Are we “prepared” for President Obama’s new Executive Order?

Kate Dalley is a news commentator and co-host of the Perspectives morning show on Fox News 1450 AM 93.1 FM. The opinions stated in this article are hers and not those of St. George News.

OPINION – On March 16, 2012, President Obama signed his newest Executive Order. The new National Defense Resources Preparedness Order contains some interesting and frightening stipulations that we, the American people, need to be prepared for ourselves.

Pursuant to this order, the government has the power to:

•  Give the president power to institute martial law in the United States in times of peace or during a national threat.

•  Give the president practically unlimited power over U.S. citizens and their private property.

•  Assume the authority to have someone with “outstanding ability” to be forced to work for the government “without compensation.”

•  Identify requirements for the full spectrum of emergencies, including essential military and civilian demands.

•  Guarantee loans by private institutions for the  purchase of said goods or supplies.

•  Evaluate, assess and seize all private and non-private energy production, health resources, transportation, water, resources, livestock, farms, farm equipment, guns, ammunition and food.

Read the entire Executive Order here.

This new Executive Order is actually an amended preparedness order, revising an earlier 1950 EO regarding National Defense Resources and the ability to use all private and citizen owned resources in times of war or catastrophe. This Order also includes amendments addressing a similar 1994 Executive Order, transferring some of the powers from FEMA to the Department of Homeland Security; the DHS did not exist in 1994. Most of this new EO seems to merely update the old information.

But there are differences. And the differences are all in the name of “preparedness.” The President wants to “ensure the availability” of all of our privately owned resources in the name of preparedness for a potential threat. Section 103(c) of the Order directs executive departments and agencies (as defined) to:

be prepared, in the event of a potential threat to the security of the United States to take actions necessary to ensure the availability of adequate resources and production capability, including services and critical technology, for national defense requirements.

Is this order issued in preparation for expansion of the hostilities in the Middle East between Israel and Iran? The consequences of an impending war could result in a global economic crisis and the need to be prepared is evident. Or, is this just a convenient time for an out-of-control government to strip us of all of our liberties, one executive order at a time, just because it has the ability to do so in the name of security?

This order was released on a Friday evening, when most media outlets would not give it the attention it deserves, due to distractions of the impending weekend festivities. This is called “Friday Night Document Dump Night.” And under the current administration, it makes the conservatives and tea party enthusiasts very nervous. It should make all of us nervous.

Does this new executive order give the President the ability to steal privately-earned wealth under the pretense of a national emergency? I see some striking similarities to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini as he used his principle of a “nation in arms” to steal private property from citizens.

The problem is that over the last 60 years, we have had legitimate laws that have been passed to ensure our security as a nation. Yet, those laws have resulted in restricting more and more of our civil liberties along the way. What are we giving up in the name of security?

Much like the Patriot Act that passed in response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, an extension of more powers that were designed to combat terrorism are now primarily used for investigating crimes. Almost any crime can have some contrived connection to terrorism and this is where the abuse of power comes into play. The authority then becomes over-reaching.

With the President usurping fiscal authority by assuming the power to guarantee loans for the purchase of goods or services, thereby becoming the fiscal agent in those contracts, will this drive biased decisions, picking and choosing the companies that the government will use? Will the next Executive order state that the government does not have to pay on guaranteed loans under certain conditions? Section 301(b) of the order provides:

Each guaranteeing agency is designated and authorized to:  (1) act as fiscal agent in the making of its own guarantee contracts and in otherwise carrying out the purposes of section 301 of the Act; and (2) contract with any Federal Reserve Bank to assist the agency in serving as fiscal agent.

We used to call it slavery when someone was compelled to work for free. This order gives the Executive Branch the ability to take a scientist, a contractor, or anyone for that matter, and force them to work for the government, without compensation. We call this slavery. Section 502(c) authorizes the President and these agencies:

to employ persons of outstanding experience and ability without compensation and to employ experts, consultants, or organizations.  The authority delegated by this section may not be re-delegated.

Is this really America?

We should know by now that by granting the President nebulous powers and trusting him to not abuse them is a bad idea. Where are the congressional checks and balances? There was a reason that our founding fathers sought to balance the power within our government. Without this balance, we have a monarchy or a dictatorship. What happened to the land of democracy and freedom?

As John Adams noted, the very basis of the Constitution rests on the concept of private property. “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God,” Adams wrote, “anarchy and tyranny commence. Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.”

Having this Executive order come on the heels of the National Defense Authorization Act (the “detainee bill”) is disturbing. It seems as though our civil liberties are being taken away at a faster rate these days. We need those who govern to understand that limited government is what is best for our country and for our citizens.

Executive orders that bypass the congressional stamp of approval should be issued sparingly, not weekly.  Executive orders, used to enact laws that would never pass through Congress, could turn our presidents into dictators if we are not careful and aware.

If the ballot in 2008 had said King Obama, would anyone have voted for him?  I think we all know the answer to that.

email: [email protected]

Copyright 2012 St. George News.

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15 Comments

  • Richard March 21, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    Kate: Can you please quote the relevant sections of this Act for each of our allegations? I’ve been over the text of the Act three times and cannot find where the President can come after my guns or declare peacetime martial law.

    Not that I think this is a good idea. Au contrere. It’s a nasty little order. But if you’re going to make the allegations, back them up please. Section numbers would be enough.

    • James August 15, 2012 at 4:27 pm

      You sure you actually read it? “Sec. 102. Policy. The United States must have an industrial and technological base capable of meeting national defense requirements and capable of contributing to the technological superiority of its national defense equipment in peacetime and in times of national emergency. The domestic industrial and technological base is the foundation for national defense preparedness. The authorities provided in the Act shall be used to strengthen this base and to ensure it is capable of responding to the national defense needs of the United States.”

    • James August 15, 2012 at 4:29 pm

      I mean geesh, that was literally the second full paragraph on the page. lol

  • What now? March 21, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    All the items listed at the first of the story look to be the same powers that any communist country leader would have. This is scary stuff. If he wins another term, we won’t even be able to recognize the USA as it once was. Even if Obama loses in November it will take significant efforts to undo all the damage he has done to this country in 4 years.

  • Helen Schuenemann March 21, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    Congress is missing in action. They need to respond to these kinds of orders and put the President back in his place via the Constitution. It is past time Congress reps keep their oath of office.

  • Sue March 21, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    Our guns are safe it is the ammunition that is not. George Soros, who is O’s puppeteer, has companies that are buying up all the ammo companies. When he decides, he can stop making ammo and your guns will be useless.

  • Mark March 22, 2012 at 6:25 am

    In reference to Kate Hefley Dalley’s optinion piece on StGeorgeNews: The language in this order is so vague it can (and will) include everything; your guns, ammo, food storage, first born. It gives whomever the current dictator in power is a blank check to take anything from anybody anytime he wants. This is NOT good.

  • steve jackson March 22, 2012 at 8:55 pm

    This is really scary stuff people. What is next? They will now take away GOLD? How come no media outlet is covering this story? We have our heads up our ass and we like the view. They should impeach him for this NOW! The Republicans ought to get up off their asses and start talking about this NOW!

  • Fred March 23, 2012 at 5:25 am

    This is very scary. And folks in Utah you must keep in mind that our Senator Hatch voted for the NDAA. We know that Obama (or whatever his name is) is an ILLEGAL President. Sealed records, phony SSA #, suspicious Selective Service Registration, and a fraudulent Birth Certificate and so much more.

    Our Congressmen and Senators have done nothing about this. Have they been threatened or paid off? We must get rid of this little dictator in the White House now before the next election if there is an election.

  • Fred March 23, 2012 at 5:33 am

    Also if he is impeached it will make him a legal President. He must be marched out of the White House for producing a fraudulent Birth Certificate which is a felony. Anyone else doing this would be in jail already.

    If is is impeached that would mean everything legal he has done will stay on the books as legal. Also remember the media has been taken over and every time anyone brings up these issues they are ridiculed per the Rules For Radicals Handbook which the radical left follows. We do not have a fair media anymore and that is why they will not report on his felonies.

    Do not watch the so called “mainstream” medial. Even Fox is not to be totally believe anymore. Bill O’ Rielly is so phony. He said “Obama is legitimate” and “I saw his Birth Certificate and it is real and looks good”. What a phony, but he is making so much money and that is why he is going along with this crime.

    Also the press conference that Sheriff Apaio held was blacked out by our “mainstream media”. He said the Birth Certificate is a phony and has proof. What has happened to America? I think we had a silent coup in 2008.

  • Fred March 23, 2012 at 5:44 am

    Another thing. Is is any wonder why our so called “Republican Candidates” who are running for President will not bring up these issues which would bury Barry Obama? Anyone wonder if they are all in this together and Romney will be a “fall guy” just like McCain was?

    They will not touch the issues I mentioned in my other comments. STRANGE? Isn’t it.

    • James August 15, 2012 at 4:22 pm

      I agree Fred, at this point the party lines have little to do with what will happen in office. I am fairly young and (a “democrat” is probably how others would describe me) seeing Obama in office was only my 2nd election after becoming old enough to vote. The first was Bush jr and there wasn’t much change since it was his second term. I, somewhat naively felt that Obama would actually do away with the ant-democratic laws and policies passed by his predecessor. Instead I got the shock of my life when I found not only did he not do those things, he went and did even more. Since Obama came in office we have entered 12 separate wars/conflicts (including those started by Georgy poo)!! That is horrible. And yet most who argue about the budget think that this isn’t a n issue, that the real issue is the fractional amount that’s spent keeping the country healthy and educated. There are some differences with regards to social issues, and those are the thing that makes me glad we don’t have Bush. However, with the elections coming up, I am finding myself at a loss. We are in need of the “Change” Obama offered. But I don’t know the answer, and sadly the answers I do know, all involve what could be violent revolution (probably even anarchy for a while). It will take a complete redefinition of who runs the government and how they do so. I think it’s hard to argue that even though we have candidates that we are led to believe made it because of us, that those people are not there because WE the people put them there, but because they were privileged enough to be born into the right setting. It’s like going to a carnival to play a game. There is the appearance of the chance to win, but only the operator knows that it can’t actually be won because it’s rigged. You may believe in your heart that you are winning, and sometimes they may even let you win, but it is all just to keep you coming back. So question of the day, one that is almost unanswerable, is how do we change the way this system works? Bonus points, how do we change it fast enough, eventually we will reach a point where they will have our balls so tightly in a vice that we won’t be able to escape.

  • Karen Spencer March 23, 2012 at 8:26 am

    This article is ridiculous and takes fear-mongering to a new level. If one actually takes the time to read the Executive order, one would note that it uses words like assess, identify, prepare, foster cooperation, etc. There are no “new and scary” powers given to the President, just an updating an older order from 1994. Kate Dalley is just perpetuating blogger craziness and boogeyman rhetoric. But hey, it is a free country, isn’t it? And it will remain so no matter which candidate for President is elected this year.

  • Mike H March 23, 2012 at 9:27 am

    wow. Why am I not surprised with the vitriol in this thread? Just kills me. How many times does he, “Barry” have to prove his citizenship? You know what, if you spoke with the doc and had a video of “barry” squooshing and squirming out his momma with the Hawaiian shoreline framed nicely in the windows, you’d call it a fraud. Just like the people that claim the moon landing was faked. ::eye-roll::
    You’re killing me here. So much fear-mongering and panic over this. Georgie did the same thing after 9/11 and the person who wrote this article even said as much that what was done was mostly an update to orders already in place. You all talk about your precious civil liberties are being taken away from you, but you would be so quick to take those same liberties from others. I see it everyday in the press, old men telling young women what they can and cannot do with their bodies, straight people telling gays that while they can get married, there is no way in hell they’ll let a gay do so, because it’s evil and not of the bible. Psh, How many of the marriages in the bible were arranged and had nothing to do with love or personal agency? Then you have the christians deciding that not only should they be able to pray in schools and public events that other people should have to as well. It seems to me that there is nothing stopping people from silent prayer. but NO that’s not good enough. EVERYONE should hear their praise of the lord. ::double eye-roll:: See, it’s really easy to force your will on others, it when theirs is forced on you that you get whiny about it.
    As for our congress doing anything about anything, please these people probably couldn’t agree on a time to go to lunch let alone anything of national consequence. Everyone is out for themselves and that is exacerbated by these supposed elected officials who can only agree on one thing: a raise for themselves.

    • BobbyJo April 4, 2012 at 10:18 pm

      No one can force “their” will on anyone, ALL, have free will, so don’t blame the government or the “Christians”, YOU alone have the right to make your own choices, so what about what “they” think or say, who are “they” anyway?! I dont want to waste my free will time worrying about things I can’t change, and neither can you, nor sounds like neither do you want to. Some just want to sit around pointing fingers……

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