As I watch the performances of McCain and Obama, I cannot shake the feeling that they are but warm up acts for the real show, that Bush-Cheney are not willing to surrender their hold on the White House just because that stodgy old Constitution says their time is drawing to a close. Somehow I have the bad feeling that a "national emergency" lies just around a corner between here and November. And then?

I refer one and all to what is called the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive that was issued with no fanfare on May 9, 2007. It is also referred to as:

NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51 and as:

HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/HSPD-20

Its subject is: "National Continuity Policy" and it makes for scary reading. Under provisions of this "Presidential Directive", the President himself gets to decide what constitutes a "national emergency" so long as it fits under the broad definition of "... any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions;"

Notice the situations are "or" situations. A national emergency does not have to affect all. It could be "a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies;" "Better" still, the President himself could act as catalyst for such an emergency, say, by bombing Iran and expanding the Middle East conflict(s).

Under terms of this directive, the President could then act to insure "Continuity of Government," or "COG, which " means a coordinated effort within the Federal Government's executive branch to ensure that National Essential Functions continue to be performed during a Catastrophic Emergency;"

Notice that section in bold print. Consider too that under this directive, the position of "a single National Continuity Coordinator" is created within the White House.

Backing up for a moment here, I would add that there has been a National Emergency Act in one guise or another for many many years.and that various Presidents from Lincoln to Clinton have invoked its powers. Where Bush's directive veers markedly off course is that it makes no provision, as was previously required, for it to: "be transmitted to Congress and published in the Federal Register." Indeed, by invoking this "new and improved" directive and building upon the National Emergency Act, Bush could: "...seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens."Moreover, there would be no limitation placed upon the duration of the national emergency.

Pretty apocalyptic vision, eh? Well, not pretty. But no need to worry. Just because Bush has said he has no problems with dictatorship so long as he is dictator, just because he held secret meetings with oil executives to formulate national energy policy, and just because he misled us into Iraq is no reason we should not trust him, is it?