The President recently did this:
In preparing a list for MasterResource of federal energy policy reforms to free Alaska, and thus bolster America’s economy, I came across an Executive Order (E.O.) signed by the President last month with little or no fanfare. His new authority empowers him, in certain circumstances, to assume control over the energy industry—along with the rest of the economy.
Such executive branch power puts Congress and the courts in an inferior position. It also creates a new anti-production risk in addition to current federal policy regarding lease sales; ocean policy; ANWR; OCS; and arbitrary and capricious application of the Endangered Species, Clean Water and Clean Air acts.
‘National Defense Resources Preparedness’
How many of our readers knew that on March 16, 2012, one month ago, the President signed an Executive Order (E.O.)– giving himself access to dictatorial powers — under the guise of ‘national defense’ under authority of Defense Production Act of 1950. These powers will potentially control the means of production–including energy production.
We are suspicious of White House motives because if this E.O. were necessary and its objectives noble, we would have been treated to a transparent, presidential announcement and/or press conference. Pardon us for being suspicious as well of main stream media complicity, due to a deafening silence coming from the Fourth Estate.
Read the rest.
Well, I put less stock in conspiracy/complicity arguments, but I do have my eyes pop out when I see “necessity” win the day. If we pursue that to its logical end, I suppose that in addition to taking over the energy sector, we can expect this to come our way via executive order too one day (again, I’m playing this up just because it is a special day – if I were a betting boy I would not put my money on this as a likely outcome of course):
Thanks for the great link. I found it humbling, so much to know.
As was pointed out, this sort of executive order is not new, invoked before back before WWII. Our parents and grandparents put up with it then, to win the war.
Anyone who thinks we drove a stake through the heart of the WPA, beware. That order Obama signed is frightening.
One wonders why that executive order was issued if there were already precedent to handle Nazi Germany and Japan. Reading it,
the order gives tremendous power not only to the President, but gives authority to all department heads at cabinet level, and a few steps below.
Let’s put aside my distrust in the whole Obama administration for the moment, and assume everyone from David Axelrod to Kathleen Sibelius’s administrative assistant are all people of good will. Let’s even assume they think they can run everything. Why should we think they can?
Even if they could, do we want to be led by a man on a white horse and knights in silver armor, even if they could provide our every need?