EXECUTIVE ORDERS

In writing the Constitution of the United States of America, our nation’s founding fathers, using wisdom as their guide, created the greatest governmental document in the history of mankind; one that has stood the test of many trials and tribulations over the past 200 years. However, I, Vic Roberts, believe another great trial can and will come. That trial will be the issue of a Presidential dictatorship through the use, misuse and abuse of Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives. A Presidential dictatorship would likely mean a New World Order’s evil empire dictatorship by virtue of their campaign contribution bought and controlled President’s ascendancy to dictatorial powers.

Article 1, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States mandates: “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of the Senate and House of Representatives.” Clearly, the U.S. Constitution does not grant the President any lawmaking authority, yet this nation is accepting control by laws being made by Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives, government procedures that are undeniably unconstitutional. Control by Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives have the potential to turn America into a totalitarian police state under a Presidential dictatorship. For example: with no authority other than Presidential Decision Directive 71, President Clinton committed around 2000 civilian police personnel to serve in the United Nation’s so-called “peacekeeping” operations. I believe it is unconstitutional, and should be an impeachable offense, for a President of the United States to order any American personnel into offensive action without the Constitutionally mandated consent of Congress.

Many Executive Orders expand unconstitutional polices for the presidency, and undermines the exclusive constitutional mandated power of Congress to legislate. The original intent for Executive Orders may have been good and honorable; however, they have been distorted into tools for illegitimate creations of new laws; laws not enacted by Congress as mandated by our US Constitution; laws giving presidents potential dictatorial powers never intended by the Constitution, and our nation’s founding fathers. Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives can virtually suspend our constitutional government, and provide dictatorial powers to the executive branch of our government, power to act as an unaccountable dictatorship.

Can any US President be trusted with such unrestricted power? I , Vic Roberts, think not. We already have a President who wages war anytime, anywhere, and anyhow, virtually without the Constitutional mandated approval of Congress; this is done in the name of the Bush administration’s so-called “War of Terrorism.” We already have an administration that refers to massive death and destruction, to countless innocent civilians, as mere “collateral damage” of their war on terrorism. We already have a President who says the United States must prepare to use nuclear weapons, as offensive weapons, in the name of, "their perception of “war on terrorism.” We already have a President who has an obsession with secrecy and self-perpetuation, a President who does not bother with true by-partisanship, or even the pretense of it. We already have a President committed to a world view of empire building that is not appropriate to democratic values of a free people. We already have a President who is exempting the executive branch records from the Freedom of Information Act. Again, I ask can any US President be trusted with dictatorial powers?

I, Vic Roberts, do not believe we Americans can trust any president with the dictatorial powers they have bestowed upon themselves through Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives, especially when a President says as Bush did, "This job would be a lot easier if I was a dictator.”

We now have a President who is using Executive Orders to make tax laws to suit his personal whims. We now have a president who refuses to turn over documents requested by Congress (in accordance with the mandates of the Freedom of Information Act) saying it would erode the power of the executive branch to do so. Administration information flow is restricted, because Bush and Cheney say their demands for secrecy and loyalty are a matter of principle. What principle I, Vic Roberts, ask? It appears to me to be the principle of arrogant power grabbing. What principle? Perhaps the principle of opportunism, and the preservation of an ever expanding arrogant dictatorial executive branch of government.

Bush’s response to criticism is, "I have a duty to protect the executive branch from legislative encroachments.” What legislative encroachments? According to the US Constitution there is none. Political insiders report that the Bush administration demands loyalty and secrecy, with swift retribution for those who violate White House rules. Reportedly, Bush has told administration officials, "You serve at the pleasure of the president.” “There is a lot of arrogance of power against them,” said one staff member who wished to remain anonymous.

Using the illusion of a nation under siege, the Bush administration is using Executive Orders to take dictatorial powers that are clearly unconstitutional and against the best interests of a democratic freedom loving people. True patriots must challenge the use of Executive Orders and Presidential Decision Directives. Executive Order 13233 effectively overturned the Presidential Records Act of 1978, giving the President virtual total control over all Presidential papers; thus, assaulting the principle of historical accountability by giving the President virtual control of the reporting of our nation’s history.

On 10-8-01 President Bush laid the foundation for the Office of Homeland Security with Executive Order 13228, and named Tom Ridge as it’s director; along with instructions that he was to, "review plans and preparations for ensuring the continuity of the Federal Government in the event of a terrorist attack that threatens the safety and security of the United States Government or its leadership.” Using the “Continuity of Operations Plan” as its foundation the Bush administration, with Vice President Cheney being a major force behind the effort, created a new secret “shadow government.” All of which was done in secret, and without input from Congress. The Bush administration’s preoccupation with “war on terrorism,” and their “secret shadow government,” has made an already inaccessible Washington political elite even more inaccessible. Inaccessible, as personified by Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge when he blatantly defied a US Senate Appropriations Committee’s request that he testify, in regards to the requested $38 billion budget, for the new Bush Executive Order created Office of Homeland Security Agency. In regards to his refusal to testify, Director Ridge justified his actions by basically saying, "the Senate had no authority over him as he was an advisor to President Bush, which exempted him (and the organization he heads?) from any Legislative Branch oversight. Does Director Ridge have so little knowledge of our constitutional government that he does not know that the Legislative Branch is responsible for all federal government spending, or is he merely demonstrating the typical arrogance of power that prevails in the dictatorial Bush Administration? Arrogance of power as demonstrated by the Bush White House when they said, "although Ridge may have a $38 billion chunk of the president’s pending budget, he is not a Cabinet Officer,” and that maintaining his existence on Capitol Hill is an exercise of “EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.” Under the Bush administration’s dictatorial EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE doctrine, Vice President Cheney and Medicare Director Scully have also defied Congressional subpoenas requesting them to testify before members of Congress.

With the Bush administration’s new shadow government, we taxpayers are now footing the bill for two separate governments. Exactly why is this shadow government in operation, and what benefits are we taxpayers getting for our tax dollars? Exactly what services, and at what cost, are the employees of the shadow government providing for us taxpayers? For many years the Washington politicians, such as Bush and his cohorts, have had little interest in the everyday way of life of the American struggling masses; they had already turned their backs on us folks back home, now they are walking away from us altogether.

If the United States government is truly attempting to promote “democratic government principles” around the world, as government propagandists tell us we are, is it not being hypocritical for this government to maintain a secret shadow government? A truly free people in a true democracy does not need or want a secret shadow government. Public servants are suppose to serve the public; in order to serve the public they must be visible and accessible to the public, none of which exists with the Bush administration’s Executive Order created secret shadow government.

One thing we do know about the Bush administration’s Executive Order created secret shadow government is that it is much smaller and more responsive to the President than our present Constitutional Government; we know this because the US Senate, House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and virtually all who are not loyal Bush Republicans have been eliminated from the new government. The most sinister characteristic of this secret government is that it consists entirely of executive branch officials; this is in complete violation of the separation of powers, which our US Constitutional government demands. Not only is the legislative and judicial branches excluded from Bush’s new secret shadow government, but they had no input in developing the new organization; they were not even made aware of the planned new government. The Bush administration’s Executive Order created secret shadow government does not base presidential succession as defined in the Constitution.

The five Supreme Court Judge virtually appointed President Bush has used an Executive Order as the authority to establish a secret military-backed government of unelected officials behind the backs of elected members of Congress. Why are none calling it treason?

The Bush administration has, along with attacks on democratic rights at home, used their version of “war on terrorism” to implement sweeping changes in foreign policy and militarism at home and abroad. While issuing a rhetorical declaration of war on the world, the Bush administration is asserting that US interests are now paramount, and woe be to anyone foolish enough to challenge that assertion. Some have spoke of Bush’s anti-terrorist strategy as “ruthless, aggressive, conceited, arrogant, easily provoked, biased and cannot be trusted, indecisive, dangerous, and provocative.”

Vice President Cheney has indicated that the Bush administration is considering military action, which includes using nuclear weapons as offensive weapons, against 50 different countries. This is being done without questioning if this would be sustainable, while also ignoring that such action requires, by the US Constitution, Congressional approval. All this is being done under the authority of the Bush administration’s perception of “War on Terrorism.”

The Bush administration’s controlled military can bomb every nation on earth in the name of “war on terrorism,” but until we control our own US borders, to prevent the entrance of our sworn enemies, we should have no illusions that we are going to win any war against terrorism. The great Roman Senator and orator Cicero spoke words of great wisdom when he said, "A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious, but it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves among those within freely.”

I, Vic Roberts, ask: Could an Executive Order created “shadow government” be used as a vehicle for a present day presidential “Caesar”? “YES,” is the only answer that comes to my mind.

Under the guise of “war on terrorism,” the Bush administration has created a potential presidential dictatorship, using an Executive Order as the foundation; a dictatorial secret shadow government with unnamed officials who are working in secure secret locations; a secret shadow government backed by the greatest military force the world has ever known; and none dares to question treason. Should we citizens be concerned about a treasonous presidential dictatorship?

The Bush administration’s promoted USA Patriot Act have eroded many of our Constitutional rights to the point of nonexistence. Constitutional rights that intended to assure the rights and freedoms of the people. The Bush administration’s advocated USA Patriot Act enables the FBI to spy on Americans at will; authorities are not required to show probable cause to make arrests, and property can be easily confiscated, and secret evidence can be used to do both. Persons charged under the Bush administration promoted Patriot Act are guilty as charged, until they prove their innocence. Under the Bush administration’s Patriot Act, the FBI can secretly search, or wiretap, without probable cause; intelligence authority will suffice.

Indeed, the so-called “war on terrorism” and the Patriot Act are excellent power sources to deprive us citizens of our Constitutional rights, all in the name of security and patriotism. Could the so-called “war on terrorism,” and the Patriot Act, be a source of power to keep true patriots from an uprising against ever-growing tyrannical and dictatorial presidential powers? A firm answer “YES” comes to my mind.

War on terrorism! Exactly what is terrorism? The term terrorism is relative; one person’s terrorists can be another’s heroic street fighters. Who gets to define terrorist and terrorism? Because terrorists are not easy targets, how does military might fight a war on terrorists and terrorism? Nowhere in history has the answer been found. Throughout history we have seen ruthless crackdowns met with ever more vigorous rebellion. When civilian terrorism is met with state terrorism there is a spiral toward fascism. Where do we look for solutions? Perhaps to a “war” on the breeding areas for terrorists, areas such as poverty, disease, crime, homelessness and hopelessness. By allowing the Bush administration to frame their “war of terrorism,” without open debate, we are shirking our responsibility as citizens, while encouraging and strengthening the power of a presidential neo-dictatorship, a modern day Caesar.

Your campaign contribution to Vic Roberts for Senator is an investment toward a strong voice in the US Senate for reform of the presidential privileges of Executive Order’s and Presidential Decision Directives. Your contribution is an investment toward political leadership for the common good of our citizens, and the general welfare of our great nation; representation for the demise of the New World Order’s evil empire.

In the words of a great lady, Mother Jones, "Let us pray for the dead but fight like hell for the living.”

Vic Roberts IL (2004) US Senate candidate

Click here to send email to Vic Roberts: vicforcongress@chipsnet.com

The text of this web site is a direct communication from Vic Roberts, Congressional candidate.

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