Are We ALREADY Living in a Non-Constitutional COG America?
One of the top investigative journalists in the country, Larisa Alexandrovna (the lead journalist at Raw Story), says the following concerning her attempts to determine whether or not the U.S. is still officially in a state of emergency, such as would justify the continuition of Continuity of Government (COG) Plans implemented on 9/11:
"Well, I have called around... believe it or not, no seems to have an answer as to this simple question: 'are we in a state of emergency?' "
Keep in mind that Alexandrovna has broken many top stories, later picked up by the New York Times and other mainstream publications, and has developed a broad network of contacts. And yet she couldn't find an answer.
Well, according to the White House website (and confirmed here), on 9/14/01, the government declared a continuing state of emergency based upon the 9/11/01 attacks, which is continuing into 2008:
"Consistent with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency I declared on September 14, 2001, in Proclamation 7463, with respect to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center Rebuilding-Ground-Zero, New York, New York, the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Business-Travel-Looks-Ahead-to-2008 flight 93, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States.
Because the terrorist threat continues, the national emergency declared on September 14, 2001, last extended on September 5, 2006, and the powers and authorities adopted to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond September 14, 2007. Therefore, I am continuing in effect for an additional year the national emergency I declared on September 14, 2001, with respect to the terrorist threat."
A separate announcement on the White House website states:
"Because the actions of these persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States, the national emergency declared on September 23, 2001, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond September 23, 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 persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism."
What does this mean?
We know that Continuity of Government Plans were implemented on 9/11, based upon a "national emergency". The 9/14/01 declaration of a national emergency may have been a way to document that declaration. The 9/23/01 declaration may have been a make-weight document created by the White House regarding the "War on Terror" in general.
Regardless, the proof is becoming quite strong that the state of emergency declared on 9/11 (as memorialized in writing thereafter) is still in effect. If the state of emergency is still in effect, the Continuity of Government Plans are almost certainly still in effect, since COG plans are meant to take effect in a state of emergency, and because there is very strong circumstantial evidence that they are, in fact, still in effect -- and, indeed, the government has been acting like COG is in effect. (See this, this, this and this). Indeed, the U.S. State Department states:
"With the exception of the habeas corpus clause, the Constitution makes no allowance for the suspension of any of its provisions during a national emergency."
The White House has suspended habeas corpus. However, given that the "Constitution makes no allowance for the suspension of any [other] provisions during a national emergency", the Administration's failure to follow many additional provisions of the Constitution points towards something more than just a "normal" state of emergency. It points towards Continuity of Government measures.
It appears that we are living in a non-Constitutional COG America.
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Good question
I don't know the legalities of the National Emergencies Act but according to Wikipedia "It (The Act) 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 it appears that the act was intended to prevent a Presidential powertrip.
If COG was in place would Congress have been legally permitted to vote for restoring habeas corpus (as I recall they voted to do so but it didn't pass)? I guess one could argue that the vote was just for show, intended to fool the public into believing COG was not in place. IMO, that seems rather farfetched.
I admit legal ignorance but it seems difficult to believe that the President can get rid of the Constitution by implementing COG procedures by way of declaring a national emergency (renewed every year).
I can imagine some pathetic member of Congress crying about vows of secrecy..."We couldn't tell you because the COG procedures were secret."
It truly is a sad situation. It seems only 9/11 skeptics are willing to connect the dots between the pre-9/11 conduct of WH and intelligence officials and their post-9/11 claims of needing the crutch of police state powers to prevent terrorist attacks. I would rather be called an unpatriotic conspiracy nut than accept the nonsense of the torture/domestic spying/permanent emergency power garbage.
What COG amounts to is that we placed ...
The Department of Homeland Security in charge, and The Constitution is no longer the foundational policy which directs the United States of America.
indeed, we have been
The DHS is ow running the USA gov. Inc.™ Watch out for the ICE guys & the random searches on the subway. If you are not braking a law they will "make something up on the way to the station." As much police state control as can be mustered is now in place. Just about time for the whole house-of-cards to fall down.
The United States has been operating under an official State of War for many many years (100+?). But that was not enough, bankruptcy only lasts so long you know. So a new contrivance was required, DHS.
Possibilities
In this environment, nothing is too farfetched. If GeorgeWashington is correct - and I believe he is, consider the magnitude of what they did. This is the big leagues of crime - it's high treason. There is no action too small to cover their tracks and to maintain the veneer of legitimate government for the transitional period until their power is assured and the dissenters are silenced.
DHS appears to be omniscient ...
Sorry, the first couple of links in the bottom post have been moved around on the government site, the following is the current location of the news release regarding COG, NSPD 51, and HSPD-20, on May 9, 2007:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
This is the official WH document please go to the site for the full content. The following is the stated role of DHS which seems to be everything:
(16) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:
(a) Coordinate the implementation, execution, and assessment of continuity operations and activities;
(b) Develop and promulgate Federal Continuity Directives in order to establish continuity planning requirements for executive departments and agencies;
(c) Conduct biennial assessments of individual department and agency continuity capabilities as prescribed by the Plan and report the results to the President through the APHS/CT;
(d) Conduct quarterly and annual assessments of continuity communications capabilities in consultation with an official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President;
(e) Develop, lead, and conduct a Federal continuity training and exercise program, which shall be incorporated into the National Exercise Program developed pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 of December 17, 2003 ("National Preparedness"), in consultation with an official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President;
(f) Develop and promulgate continuity planning guidance to State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators;
(g) Make available continuity planning and exercise funding, in the form of grants as provided by law, to State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators; and
(h) As Executive Agent of the National Communications System, develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive continuity communications architecture.
(17) The Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall produce a biennial assessment of the foreign and domestic threats to the Nation's continuity of government.
(18) The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall provide secure, integrated, Continuity of Government communications to the President, the Vice President, and, at a minimum, Category I executive departments and agencies.
(19) Heads of executive departments and agencies shall execute their respective department or agency COOP plans in response to a localized emergency and shall:
(a) Appoint a senior accountable official, at the Assistant Secretary level, as the Continuity Coordinator for the department or agency;
(b) Identify and submit to the National Continuity Coordinator the list of PMEFs for the department or agency and develop continuity plans in support of the NEFs and the continuation of essential functions under all conditions;
(c) Plan, program, and budget for continuity capabilities consistent with this directive;
(d) Plan, conduct, and support annual tests and training, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, in order to evaluate program readiness and ensure adequacy and viability of continuity plans and communications systems; and
(e) Support other continuity requirements, as assigned by category, in accordance with the nature and characteristics of its national security roles and responsibilities.
It's time to understand where we are ...
Some additional research site for education:
"Continuity of Government" - A Threat to the Constitution
by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul
Bush's National Continuity Policy Directive (NSPD 51 - May 2007):
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
A Brief Overview: (June 8, 2007)
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22674_20070608.pdf
CRS Report on Continuity of Government: Current Federal Arrangements and the Future: (January 2005)
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RS21089.pdf
CRS Report - House Vacancies: (August 2003)
http://lugar.senate.gov/services/pdf_crs/H...Emergencies.pdf
CRS Report - Continuity in the Executive Branch of Government: (April, 2003)
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rl31857.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuity_of_government
http://www.modernhistoryproject.org/mhp/Ar...arn09-3#Bunkers
http://www.prisonplanet.com/analysis_gosli...continuity.html
Continuity of Government Commission (COGC):
COGC is NOT elected, but spearheaded by AEI and Brookings Institute:
http://www.continuityofgovernment.org/
Presidential Succession System - AEI & Brookings Institute Discussion:
http://www.continuityofgovernment.org/pdfs...Itranscript.pdf
1st Report of COGC to Congress (2003):
http://www.continuityofgovernment.org/report/FirstReport.pdf
The Commission is funded by:
The Carnegie Corporation of New York
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The David and Lucille Packard Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
(How objective do you think these people are in deciding succession?)
Please see this source for a great deal of information about COG:
Great Deception
Joann, thanks for the references....
...wow, some of these links are real blockbusters. The Walmart bunker is interesting and should suspect they are part of the agenda.
It's looks like I'll be doing some reading. Thanks, Joann.
...don't believe them!
New cite:
As the Washington Times wrote on September 18, 2001:
Homeland Security Comm. member Peter DeFazio is denied access
After receiving concerned communications from constituents, in July 2007 U.S. Representative and Homeland Security Committee member Peter DeFazio made an official request to examine the classified Continuity Annexes described above in a secure "bubbleroom" in the United States Capitol, but his request was denied by the White House, which cited "national security concerns."
This was the first time DeFazio has been denied access to documents. He was quoted as saying, "We're talking about the continuity of the government of the United States of America...I would think that would be relevant to any member of Congress, let alone a member of the Homeland Security Committee."
After this denial, DeFazio joined with two colleagues (Bennie Thompson, chairman of the committee; and Chris Carney, chairman of the Homeland Security oversight subcommittee) in a renewed effort to gain access to the documents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_and_Homeland_Security_Pre...
"..must continue in effect beyond September 23, 2007."
Thanks again, GW, keep it up. It is the topic of the year as I fear something is going to happen?
The quote above seems a conclusive statement that we are under COG. If you remember, it was just one year ago that Cheney and Chertoff were sowing the seeds rather heavily for another terrorist incident.
This also dovetails with press releases and some really strained episodes such as the Florida black muslim "terrorists" of two years ago. I suspected, at the time, it was just a contrived incident used to support the "war on terrorism," but wasn't fully conscious, it's more importantly, supporting continued justification of COG. It seems to be what's going on?
You have more of these strange mass murder incidents at Malls and Univerisities, which I suspect are government directed to help gain support of a full security state. I live in Omaha and few here are even aware that DHS was at the Westroads just prior to the Dec. 5th incident at the mall.
What I find, possibly, most troubling is less apparent fear-mongering rhetoric this year--maybe I've missed it? Does that mean they've chosen an alternative path as a means to their ends?
I'd like to address whether Congress was pressured to ratify these security state measures? It certainly seems so if the observation of the following article is true? A mute Congress with mystifying behavior may be little more than fear of bodily harm?
Ted Twietmeyer describes the military with machine gun posts set up in hallways in Congress the day the Patriot Act was signed:
" Some on Capitol Hill have said that soldiers with machine guns were in the hallways on Capitol Hill the night the Patriot Act was signed, and many felt intimidated they must sign it without reading it. If true, then it implies that martial law may have already been declared in secret. Soldiers in hallways have no place on Capitol Hill in civilian government. Again, another sign of a dictatorship IN ACTION. "
New Martial Law EO
There's another gem or two in the article as it is well worth reading.
I believe, a discussion and research on COG gets us much closer to the truth and the reality of our precarious situation. Is it even more dire than even we think?
...don't believe them!