Sunday, July 29, 2007

How in the heck did this get by us? (thanks, Professor Zero)

A presidential Executive Order issued on July 17th, repeals with the stroke of a pen the right to dissent and to oppose the Pentagon's military agenda in Iraq.

The Executive Order entitled "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq" provides the President with the authority to confiscate the assets of "certain persons" who oppose the US led war in Iraq:

"I have issued an Executive Order blocking property of persons determined to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq or undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people."

In substance, under this executive order, opposing the war becomes an illegal act.

Maybe it got by some of us because we are trying to figure out why it is so important for this man to go after a doctor and two nurses for allegedly euthanizing patients left in Memorial Hospital after the lights went out and the floodwaters came into the buildings. Public opinion and outcry probably greatly contributed to this case being dropped, but Attorney General Foti is releasing all the records compiled in the prosecution of the case to the public anyhow. What purpose does this serve? Is it really in order to get hold of political support of the aged folks in the population? I think the only thing that would bring that back would be a highly comprehensive look at why certain measures weren't taken to decrease the potential for euthanasia as the only option in times of crisis such as massive engineering failures at the heels of a natural disaster. Re-examine cases such as the St Rita's tragedy. Require anybody in the health care profession who is working in an area at high risk for such disasters to have an evacuation plan for patients in all stages of illness and infirmity no matter what. Our eyes are being dragged off the ultimate prize, which is ultimately emergency preparedness.

With the latest Executive Order from our illustrious oaf of a prez, our eyes are being maneuvered off a different prize, which is that of ending a war we never should have started in the first place. You hang on to your stuff, this missive is telling us, and we will hang on to the war we're waging in your name with your money, your blood and those of your friends and relatives.

Thanks a lot. We in these parts already know that a good amount of our potential emergency forces are overseas. We call the Oaf out on it every chance we get. And now he's made official what the feds have been doing and denying since 8-29 - he'll be seizing any assets we might have if we point out the obvious one more time.

Check the Ninth Ward out sometime, Executive Putz. And not from the windows of Air Force One.

What the hell does this town have to lose anyway by continuing to point out the obvious?

4 comments:

Professor Zero said...

It amazes me how the government wants to be off the hook for all of these Katrina deaths, but wants to go after individuals.

My parents, who are old and have health problems, but are bright and not delusional, would have looked at the situation at Memorial had they been there and said, OK, we were looking at dying a few years from now, but now our choice is to die in pain and suffering 4 days from now, or peacefully today ... and then smoked that last cigarette and pumped the morphine.

Perhaps I am too tolerant, or don't know enough about it, but I don't really fault the Manganos, either (St. Rita). Miscalculation, error in judgment ... maybe ... but negligent homicide, it seems rather extreme given how many other people also drowned in houses.

Leigh C. said...

No matter where they were in the city limits, the elderly got shafted big time in the floods. Prosecuting individuals on charges of homicide isn't going to change the fact that this city's hospitals, nursing homes, and homebound elderly and infirm need to have a clear and comprehensive evacuation plan. THAT ought to take precedence over the political careers and power grabs of certain individuals.

Anonymous said...

Well, the Manganos -- they were in charge of their own destiny there. They should have made preparations. Wouldn't it occur to you that all those people might need to be moved in a hurry sometime? As for Tenet -- they're the ones who deserve to be prosecuted for the Memorial fiasco.

As for the Constitution -- anyone have some marshmallows?

Leigh C. said...

Honestly, I'd kinda prefer to see folks acting in the name of the Constitution to be burned at the stake, but that's just me, I guess.