Presidential Directive 51/20

[calvin]

This was sent to me by a friend of mine who runs an organization that basically teaches kids about american history. Their goal is specifically to get reprints of original historical documents like the dec of ind. and bill of rights into the hands of kids. This friend is a real american, and though not a gun owner(that I know of) he is certainly a patriot of freedom.

AMERICAN LIBERTY IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER

And the only thing that can save it is you.

Should the President of the United States be able to seize control of all
three branches of government and rule without limits? Surprise! Right now
there is a Presidential directive that allows the President to do this
without even consulting the Congress or Supreme Court.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the perceived failure of the President
to act quickly in that tragic time, a new Presidential Directive was put
into effect. This directive allows consolidation of power in a national
crisis. While the intent may have been good, the ramifications are
shockingly dangerous. Directive 51 20 allows the President--at any time and
without oversight-- to decide that there is a crisis and to assume all
operations of the Congress, Federal Courts and military. This absolute power
is unbelievably dangerous and could prove far too tempting for any one
leader. The crisis could be any incident that the President decides is a
crisis, anywhere in the world that disrupts or affects the U.S. Population,
infrastructure, environment, economy or government function. From the time
the crisis is declared until the President decides it's over, one person
would have complete and uncontestable rule. Besides all functions of the
government and command of the milita ry, any private sector activities
(businesses, churches, technologies) may be nationalized and directed by the
"government." Our Constitution was designed to limit the Government's power
and to create checks and balances so that this type of tyranny would not be
possible. Presidential directive 51 20 subverts the intention of the
Constitution, and though it claims to "preserve" the Constitutional
Government, it would in fact undermine it. In language that could only be
created by a group of lawyers, it lays out a plan that would end 220 years
of our Democratic Republic defined in the Constitution and grant one person
dictatorial powers.
A Presidential Directive is not the same as an Executive Order, which
must be published in the National Register. For this reason, most of our
representatives in Congress are probably unaware of Directive 20 51. A
Presidential Directive remains in effect until the current President or a
future President overturns it. Directive NSPD 51/HSPD 20 can be viewed on
the White House website at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...070509-12.html


Most of America is completely unaware of this incredible risk to our
Liberty and to our Constitution. The only way that this directive will be
overturned is if we make people aware of the danger and if enough people
demand that the President rescind it. Most of us will never get a chance in
our lives to directly defend American Liberty, but this is our opportunity
to do so.
Contact the White House at 202-456-1414 or President@whitehouse.gov Find
your Representatives at: https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
You will need your Extended Zip code that can be found at:
http://www.usps.com/zip4
Be polite, but ask that the President overturn NSPD 51/HSPD 20--too much
power--too much temptation.

Most importantly, forward this e-mail on to every American you know who
cares about the future of Freedom in America.

The Directive is known as
National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive (signed into
effect May 9th 2007) or the National Continuity Policy NATIONAL SECURITY
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51 HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL
DIRECTIVE/HSPD-20

If you wait until a President uses this power to voice your dissent, your
voice will never be heard.

[zippygaloo]

Some wealthy person or organization needs to pony up a hoot load of money to buy a couple of hours of primetime television space to educate all US citizens on this and the many other happenings that are jeopardizing our liberties. Just like Obama paid for his primetime infomercial on himself, we need someone who STANDS FOR LIBERTY to speak to the people.

[ToddG]

Negative.

Read the Directive. It's available right on the White House website.

Here are some particularly pertinent parts (emphasis mine):

(5) The following NEFs are the foundation for all continuity programs and capabilities and represent the overarching responsibilities of the Federal Government to lead and sustain the Nation during a crisis, and therefore sustaining the following NEFs shall be the primary focus of the Federal Government leadership during and in the aftermath of an emergency that adversely affects the performance of Government Functions:

(a) Ensuring the continued functioning of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government;

(9) Recognizing that each branch of the Federal Government is responsible for its own continuity programs, an official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President shall ensure that the executive branch's COOP and COG policies in support of ECG efforts are appropriately coordinated with those of the legislative and judicial branches in order to ensure interoperability and allocate national assets efficiently to maintain a functioning Federal Government.

All the Directive does is designate certain people to be in charge of creating, coordinating, and implementing a plan to sustain continuity of the Executive Branch and its myriad agencies in a crisis.

Seriously, didn't we just go through this with another Executive Order debate? The Executive Branch does not have the authority to direct, control, override, or disband the Legislative or Judicial Branches.

I swear, we are our own worst enemies sometimes.

[KintlaLake]

Read...

I swear, we are our own worst enemies sometimes.

More often than not.

Hammer, nail, etc....

[g5m]

IIRC there has been a Presidential directive around for 10 or more years that allows the President to take control of everything in case of a national emergency. It predates the above.

[NoBody]

The Executive Branch does not have the authority to direct, control, override, or disband the Legislative or Judicial Branches.

What about Martial Law? For example, when President Lincoln declared such during the Civil War. What about the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II? The "checks and balances as" well as civil liberties have often been "over looked" during times of emergency and war. The Supreme Court has even given their blessings to the executive branch's taking such liberties.

[yeswecan]

Real American??

[Jay Cunningham]

I think I hear black helicopters.

whup whup whup whup