On May 22, 2003 we had a national emergency–I sure missed that one.
I might have noticed a national emergency if Bush had happened to mention it to–for example–the nation. But Executive Order 13303 crept under the newsmen’s radar, as did Bush’s claim of:
“…an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States… I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
It wasn’t until July anybody noticed the May “national emergency” had given our President some sweeping powers and the oil companies some startling benefits.
On May 22, the UN set up a Development Fund for Iraq, funded by revenues from Iraqi oil. “Billions and billions”, as Carl Sagan would say–a better translation is “corporate feeding frenzy“.*
That same day, Bush’s Executive Order 13303 declares null and void any legal action related to petroleum from Iraq.
Some Bush critics** say EO 13303 must have been drafted by an oil company lawyer who expected Bush to agree to only a fraction of its laundry list–for example:
- An accident caused by your negligence injures workers? They can’t sue.
- Your pipeline breaks? The damages aren’t your problem.
- A tanker spills your oil into New York Harbor? Hey, if it’s Iraqi oil, you’re in the clear!
Oil-company authorship would explain why, on the one hand, the legal protection it gives is so sweeping–and, on the other hand, it benefits only oil companies. I hope, that as non-oil companies head for Iraq, we won’t get another “national emergency.”
And I hope that in any real national emergency, somebody tells us about it.
* Josh Marshall this morning links to online promises of high-level influence by Bush’s longtime friend Joe M. Allbaugh.
** That is, I say it. I’m a Bush critic, and “some” is a mathematical term meaning “at least one.”
2 responses so far ↓
1 jr // Sep 26, 2003 at 1:07 pm
There is probably another one declaring that Bush is not responible for anything either. Go past go, do not go directly to jail.
2 NatureIsProfligate // Sep 26, 2003 at 1:14 pm
I’m a critic too. So make that “at least two.”
So does this mean that Bush thinks its ok for ELFers to burn Hummers as long as they use Iraqi oil to set the fires?
No wait, that’s probably overstepping what Bush wants this order used for…although it does fit in with Bush’s general policy of encouraging the needless consumption of lots of fossil fuels.