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[Michel Bauwens]

source witheld



The following pieces of legislation, programs, and actions--by no means
exhaustive--illustrate the unfortunate yet steady advance in the paranoid
style of American governance that especially since 2001 has placed both the
subject and all who come in to contact with it at risk of serious injury or
death.

Alien Enemies Act of 1798

Gave president power to apprehend and deport resident aliens if their home
countries were at war with the United States of America. With no sunset
provision, act is intact today as 50 U.S.C. §§ 21-24.

Sedition Act of 1798

Made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing"
against the government or certain officials. Enacted July 14, 1798, with
expiration date of March 3, 1801 (the day before John Adams' presidential
term was to end).

Espionage Act of 1917

Made it a crime to interfere with the war effort or with military
recruitment or to attempt to aid a nation at war with the US.

Sedition Act of 1918

Extended Espionage Act of 1917 to cover a broader range of offenses,
notably speech and the expression of opinion that cast the government or
the war effort in a negative light or interfered with the sale of
government bonds.

Executive Order 9066, 1942

Authorized internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese
ancestry and resident aliens from Japan. Also authorized transporting these
citizens to assembly centers hastily set up and governed by the militaries
of California, Arizona, Washington state, and Oregon. EO 9066 was combined
with other war-time orders and restrictions to smaller numbers of residents
of the United States who were of Italian or German descent.

Operation Garden Plot / REX 84

General plan by the US military to respond to major domestic civil
disturbances within the US by suspending US Constitution and declaring
martial law. Developed in response to the civil disorders of the 1960s and
now would be carried out by U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

Executive Order 12148, 1979

Created the Federal Emergency Management Agency that is to interface with
the Department of Defense for civil defense planning and funding. Bulk of
FEMA funding utilized for construction of secret underground facilities to
assure continuity of government in case of a major emergency, foreign or
domestic.

Executive Order Number 12656, 1988

Appointed National Security Council as principal body to consider emergency
powers. Allows government to increase domestic intelligence and
surveillance of U.S. citizens and would restrict the freedom of movement
within the United States and grant the government the right to isolate
large groups of civilians.

Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995

Allows US government to use evidence from secret sources in deportation
proceedings for aliens suspected of terrorist involvement. Deportee would
not have right to face accusers. Makes an individual liable for
contributing to an organization deemed by US President to be involved in
terrorism, even if donation was for a non-terrorist activity.

Model States Emergency Health Powers Act, 2001

Calls for giving state public health officials broad, new police powers for
controlling epidemics of infectious diseases during public health
emergencies. Defines "infectious disease" as "a disease caused by a living
organism." Forces individuals suspected of harboring an "infectious
disease" to undergo medical examinations, be vaccinated, treated, or
quarantined for infectious diseases.

USA PATRIOT Act, 2001

Enacted in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Provides for wide
range of unchecked US government surveillance powers to access personal
records, monitor financial transactions, student, medical and other
information. "Sneak and peak" searches permit "delayed notice" warrants,
roving wiretaps, email tracking, and Internet and cell phone monitoring."
Crime of "domestic terrorism" enacted to include anti-war activists, global
justice demonstrators, environmental and animal rights adherents. Civil
disobedience, and dissent of any kind may be included under
all-encompassing definition. Law is vague enough to label almost anything
"terrorism" at government's discretion.

US government may confiscate or freeze all foreign and domestic assets of
any individual, entity, or organization accused of engaging in, planning,
supporting, concealing, or perpetrating any act considered domestic or
international terrorism against America.

Establishment of United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2001

Created in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Cabinet department
of the US federal government that is domestic counterpart to US Department
of Defense. with primary responsibilities of protecting the United States
of America and US Territories from and responding to terrorist attacks,
man-made accidents, and natural disasters. In fiscal year 2011 it was
allocated a budget of $98.8 billion, spent $66.4 billion, and had 200,000
employees. Stated goal is to prepare for, prevent, and respond to domestic
emergencies, particularly terrorism.

Establishment of Transportation Safety Authority, 2001

Created in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Charged with
developing policies to protect U.S. transportation, especially airport
security and the prevention of aircraft hijacking. TSA oversees security
for highways, railroads, buses, mass transit systems, pipelines, ports.
Responsible for screening passengers and checked and carry-on baggage at
450 U.S. airports.

Federal establishment of State and Local Fusion Centers, 2004

DHS establishes Fusion Centers, defined as a "collaborative effort of two
or more Federal, State, local, or tribal government agencies that combines
resources, expertise, and information with the goal of maximizing the
ability of such agencies to detect, prevent, investigate, apprehend, and
respond to criminal and terrorist activity." "Fusion" also refers to data
mining of multiple sources of information on citizens who may pose
"terrorist threat". There are presently 58 such centers operating
throughout US.

John Warner Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 5122) 2007

Allows US President to declare a "public emergency," station troops
anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units
without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to
"suppress public disorder."

National Defense Authorization Act, 2011

Puts domestic terror investigations and interrogations into the hands of
the military. Allows for stripping of due process, indefinite detention of
anyone, including American citizens, based on US government claim that they
are terrorists.

Strategic Implementation Plan, 2011

Coordination of United States federal government with regional and local
authorities in three core areas: (1) enhancing engagement with and support
to local communities that may be targeted by violent extremists; (2)
building government and law enforcement expertise for preventing violent
extremism; and (3) countering violent extremist propaganda while promoting
US ideals.

Communities Against Terrorist Program, 2011

FBI and DOJ campaign to enlist workers in 25 industries to spy on fellow
workers and citizens and report findings to federal authorities. Citizen
spies being recruited from hotel and motel personnel, dive shop operators,
car and property rental agents, tattoo parlors employees, gun dealers and
Internet cafe clerks.

Spy-ware in Home Appliances, 2012

All new online devices provide a treasure trove of data to US intelligence
on "persons of interest" or "potential terrorists." In March 2012 CIA
Director David Petraeus discussed emergence of an "Internet of Things" -
or, wired devices - at summit for the CIA's venture capital firm In-Q-Tel.
"'Transformational' is an overused word, but I do believe it properly
applies to these technologies," Petraeus remarked, "particularly to their
effect on clandestine tradecraft."

Executive Order - Food Resources, 2012

"National Defense Resources Preparedness" EO enacted on March 16, 2012
renews and updates the president's power to take control of all civil
energy supplies, including oil and natural gas, control and restrict all
civil transportation, which is almost 97 percent dependent upon oil; and
even provides the option to re-institute conscription in order to achieve
both the military and non-military demands of the country.

DHS Purchases Enough Ammunition to Eliminate Entire US Population, 2012

The DHS signs off on "indefinite delivery" for nearly 500 million
high-power ammunition for .40 caliber firearms from defense contractors
ATK. Department says it expects to continue receiving shipments from the
manufacturer for the next five years.

President Obama's Assassination List, 2012

Obama and about 100 counter-terrorism officials have created "kill list" to
specify extrajudicial killings of suspected Al Qaeda terrorists in the
drone war in Pakistan and Yemen. Obama exercises complete discretion over
who may be placed on list. American citizens are not exempt.

US Military to Launch Armed Drones Domestically, 2012

NDAA sets stage for US military to arm up to 30,000 drones set to fly over
US. More powerful versions of the famed Predator drones, known as MQ-9
Reaper drones, are being fitted with missiles and other explosive
ordinances as part of the deployment of 30,000 drones authorized to



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