Sabot Cat
Banned
A Year of Terror: The 2001 Inaugural Attacks
PHASE ONE: REASSEMBLY
PART I: 01/21
HIJACKED JETS KILL PRESIDENT, CONGRESS, AND THOUSANDS MORE
CAPITOL AND TWIN TOWERS DESTROYED
CAPITOL AND TWIN TOWERS DESTROYED
From the New York Times
Published: January 21, 2001
Hundreds of thousands of Americans huddled around the platform built along the West Front outside the United Capitol building, against chill winds and under cloudy skies, to see the inauguration of the 43rd president of the United States, George Walker Bush. They would be the first victims of the worst and most audacious terror attack in our nation's history. At 12:02pm, a hijacked jetliner struck the proceedings, and trapped almost everyone present in a hellish storm of ash, smoke and fire before a national television audience. No official count has been made, but it's known that the President and his wife, nearly all former living Presidents, all the members of the Congress, all nine justices of the Supreme Court, most living Medal of Honor recipients, and thousands of civilians perished.
The coordinated strikes continued when each of the World Trade Center towers in New York City were hit, the first of which was struck nineteen minutes after the attack in the Capital, while the second hit an hour later. Many casualties were averted because it was the weekend, allowing what few remained to evacuate before the towers came toppling down. The last hijacked plane crashed in Virginia before it could hit whatever target it was destined for. All together, 312 people are confirmed to have lost their lives aboard these four planes.
"The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake: America remains engaged in the world by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom," said acting Secretary of Defense Rudolph deLeon reading from the late President's prepared address. "We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the values that gave our nation birth."
Rudolph deLeon was the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and as the incoming cabinet had not been confirmed by the Senate while the outgoing cabinet has resigned (including the Deputy Secretary of State), he had become the acting Secretary of Defense. This is why he has assumed the powers of the presidency pursuant to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 until a Congressional leader is confirmed. Although there are no constitutional procedures to instantly restore the members of the House of Representatives, vacant Senatorial seats are filled either by Governor appointment or special election in most states. President Bush's cabinet nominees, although uncontroversial, cannot be confirmed until a new Senate can be assembled.
“I want to assure the American public that the search for those responsible for these unforgivable attacks is underway, and we look to our partners abroad for assistance in this time of unparalleled tragedy,” said deLeon in his televised address to the nation from the White House lawn.
No individual or organized has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the sophistication and scale required for such a coordinated attack, along with the recent history of major attacks on American targets in the previous years, has led many officials and experts to point to Osama bin Laden, an Islamic militant operating from Afghanistan. The Taliban, the hard-liner rulers of Afghanistan, have rejected these suggestions in what is most likely to be a defensive measure.
PART II: 01/22-02/14
THE PHOENIX PLAN FOR GOVERNMENT REASSEMBLY
From: The “Phoenix Plan” Press Release
Aired: January 22nd 2001
Speakers: John Engler, Governor of Michigan and Chair of the National Governor's Association; Colin Powell, Secretary of State nominee
Engler: "In the aftermath of the Inaugural Attacks, the people of the United States of America have been forced to ask themselves difficult questions. “Is my family going to be safe? And what kind of world will our children live in?" Perhaps more poignant of them all, "How and why could a tragedy like this happen?” These questions don't have easy answers, and in a time of such uncertainty and fear, Americans often look to their leaders to do all that they can to resolve the crisis.
It is for this reason that the National Governors' Association has acted to draft the “Phoenix Plan”, to reassemble our government in a way that will be both constitutional and at a speed that will enable us to match the speed of our enemies. My Democratic and Republican colleagues have already received the Phoenix Plan with nearly unanimous approval, and so tonight we share it with you the American people, in hopes that you will also receive it favorably. I'll now turn the podium over to General Powell.”
1. Washington's Birthday or "Presidents Day", on February 19th, is our deadline for a full Senate, although a quorum is set to be achieved by January 26th. The Senate shall administer confirmation hearings for all known Cabinet nominees of the late President George W. Bush.
2. The House of Representatives will be reconstituted after special elections are held throughout the nation. In order to attain maximum voter turnout and allow for a reasonable campaign period, we have chosen Memorial Day, on May 26th 2001 as the time for a national special election.
3. Finally, our Congress will not meet regularly within Washington D.C. due to the attack on our Capitol. Until it's restored, the Federal Hall in New York City will be used to show solidarity with those who suffered from the attacks on the World Trade Center. Additionally, our military experts in the Pentagon have suggested for the Congress to convene in publicly recorded teleconferences for most business so that a tragedy like this is not repeated.
The governors assembled here tonight are working to provide secure and trustworthy electronic voting machines for each of their states that will iron out any irregularities and improve our timetable for getting our government back in order. To sum up, if we pursue this plan, we shall have a full Senate by Washington's Birthday, a House of Representatives after Memorial Day, and an entire Congress elected and assembled in a manner more consistent with the 21st Century. In the meantime, I urge all of us to put aside our fears, no matter how difficult that might be. Instead we must be resolute in remaining faithful to our nation, and the principles that it was founded upon, while continuing to pursue the American Dream."
PUNDITS BEAT THE WAR DRUM
From: FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting)
Published: January 24th 2001
The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer (1/23/01) wrote: “The reason why there's enough terrorists who can carry the deadliest attack against the United States in its history is that, while they've declared war on us, we have responded with useless cruise missile strikes at the desert and subpoenas.”
David Broder (1/22/01), claimed to be a moderate, called for “new steel in our foreign policy”: “For too long now we've responded to the murders of Americans in the military or on diplomatic missions with pinprick retaliations, if any at all.”
Bill O'Reilly: “If the Taliban in Afghanistan doesn't cooperate in giving upon bin Laden, then we'll have to blast them from the air, with whatever we've got.”
-(The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel, 1/23/01)
“This not a time to be punctilious around those involved in the terrorist attack... What we need to do is nuke their capitals and convert their people to Christianity. We weren't all precious about carpet-bombing Germany or nuking Japan. That's war. And we're at war.”
-Syndicated columnist Ann Counter (National Review Online, 1/23/01)
“The American reply to a 21-century Pearl Harbor should be nearly the same as the response to the 20th-century Pearl Harbor: nuke the bastards.”
-Steve Dunleavy, (New York Post, 1/22/01)
“We must use tactical nuclear strikes against Afghanistan; it's the least we can do to prevent the deranged minds that carried out these attacks from rightly thinking that the United States responds to the destruction of its Capitol and world trade center with cowardice. Otherwise, it will undermine the Mutually Assured Destruction doctrine, and thus world peace...”
-Former Defense Intelligence Agency officer Thomas Woodrow, “Time to Use the Nuclear Option."
$50 BILL HOARDING EPIDEMIC
From: The Wall Street JournalPublished: January 25th 2001
THE UNITED STATES SENATE OF THE 108TH CONGRESS
Published: Present
The United States Senate of the 108th Congress was first assembled on January 26th 2001 following the Inaugural Attacks. The vast majority of its seats were filled by gubernatorial appointment, pursuant to the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, although a few states with divided party control in their governments passed laws that required special elections as opposed to appointments.
The first 84 Senator quorum that convened consisted of 55 Republicans, 2 Independents and 27 Democrats; the full Senate had 64 Republicans, 2 Independents, and 34 Democrats respectively. This was the first time since 1964 that one faction (the formal Republican-Independent caucus) had a two-thirds majority, allowing them to theoretically override vetoes, convict on impeachment charges and invoke cloture without votes from their Democratic colleagues.
The Washington Inquire, the Washington Times, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times immediately ran extensive editorials on the gubernatorial appointments, concurrent with multiple primetime television news reports from NBC, CBS, and PBS, that were generally ascertained to be negative in tone. Criticisms generally included the charge that the Governors were acting “opportunistically” in their “partisan selections”, and that it was “disrespectful” to “take seats from our late Senators”.
In response, Republican Party Chairman Jim Gilmore announced that the Republicans would not run any candidates in districts that once had a Democratic incumbent, while defending the appointments as “backed with historical precedent” and asserted that “both parties appointed Senators regardless of previous political affiliation”. Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe reciprocated Chairman Gilmore's pledge the following day on behalf of his party.
Alabama, special elections:
(Republican) Jeremiah Denton, U.S. Senator (1981-1987)
(Republican) William H. Pryor, Jr., Alabama Attorney General (1997-2001)
Alaska, appointments:
(Republican) Lisa Murkowski, Alaska House Representative (1998-2001)
(Republican) David Cuddy, Alaska House Representative (1980-1982)
Arizona, appointments:
(Republican) Matt Salmon, U.S. House Representative (1995-2001)
(Republican) David Schweikert, Arizona House Representative (1991-1995), Chairman of Arizona State Board of Equalization (1995-2001)
Arkansas, appointments:
(Republican) Mark Pryor, 53rd Arkansas Attorney General (1999-2001)
(Republican) Fay Boozman, Arkansas State Senator (1995-1998)
California, appointments:
(Democratic) Jerry Brown, 47th Mayor of Oakland (1999-2001), 34th California Governor (1975 to 1983)
(Democratic) Leo T. McCarthy, 43rd Lt. Governor of California (1983-1995), Speaker of California State Assembly (1974-1980)
Colorado, appointments:
(Republican) George Hanks “Hank” Brown, U.S. Senator (1991-1997) and U.S. House Representative (1981-1991)
(Republican) William L. “Bill” Armstrong, U.S. Senator (1979-1991) and U.S. House Representative (1973-1979)
Connecticut, special elections:
(Democratic) Richard Blumenthal, 23rd Connecticut Attorney General (1991-2001) and Connecticut Senator (1987-1991)
(Democratic) William O'Neill, 84th Governor of Connecticut (1980-1991)
Delaware, appointments:
(Democratic) Sherman Tribbitt, Governor of Delaware (1973-1987)
(Democratic) John C. Carney, Jr., 24th Lt. Governor of Delaware (2001)
Florida, appointments:
(Republican) Frank Brogan, 15th Lt. Governor of Florida (1991-2001)
(Republican) Antoinette “Toni” Jennings, Florida Senator (1980-2000), Florida Representative (1976-1980)
Georgia, appointments
(Democratic) Joe Frank Harris, 78th Governor of Georgia (1983-1991)
(Democratic) George Busbee, 77th Governor of Georgia (1975-1983)
Hawaii, appointments:
(Democratic) Mazie Hirono, 9th Lt. Governor of Hawaii (1994-2001),
(Democratic) John D. Waihee III, 4th Governor of Hawaii (1986-1994), Lt. Governor of Hawaii (1982-1986)
Idaho, appointments:
(Republican) Jim Jones, 29th Attorney General of Idaho (1983-1991)
(Republican) James A. “Jim” McClure, U.S. Senator (1973-1991) and U.S. House Representative (1967-1973)
Illinois, special elections:
(Democratic) Carol Moseley Braun, U.S. Senator (1993-1999) and U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand (1999-2001)
(Republican) Richard S. Williamson, 17th Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (1988-1989)
Indiana, appointments:
(Democratic) Jill Long Thompson, U.S. House Representative (1989-1995)
(Democratic) Joe Hogsett, Secretary of State of Indiana (1989-1994)
Iowa, appointments:
(Democratic) Roxanne Barton Conlin, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa (1977-1981)
(Democratic) John Culver, U.S. Senator (1975-1981) and U.S. House Representative (1965-1975)
Kansas, appointments:
(Republican) Bob Dole, U.S. Senator (1969-1996) and Senate Majority Leader (1995-1996)
(Republican) Sheila Frahm, U.S. Senator (1996)
Kentucky, appointments:
(Republican) Marlow Cook, U.S. Senator (1968-1974)
(Republican) David L. Smith, Kentucky Senator (1987-2001) and Kentucky House Representative (1985-1987)
Louisiana, appointments:
(Republican) Louis Elwood “Woody” Jenkins, Louisiana State Representative (1972-2000)
(Republican) James J. “Jim” Donelon, Louisiana State Representative (1982-2001)
Maine, appointments:
(Democratic) William Dodd Hathaway, U.S. Senator (1973-1979) and U.S. House Representative (1965-1973)
(Republican) William Cohen, Secretary of Defense (1997-2001) and U.S. Senator (1979-1997)
Maryland, appointments:
(Democratic) Harry Roe Hughes, 57th Governor of Maryland (1979-1987)
(Democratic) Melvin A. Steinberg, 5th Lt. Governor of Maryland (1987-1995) and President of the Maryland State Senate (1983-1987)
Massachusetts, special elections:
(Democratic) Deval Patrick, United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division (1994-1997)
(Republican) William Weld, 68th Governor of Massachusetts (1991-1997)
Michigan, appointments:
(Republican) Richard Griffin, Justice for the Michigan Court of Appeals
(Republican) Connie Binsfeld, 58th Lt. Governor (1991-1999)
Minnesota, appointments:
(Independence) Dean M. Barkley, founder and former Chair of the Minnesota Reform Party
(Independence) Mae Schunk, 45th Lt. Governor of Minnesota (1999-2001)
Mississippi, appointments:
(Democratic) Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery, U.S. House Representative (1967-1997)
(Democratic) Charles Wayne Dowdy, U.S. Representative (1981-1989)
Missouri, appointments:
(Republican) Jim Talent, U.S. House Representative (1993-2001)
(Republican) John Ashcroft, U.S. Senator (1995-2001) and 56th Governor of Missouri (1985-1993)
Montana, appointments:
(Republican) Karl Ohs, Lt. Governor of Montana (2001)
(Republican) Marc Racicot, Governor of Montana (1993-2001)
Nebraska appointments:
(Republican) Don Stenberg, Attorney General of Nebraska (1991-2001)
(Republican) David Maurstad, 36th Lt. Governor of Nebraska (1999-2001)
Nevada, appointments:
(Republican) Dean Heller , 15th Secretary of State of Nevada (1995-2001)
(Republican) Paul Laxalt, U.S. Senator (1974-1987) and 22nd Governor of Nevada (1967-1971)
New Hampshire, appointments:
(Democratic) John A. Durkin, U.S. Senator (1975-1980)
(Democratic) Robert A. Baines, mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire (2000-2001)
New Mexico appointments:
(Republican) Garrey Carruthers, 27th Governor of New Mexico (1987-1991)
(Republican) William T. Redmond, U.S. Representative (1997-1999)
New Jersey, appointments:
(Republican) John J. Farmer Jr., New Jersey Attorney General (1999-2001)
(Republican) Bob Franks, U.S. Representative (1993-2001)
New York, special elections:
(Republican) Alfonse Marcello “Al” D'Amato, U.S. Senator (1981-1999)
(Democratic) Robert Adams, 60th New York State Attorney General (1979-1993)
North Carolina, appointments:
(Democratic) Jim Hunt, 69th and 71st Governor of North Carolina (1977-1985; 1993-2001)
(Democratic) Erskine Bowles, 19th White House Chief of Staff (1997-1998) and 18th Adiminstration of the Small Business Administration (1993-1994)
North Dakota, appointments:
(Republican) Jack Dalrymple, 36th Lt. Governor of North Dakota (2000-2001), North Dakota House Representative (1985-2000)
(Republican) Mark Andrews, U.S. Senator (1981-1987), U.S. House Representative (1963-1973; 1973-1981)
Ohio, appointments:
(Republican) Tom Kindness, U.S. House Representative (1975-1987)
(Republican) Bill Gradison, U.S. House Representative (1975-1983; 1983-1993)
Oklahoma, appointments:
(Republican) Henry Bellmon, 23rd and 18th Governor of Oklahoma (1963-1967;1987-1991) and former U.S. Senator (1969-1981)
(Republican) Mary Fallin, 14th Lt. Governor of Oklahoma (1995-2001)
Oregon, special elections:
(Republican) Mark Hatfield, former U.S. Senator (1967-1997) and 29th Governor of Oregon (1959-1967)
(Democratic) James Howard “Jim” Weaver, former U.S. Representative (1975-1987)
Pennsylvania, appointments:
(Republican) Richard Schweiker, 14th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (1981-1983) and U.S. Senator (1969-1981)
(Republican) Donald L. Ritter, U.S. House Representative (1979-1993)
Rhode Island, appointments:
(Republican) Edward DiPrete, 70th Governor of Rhode Island (1985-1991)
(Republican) Ronald Keith Machtley, U.S. House Representative (1989-1995)
South Carolina, appointments:
(Democratic) Richard Riley, 6th United States Secretary of Education (1993-2001) and 111th Governor of South Carolina (1979-1987)
(Democratic) Nick Andrew Theodore, 85th Lt. Governor of South Carolina (1987-1995) and South Carolina Senator (1981-1987)
South Dakota, appointments:
(Republican) James Abdnor, United States Senator (1981-1987), 15th Administrator of the United States Small Business Administration (1987-1988)
(Republican) Walter Dale Miller, 29th Governor of South Dakota (1993-1995) and 34th Lt. Governor of South Dakota (1987-1993)
Tennessee, appointments:
(Republican) Lamar Alexender, 5th United States Secretary of Education (1991-1993) and 45th Governor of Tennessee (1979-1987)
(Republican) Ron Ramsey, Member of the Tennessee Senate (1997) and House of Representatives (1993-1996)
Texas, appointments:
(Republican) John Cornyn, 49th Attorney General of Texas (1999-2001) and Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court (1991-1997)
(Republican) William “Bill” Roark Ratliff, 40th Lt. Governor of Texas (2000-2001) and Texas Senator (1989-2001)
Utah, appointments:
(Republican) Jake Garn, U.S. Senator (1974-1993)
(Republican) Dee Benson, United States District Court for the District of Utah judge (1991-2001)
Vermont, appointments:
(Democratic) William Sorrell, 25th Vermont Attorney General (1997-2001)
(Democratic) Madeleine May Kunin, 77th Governor of Vermont (1985-1991) and U.S. Ambassador to Switzeland and Liechtenstein (1996-1999)
Virginia, appointments:
(Republican) Mark Earley, Attorney General of Virginia (1998-2001) and Virginia State Senator (1988-1998)
(Republican) John H. Hager, Lt. Governor of Virginia (1998-2001)
Washington, special elections:
(Republican) Slade Gorton, U.S. Senator (1981-1987;1989-2001)
(Republican) Linda Smith, U.S. Representative (1995-1999)
West Virginia, appointments:
(Democratic) A. James Manchin, West Virginia State Treasurer (1985-1989) and Secretary of States (1977-1985)
(Democratic) Glen Gainer III, West Virginia State Auditor (1993-2001)
Wisconsin, special elections:
(Republican) Scott Klug, U.S. Representative (1991-1999)
(Democratic) William Proxmire, U.S. Senator (1957-1989)
Wyoming, appointments:
(Republican) Clifford Hansen, U.S. Senator (1967-1978) and Governor of Wyoming (1963-1967)
(Republican) Alan Simpson, U.S. Senator (1987-1995)
PRESIDENT DELEON REFUSES TO STEP DOWN
From: PBS NewsHour
Published: January 29th, 2001
Former Deputy Secretary of Defense and current President Randolf deLeon is refusing to leave office under pressure from Republicans in the Senate, chief among them President pro tempore Bob Dole.
“I know what the constitution says,” deLeon said in his address to the media, “and I quote from Article 2, Section 1, Clause 8: 'Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.' As such, I will not step down from the presidency until we have an elected President to take my place.”
He continued, “This Senate, largely unelected by the American people, should not chose the next President from among themselves, as it is an affront to our principles, among them the separation of powers and popular sovereignty.”
President pro tempore and Kansas Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) fired back, “The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 is the law of the land. I think that deLeon is dragging the nation through turmoil it does not need right now, or ever. Once the House assembles, my colleagues and I will not be afraid to convict on articles of impeachment if he does not desist from this radical and unlawful behavior.”
If President deLeon were to yield to what's been termed the "Succession Shuffle Clause" by legal scholars, Senator Bob Dole would become the next President of the United States.
Senator Bill Ratliff (R-TX) said, “we can't wait until Memorial Day to do what needs to get done. I say that we have as many special elections for representatives as possible now, and when we have some elected, that would make a sufficient quorum”.
“They would only have a quorum if at least 218 Representatives are elected,” said constitutional lawyer Alexandra Lopez, “and I doubt the American people would be happy with a House that only had 'some' members conducting a process of such import as impeachment proceedings.”
Although the House has remained vacant, the Senate has been abuzz with activity, with all of late President George W. Bush's cabinet appointments being confirmed unanimously over the last week.
TALIBAN FAILS TO DELIVER BIN LADEN, PRESIDENT DELEON WARNS OF "SWIFT, DECISIVE RETALIATION"
From: CNNPublished: February 12th 2001
In the previous month, the Taliban had ostensibly agreed to U.S. President deLeon's offer to handover Bin Laden to Pakistan, and disband al-Qaeda within their borders. They have thus far failed to follow through with any part of this deal due to stated difficulties in carrying them out.
This is the same response they gave in February 14th, 1999, when the the U.S. requested bin Laden's extradition for his alleged involvement in the USS Cole bombings. Bin Laden is also believed to be the mastermind of the Inaugural Attacks, and in stark contrast to his status as a hero among Muslim extremists, he has since became an object of scorn for the United States and the Western world.
“We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Washington against the encroaching evils of global terrorism,” United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair declared, reiterating a sentiment that has been expressed since the Inaugural Attacks occurred.
“If the Taliban continues to offer sanctuary for terrorists,” President deLeon said, “they should expect swift, decisive retaliation with the full might of the United States and its allies.”
[…]
POWELL AND DOLE CLASH OVER PRESIDENCY
From: The Los Angeles Times
Published: February 14th 2001
Secretary of State Colin Powell has been in a verbal sparring match over the last couple days with Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) after he suggested special elections to resolve the conflict of power.
“As I've said before, the American people need to have confidence in the legitimacy of those that lead them,” said Secretary Powell yesterday, “[and] I suggest we hold a special election for the presidency this Independence Day.”
In response, Dole has gathered most of his fellow Republican Senators in a photo-op event at Independence Hall, stating “This is ridiculous […] we will not change the letter of the law because deLeon can not adhere to it.”
President deLeon began his televised addressed with an air of serene yet palpable anger: “While doing everything in my power to keep our nation safe, and finding those who organized the Inaugural Attacks to bring them to justice, my legal team has helped take the case against the unconstitutional provisions of the 1947 presidential succession act all the way to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. I remind my Republican friends in Congress that they have no power to pass or enforce laws outside of the purview of the constitution, and that no court makes a law unconstitutional, they merely identify them as such. It is as inoperable as if it wasn't written in the first place.”
Senator Madeleine May Kunin (D-VT) told our reporters that, “I'm sympathetic to deLeon's concerns, and I agree with Secretary Powell in broad strokes, but I think it's unwise to have them on Independence Day. We should defer them to November or next year.”
The court date has been set for February 19th, 2001.
PART III: 02/15-03/09
TALIBAN “NOT INVINCIBLE”; AFGHANISTAN REQUESTS UN AID
From: CNN
Published: February 15th 2001
Ahmad Shah Massoud, the de facto leader of the anti-Taliban United Front in Afghanistan, has met with NATO Secretary General George Robertson, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City to request foreign military aid and humanitarian assistance.
“The Taliban and al-Qaeda have introduced a very wrong perception of Islam to the world. We must realize that they are not representative, and further, that they are not invincible,” Massaoud said, “they are weaker than in the past, because they are so distant from the people. It is only the assistance provided by extremists like Osama bin Laden that keep the Taliban on their feet.”
Sources suggest that tens of millions of dollars in military equipment and other resources have already been received by Massaoud's United Front from the United States and its allies since the Inaugural Attacks.
[...]
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1341
Published: February 16th 2001
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4282nd meeting, on 16 February 2001
The Security Council,
Reaffirming its previous resolutions, in particular resolutions 1276 (1999) of 15 October 1999, 1333 (2000) of 19 December 2000, and 1336 (2001) of 21 January 2001,
Condemning the Taliban for facilitating the use of Afghanistan as a base for the export of terrorism by the Al-Qaida network and other terrorist groups and for providing safe haven to Usama Bin Laden, Al-Qaida and others associated with them,
Determining the Taliban is a threat to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,
Determining that the failure of the Taliban authorities to respond to the demands in resolution 1336 (2001) constitutes a threat to international peace and security,
Acting for these reasons under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Authorizes, to support the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in exercising its inherent right of self-defence in accordance with the Charter, the immediate establishment of a United Nations Interim Force in Afghanistan under its authority;
2. Calls upon Member States to contribute personnel, equipment, and other resources to the United Nations Interim Force in Afghanistan;
3. Calls on all Afghan forces to ensure the safety of the United Nations and associated personnel, as well as personnel of humanitarian organizations, and to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law;
4. Encourages Member States to support long-term assistance to the social and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan;
5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
D.C. CIRCUIT CHOOSES OUR PRESIDENT: IT'S NOT DOLE OR DELEON
Published: February 19th 2001
In one of the most controversial contemporary court decisions since Bush v. Gore, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled 5-4 that Congressional officials such as Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) cannot be elevated to the presidency. However, before deLeon's legal team could celebrate their evident victory, the court announced that the true Acting President should, in fact, be Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
The entire court agreed that the “Succession Shuffle Clause” was inoperable because, in the words of Chief Judge Harry Edwards, “Congressmen cannot make a law that allows one of their own to be the President without an amendment, because they are not what the Succession Clause refers to as 'Officers', which is a term consistently used by the constitution in reference to those who are appointed by the President”, with “strong supporting evidence” in James Madison's notes and drafts. And although the nine judges also agreed that deLeon was not Acting President, they were not unanimous in deciding who was.
Writing for the majority opinion, Circuit Judges Stephen F. Williams, joined by Douglas Ginsburg, David Sentelle, A. Raymond Randolph and Karen L. Henderson, wrote that, “upon the successful confirmation vote of Donald Rumsfeld in the Senate, the plaintiff [deLeon] was no longer acting Secretary of Defense or Acting President.” Further, “the status of Acting President was not conferred upon the plaintiff himself, but the Secretary of Defense as an office”, and thus 'bumping' deLeon out for Rumsfeld would be “constitutionally permissible” despite the much-quoted Article II, Section 1, Clause 6.
Chief Judge Edwards, joined by Circuit Judges Merrick Garland and David Tatel, wrote in their dissent that the Acting President is Secretary of State Colin Powell, because “after the plaintiff ceased to be the Secretary of Defense, the office of president was again vacant,” and thus, “the line of succession began anew with the Secretary of State.” Circuit Judge Judith Rogers alone opined that the D.C. Circuit shouldn't have heard the case because this would have been a“political question best left to Congress when it reassembles”.
History will show us if she's right.
POWELL CONTINUES TO CALL FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, DISMISSED AS SECRETARY OF STATE
From: The Washington Post
Published: February 23rd 2001
Colin Powell has been dismissed as Secretary of State by Acting President Donald Rumsfeld on the heels of an interview with Face the Nation (CBS).
“The United States needs to have an elected President,” said former Secretary Powell, “who can command our forces with the full faith of the American people in his authority.”
More controversially, Powell criticized Rumsfeld's purported foreign policy proposals, “every meeting its always been 'get Hussein, get Hussein, get Hussein'. And what I want to know is how Saddam Hussein and Iraq are related to our mission in Afghanistan.”
“It's incredibly inappropriate for Powell to go to the media with his concerns during what happens in our private meetings” said President Rumsfeld, “and I believe that such intrusions upon our planning will jeopardize our ability to respond to threats to our national security.”
Frank Carlucci, the 16th Secretary of Defense and 15th National Security Advisor for the Reagan administration, was appointed and confirmed as the new Secretary of State. Carlucci had been friends with Rumsfeld in Princeton University, and was most recently involved in a lawsuit against the 2000 HBO film Lumumba, which depicted him as a conspirator in the assassination of the Congo's first prime minster.
RUMSFELD APPOINTS MOST DIVERSE SUPREME COURT EVER, SENATE FILIBUSTERS LAST NOMINEE
From: The Washington Times
Published: March 9th 2001
Liberals have been raising hell ever since Donald Rumsfeld was confirmed as acting President by the D.C. Circuit. They've said, in their trademark apocalyptic manner, that he would appoint a nine member Supreme Court with Senatorial support that was all white, all male, all Republican and with little to no credentials. That he would open internment camps for Arabs in the United States, and put people in jail without trial for trumped up terrorism charges, or that he would put CIA cameras in every home (no doubt with air support from black helicopters and UFOs), and so on. But President Rumsfeld has rose above all of these expectations, and appointed the most diverse Supreme Court in the history of the United States with the appropriate qualifications as well as a range of ideological backgrounds.
This is perhaps best exemplified by the new Chief Justice of the United States, Janice Rogers Brown. Chief Justice Brown is an African-American woman who served as an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of California since 1996, with a public legal career stretching back to 1977. She upheld the state of California's ban on semi-automatic rifles despite her opinion on the matter, in a clear example of judicial impartiality.
She is one of four women- count 'em, four women- on the Supreme Court. The others are Associate Justices Alice M. Batchelder, Edith Jones, and Deanell Tacha, who all served as judges on the various United States Courts of Appeals (Sixth, Fifth and Tenth Circuits respectively). They were received unanimously along with Associate Justices John Cornyn, (49th Attorney General of Texas and Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court) and J. Michael Luttig (Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit).
There were also two firsts for the court: the first Latino-American and the first Asian-American court justices. The former, Associate Justice Emilio M. Garza, was a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit who is reportedly happy to continue working with his longtime colleague Edith Jones on the Supreme Court. The latter is Associate Justice Viet D. Dinh, a Harvard alumni, Co-Director of the Joint Program in Law and Business Administration at Georgetown University Law Center, and a member of the Supreme Court bar. He was born in Saigon when it was still known as South Vietnam in 1968, making him one of the youngest justices to be appointed and the first one to be foreign born since the tenure of Justice Felix Frankfurter (1939-1962).
The last confirmation vote was for Alberto Gonzales, who would be the second Latino-American to be a Supreme Court justice, and previously served as an Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and the 100th Secretary State of Texas. A small group of Senate Republicans began a filibuster against the nomination, as National Review magazine, Focus on the Family, and other bulwarks of conservatism made their case to the public, alleging that a vote he cast in a single case in the Texas Supreme Court was enough to make him 'pro-choice'.
President Rumsfeld addressed them in a press conference today, saying, “I call upon all of my friends in the Senate to realize that we are just trying to reassemble our national government, and that we must have a broad range of opinions on the Supreme Court to service us, including those we might disagree with.”
A real partisan shill, that Rumsfeld.
PART IV: 03/14-04/16
THE PRENATAL CITIZENSHIP ACT SIGNED INTO LAW IN NORTH DAKOTA
From: The Washington Times
Published: March 14th 2001
North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has signed into law the Prenatal Citizenship Act after its passage in the state legislature, following the announcement of the conservative Supreme Court appointees. The most controversial provisions of the bill extend citizenship to fetuses at conception, with exceptions for rape or incest, and if birth would threaten the life of the mother. Numerous protesters have already announced that they will not abide by the law and appeal its legality for what is likely to be round two of Roe v. Wade.
“This assault on abortion rights will not be tolerated,” stated Kim Gandy, President of the National Organization for Women, “because civil rights and human rights are the foundation of our democracy, and NOW is determined to maintain them for all women.”
“This will not prevent abortions if that's the aim of this new legislation,” said Silvia Henriquez of the National Abortion Federation, “it will only increase illegal, unsafe abortions for women who have no where to go.”
Governor John Hoeven was skeptical of these arguments, “abortion abridges the rights of our youngest citizens, who deserve to be protected by our laws just as much as their mothers. Furthermore, I have little sympathy for those who attempt to defy the statutes of this state."
Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, said that “Kansas has taken the first steps towards a healed nation, a nation that respects the faith of its people more, as well as the sanctity of life no matter how young and helpless.”
HOW THE U.N. FUMBLED BIN LADEN'S CAPTURE, ALLOWED IRAN TO INVADE AFGHANISTAN
From: The New York Post
Published: March 16th 2001
The feel-good liberal solution to regime change, the United Nations Interim Forces in Afghanistan, had evidently fumbled in their attempt at capturing or killing Osama bin Laden, as he released a new tape taunting the United States and its allies today. An inside informant has gone on the record to say how the Blue Helmets failed to nab him.
He tells us that in the opening of the intervention on February, the CIA did all of the heavy-lifting for the UNIFIA in the intelligence department, intercepting communications and pinpointing bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountain range. In our cross-hairs was the architect of the worst attack on the United States in all of history, an event that claimed over 4000 lives in one horrible day.
So at first, the United States proposed dropping GATOR mines, like it had used to great effect in the Persian Gulf War, to trap bin Laden and his forces in the area. But the largely European commanders of UNIFIA refused. Pressing on, when we were within 1500 meters of bin Laden, and the scant few Americans on the ground wanted to hone in, the native Afghan troops weren't on board with following through because they were afraid of the potentially superior al-Qaeda forces. So they fell back.
And so on.
Meanwhile, the key Afghan provincial city of Herat was flooded with Iranian Revolutionary Guards, as their air force bombed key Taliban targets like communication facilities and tanks. Their presence was met with fanfare from the Shia Muslims in the area, including regional warlord Ismail Khan, whose “voice called for revolution” in the words of a military commander in the area. Ismail Khan then granted amnesty for Taliban soldiers on the condition that they don't disrupt the new order of things, which they have heeded for now.
UNIFIA looked at this and basically said 'good job', but what I see is a Iranian eastern buffer and protectorate, with a consequent change in the locus of power in the Middle East. This even seems to contradict their mandate to protect the sovereignty of Afghanistan, as well as its mandate to protect its people. Ismail Khan has long been accused of ruling the region like a personal dictatorship, complete with the human rights abuses. Does he or will he submit to the authority of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, to the United Nations? Are they willing to press the issue?
What's clear here then, is that the United Nations cannot win a war or conduct one. The United States has shown, in the aforementioned Persian Gulf War, that it can.
The U.N. will only continue to let the situation in Afghanistan deteriorate, as other nations think it's open season to set up the pieces for their next war. I shudder to think what terrorist thugs will replace the Taliban in Iranian Herat, and when the next Inaugural Attacks could happen. The United States should act swiftly to insure that it doesn't.
POST-INAUGURAL VIOLENCE AGAINST MUSLIM AMERICANS
From: The Chicago Tribune
Published: March 19th 2001
I've never felt as helpless as I did when watching the Inaugural Attacks on the television. I shouted at the equally helpless victims, failing to realize the futility of it all. We've all been feeling that sense of a world seized from our hands, taking it upon ourselves to wage what President Rumsfeld has been calling the “War Against Violent Extremists”. It's worth asking, however, if our long-cherished liberties aren't being trampled by an angry mob seeking retribution.
A disclaimer first, before my more patriotic readers accuse me of unfairness: Neither President Rumsfeld nor President deLeon have been especially zealous in their counter-terrorism policies, and that's not really surprising. Neither had a firm grasp on the presidency, and many of their partisan peers see them as outsiders, gleefully awaiting a chance for them to slip up so they can have the spotlight. Rumsfeld in particular has several issues with his charisma that he'll need to improve upon if he wants to keep his power. The public, too, has been rife with conspiracies that the Republican Party had arranged the Inaugural Massacres to get into power or enforce upon the United States a totalitarian state, likely compelling Rumsfeld to moderate the tone of his policies. Through executive action he hasn't mandated much more than for the Treasury to freeze the assets of suspected terrorists, as well as beefing border patrol, and ordering the creation of the FBI's No Transport List and the Terrorist Screening Center.
Nonetheless a national class action lawsuit, to be prosecuted by the ACLU, has been filed centered around at least twenty-six confirmed instances of plain clothes police officers entering mosques and placing surveillance equipment, often with warrants obtained for dubious allegations of suspected terrorist activities. This happened throughout Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin, in addition to hundreds more claims of this happening in homes as well.
There's also been an uptick of legally sanctioned anti-Muslim violence. On January 23rd, Amjad Sharif, a Sociology professor at Indiana University, was walking to his car when two police officers tackled him to the ground, beat him (leaving visible welts), and detained him overnight without any evident wrongdoing. The law enforcement officials have been absolved of any criminal negligence in the Indiana court system.
This is nothing when compared to the infamous “terrorist defense” given in one recent Missouri court case. On February 2nd, Kyle Stevenson, an unemployed 23 year old St. Louis resident, shot a Sikh man named Hardeep Singh in broad daylight while at a Burger King. Stevenson claimed that he saw Singh reach for a 'detonator', and in his own words, “he was going to blow us all up and I thought, 'Jesus Christ, I need to stop him!'”. Stevenson was acquitted of murder in the second degree and faced no prosecution thereafter.
Was Stevenson really acting under the belief that Singh was a terrorist? Perhaps. But that does not change the fact an innocent man had to be sacrificed in service of that belief, that worldview. It's one we would do well to be weary of.
THOUSANDS DETAINED SINCE JANUARY; THOUSANDS MORE DEPORTED BY INS
From: The Los Angeles Times
Published: March 21st 2001
NATIONAL MALL RALLY FOR A "NATIONAL UNION PARTY"
Published: April 4th 2001
A large crowd assembles at the National Mall under an overcast sky with a bit of the sun peaking in. To the west, the Washington Monument; to the east, the visible ruins of the Capitol building. A 32 year old woman from Utah hands me a flier, adorned with portraits of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter surrounding an eagle clutching the American flag with bold, red and blue font declaring: “National Union Party: United We Stand”!
I had been vaguely aware of it before, but this odd arrangement of modern political figures juxtaposed with one another as if belonging to a common pantheon made me realize something with a new sense of lucidity: the Inaugural Attacks haven't just been a new impetus for hatred and violence; it's also bequeathed to us a new, shared political iconography within living memory, and a large political vacuum to fill with that worldview in mind.
In these hallowed and historic grounds, a rather strange coalition of celebrities and political hopefuls have announced the creation of the “National Union Party”. Colin Powell, the Secretary of State appointed by the late George W. Bush before being controversially dismissed by Donald Rumsfeld, was one of the stars of the show.
"Some might look at the ruins of our Capitol, and see only the tragedy of a United States unable to protect itself at a crucial moment," said Powell to an audience of thousands, "but I know that there's more to the story here. The one told in our anthem, what Francis Scott Key saw during the bombardment of Fort McHenry: that our flag was still there. That we can rebuild our nation, just as we helped rebuild Europe following World War II, and just as we restored the Union after the Civil War.
"This is not just a site of mourning. This is the place where we will continue to better the lives of the American people, and the world, through our unwavering devotion to democracy."
He shared the stage with noted actor Sylvester Stallone, who gave a short and somber address, "I know some of you are probably wondering what I'm doing here. It may surprise you to know that I'm here because the late President Bush had invited me to his inauguration. I witnessed the terrible aftermath of those attacks firsthand, and ever since then, I've been wondering what I should do with those horrible memories of what had happened. And I think this is it."
Chuck Norris and Ricky Martin were there for similar reasons and gave a few brief remark each, while Arnold Schwarzenegger directly announced what many of the other guests are hinting at for themselves, "I'm going to run for the House as a member of this party. I could not be happier with the people I see in it so far."
Political and pop culture celebrities weren't the only guests, however. They were joined by Senators Joe Frank Harris (D-GA), George Busbee (D-GA), Jill Long Thompson (D-IN), Richard Griffin (R-MI), John Ashcroft (R-MO), and Matt Salmon (R-AZ), who delineated the proposal in a more Washington-friendly manner.
“It's got everything both parties like: nationalism for Republicans, and unions for Democrats,” joked Senator Harris. “But seriously, the National Union Party won't just host career politicians; they'll also be everyday folks seeking political office: hard-working, reasonable, and proud of their country.”
“To be extremely clear what we hope to achieve with the National Union mandate: I don't really want to see winners and losers in these particular House elections, given the tragic circumstances that caused them,” noted Senator Thompson, “and so we sought to make something like what Lincoln made during the Civil War, or what Churchill had during World War II. Or rather, sought to expand upon a foundation laid by the many hands of past Congressmen and Presidents.”
Senator Salmon was more succinct: “After all the red tape is gone through, voters will see “NU” next to one House candidate's name but no 'R' or 'D' for any of them. Elections for state offices will remain unchanged.”
Perhaps not in all states, however. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington are the first states who have had state legislatures pass laws against renaming or creating parties shortly before a special election in response to the announcement of this very rally.
Many hardliner Democratic Senators are also decrying the move, claiming a Republican conspiracy to “capture the currently right-leaning electorate with appeals to moderation” so they can have “total government control”, in the words of Senator William Sorrel (D-VT) yesterday.
An amendment has also been made available for ratification that would enable “state legislatures to appoint a delegation to the House, with the same party affiliations as those who once held the seats, in any event that claims more than half of the sitting Congress”. The aforementioned state legislatures were the first to sign off on it.
“It's abundantly clear that they made this proposal now, as opposed to way back in January, to dispirit us in pursuing our National Union dream,” said Senator Ashcroft to our reporters today. “But we can rise above that. George Washington lived in, and then yearned for, an America without the division and fervor that comes with party politics. I hope that with the National Union Party, the character of a candidate is seen as more important than the letter next to their name."
NASA LAUNCHES 2001 MARS ODYSSEY
From: The Chicago Sun-TimesPublished: April 7th 2001
DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS FILE AGAINST NEW VOTING LAWS, CLAIM CONSPIRACY
From: The Washington Post
Published: April 16th 2001
Yet another lawsuit has been filed by Democrats, although now they have some help from Greens and various third parties who have accused state legislators of violating the Due Process Clause in their new voting regulations. I'm not sure if the reality of a Rumsfeld Supreme Court has sunk in for these people, but their main gripe is that in many states a party has exactly 70 days before the election to register if it didn't receive more than 10% of the vote last time, on top of the preexisting prerequisites (often involving a certain number of signatures); this was likely done to prevent a left-wing centrist party to rival the National Union Party from popping up. But as they say about glasshouses and throwing stones, a similar lawsuit was also taken up by National Union supporters against the restrictions on renamed or newly minted political parties, and the proponents for the latter are thoroughly mixed up with the movement to pass a state legislature appointment amendment.
There are rather sound rationales for the special elections to be essentially canceled in favor of appointment pursuant to their proposal, among them the noxious smog of fear and jingoism smothering all real debate, but many liberal supporters are doing this out of a deep-seated sense of paranoia.
“They want to make this a one party state,” said Sarah Lumberman, a Democrat running for Washington's first district, “with a Republican Supreme Court, President and Congress. An unholy trinity of politics, born from their coup d'etat.”
The phrase 'coup d'etat' has been popping up with increasing frequency in left-wing circles in relation to the Republicans. Where many can see crass opportunism, others are able to puzzle out a conspiracy to replace the government under the watchful eye of a conservative cabal.
“Ask any well-informed person: the Bilderberg Group orchestrated the Inaugural Attacks,” said Jacquelyn Moore, a member of the Democratic Party in Vermont seeking election, “they're pinning it on Arabs to whip up hate, and to further their imperialistic agenda in the Middle East. It's Afghanistan today, Iraq tomorrow.”
PART V: 04/26-05/26
SUPREME COURT RULES THIRD PARTY RESTRICTIONS UNCONSTITUTIONAL FOR THE 2001 SPECIAL ELECTIONS
From: The Indianapolis Star
Published: April 26th 2001
In a unanimous decision, the freshly appointed Supreme Court has ruled that many restrictions on ballot entry for third parties were a violation of the First Amendment, but only for the 2001 special elections.
Chief Justice Janice Brown: “The 2001 special election cycle is irregular, and the result of an unprecedented tragedy. Consequently, no new party organizer could have been prepared to make arrangements for them, and many of these new laws unfairly burden them coming out of the gate. As such, regulations for ballot access should relate purely to the amount of popular support they have at the lowest reasonable threshold, without reference to arbitrary time restrictions, for these particular elections.”
Acknowledging that there is likely to be further litigation over this definition, Chief Justice Brown set the 'lowest reasonable threshold' for ballot access petitions at “no more than three percent of the total votes cast from the last House election if they didn't meet that last time”. This was thought to be too precise in the concurring opinions of Supreme Court Justices Alice Batchelder and Viet D. Dinh, thus having “the air of legislation”, despite both agreeing with the overall legal rationale.
[...]
NATIONAL UNION AND REFORM PARTIES ACHIEVE WIDESPREAD BALLOT ACCESS
From: The Washington TimesPublished: May 2nd 2001
THE SECOND COMING OF NEWT GINGRICH
From: The Wall Street Journal
Published: May 11th 2001
He's back!
“I hope this new chapter in American history will not only be marked by tragedy,” said a somber Gingrich to the press today, “and I think it will take someone who has extensive political experience to help marshal in the next generation of Congressmen. People like Senator Dole or Jack Kemp, who I hear is also running for the House, and, if the people of Georgia see to it, myself.”
OKLAHOMA BOMBING TERRORIST TIMOTHY MCVEIGH EXECUTED
From: USA TodayPublished: May 16th 2001
TOP CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE NATIONAL UNION PARTY AND THE REFORM PARTY
From: Center For Responsive Politics
Published: May 17th 2001
The non-competitive promise made between both parties has become something of a third rail, if the heavy public backlash to the partisan appointments made to the Senate were any indication. Nonetheless, the Democratic Party is beginning to face competition from the National Union Party and the Reform Party, both of which have made no such pledges. As such they've received millions of dollars from donors that we've identified as solidly Republican in the previous election cycle. It's believed that the centrist posturing of these parties have made them especially attractive for contributors, while the Reform Party is more likely to receive donations from right-wing ideological hardliners. The Republican Party itself has wisely opted to not directly fund either party, and has continued to honor its commitment to its pledge.
Top 10 PAC Contributors
1. National Association of Realtors
2. National Auto Dealers Association
3. National Beer Wholesales Association
4. American Medical Association
5. National Association of Home Builders
6. United Parcel Service
7. Associated Builders and Contractors
8. Credit Union National Association
9. American Bankers Association
10. FedEx Corp
Top 10 Soft Money Contributors
1. Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America
2. Microsoft Corp
3. Freddie Mac
4. Philip Morris
5. American Financial Group
6. AT&T
7. Bristol-Myers Squibb
8. Pfizer
9. Ameriquest Capital
10. Enron
ANTHRAX LETTERS: “SECOND WAVE OF ATTACKS”
From: Chicago-Sun Times
Published: May 18th 2001
“The United States has experience a second wave of attacks from Al-Qaeda and their allies,” said President Donald Rumsfeld from the Oval Office today. “At least nineteen people have come down with infections from letters laced with anthrax, a deadly bacteria known to have been used in the Iraqi biological weapons program. They were addressed to our Senators, the members of our free press, and eventually claimed the lives of hard-working post workers who simply wanted to be able to feed their families.”
He paused for a few moments, before continuing with a voice of deeper resolve, “I thus strongly urge the United Nations to begin new weapons inspections in Iraq, to determine their role in this matter if any. Finally, I urge all Americans to have faith in their country, as the FBI and the CDC are doing everything in their power to bring these violent extremists to justice.”
STORMY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL NEGOTIATIONS; FRANCE, CHINA, AND RUSSIA OPPOSE MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAQ
From: USA Today
Published: May 24th 2001
THE NEXT JAMES CAMERON? INSIDE THE MIND OF PEARL HARBOR'S MICHAEL BAY
From: Entertainment Weekly
Published: May 25th 2001
Almost overnight, Director Michael Bay has been catapulted to the highest echelons of Hollywood with his critically acclaimed box office monster, Pearl Harbor. He's taken the time out of his busy schedule to discuss the inspirations and techniques that have contributed to the resonance of this romantic and historical epic for our readers.
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPECIAL ELECTIONS, 2001
From: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Published: Present Day
The 2001 United States House of Representatives special elections were mostly held on May 28th (Memorial Day), just 126 days after the Inaugural Attacks. In the latter event, thousands of people lost their lives, including the President and all 535 members of the Congress. The elections were thus overshadowed by the issue of terrorism, with a muted campaign atmosphere marked by mourning that inhibited negative campaigning or partisan debate, in favor of national unity themes. Nonetheless, an estimated $4.4 billion dollars was used to finance the candidates, the most spent on record for an off-year election and nearly two and a half times more than the amount spent in the 2000 congressional races.
Building upon the aforementioned theme of unity, the National Union Party was founded in a large rally at the National Mall on the fourth of April, with keynote speakers including Colin Powell and six sitting Senators from both established parties. The National Unionists often worked as blue-collar workers, pastors, or teachers and were typified as “Washington outsiders” with little prior political experience and thus no voting record or history of public statements aside from overtures of social conservatism and support of organized labor. They have been described as “nationalist”, “populist”, “producerist”, “Third Way” and as a “radical center” by various academics and news organizations. The Reform Party campaigned similarly, and aided by a new flow of funding from those who would have otherwise contributed to the Republican Party.
The results of the May 26th 2001 special elections were as follows:
(↓3) 218 Republicans
(↓64)148 Democrats
(↑44) 44 National Unionists
(↑25) 25 Reformists
The Democratic Party experienced the largest decrease in representation in the House since the elections of 1938, while the National Unionists and Reformists saw historically notable gains. The Republican Party possessed the slimmest majority maintained in the House of Representatives since the 72nd Congress of 1930. Nonetheless, Newt Gingrich (R-GA) was made the new Speaker of the House and Jack Kemp (R-NY) became the House Majority Leader.
The National Union and Reform Parties subsequently cooperated to propose a sizable number of reform proposals, including campaign finance reform, congressional term limits, a national initiative and referendum mechanism, abolition of the electoral college, minimum wage as congressional and presidential pay, among others. Almost all of these bills died in either House or Senatorial committees, and aside from those proposals the Reform Party almost always caucuses with the Republican Party, while the National Union Party consistently vote with Republicans on social issues (e.g. gun control and environmental legislation), and Democrats on certain economic issues (e.g. labor unions and corporate regulation).
House of Representatives party affiliations by congressional district:
Alabama
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6:R, 7: D
Alaska
At-large: R
Arizona (+2 Ref., -2 D)
1: Rf. (gain), 2:R, 3:R, 4:R, 5:R, 6:R, 7:Ref. (gain), 8:R
Arkansas (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: Ref. (gain)
California (+5 NU, -5 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: Republican, 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: R, 12: D, 13: D, 14: D, 15: D, 16: D, 17: D, 18: R(gain), 19: R, 20: D, 21: NU (gain), 22: R, 23: NU (gain), 24: R, 25: R, 26: R, 27: D, 28: D, 29: D, 30: D, 31: D, 32: D, 33: D, 34: D, 35: D, 36: D, 37: D, 38: D, 39: R, 40: R, 41: R, 42: R, 43: D, 44: R, 45: R, 46: R, 47: NU (gain), 48: R, 49: R, 50: R, 51: R(gain) 52: R, 53: D
Colorado (+1 NU, -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: NU (gain)
Connecticut (-1 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: D, 4: R, 5: R
Delaware
At-large: R
Florida (+4 Ref., -4 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: Ref. (gain), 4: R, 5: Ref. (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: D, 12: R, 13: R, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R, 17: D, 18: R, 19: D, 20: D, 21: R, 22: R, 23: D, 24: Ref. (gain), 25: Ref. (gain)
Georgia (+3 Ref., -1 R, -3 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: Ref. (gain), 12: Ref. (gain), 13: Ref. (gain)
Hawaii
1: D, 2: D
Idaho
1: R, 2: R
Illinois
1: D, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R, 9: D, 10: R, 11: R, 12: D, 13: R, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R, 17: D, 18: R, 19: R
Indiana (+3 Ref., -3 D)
1: D, 2: Ref. (gain), 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: Ref. (gain), 8: R, 9: Ref. (gain)
Iowa
1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4: R, 5:R
Kansas (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: Ref. (gain), 4: R
Kentucky (+1 Ref., - 1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: Ref. (gain), 5: R, 6: R
Louisiana
1: R, 2: D, 3: R,4: R, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D
Maine (+1 NU, -1 D)
1: D, 2: NU (gain)
Maryland
1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R
Massachusetts
1: D, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D
Michigan (+2 NU, -3 D)
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: NU (gain), 11: NU (gain), 12: D, 13: D, 14: D, 15: D
Minnesota (+ 1 Ref., -1 D)
1: R, 2: Ref. (gain), 3: R, 4: D, 5: D, 6:R, 7: D, 8: D
Mississippi (-1 D)
1: R, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D
Missouri (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3:Ref. (gain), 4: D, 5: D, 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: R
Montana
At-large: R
Nebraska
1: R, 2: R, 3: R
Nevada (+2 NU, -2 D)
1: NU (gain), 2: R, 3: NU (gain)
New Hampshire
1: R, 2: R:
New Jersey
1: D, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: D, 7: R, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: R, 12: D, 13: D
New Mexico
1: R, 2: R, 3: D
New York (+ 3 NU, -1 R, -1 D)
1: R, 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: NU (gain), 5: D, 6: D, 7: D, 8: D, 9: D, 10: D, 11: D, 12: D, 13: R, 14: D, 15: D, 16: D, 17: D, 18: D, 19: R, 20: R, 21: D, 22: D, 23: R, 24: R, 25: R, 26: R, 27: R, 28: R, 29: R
North Carolina (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: D, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: R, 12: D, 13: Ref. (gain)
North Dakota (+1 NU, -1 D)
At-large: NU (gain)
Ohio (+2 Ref., +1 NU, -4 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: NU (gain), 4: R, 5: R, 6: Ref. (gain), 7: R, 8: R, 9: D, 10: D, 11: D, 12: R, 13: D, 14: R, 15: R, 16: R 17: Ref. (gain), 18: R
-1 D
Oklahoma (+1 NU, -1 R)
1: R, 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: R
-1 R
Oregon
1: D, 2: R, 3: D, 4: D, 5: D
Pennsylvania (+ 4 NU, -6 D)
1: D, 2: D, 3: R, 4: R, 5: R, 6: NU (gain), 7: R, 8: R, 9: R, 10: R, 11: NU (gain), 12: D, 13: NU (gain), 14: D, 15: R, 16: R, 17: NU (gain), 18: NU (gain), 19: R
-2 D
Rhode Island
1: D, 2: D
South Carolina
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: D, 6: D
South Dakota
At-large: R
Tennessee (+1 Ref., -1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: R, 4: R, 5: Ref. (gain), 6: D, 7: R, 8: D, 9: D
Texas (+ 4 Ref., +5 NU)
1: Ref. (gain), 2: NU (gain), 3: R, 4: NU (gain), 5: Ref. (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: R, 9: NU (gain), 10: D, 11: NU (gain), 12: R, 13:R, 14: R, 15: D, 16: D, 17: Ref. (gain), 18: D, 19: R, 20: D, 21: R, 22: R, 23: R, 24: D, 25: NU (gain), 26: R, 27: D, 28: D, 29: D, 30: D, 31: Ref. (gain), 32: R
Utah:
1: R, 2: D, 3: R
Vermont (+1 D, -1 I)
At-large: D (gain)
Virginia (+2 NU, -1 I, -1 D)
1: R, 2: R, 3: D, 4:R, 5: NU (gain), 6: R, 7: R, 8: NU (gain), 9: D, 10: R, 11: R
Washington (+ 4 NU, -4 D)
1: NU (gain), 2: NU (gain), 3: D, 4: R, 5: R, 6: D, 7: D, 8: NU (gain), 9: NU (gain)
West Virginia
1: D, 2: R, 3: D
Wisconsin
1: R, 2: D, 3: D, 4: D, 5: R, 6: R, 7: D, 8: R
Wyoming
At-large: R
PHASE TWO: RECONSTRUCTION
PART I: 05/30-07/16
AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE
From: The 108th Congress
Published: May 30th 2001
108TH UNITED STATES CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
Joint Resolution
To authorize the use of United Armed Forces against those responsible for violent extremists who have attacked or are conspiring to attack the United States.
1ST SESSION
Joint Resolution
To authorize the use of United Armed Forces against those responsible for violent extremists who have attacked or are conspiring to attack the United States.
Whereas, on January 20, 2001 and thereafter, acts of war were committed against the United States and its citizens by violent extremists; and
Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate for the United States to take measures in protecting its citizens both at home and abroad from threats to the national security and foreign policy posed by these grave acts and
Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution to deter and prevent acts that can threaten the public safety: Now, therefore, be it,
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
The joint resolution may be called the ''Authorization for Use of Military Force''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES
(a) IN GENERAL-
The President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations or persons determined to have planned, authorized, committed or aided terrorist attacks against the United States, or harbored such nations, organizations or persons, in order to prevent such acts of terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
(b) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS-
Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authority pursuant to section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution for the duration of the national emergency initiated and extended following the attacks on January 20, 2001.
Approved May 30, 2001
A POLICE STATE IN ONE LAW: THE DEFENSE ACT
From: American Civil Liberties Union
Published: June 3rd 2001
In a distressingly short amount of time and with little to no debate on its provisions, the Deterring, Embaying and Fighting Extremists by National Security Enchantment (DEFENSE) Act was passed by 265-170 in the House of Representatives and 64-36 in the Senate, before it was signed into law by acting President Donald Rumsfeld. Although ostensibly written to protect the people of the United States from terrorists (in the over broad parlance of Rumsfeld, “violent extremists”), it may serve to eviscerate many of our civil liberties and constitutional rights.
A summary of its major provisions:
- The creation of the United States Domestic Defense Court (DDC), which can issue warrants and hand down verdicts of terrorism or violent extremism, the judges of which are exclusively appointed by the President (with the consent of the majority of the Senate).
- The power for the President to prohibit any financial transactions and seize any asserts that are believed to have been used or are being used by terrorists, with approval from the DDC.
- The authority granted to the National Security Agency to conduct human espionage, and a new mandate to “wage the WAVE on the home front”.
- The ability to have anyone tried ex parte and in camera (privately and without all parties present) if the basis for any violent extremism accusation is classified information.
- The power to revoke the civil rights of any person who is found guilty of “committing, or conspiring to commit, acts of violent extremism” by the DDC, while remaining in the jurisdiction of the United States.
- The power to attain “any material item” in a terrorist investigation, even if there is no proof that it's related to terrorism.
- The ability for the government to obtain intelligence surveillance orders that do not identify the tapped person or facility.
- The empowerment of law enforcement to conduct searches in a home or office without ever informing one of an issued warrant.
- No civil liability for groups or individuals which turn over private information to the government related to alleged terrorism.
- The indefinite detainment of suspected terrorists in a “Violent Extremist Detention and Incarceration Center” (VEDIC), to be established in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, with the possibility of expansion in other locales.
Almost all of these provisions have a sunset clause embedded in for January 20, 2005, but it's nonetheless strange to us that such a broad, obviously draconian law like this could have ever been passed. The dynamics on the floor may be responsible, as entrenched party leaders like Newt Gingrich solemnly argued its merits in a nonpartisan way, while many of the (presumably inexperienced) Congressional freshmen were reluctant to challenge their elder colleagues. Opposition to the DEFENSE Act was also conflated with liberalism, and neither the Reform or National Union Parties wished to pigeonhole themselves in such a manner (although 21 National Unionist Representatives voted against it). The recent anthrax attacks, as well as the public pressure for Congress to do something to prevent further terrorist incidents, could also be contributing factors.
We fear that the DEFENSE Act may be abused in the future to quell political dissent, and we sincerely hope the members of Congress will repeal the provisions of this law before its' too late.
THE WAVE BUDGET: DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS
From: The Washington Post
Published: June 9th 2001
The long overdue budget for the United States federal government has been passed after much behind the scenes haggling between Acting President Donald Rumsfeld, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and President pro temp. Bob Dole.
"It is sometimes necessary to tighten our belts when we're facing these kinds of crises," explained President pro temp. Bob Dole, "and to wage the WAVE. Nonetheless tax reform and relief for the American people is on the horizon, and to be debated in the upcoming weeks."
WAVE, or the "War Against Violent Extremists", is just one of the many new Rumsfeldisms that have been peppering the speech of Republicans in the House.
Nonetheless, this is not Rumsfeld's brainchild. Many of these reforms were proposed by Representatives Ed Crane (NU-CA), chairman of the Congressional Budget Office and President of the Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, and supported by David Koch (NU-NY).
These belt-tightening measures include:
- 50% reduction to all foreign aid across the board.
- Shuttering of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program, Food Stamps and school lunch programs.
- Sharp reduction of funds to The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
- A complete overhaul of the Forest Service, essentially making it a glorified firefighting team for the wilderness.
- Billions of cuts in scientific and alternative energy research.
- Reductions to rental subsidies, public housing, and community development.
- Provisional privatization of numerous public park places, aside from some of the most famous (e.g. Yellowstone Park), as well as Amtrak and perhaps of most interest, NASA.
- Reductions in federal unemployment insurance as a whole.
- Drastic reductions in the Small Business Administration, the Export-Import Bank, and the Arms Corps of Engineers.
Attempts to provisionally privatize the United States Postal Service, reduce agricultural, corporate, and educational subsidies or end federal highway aid were debated out of the budget, and a source of delay in its passage. Thousands of federal employees have taken to the streets in response, but to little avail.
FOUR VEDIC DETAINEES ADMIT TO ANTHRAX LETTERS, IRAQI CONNECTION TO AL-QAEDA, INAUGURAL ATTACKS
From: The Washington Post
Published: June 25th 2001
"Four violent extremists, now being detained at VEDIC-Guantanamo under the authority of the United States government, have each, independently confessed to the fact that they were responsible for the Anthrax letters," said Secretary of State Frank Carlucci at a press conference today.
"They have also verified that the government of Iraq helped to fund and train al-Qaeda militants, including those involved in the Inaugural Attacks. This confirms existing intelligence we've gathered on the matter, while being individually attested to without knowledge of the other testimonies."
President Donald Rumsfeld expounded upon the ramifications of these findings in one of his increasingly common primetime addresses to the nation, "Although we have caught the perpetrators of the anthrax attacks, there is little joy to be found. It fills me, and likely many around the world, with dread to know with certainty that Saddam Hussein possesses biological weapons. My sincere hope is that the international community rises to the challenge of ensuring that further attacks like this do not happen again in the future."
U.S. WAR PROPOSALS AGAINST IRAQ HEMORRHAGING AT THE UNSC
From: Chicago Sun-TimesPublished: July 10th 2001
"What American President Rumsfeld wants is a blank check to invade Iraq," said French Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Védrine, "and I will not sign it!"
This was the conclusion of a speech received with applause on the floor of the United Nations, in reaction to tabled resolutions that would give the United States international legal grounds to head a military intervention in Iraq.
"The evidence presented to us is of doubtful veracity, and dubious grounds for military intervention," related Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
"The Americans are barreling towards war and jumping to conclusions at a speed that is dizzying," said United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "We should not be so hasty in matters as grave as these."
Many members of the council called for an international taskforce to appraise the situation and report back to the United Nations as to whether or not a military intervention would be justified.
IRAQ SHOOTS DOWN AND KILLS AMERICAN AIRMAN
From: WhiteHouse.gov
Published: July 16th 2001
President Donald Rumsfeld:
“My fellow citizens, at 11:45 am on Friday, July 13th 2001, while flying over the skies of Basra, Iraq, a U.S. airman was shot and killed by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile.
His name was Oscar Gomez, a 47-year old father of two who has served his country for most of his life. Iraq's totalitarian dictator, Saddam Hussein, had offered $14,000 for anyone that could shoot down American or allied aircraft, and it's believed that the person or people behind this unforgivable act of war have collected this reward.
Myself, and all freedom-loving persons in the United States of America, are not of the opinion that terrorism should be rewarded. These assaults against our liberty, from the letters coated in anthrax to the Inaugural Attacks to the murder of an American soldier for doing a job entrusted to him by the United Nations, must be stopped before the lives of more innocents are taken.
We have engaged, with great patience, in diplomacy. Let no one say that the U.S. hasn't explored every avenue to resolving crisis after crisis in a peaceable manner, because we have. But all of these efforts have failed, because we are not dealing with peaceful men. We are dealing with violent extremists.
Violent extremists, so long as they possess the means to achieve their ambitions by murdering innocents, whether it is through chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, threaten the peace, security and freedom of everyone not only in this country, but in all nations.
Pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force, the War Powers Resolution, and the right to self-defense found in the United Nations Charter, the United States and her allies have undertaken an operation to expand its mandate in the War Against Violent Extremists, and liberate all Iraqis from Saddam Hussein's regime of terror. This will not be a war without sacrifices, as no such thing exists. But it is better that we intervene now, before more innocents will be forced to pay for our lack of resolve with their lives.
Thank you, and God bless America.”
PART II: 07/20-09/27
SCATHING CRITIQUE OF THE CASE FOR WAR IN IRAQ FROM TOP OFFICIALS
From: The Guardian
Published: July 20th 2001
A damning open letter from the National Security Council, with assent from the leadership of the FBI and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirms that there is no connection between the Inaugural attacks, the anthrax attacks, and Iraq. Its principal author is Richard A. Clarke, chief adviser for the United States National Security and the Chairman of the Counter-terrorism Security Group, with experience in his field that goes back to 1985.
“The oft cited confessions given by those four VEDIC detainees are false,” said Chairman Clarke, “because there is absolutely no evidence suggesting that the government of Iraq had any substantive contact with al-Qaeda, or the operatives that perpetuated the attacks during the Presidential inauguration, or that they had involvement with those with the anthrax."
FBI Director Dan K. Webb concurred, and stated that the anthrax attacks were likely “internal and personal”: “we cannot foreclose the possibility that this was a domestic terrorist incident, perpetuated by someone with a professional background in the subject.”
However, this is exactly what the Rumsfeld administration has done. “They said 'you can't work on this anymore, it's classified, it's a national security issue',” explained Director Webb, “before they took it out of my hands and gave it to the NSA.”
Shortly thereafter, 100 vials of anthrax spores at the Iowa State University were destroyed with explicit NSA approval. A variant of the “Ames strain” first found in Texas was among those samples, despite being implicated for at least one death in the anthrax attacks.
“We don't know if the NSA requested them to be destroyed, or simply assented to it, but either way they have mishandled or even obstructed a very important investigation crucial to the health and security of our nation,” said Director Webb.
General Henry Hugh Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed the letter and added his own criticisms:
“[Oscar Gomez] was in a U-2 aircraft, typical of our reconnaissance sorties over Iraq. These planes are designed to fly extremely fast and extremely high, at over 70,000 feet, to avert this type of tragedy,” said General Shelton, “and I want to know who was negligent enough, or even malicious enough, to allow it to happen now."
When pressed on what he meant by 'malicious', he stated: “During the tenure of President Clinton, I was approached by a member of his cabinet who asked me if I would allow one of my guys to fly low enough and slow enough to be shot down [so] that we can go to war in Iraq. I refused, saying that 'we don't operate like that here in America.' Maybe we do now.”
'I HAVE NO TIME FOR CONSPIRACY THEORIES': RUMSFELD ON HIS CRITICS
From: The Washington Post
Published: July 24th 2001
“Look, I understand” said President Rumsfeld, “these people were in positions of authority during the Inaugural attacks and the anthrax attacks, so they feel responsible. They want a scapegoat, and I have the unfortunate distinction of serving that role for them.”
He gave one of his trademark toothy grins and continued with a more hardened expression, “But I strongly resent the implication that I somehow ordered Gomez to his death. I did not, and I have no time for conspiracy theories, nor the patience.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and General Henry Hugh Shelton had since resigned from his post after signing the controversial letter which called into question the rationale for war in Iraq, and his remarks suggesting that the shoot down incident may have been a deliberate provocation on part of the United States.
The principal author of the letter, Chairman Richard A. Clarke of the National Security Council was dismissed, while co-signatory and FBI Director Dan K. Webb has remained in his post. The latter charged that the NSA had impeded justice by taking over the anthrax investigations and then consenting to the destruction of valuable evidence.
“I also sympathize with how hard it can be to watch others do an incredibly important job that demands your unique competence. It's how I felt all through out the deLeon 'administration,” he said, with a brief chuckle.
[…]
HOUSE DEMOCRATS UNSUCCESSFULLY PRESS FOR IMPEACHMENT
From: The Los Angeles Times
Published: August 1st 2001
INSIDE THE FALL OF BAGHDAD
From: Time
Published: August 12th 2001
RUMSFELD AT CAMP FALLUJAH: “THE INVASION IS COMPLETE”
Published: August 27th 2001
RUMSFELD SIGNS THE LIBERTAX INTO LAW
Published: September 5th 2001
“I'm the acting President of the United States and a college graduate, and I have had to rely on accounting firms to discern if my tax returns are accurate,” said President Rumsfeld at Independence Hall today, “and this is the case for many Americans. But my hopes are with LiberTax to make the U.S. tax code fairer and easier to understand, allowing my fellow citizens who sincerely want to pay what they should able to do so.”
The LiberTax has been a long time in the coming, languishing in Congress since June with the scattered contents of a dozen other tax reforms stitched into it like Frankenstein's monster. Many National Unionists, Reformists, and a sizable faction of Republicans hoped to pass a straight flat tax. The two most readily available options on the table were the FairTax, replacing all taxes with a flat sales tax, and the Armey-Shelby Flat Tax, which would give Americans the option to file pay a simplified tax at a combined rate of 20% their gross income.
However, much of the planning for the current proposal was set up in 1995 to 1996 by the Kemp Commission, where current Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, House Majority Leader Jack Kemp, and President pro tempore Bob Dole worked together in a Congressional committee with the goal of reforming the tax system. Many of its broad stroke recommendations have been passed down into the LiberTax.
Among its most notable provisions:
(1) The establishment of a single tax rate at 20%, which can only be raised with assent from a two-thirds majority of the Congress.
(2) Abolition of the federal gift and estate taxes, as well as on interest, dividends and capital gains.
(3) Deduction of Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes for workers, while employee fringe benefits are taxed without exemption.
(4) Transition rules to protect profits from existing investments, through interest deductions and the allowance of unused depreciation write-offs.
(5) Generous tax credits for dependents and families, allowing some lower-income people to be exempted from the tax rolls.
But one would be remiss without noting its most extolled feature, as championed by President pro temp. Bob Dole:
“Your taxes can now be done on a paper the size of a post card, without the assistance of an expensive accountant.”
“The tax-hiking regime of big government and spending has been completely demolished,” said Speaker Gingrich, “and it won't be coming back.”
COLLAPSE OF TAX INDUSTRY, THOUSANDS OF IRS EMPLOYEES PREPARING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
From: The Washington Post
Published: September 7th 2001
LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ
From: Saddam HusseinPublished: September 19th 2001
Praise be to Almighty God, and to the great Iraqis with whom resides the good and glory of a heavenly civilization. We have long carried the torch of scientific and technical progress, resisting Zionist, Iranian, and imperialist aggression in ways that none thought possible of a Third World Arab state. The martyrs who fought to repel the American invasion are still among your own families and your own people, because those who are killed for the sake of God are not dead, but alive under His blessing.
The leaders of Americans are often foolish people, who don't understand anything in this world unless it is within their own borders. The United States has thus struck Iraq with a poisoned dagger, because their hands bleed from the thorns it has sown onto the world. Perhaps it is so that only Americans can go from shaking your hand to bombing your country.
And indeed, nothing has caused me more sorrow in these passing months than the destruction of Baghdad. The looting and burning of the National Museum, the lack of sanitation and clean water for its people, the perpetuation of poverty despite bountiful resources. All of these have weighed heavily on my heart. But I call on you all not to hate them, because it blinds the eyes and closes the mind. Do not harm those American citizens who must abide by the word of their leaders. Instead, take solace in the fact that the Iraqi people were given their nation as a gift from God, so that when they fall, they always rise again.
Long live Iraq! Long live the Iraqi people!
BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ
From: BBC News
Published: September 25th 2001
Just months after a multinational coalition including the United States and the United Kingdom overthrew Saddam Hussein, the Iraqis are already taking charge of their own government and, with allied support, their own security.
Leading the charge in building democracy in the region are the twelve members of the Iraqi National Authority (INA). The INA is a deliberative body hat consists of exiled and marginalized opposition groups of Hussein's regime tasked with drafting a new constitution, holding a referendum for its adoption, and then conducting free elections. The parties with representation in the provisional legislature are the Iraqi National Coalition (4), the Kurdistan Alliance (4), and the Islamic Council (4).
The apportionment of the INA ensures that no party possesses a controlling majority, while maintaining parity in the ratio Shi'ite and Sunni members with a sizable Kurdish representation. This was the product of the conditions placed upon the INA by the Multinational Supervisory Council (MSC).
The MSC is not a de jure part of the INA, but they're nonetheless a powerful group which facilitates funding and armaments, on the basis of the demands found in “Iraqi Instrument of Surrender”, which calls for “the creation of a democratic republic in Iraq, which respects the rights of its citizenry and observes international law”. Billions of dollars of aid are expected to be channeled through the MSC, while American and British troops are expected to stay and assist the INA in maintaining the security of the nation. Among its other demands are war crime tribunals and most controversially, opening up the country's oil resources for Western businesses.
One of the first attempts to fulfill these demands while establishing a line of demarcation between the INA and the regime of Hussein is Provisional Resolution 3, which formally disestablished the Ba'ath Party and the Iraqi Army by persecuting the top administrators and commanders, while granting amnesty to the rank-and-file members and soldiers. Many are expected to continue their employment in the public sector under the new government in a textbook example of bureaucratic inertia. It was passed 7-5 after several tie votes and over harsher legislation that would have called for everyone from the top to bottom being barred from the new military and government.
Parties and Point People of the Iraqi Reconstruction
The Multinational Supervisory Council- The INA technically engages with the MSC voluntarily, with its generous funding and armed support for the new government contingent upon the fulfillment of the conditions in the Iraqi Instrument of Surrender. Extensive conferences with the World Bank and the United Nations are scheduled for December 2001 to better develop, as well as expand upon, the on-going reconstruction efforts. The constituents of the MSC are extremely dynamic, but its two Executive Directors are firmly entrenched in its infrastructure.
Jay Garner (United States): A retired Lt. General from the U.S. Army who lead efforts in protecting Kurdistan after the Gulf War with Operation Provide Comfort; he later became the president of a defense contractor called SYColeman, and he's credited with pushing the most for self-government in Iraq as opposed to a military occupation by the invading forces.
Tim Cross (United Kingdom): A Major General of the Royal Army Logistics Corps, with wartime experience from the Troubles, the Gulf War, and the Kosovo War; in the last, he had the responsibility of directing the agencies and refugee camps that formed in its aftermath.
The Iraqi National Coalition-Formed from the Iraqi National Accord (1991) and the Iraqi National Congress (1992) oppositional parties, which welcomes democracy, human rights and calls for secularism and liberalism as well as an independent judicial branch in the constitution.
Iyad Allawi (Shia): Announced the creation of the Iraqi National Accord, and worked clandestinely with the CIA from 1992 to 1996, receiving over $11 million dollars in aid to overthrow Saddam Hussein from the inside.
Ahmad Chalabi (Shia): Founded the Iraqi National Congress, bringing in over $97 million from the United States after he successfully lobbied for the passage of the Iraq Liberation Act in October 1998.
Falah Hassan al-Naqib (Sunni): Trained in the United States as a civil engineer, and the son of a 1970s defector from the regime who lived in exile; he was also slated for an appointment to the presidential council of the Iraqi National Congress in November 1992.
Mohammad Bahr al-Ulloum (Shia): A dissident that served as the head of the Ahul Bayt Center in South London and the third member of the proposed INC council.
The Kurdistan Alliance- A very loose union of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (1946) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (1975) that calls for self-determination through the autonomous Kurdish Regional Government; it can be described as both centrist and populist.
Masoud Barzani (Sunni): The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party with control of the Northwest Kurdish zone after fighting the PUK before the conclusion of the Washington Peace Accords in 1998; he is the son of Mustafa Barzani, the revolutionary founder of the KDP.
Jalal Talabani (Sunni): The founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in 1975, and lead armed resistance against Iraq for Kurdish independence before working closely with the United States, United Kingdom and France to negotiate a ceasefire with Iraq in 1991. Despite the past enmity between the KDP and the PUK, both helped to coordinate a partnership with the multnational invading forces.
Kosrat Rasul Ali (Sunni): A member of the KDP since 1975 that frequently fought with forces on the ground in Kurdistan against the Ba'athist government, serving as a commander in the Kurdistan civil war from 1996-1998; he was also the second prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government among other high ranking positions.
Barham Salih (Sunni): Joined PUK in late 1976, and headed up its foreign relations department in London; he also attained a doctorate in statistics and computer applications in engineering from the University of Liverpool in 1987.
The Islamic Council: A Shi'ite caucus between the Islamic Dawa Party (1958) and the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (1982) that champions God and the religious provisions of Islam as the foundation and limit of legislative authority.
Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim (Shia): The son of Grand Ayatollh Mushin Al-Hakim, and a leader in the Safar Intifada of 1977, with various imprisonments under the Iraqi government in 1972, 1977, and 1979 before going into exile in Iran in 1980; he was a founding member of the Supreme Council or the Islamic Revolution in Iran (SCIRI) along with his brother and headed up the Badr Brigades.
Mohammed Baqi al-Hakim (Shia): An agitator for the Shia population and blamed for the February 1977 uprising in Najaf, leading to life imprisonment before his sentence was commuted in July 1979; he escaped to Iran in 1980 and co-founded SCIRI with his brother.
Ibrahim al-Jaafari (Shia): Joined the Islamic Dawa Party in 1968, and worked actively since 1974 to usurp the Ba'athist regime; he left for Iran in 1980, before becoming the London spokesman for his party and the anti-Ba'athist movement in 1989.
Nouri al-Maliki (Shia): Became a member of the Islamic Dawa Party in the late 1960s, and was outlawed for out in 1979; he lived as an exile in Tehran from 1982-1990 and then in Damascus from 1990-2001, where he worked as a senior party leader and cultivated efforts to topple Saddam.
IRAQ NATIONAL AUTHORITY COMPROMISES ON PRE-HUSSEIN REPUBLICAN FLAG
From: Chicago Sun-Times
Published: September 27th 2001
PART III: 10/04-12/30
LOCAL ELECTIONS HELD IN NAJAF, IRAQ
From: The Guardian
Published: October 4th 2001
SADDAM HUSSEIN CAPTURED BY U.S. FORCES
Published: October 17th 2001
SENATE RATIFIES IRAQI-AMERICAN TREATY; RUMSFELD, DOLE, GINGRICH, POWELL ATTEND WITH IRAQI LEADERS
Published: October 25th 2001
Six members of the Iraqi National Assembly (INA) have assembled at Independence Hall to witness the ratification of the peace treaty between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America by the Senate.
“This generation is going to be the audience of a beautiful event we've witnessed in Eastern Europe a decade prior,” said President pro temp. Bob Dole, “which is the death of a despotic dictatorship, giving way to the birth of a new republic in the world, founded upon the principle of liberty and justice for all of its peoples.”
“Iraq is the birthplace of civilization,” said Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi National Coalition, “and I can thus assure the people of the United States that we have plenty of experience in self-governance that precedes us.”
Ahmad Chalabi, of the same national political caucus, said: “we are very grateful to the United States for liberating us from that tyrant Hussein, but its time for the Iraqi people to run their affairs.”
The two major points of this treaty were the declaration of the cessation of hostilities between the two nations, and a pledge of support from the United States in the face of internal disorder and external aggression when such is requested by the Iraqi government, or to maintain “a democratic form of governance”. This treaty is the legal successor to the earlier Iraqi Instrument of Government, signed between the United States and nominal representatives of the former Hussein regime before its constitution was repealed in full by the INA.
“We are not interested in nation-building,” said President Rumsfeld, “because that it is not a task to be accomplished by Americans, but the people of Iraq. Democracy is not always orderly, and the expression of new found freedoms can seem like lawlessness to unsympathetic observer. But stability and peace follow when political changes can be affected not by terrorism, but by vote.”
Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich expounded more upon this in his own remarks to Congress: “What we're primarily interested in doing is putting Iraqis back at the center of this equation, as opposed to the U.N. or even the U.S., because we can trust that most Iraqis don't want a return to a brutal, murdering, raping dictatorship. Most Iraqis want order, and they want to be in charge of their new found independence.”
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, dismissed under controversial circumstances, made an unexpected appearance at the event after being invited by House National Unionists with general approval from their Republican colleagues. He compared the efforts of national reconstruction with those in the United States following the Inaugural Attacks, and stated that “the U.S. constitution was drafted after approximately 100 working days, and we believe that the people of Iraq can have similarly swift success in their endeavor to forge the basic law of their country.”
IRAQI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: CONSTITUTION BY JANUARY, ELECTIONS BY JULY
From: BBC News
Published: November 9th 2001
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE LEAVES TWO SHI'ITE MEMBERS OF THE INA DEAD
From: The Guardian
Published: December 7th 2001
The two brothers who led the “Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq” Shi'ite political party, Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim and Mohammed Baqi al-Hakim, were killed by a bomb while on an off-business trip in Najaf, Iraq. Upwards of 115 other people were also claimed by the explosion, and the perpetrators remain unknown and at large.
“The SCIRI is viewed as an internal threat to Sunnis and the nation of Iraq by some violent extremists in this country because of their affiliation with the Shi'ite sect of Islam, and the nation of Iran,” said Jay Garner of the Multinational Supervisory Council, “but this not an excuse, just an explanation, for these horrendous and inexcusable act of political violence.”
“We grieve for them, and struggle to temper our anger with a commitment to our efforts to build a blessed new republic,” said Ibrahim al-Jaafari, of the same faith and political caucus as those claimed in the attacks, “and our resolve in doing so has only be strengthened.”
Jalal Talabani, founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, said, “these assassinations do not frighten us, and it will not affect the representation of Iraq's diverse political, religious and ethnic groups in the council. Two members of the SCIRI party will be appointed with haste, and these terrorists will learn that violence is no longer an effective political tool in this country.”
THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS ROE V. WADE, UPHOLDS ABORTION BAN
From: Washington Post
Published: December 30th 2001
With surprising speed in its acceptance of the case and then its deliberation, the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and unanimously upheld the Prenatal Citizenship Act, passed in March of this year at North Dakota, in the landmark case Planned Parenthood v. North Dakota. Chief Justice Janice Brown stated, “the ruling given in Roe v. Wade was a farce from beginning to end giving an ad hoc justification for dismissing societal values and anointing themselves the final arbiters of traditional morality. It went against centuries of precedent, and I consider it the among the low points of the entire Supreme Court's history.”
Heading off any possible legislative counters to be proposed by any future Democratic Congress, she maintained that the Equal Protection Clause and “all constitutional rights” are “applicable to all citizens, no matter if they are inside or outside of the womb, even without this particular piece of legislation.”
A concurring opinion from Associate Justice Alberto Gonzales did not hold that the Equal Protection Clause would be applicable to fetuses without according legislation. “Where life begins is not as settled of an issue as Chief Justice Brown maintains,” said Associate Justice Dinh, “but there is nothing objectionable in the Prenatal Citizenship Act or like legislation.”
DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe has used this ruling as an opportunity to reemphasize the legislative agenda for his party, “our goal now is to re-establish the separation of powers in our federal government, through the reform of the current Rumsfeld Court.”
"I find it incredibly ironic that the Democrats are complaining about the Supreme Court arbitrating these issues," said North Dakota Governor John Hoeven.
It appears likely that other states will be passing similar abortion legislation, barring possible judicial reforms.