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Subject: 
Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Thu, 3 Jun 2004 21:11:10 GMT
Viewed: 
2704 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> Why is this a question for the conservatives?

Because I already know the answer that *sane* people would give.  8^)

> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler wrote:
> > Here's a hypothetical:
> > 
> > Let's suppose a major event occurs between now and November 2, something on the
> > order of 9/11.  Now let's suppose that Dubya's administration either postpones
> > or cancels the Presidential election in the wake of the disaster, citing the
> > need for consistent leadership and contiuity of policy, both of which would be
> > compromised by a change of President.
> 
> That's not what the constitution provides for. An event on the order of 9/11
> (without minimising how horrific it was) is enough to justify closing stock
> markets, perhaps, but not enough to justify changing the election date, which is
> constitutionally fixed.

I accept this in principle, but my question is more along the lines of Would
Dubya Try It?  And if so, what then?

> > How would you Conservatives react to this?  Would you be relieved, since it
> > would mean an automatic extension of Dubya's reign (and near carte blanche to do
> > whatever he wants with the Executive and Judicial branches)?  Or would you cry
> > foul, since it would amount to a declaration of dictatorship?
> 
> Is this a trick question? It is so obviously a third world style dictatorship
> imposition that I'm sort of wondering why this is directed to conservatives! If
> this hypothetical came up while Kerry was president, would you ask it of
> "liberals" only?

Sure, if we were looking at Kerry's bid for re-election in the coming months,
and if Kerry's first term had been inaugurated under the most dubious of
circumstances.  But Dubya is the president we have, so I asked the question of
his nominal supporters.  If Dubya were again shoehorned into office through
murky means, then Conservatives would presumably be content with his
re-election, wherease non-Conservatives would not be so happy about it.

So the ur-question is directed at Conservatives who, under normal circumstances,
would presumably be gratified to have him in office for another term; I wondered
if they would be similarly gratified if he took advantage of shady circumstances
to ensure that second term.

> > This is hypothetical, of course, but it's hardly impossible.  Tommy Franks has
> > stated on-record that a WMD terrorist attack might justify the abandonment of
> > the Constitution in favor of military rule.
> 
> Why hasn't this been better publicised? That statement alone is justification
> for voting the entire pack of them out.

I agree.  Franks made the comment in an interview for Cigar Afficianado.
Unfortunately, I can't find the article itself online, but references to it are
easy to locate.  I'll see if I can find a better source.

Dave!



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
 
(...) Now that's a bit uncalled for. If someone is an *actual* conservative, and I do know quite a few of them--intelligent ones, too--they're just as outraged over the bloat and entanglement of our present government. This is why I raise the cry (...) (22 years ago, 4-Jun-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
 
Why is this a question for the conservatives? (...) That's not what the constitution provides for. An event on the order of 9/11 (without minimising how horrific it was) is enough to justify closing stock markets, perhaps, but not enough to justify (...) (22 years ago, 3-Jun-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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