Obama Gives Self Wide Sweeping Internet Control Powers

[BG45]

Remember how SOPA, PIPA, and CISPA were all shot down by the outraged and concerned citizens of the United States in an effort to lobby Congress which surpassed anything since the Civil Rights era and Vietnam War ended? Remember how many people pointed out that it was the GOP who introduced all those net censorship bills (I know I did, while showing they had bipartisan support)? Yeah, President Obama decided he really wanted that internet control, no matter what the American people want or the citizens of other nations whose servers may be in America.

[url="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57469950-93/obama-signs-order-outlining-emergency-internet-control/"]CNET News - Obama Signs Order Outlining Emergency Internet Control[/url]

[quote]
President Barack Obama signed an executive order last week that could give the U.S. government control over the Internet.

With the wordy title "[url="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/06/executive-order-assignment-national-security-and-emergency-preparedness-"]Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions[/url]," this order was designed to empower certain governmental agencies with control over telecommunications and the Web during natural disasters and security emergencies.

Here's the rationale behind the order:

[indent=1][quote]The Federal Government must have the ability to communicate at all times and under all circumstances to carry out its most critical and time sensitive missions. Survivable, resilient, enduring, and effective communications, both domestic and international, are essential to enable the executive branch to communicate within itself and with: the legislative and judicial branches; State, local, territorial, and tribal governments; private sector entities; and the public, allies, and other nations. Such communications must be possible under all circumstances to ensure national security, effectively manage emergencies, and improve national resilience.[/quote][/indent]
[indent=1]According to [url="http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/10/3149831/obama-national-security-emergency-preparedness-internet-order"]The Verge[/url], critics of the order are concerned with Section 5.2, which is a lengthy part outlining how telecommunications and the Internet are controlled. It states that the Secretary of Homeland Security will "oversee the development, testing, implementation, and sustainment" of national security and emergency preparedness measures on all systems, including private "non-military communications networks." According to The Verge, critics say this gives Obama the on/off switch to the Web.

Presidential powers over the Internet and telecommunications were laid out in a [url="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320096-38.html"]U.S. Senate bill in 2009[/url], which proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet. But that legislation was not included in the [url="http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-57377932-245/senators-introduce-new-cybersecurity-bill/"]Cybersecurity Act of 2012[/url] earlier this year.
After being published by the [url="https://www.federalregister.gov/"]Federal Register[/url], executive orders take 30 days to become law. However, the president can amend, withdraw, or issue an overriding order at any time.[/indent]

[/quote]

Granted, Executive Orders have been used for worse things in the past. Like [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9066"]Executive Order 9066[/url], signed by FDR, which ended up classifying certain areas as military zones and leading to the imprisonment of over one hundred thousand loyal Japanese Americans in internment camps for the duration of World War Two.

[MIKolbe]

Feel safer, or be an enemy of the State...

[Marie-Therese]

And, if you note, the vague wording of "security emergencies" or "natural disasters" could encompass pretty much anything. I mean, we're presently involved in at least 2 foreign wars and we remain at perpetual "defcon 7 threat level orange 94 Z" or whatever the hell it is right now. An argument could be made that he could apply this order to basically everything, all the time. Which is, of course, the point. I've seen administrations come and go, but this is the first one, regardless of party or affiliation, that spits in the face of the people of this country without so much as a change in expression. Obama could write another book, just title it "The Audacity," and leave it at that, and you'd have a completely un-ironic statement of his personal views. Doesn't help that this country is populated with sheep.

[BG45]

To build on the "what qualifies can be vague" point, this [url="http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/6216.pdf"]Congressional Research Service (PDF hosted on the State Department website) report [/url]last updated a week after 9/11 lists examples of 32 declared national emergencies between 1976-2001., or about 1.5 a year on average. Though an indefinite state of emergency can't be maintained by law, if you declare another as one goes into dormancy, you still have the same EO powers.

Bush was rather fond of these also, but while he did some very questionable things about civil liberties, I don't recall him ever completely bypassing Congress on immigration or to place controls on the internet (just wanting your records from it!). Fun trivia of the day, the first Executive Order declaring a state of emergency was made by President Woodrow Wilson.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='Marie-Therese' timestamp='1342198472' post='2455322']
And, if you note, the vague wording of "security emergencies" or "natural disasters" could encompass pretty much anything. I mean, we're presently involved in at least 2 foreign wars and we remain at perpetual "defcon 7 threat level orange 94 Z" or whatever the hell it is right now. An argument could be made that he could apply this order to basically everything, all the time. Which is, of course, the point. I've seen administrations come and go, but this is the first one, regardless of party or affiliation, that spits in the face of the people of this country without so much as a change in expression. Obama could write another book, just title it "The Audacity," and leave it at that, and you'd have a completely un-ironic statement of his personal views. [b]Doesn't help that this country is populated with sheep.[/b]
[/quote]

Ah ha! See? Sheep!

Sorry, I just had to do that.

Yeah, what you say makes sense. I think Obama will use any excuse to use this, as is his nature. Once the government has control of the internet it can do anything it wants with it in "times of crisis".

[BG45]

Also my bad, I focused so much on the net, I neglected to see that it's not just the net. It was pointed out to me on Facebook that this is [b]ALL forms of communication[/b].

[Slappo]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1342202058' post='2455345']
Also my bad, I focused so much on the net, I neglected to see that it's not just the net. It was pointed out to me on Facebook that this is [b]ALL forms of communication[/b].
[/quote]

I think that just makes it worse... Now it's not just a slap in the face of the American people, it's a kick in the groin for follow up.

[BG45]

I agree. Makes me think of World War Two in particular, when the government essentially did seize control of all communication (and violated a ton of liberties in the name of liberty).

[Amppax]

amesome! I LOVED 1984!

[Anomaly]

This is what career politicians do to protect and expand the powers of the political institutions and protect their jobs/careers. People encourage this behavior when they support the ideat that 'government should do something' when they have problems or difficulties in their life. It's fine and good when it's significant national problems, but people have to know when and how to limit government help because it eventually will become intrusion and control.

[eagle_eye222001]

America will fall like the Roman Empire. It will crumble onto itself.

[MissScripture]

My mom keeps saying that she thinks that if Obama gets re-elected that he will abolish term limits and make sure he stays in power. I had been thinking she was majorly over-reacting. Now, I'm not so sure...

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Anomaly' timestamp='1342205936' post='2455372']
This is what career politicians do to protect and expand the powers of the political institutions and protect their jobs/careers. People encourage this behavior when they support the ideat that 'government should do something' when they have problems or difficulties in their life. It's fine and good when it's significant national problems, but people have to know when and how to limit government help because it eventually will become intrusion and control.
[/quote]
One of the problems is Obama really isn't a career politician, his track record before the Presidency is minimal, mostly ducking and hiding out of sight, just like all his records...