I apologize for adding to the fear factor, but...

Everyone probably heard by now about the "small" bomb that went off in Times Sqare, New York yesterday. Well, today they are reporting that "letters were received by Congressional staffers with photos of the military center "before it was bombed" and claiming "We did it."

Well, what really scares me is when you think of this story in the context of this editorial in Common Dreams.

Follow me after the fold...

Ms. Hartmann writes in Common Dreams that the November election "might not happen." I have been telling people for months that I don't think Bush will leave voluntarily, and I am not the only one. Recently, I started to think Bush would leave office (and not in a straight jacket but) voluntarily. After all, Bush tells us (well, told us in campaign mode) that the job is hard work.

Ms. Hartman writes about the Haliburton contract to build detention camps supposedly for immigrants (of course). And, she writes of the Executive Order that basically turns the whole country over to Bush in the event of "a catastrophic emergency, defined broadly as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions." Of course previous administrations also had emergency plans...." But, we are dealing with Bush and Cheney and Rice and Hayden and McConnell and a whole slew of other really disgusting people, if I can use that term.

Putting these 2 stories together I ask myself: will we see more bombings?  And, if so, is this exactly the sort of "emergency" Bush is looking for? By the way, I, for one, do not believe the bomb that went off in NYC was the work of terrorists. Or, let me just say as Benazir Bhutto put it: whoever set the bomb is merely a pawn of someone much higher up.

I obviously don't have the answer, and I don't mean to cause paranoia but, like the rest of us, I will just have to wait and see.

I think Ms. Hartman does not mean to scare but rather to inform. Hopefully, I am doing the same.

•  Is this March 2004?

  I swear I read almost the exact same diary back then.

  by MLDB on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:29:28 AM PDT

  •  from me?

    by fightorleave on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:34:30 AM PDT

  •  Although I don't recall any bombs going off

    in March 2004???

    by fightorleave on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:35:31 AM PDT

    •  I think the bomber is likely

      some nut driven over the edge by the Bush admin's actions and will eventually be caught and labeled a "leftist/liberal terrorist" opening the door (completely and legally) to surveillance of left leaning organizations and prominent left/liberal people. And will tarnish any associated with left/liberal causes and politics.

      Now that scares me.

      by Pescadero Bill on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:46:02 AM PDT

      •  why?

        what about those whacko anti-gay religious freaks who protest all the soldier funerals?

        what about Oklahoma City?

        sure, it was a recruiting station, but the far right is where most of the whackos are these days. don't freak out yet.

        by theloniously on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 11:09:40 AM PDT

•  Bush is in a similar position as mushareff

  In that if he ever relinquishes power he may be prosecuted for war crimes.  

  Imagine a scenario in which Obama actually becomes President and appoints an honest person as AG.  Suddenly, Bush and a whole host of his cronies will then be vulnerable to the full wrath of the law.  

  Treason against the American people.  

  Conspiracy to defraud the United States.  

  War Crimes...

  Torture....

  The list goes on and on.  As it stands he is in no danger as he holds the sword of the Executive.  Once he no longer has that sword though he is in real, vital danger.  Treason carries a federal death penalty.  

  I for one knew that Mushareff wasn't going to step down and basicaly commit suicide.  The moment he is no longer "President" and a dictator is the moment he is going to be killed.  

  Same for Bush.  He may have to think about what it would mean if Obama ever became President.  It would mean the end of life as he knows it.  This may be unbearable for him and the people in this administration.

  by michlawa2 on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:35:44 AM PDT

  •  Neither of the Democrats whe have running

    will prosecute Bush.  I can say that with almost 100% certainty.  It just isn't going to happen.

    by inclusiveheart on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:57:14 AM PDT

  •  "Relinquishing power?"

    Leaving office voluntarily?

    I think there is a misunderstanding of the constitution:  Bush simply ceases to be president at the end of his term.  There is no stepping down, no leaving office voluntarily, no relinquishing of power.
     
    If by some unbelievable disaster an election is indefinitely postponed (and it would have to be a much bigger disaster than a bombing somewhere) Bush would cease to be president anyway.  The vacancy would be temporarily filled by the president pro-tem.

    If Bush somehow decided that he would not "step down," it would be as meaningless as a 39-year-old man refusing to turn 40.  He'd just be some dude squatting in the oval office, the constitution laying out a clear continuity of government that doesn't include him.

    For Bush to stay in power unelected, you are talking about a full-blown coup and overthrow of the federal government, with the inexplicable cooperation of the nation's military.  I don't think so.

    by Caj on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 09:07:01 AM PDT

•  I would like to say ....

  .... this is far-fetched...  but I would actually not put anything by this administration.

  You will likely hear a lot of "The terrorists want the Democrats to win" crap coming out in the general.  This is patently untrue.  The best recruiting tool the extremists have is a Republican administration that would rather bomb first and ask questions later.

  It would depend on the polling numbers of course, but I am fully expecting quite a few "foiled plots" and increased terror alerts a la 2004 beginning in the early Fall this year.  I believe it was Keith Olbermann who put forth the concise list of of b.s. in 2004... and how little evidence there was to support all of the fear-mongering.  But c'est la vie.. it worked then, the country bought it and elected Bush (not re-elected mind you)...  therefore, I find it entirely plausible that this will be tried again.

  by Jen K in FLA on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:36:23 AM PDT

  •  Try now

    Rather than early fall for "terrorist alerts".

    The top domestic defense military commander ..... He didn't point to any specific intelligence, but says al-Qaida may be plotting more urgently to attack the US to maintain credibility. He says in order for al-Qaida to recruit more, it has to show "tangible results." He says that creates the sense of urgency.

    http://www.digtriad.com/...

    Renuart said he believed groups sympathetic to al Qaeda were operating inside the United States.

    .........
    Renuart said he did not see any direct effort to influence the U.S. presidential election in November.

    "Right now, I don't see a direct threat to any of that activity," he said.

    http://www.reuters.com/...

    by Catte Nappe on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:25:45 AM PDT

•  If bush and his cronies

  tried pulling something like this, people would be right out in the streets. People, in this country, would go crazy. I honestly believe the nation would be in revolt.
       Not one word that comes out of bush's mouth is the truth. People would see this for exactly what it is. We'd rock from side to side.

  by lyvwyr101 on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:37:57 AM PDT

  •  The 30% who believe in St. George

    and everything he "stands" for - and who probably have a high representation of gun ownership - would be out in the streets too, snarling "just what d'you think you're gonna do, lib-boy?".

    Believe me, I'd be on the streets within the hour such an outrage was announced.  But I'd be mighty sad that it would come down to civil war, literally.

    by Man in the Middle on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:44:19 AM PDT

    •  please you would be rounded up within minutes of

      being out on the street. No offense. I might be right there next to you.

      by fightorleave on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:50:37 AM PDT

      •  Well, I wasn't planning on marching right down

        the middle of my street, but I hear ya.

        by Man in the Middle on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 09:18:29 AM PDT

    •  Don't worry

      But I'd be mighty sad that it would come down to civil war, literally.

      The very premise of Bush staying in power beyond his term would require a military coup of the federal government.  As long as the constitution remains in effect, even in its most basic form, Bush by definition is no longer president at the end of his term.  If nobody is there to take his place, the job passes to another elected official by well-defined rules.  

      Who in our government actually has any power to declare  Bush president after the end of his term?  The only way I could see that happening is if the government is genuinely overthrown---and again, by whom, and with what army?  I doubt highly that the US military would actually want an interruption of the US government to seat a dude like Bush.

      by Caj on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 09:20:27 AM PDT

  •  I call bushshit, lyvwyr101

    I say there is nothing that will make Americans protest. I see no reason to believe there is anything that would get Americans to protest any more. And, even if they did protest, so what? There were many thousands who protested before the war in Iraq. A whole lot of good that did us. In Pakistan, the lawyers protested Emergency Rule, but it changed nothing.

    I submit we, in America, would do nothing if Bush declared martial law or declared himself king. Not only because so many would willingly go along with the "big lie" but also because these people no matter how much I detest them have accomplished everything they could have ever imagined and more. They achieved beyond their wildest imaginations. This is just one more thing they would sell to America.

    by fightorleave on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:49:48 AM PDT

•  as somone once said

  "Bring it on, oilboy."  I am tired of this guy trying to make us all afraid, and I say I am not afraid, of him especially.  That does not mean I don't think he's dangerous, or that he could not do me harm.  But I have made a solemn vow to myself not to be afraid.

  You see, these terrorists (amont whom I count Bush and Cheney chief) can't terrorize if you won't be terrorized.

  Am I worried?  You bet.  Am I afraid?  Never again.  As we said in the 60s--"Two rules about the revolution: one, we are gonna get our asses kicked.  Two, we are gonna win."  The fight goes on.

  by kay dub on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:50:31 AM PDT

•  This is based on the premise that

  corporate capitalism has no influence in the White House. What did Bush/Cheney tell us all to do after 9/11..."go shopping". Unless they start using Wallmarts for detention centers...

  by retriever on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 07:58:57 AM PDT

•  Actually...

  Okay we had the little explosion yesterday
  and the news (yesterday) that al quaeda is planning to attack inside the US

  I think Bush is trying to help nominate Clinton.

  Right now,
  Obama is an unknown commodity.  Scared democrats will choose Clinton.

  Republicans will beat Clinton...

  by Lib Noodle on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:17:56 AM PDT

  •  Pissed off Obamaphytes

    could assure a McCain victory. Though it's still hard for me to imagine anyone voting for a guy in his 70's.

    What the hell is minimum retirement age?

    by Pescadero Bill on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 09:13:16 AM PDT

•  THOSE LETTERS .....

  were dismissed as letters stating " We did it " ! from the 2006 Democrats taking the majority . They had nothing to do with the bombing .
  The bomb appeared to be that of an amateur . One of our own "Homegrown" terrorists . Or maybe even a prank .
  They have done much worse at animal testing labs and abortion clinics .

  by ArtfromMI on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:35:07 AM PDT