and get their sense of the liklihood that the key Members will work with us." The memo is signed Christine McIntyre, Special Assistant to the United States Attorney General, and is addressed to Philip Van Zandt, Special Assistant to White House Counsel Harriet Miers.

A second memo leaked to The Register, this time from DoJ Assistant McIntyre to Jock Mahoney, Special Assistant to US Solicitor General Paul Clement, and to Philip Van Zandt at the White House, anticipates an immediate Supreme Court challenge to the scheme, and offers a few suggestions for defending the Administration's action.

snip....

[chefgirl]

1. Oh Dear God

I don't know, but if it is true, I'll shoot myself.

-chef-

[magellan]

2. I don't think it's a joke

It wasn't outted in the British press as one, and there've been rumors about it for a while. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it were true. All I've got to say to BushCo is go ahead, try it. Pleeeez....

[Twist_U_Up]

3. a few years ago my jaw would have hit the floor

Now I know who our next president will be.

Everyone still doubt their plan ?

The New World Order

[Bluebear]

4. Pre-2000? Unthinkable. Now? ANYTHING is possible.

The New World Order.

[annabanana]

5. .. look at the URL

"gwot_cha /"

Yes, it IS an April Fools...(not that it's not believable)

[SoCalDem]

6. Whew... I am glad...(sorry y'all)

[liberal N proud]

14. A sick joke

[wake.up.america]

7. This is an April Fool's caper. Now way this could be true.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/01/gwot_cha/

[annabanana]

10. No way this could be true?

With Habeas Corpus in the crapper, "enemy combatant" status being placed on citizens at the President's discretion, rendition, "no torture except when I want to" signing statements, elections stolen by partisan private concerns...

I can no longer allow myself the luxury of saying "this could never be true".

[Twist_U_Up]

11. not so quick Google Bush AND third term you might be surprised

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Bush+AND+third+term

http://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/DownTheMiddle/1032.html
<snip>
So there you have it. The 22nd Amendment became part of the Constitution and no one person can ever again hold the office of the Presidency for more than eight years.....right? Well, maybe.....but never say never.

On January 5th of this year, Congress quietly passed legislation, allowing for only a handful of the elected legislators to be able to create or change laws in time of natural disaster, contagion, attack by another nation and.......oh yes, that would include TERRORIST ATTACK! This new law, tagged the "Doomsday Legislation", contradicts the Constitution, which specifically states: “a majority of each Chamber shall constitute a quorum to do business.”

“I think the new rule is disgusting, terrible and unconstitutional,” said Norm Ornstein, of an independent, bipartisan panel called the Continuity of Government Commission which is studying the issue. “The way it was passed was deceitful and the intent behind the legislation was very foolish.”

Is this new bill truly for the preservation of our government, in times of great disaster...or is it just another dirty trick by the Republicans to keep Bush and his ideals in control of our government permanently? The fact that these people are writing this unconstitutional legislation, actually handing themselves the power to do away with the Constitution altogether, goes against the very soul of the Democracy and places us in the position of realizing a one party dictatorship.

[ldf]

22. only a handful...create laws...during times of...CONTAGION?

damn.

i just posted, tin foil hat on :tinfoilhat:, about the "coming pandemic" that every MSM seems to pushing as an accepted fact.

could this be some sort of trial balloon, disguised as an april fool's joke?

you know some people out there are going to read this and think it is an excellent way to continue the "CONTINUITY".

would we tolerate it?

THAT is a scary question. :scared:

i'm REALLY afraid of the answer to that one....

[robertpaulsen]

34. WHOA! Hard to believe, but I think that's correct.

I had never heard of faulking truth, so I googled to see if I could find another source. I found this link to a now archived Boston Herald article:

Congress passes `doomsday' plan

Boston Herald | January 9, 2005
By Noelle Straub

WASHINGTON - With no fanfare, the U.S. House has passed a controversial doomsday provision that would allow a handful of lawmakers to run Congress if a terrorist attack or major disaster killed or incapacitated large numbers of congressmen.

"I think (the new rule) is terrible in a whole host of ways - first, I think it's unconstitutional,'' said Norm Ornstein, a counselor to the independent Continuity of Government Commission, a bipartisan panel created to study the issue. "It's a very foolish thing to do, I believe, and the way in which it was done was more foolish.''

But supporters say the rule provides a stopgap measure to allow the government to continue functioning at a time of national crisis.

GOP House leaders pushed the provision as part of a larger rules package that drew attention instead for its proposed ethics changes, most of which were dropped.

more...

http://www.infowars.com/articles/us/congress_passes_doomsday_plan.htm



I couldn't find any direct confirmation that this passed the Senate, but I think this might be it:

'Doomsday' plan approved for House
Congress OK's election measure

By Richard Cowan, Reuters | July 30, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Congress approved a plan yesterday that would quickly replace members of the House in the event many die in an attack or disaster.

snip

The measure was attached to a spending bill to fund Congress's operations in the fiscal year starting on Oct. 1, and the Senate's vote yesterday sent it to the White House for President Bush's signature.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/07/30/doomsday_plan_approved_for_house/



If this is the same "Doomsday Legislation" referenced in your link, I think it's safe to assumed Bush signed it and we are DOOMED!

[glitch]

12. And a nasty one at that.

Good though. An april fool's joke that is quite believable, considering this administration's history of over-reach.

[liberalhistorian]

28. Not only is it more than believable,

I really think they might actually try something to keep King George in office after 2008. They are so overreaching and so power-hungry, that I really don't think they'll go off quietly into the night when their term is over.

[glitch]

32. It's hard to tell - dubya might want to retire for health, so jebbie comes

up to bat. Mama would've promised. If dubbie doesn't want to retire, he's petty enough to not want to pass it over to baby bro. In which case changes must be made to the law.

But either way, my guess it's being rigged to keep the power in the family (poor McCain,Frist,Hagel et al: talk to Trent Lott about your future). Replacing dubbie with jebbie is very in-your-face to the rest of us, but that is what this family is all about.

FWIW, I think they'll try it, I don't think they'll succeed. We're talking arrogant, not brilliant. If they were smart they'd be pushing for a meritocracy over an aristocracy, right?

(notice the above is blatantly obvious speculation, for the provide-a-linkers among us)

[rodeodance]

8. would be grand (if true)--shows the sheer mainiacs in charge! (more)

"AG does not believe that the plan will succeed unless those conditions can be met. Suggest you liase with Legislative Affairs and get their sense of the liklihood that the key Members will work with us."

The memo is signed Christine McIntyre, Special Assistant to the United States Attorney General, and is addressed to Philip Van Zandt, Special Assistant to White House Counsel Harriet Miers.

A second memo leaked to The Register, this time from DoJ Assistant McIntyre to Jock Mahoney, Special Assistant to US Solicitor General Paul Clement, and to Philip Van Zandt at the White House, anticipates an immediate Supreme Court challenge to the scheme, and offers a few suggestions for defending the Administration's action.

"We will be attacked on the basis of Article II Section 1, and on Amendment XXII," McIntyre writes. "Thus it is absolutely crucial that the anticipated Executive Order for a Continuity Presidency make no mention whatsoever of a 'Third Term.' This will eliminate appeals to Amendment XXII, and leave us free to focus our attack on Article II Section 1 alone. Thus, the Executive Order has got to be framed as a necessary - and Congressionally authorized - extension of the President's Second Term, so that we can base our arguments on the Joint Resolution and Article II Section 2.

[ClintonTyree]

9. It's an April Fool's joke..........

I can't believe how many people are getting sucked in to some of these "news" releases. I guess we're in such a state of shock by what the bush administration has done over the past 5+ years we'd believe just about anything now.

[izzie]

13. Maybe they passed it in the middle of the night but then when

does this House do anything but play golf and take trips?

[GeorgeGist]

15. Another time, another place...

I would have said 'Of course it's a joke'.

But here and now all I can say is

'It's very bad joke.'

[RedG1]

16. in a perfect world...

Clinton would be in his 4th term...

gawd, I miss the Big Dawg <sigh>

[sinkingfeeling]

17. He's going to get out, or we, the people of the US, are going to take him

out of the White House.

[Canadian Socialist]

18. It's a joke, folk!

It even says so at the top of the story...

April Fool The US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the office of the White House Counsel are preparing a draft document laying out the President's wartime authority to remain in office past 2008, The Register has learned.

[tom_paine]

19. It's an April Fool's joke...says so right there on the page now

What is so sad is that:

A) Living in Imperial Amerika, it is perfectly and believable in harmony withthe other actions of the Imperial Family and Imperial Court

B) It is entirely possible that the Busheviks have such a document prepared, and like that satirical 2001 article of the Onion that reads like prophecy, this April Fools joke turns out to be real.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28784

[Rocknrule]

20. We defeated the Nazis (or so we thought), we outdid Russia in the Cold War

but a couple guys who blow themselves up or hijack planes and the nation completely locks down and throws its civil rights to the wind

Which country is this again?

[Kailassa]

21. A joke, but not funny.

I don't believe the Bush family will voluntarily let go of the reins ever.

[cassiepriam]

23. Maybe we better not laugh too quickly..... who knows?

[Gabi Hayes]

24. Jock Mahoney?

even if there really is a political Jock Mahoney, there also was....

Yancy Derringer--riverboat gambler!



with his sidekick, Pahookatawah....not kidding

played by the actor, X Brands

not kidding!

[Gabi Hayes]

26. actually his running would be FANTASTIC news. who on earth

would be a better candidate for us than Bush

what could he possibly run on

he is LOATHED by most Americans by now, and the polls reveal that most people think he's a LIAR

no president can weather that storm

repeal the whatever AMENDMENT now!

[fishwax]

25. the "prestigious law firm" they cite is named after the three stooges

Moe and Curly (and Shemp) Howard changed their last name from Horowitz. Larry Fine changed his last name from Feinberg.

Also, the end of the url reads "gwotcha" :)

[earth mom]

27. I KNEW this was coming.

Little lord pissypants won't be happy until he's crowned King George and rules this country foreva and eva. :puke:

ON EDIT: So maybe it's a joke. Though I find that to be doubtful. The guy's a megalomaniac! :crazy:

[Ice4Clark]

29. H.J.RES.24 introduced last year asks that the 22 Amendment

be repealed. It's sponsor is Rep Steny H. Hoyer, and cosponsored by Reps Berman (CA), Sabo (MN), Pellone (NJ) and Sensenbrenner (WI)

You can read about it HERE

2/17/2005:
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

4/4/2005:
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

[Imagevision]

30. They lose the house or senate of Bush may be gone before 08

[cassiepriam]

31. Nah, no need for this, they'll just run Jeb..... nt

[magellan]

33. Just heard back from the reporter, Thomas Greene

It's an April Fool's joke.

:rofl: :silly: