Tomorrow Bush will extend the 12 year declaration of "national emergency" with Iran

[sabra]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070309-1.html

Notice: Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran

On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Iran. On May 6, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12959 imposing more comprehensive sanctions to further respond to this threat, and on August 19, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13059 consolidating and clarifying the previous orders.

Because the actions and policies of the Government of Iran continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the national emergency declared on March 15, 1995, must continue in effect beyond March 15, 2007. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Iran. Because the emergency declared by Executive Order 12957 constitutes an emergency separate from that declared on November 14, 1979, by Executive Order 12170, this renewal is distinct from the emergency renewal of November 2006.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 8, 2007.

[shadowknows69]

1. Well, that's it then

n/t

[bryant69]

14. That's what?

I mean this state has already existed for a long time hasn't it? Since Clintons 1st term?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[shadowknows69]

15. But essentially it give junior open season doesn't it?

bypassing the congressional approval that the dems caved on and didn't ask for anyway.

[bryant69]

16. We'll have to see if he uses whatever authority this action gives him

I don't know - I don't know that this changes anything, other than giving the sign that they might want to invade Iran, but we already knew that.

Bryant

[sabra]

17. the 1 year extension worries me...

BushCo is up to something

[paparush]

2. THAT is the very definition of I N S A N I T Y!!

[BluePatriot]

3. they'd better check the fine print...

hell, WE should, let's see if this has signing statements or anything stupid like that.

edit: see post below:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=410332&mesg_id=410568

[sabra]

4. you read my mind! And why only 1 year? hmm....

[BluePatriot]

7. I wonder where we can find this, exactly?

[originalpckelly]

5. Wow! I didn't even feel threatened.

We need to reform our laws, this is a good example. The President, both Clinton and Bush, are using an emergency power for decades. I'm sorry, a state of emergency is something that happens within a short period of time, not a decade plus.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Do other countries pull this bullsh*t? Has any other country declared that the USA is

an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of __________? If not, why not? It's like using the UN. We're constantly running through resolutions condemning this or that government of something, but where are those countries demanding action against us?

Best example: US gets UN to allow 'military' options against Iraq when Saddam 'illegally invaded Kuwait'. But when the US illegally invaded Iraq, crickets!

[The Stranger]

8. RALPH NADER WAS RIGHT

[BluePatriot]

9. Research time!

OK everyone:

http://www.iraniantrade.org/12957.htm

Exec. Order 12957: (Clinton)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_12170

Exec order 12170: (Carter)

and the one that's being "Extended a year" Exec. order 13059 (Clinton)

http://www.iraniantrade.org/13059.htm

Where does 13059 expire exactly in the text? Because I don't see it.

If one googles "section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d))" you can find we are in loads of emergencies with loads of countries....

I wiki'd this National Emergency Act and the first thing that jumps out is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Emergencies_Act

The National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601-1651) is a United States federal law passed in 1976 to stop open-ended states of national emergency and formalize Congressional checks and balances on Presidential emergency powers. The act sets a limit of two years on states of national emergency. It also imposes certain "procedural formalities" on the President when invoking such powers, and provides a means for Congress to countermand a Presidential declaration of emergency and associated use of emergency powers.

So, uh...yeah...some loophole must be being exploited here...

[sabra]

10. thanks for the research!

this line still gives me the chills: "I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Iran. "

[BluePatriot]

11. No problem...

the wiki also says "many provisions of statutory law -- as many as 500 by one count (ref. 1) -- are contingent on a state of national emergency." Finding THOSE would be interesting.

on edit:

Oh, the wiki says so:

"At least two Constitutional protections are subject to revocation during a state of emergency:

* The right of habeas corpus, under Article 1, Section 9;
* The right to a Grand Jury for members of the National Guard when in actual service, under 5th Amendment of the Bill of Rights."

Um...ok then. Come on everyone, let's dig up these legal loopholes before the admin exploits them...more...


*edit: I should add that the President must specify what powers he intends to invoke during this emergency in his order, the Wiki explains that. So to figure out what they could exploit exactly we need to examine Clinton's 1995 order for loopholes as apparently that's the one being extended.

*edit again: looks like the standard trade embargo stuff in the Clinton order. If any powers not within that Clinton order get invoked for any other reason and they reference this emergency extension we know they are full of BS.

[I_Will]

12. ...and continue to extended the 6-year International Disgrace we've become (n/t)

[kestrel91316]

13. If Bush acts against Iran before the end of May, he may have to

answer personally to me.

My beloved niece is in Paris, working for the US State Dept this spring. Paris has a large Iranian population. I live in a part of Los Angeles known as Little Teheran. If Bush attacks Iran the Iranian population both here, in my neighborhood, and there, where my niece is, will probably explode with violence. The US embassy in Paris could become a major target.

If my niece comes to any harm, I WILL hold Bush personally responsible. You can take that to the bank. And where I come from responsibility for physical harm carries grave consequences.

[DerBeppo]

18. like?

If you're going to make a threat, then don't make a veiled one. The only thing "personal" you can do is take the Sheehan approach and step in the DU cycle of love -> question on some small nuance -> become both openly ridiculed and have your sanity question.

the lack of unity in the face of something so glaringly offensive is a bigger obstacle to overcome than this temporary administration.