Intel chief changing 1981 security order

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — The national intelligence director has won White House approval to begin revising an executive order that lays out each spy agency's responsibilities and the government's protections against spying on Americans.

The Reagan-era 1981 presidential order is woven into the culture at the 16 spy agencies and spells out their powers. It also provides fundamental guidance to protect against spying on Americans, prohibitions against human experimentation and the long-standing ban on assassination.

Some officials familiar with Intelligence Director Mike McConnell's plans, speaking only on condition of anonymity because the deliberations remain internal, said his intent is solely to update the policy to reflect changes in the intelligence community since Sept. 11, 2001, including the creation of his own office.

But other officials, who also spoke on condition they not be identified, said opening the order to changes could lead well beyond that. They said the exercise could threaten civil liberties protections approved by President Reagan following intelligence abuses in the 1970s, and that intelligence agencies will be tempted to expand their powers.

McConnell himself has said the authorities of his office need to be adjusted. "We don't have it right yet," he told an audience in April.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4883200.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. OMFG No WAY?!?

:scared:

[babylonsister]

2. Someone had better pay real close attention to these people. nt

[nascar55]

3. That is

our job is it not? This should be front page news. Oh I forgot paris is still in jail. Come on people it is time to wake the hell up.

[babylonsister]

7. Therein lies the problem. We can be as knowledgeable as all get-out,

but if Congress, or the media whores, don't address the problem, poof! It's not happening.

Check this out, from here, and tell me if you're even aware of these documents. The second one was penned May 9th of this year:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x287553


Let’s start at the first document that was signed in Congress under the light of day, in full view of all of our elected officials. Why they did this is anyone’s guess, but the fact of the matter remains, that they did it. This document is H.R. 5122 “The John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007”. Section 1076 I give you the breakdown of what the Section does;

Section 1076
Major changes:
• Changed the title of the law from "Insurrection Act" to "Enforcement of the Laws to Restore Public Order Act"
• Specifies situations in which the President can invoke martial law (natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident or other condition in which the President determines that domestic violence has occurred to the extent that state officials cannot maintain public order). These had not been specified before.
• Spells out the President's obligation to inform Congress within 14 days when he determines to exercise the authority, and every 14 days thereafter, during the exercise of the authority. This had also not been specified under the Insurrection Act.

This looks almost harmless, but see what Senator Patrick Leahy who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee said about this:
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) spoke out vehemently against the provision, as part of an overall defense of the National Guard as a body, which is best employed locally, by the Governor of the state in which the Guard is stationed, and not siphoned off as an auxiliary national force by the White House and Pentagon. Below are two quotes from his statements on September 29, 2006 in the Senate. You can also read his complete statement here.
• "It also should concern us all that the conference agreement includes language that subvert solid, longstanding posse comitatus statutes that limit the military's involvement in law enforcement, thereby making it easier for the President to declare martial law. There is good reason for the constructive friction in existing law when it comes to martial law declarations..."
• "Also, it seems the changes to the Insurrection Act have survived the conference because the Pentagon and the White House want it. It is easy to see the attempts of the President and his advisors to avoid the debacle involving the National Guard after Hurricane Katrina, when Governor Blanco of Louisiana would not give control of the National Guard over to President and the Federal chain of command. Governor Blanco rightfully insisted that she be closely consulted and remain largely in control of the military forces operating in the State during that emergency. This infuriated the White House, and now they are looking for some automatic triggers--natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or a disease epidemic--to avoid having to consult with the Governors.

Ah yes, Posse Comitatus, that’s the provision that says that the National Guard shall only be called up for law enforcement by the Governors’ of the States that the National Guard belong to. The reason for this is something called “States Rights”. Our Constitution calls for a small standing Army and a strong State Militia. That of course, has gone by the wayside since the Second World War. The intent however remains. Posse Comitatus was kept on because the crafters of the Constitution did not want a strong Federal Government to be able to use the State militias against the people. This law negates that. Now the President can call martial law in a state and use the States own National Guard against whatever it deems to be a threat, even if that threat is the State itself. So much for the National Guard being controlled by the Governors, it’s now just another wheel in the very strong Federal Government.

The next document is "National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51" This is a Presidential Directive set up by the big man himself. Of course, he is only doing it for our own best interests. Don’t you see how scary the world has become? In this document the President states that if any “catastrophe” befalls the United States, that he will ensure that he takes over the job of all three branches of government. Here is the excerpt;
(e) "Enduring Constitutional Government," or "ECG," means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers among the branches, to preserve the constitutional framework under which the Nation is governed and the capability of all three branches of government to execute constitutional responsibilities and provide for orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency;

[nascar55]

9. Yes

I did see that. We have to keep calling and writing congress. I did pass this info along to everybody I knew at the time it passed. You have to remember back in the 60's and 70's we had the draft and young people took to the streets to protest the wrongs of that war, today kids are not facing that,, thank goodness. It will take us and the internet to bring the wrongs of today to lite because the main stream press will not do it.

[Kagemusha]

4. Like, oh.. I don't know.. Congress, maybe?

We can only hope.

[jimshoes]

5. And because they are such

well meaning people, they are almost certainly doing this for the benefit of the next Democratic president, right? :grr:

[anotherdrew]

6. these agencies should be governed by law, not executive order n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. time for our lawmakers to change it

what lawmakers do we have?

[Javaman]

8. "update the policy to reflect changes in the intelligence community since Sept. 11, 2001"

They know that since they not can't get away with holding people without trial, they have to modify the "rules" so they can work "around" things.