Can the president declare a state of emergency

[Nancy Waterman]

if the debt ceiling isn't raised, and end the tax loopholes, raise taxes on the rich, and raise the debt ceiling by himself since it threatens national security not to do so? Now there is a threat the GOP might bend for. Their irresponsible hostage taking needs to be met with something even more aggressive.

[DonP]

1. Umm, no

There are some things he can do as CiC with the military, but running what would in essence be a benevolent dictatorship isn't one of them.

[Nancy Waterman]

3. But The GOP break the rules all the time

and keep expanding their power. The President remains within his prescribed role (unlike bush who also pushed the envelope). This is what Dems always do. They play by the rules and get screwed by the other party who makes it up as they go along. I know he literally can't, but what other ways is there to balance the unbelievable power grab of modern-day Republicans?

[DonP]

6. So the answer is to behave just like Bush?

I don't think so.

Sorry, I'm pretty sure both Congress and SCOTUS would come down on that in a heartbeat or faster. You just don't monkey around with the balance of powers issue.

That would be no different than Bush deciding to "postpone the election" in 2008 for an indefinite period. We had people around here bursting into flames at the very idea of that kind of behavior. It was wrong then and it's still wrong now, no matter who is in the White House.

[Rosco T.]

4. Ummmm... yes. he can and he should...

all he has to do is frame it in the interest of "National Security"

Preventing the default of the US on it's debts and endangering the viability of our military (no money, no supplies, no pay) would fall into that. He would just have to frame it so that it's till the congress does it's job.

Same could be said for imposing a 'national security tax' on those making more than xxx.. or removing tax breaks in the interest of the debt crisis, etc...

it's all in how you spin it.

[bemildred]

2. Only if the Congress lets him. nt

[azul]

5. Yes indeed, the executive orders are in place.

If the US cannot pass a budget, the world financial order could go into a tailspin. Bernanke has been warning congress about this, but do they even have the smarts to get it?

If such a crisis occurs, it would be a golden opportunity for disaster socialism to nationalize the oil industry and break up the banks, or, a platinum opportunity for disaster capitalism and declare martial law and a fascist police state. Good thing Obama is in office and not some nut-case corporatist, eh?



"The "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive" was signed May 9, notes Jerome R. Corsi in a WND column.

It was issued with the dual designation of NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive.

The directive establishes under the office of the president a new national continuity coordinator whose job is to make plans for "National Essential Functions" of all federal, state, local, territorial and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations to continue functioning under the president's directives in the event of a national emergency.

"Catastrophic emergency" is loosely defined as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.""

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=41729

[onenote]

8. you might have clarified that the referenced directive

was signed in 2007 by Bush, not last month by Obama. And Corsi is hardly a credible source for what the Obama administration will do.

[namahage]

9. One would think that the WND link

would tell us all we need to know about credibility.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Should I stock up on my food supplies?

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