National Emergencies
By Laurie Baron
SAN DIEGO −Now that the President has declared a National Emergency to bypass Congress’s refusal to allocate the funds he demanded for building the wall, what declarations might be next from the Trump White House?
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Constitutional Basis: “In case public safety is seriously threatened or disturbed, the President may take the measures necessary to reestablish law and order.” (My mistake! When I heard Trump’s announcement and summed it up for a Google search, this passage from Weimar Germany’s constitution popped up. President Hindenburg invoked it in 1933 to suspend civil liberties in Germany to suppress the Communists blamed for setting the Reichstag on fire. Hitler cited it to strip the powers of the country’s remaining democratic institutions.)
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“Scientists have panicked the public into thinking the USA must enact a ‘Green New Deal to save the planet. Their agitation for dictatorial regulations threatens our way of life. I therefore declare a national emergency to imprison scientists and authorize coal, gas, and oil companies to draft all future policies in this regard. We must save our country from environmentalists!”
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“Millions of babies die in abortion clinics. I therefore declare a national emergency to spare their lives. Troops will be mobilized to shut down those clinics and Planned Parenthood.”
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“Multilateral trade agreements and treaties endanger America’s national sovereignty. I therefore declare a national emergency to abrogate all existing treaties with hostile nations and to honor only bilateral pacts with peace-loving ones like North Korea, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.”
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“Fake news and the liberal media are the enemies of the people. I therefore declare a national emergency to create a national censorship board and appoint the Sean Hannity, Alex Jones, and Rush Limbaugh as its commissioners.”
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Baron is professor emeritus of history at San Diego State University. He may be contacted via lawrence.baron@sdjewishworld.com. San Diego Jewish World points out to new readers that this column is satire, and nothing herein should be taken literally.