Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) has introduced a bill that I think it’s important everyone know about.
You may remember that when then-candidate Barack Obama was running for office in 2008, he said, “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”
Don’t believe me?
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Tt2yGzHfy7s[/youtube]
Believe me now?
Well, it seems as if the building blocks may be coming together if Lee has her way. She has introduced a bill that creates a “Department of Peacebuilding.” Seriously. You can read the thing yourself right here. The bill states, “There is hereby established a Department of Peacebuilding, that shall be a department in the executive branch of the Federal Government; and be dedicated to peacebuilding, peacemaking, and the study and promotion of conditions conducive to both domestic and international peace and a culture of peace.”
This is cabinet-level position. Its mission is multi-faceted:
1) the cultivation of peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective;
2) reduce and prevent violence in the United States and internationally through peacebuilding and effective nonviolent conflict resolution;
3) strengthen nonmilitary means of peacemaking;
4) work to create peace, prevent violence, prevent armed conflict, use field-tested programs, and promote best practices in nonviolent dispute resolution;
5) take a proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict;
6) address matters both domestic and international in scope;
7) provide an institutional platform for the growing wealth of expertise in peacebuilding to dramatically reduce the national and global epidemic of violence;
8) support local communities in finding, funding, replicating, and expanding programs to reduce and prevent violence;
9) invest in nongovernmental organizations that have implemented successful initiatives to reduce and prevent violence, both internationally and domestically; and
10) consult with other Federal agencies to apply and practice the science of peacebuilding in their respective fields of responsibility.
That’s taken straight from the bill. You have to read the rest to fully appreciate it.
I found it kind of ironic considering that today the president also released a new Executive Policy memo called “Countering Improvised Explosive Devices.” Naturally, Americans would probably think of what a great and wonderful policy this must be. After all, the majority of our combat casualties in Afghanistan are a direct result of these indiscriminate and powerful explosives. But, that’s not what this policy is about.
A few sections of this memo stuck out to me:
5. Screening, Detecting, and Protecting Our People, Facilities, Transportation Systems, Critical Infrastructure, as well as the Flow of Legitimate Commerce. We will continue to develop and use advanced protection and detection technologies and capabilities by:
• Improving the performance of explosives screening, detection, and protection technologies through prioritizing and coordinating research within the United States and with our allies; and
• Effectively deploying and integrating these technologies and capabilities into our critical infrastructure and transportation systems to decrease the risk of an IED attack while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.
What exactly does this mean to the average driver? What is “legitimate travel?” How exactly is the government going to incorporate our “allies” in domestic protection programs?
The next section is even more worrisome.
6. Safeguarding Explosives and Select Precursor Materials. We will enhance our ability to identify, prevent, and interdict the illicit diversion or transport of select materials used to manufacture IEDs through:
• Promoting mechanisms for industry to better detect, report, and prevent the illegitimate acquisition, theft, or diversion of explosives and related materials;
• Enhancing enforcement of U.S. laws regulating commerce in explosives and materials that could be used as IED components;
• Increasing global awareness of actions to mitigate the use of munitions, precursor chemicals, and other components in IED construction;
• Evaluating methods to further restrict, control, or monitor select dual-use precursors and components; and
• Coordinating domestic and international efforts to investigate, disrupt, dismantle and arrest members of networks involved in the financing and illicit movement of IED components.
What are “related materials?” Common household chemicals could be deemed precursor materials for explosives. For example, hydrogen peroxide, acetone, vinegar, baking soda and even milk can be used to build explosives. Farms use ammonium hydroxide and other chemicals to fertilize their fields. Does the federal government know something we don’t know? Why would President Obama suddenly want to limit these “precursors and components” all of the sudden? We don’t have an IED problem here in America…yet. And if it is a problem, why haven’t the American people been warned about it?
Add to that the fact that the administration is releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants under the auspices of saving money because of the manufactured budget crisis and you have a perfect concoction of conspiracy fodder. Again, read the entire policy directive here.
It ain’t gonna be long folks, the excrement will be flying into the rotary ventilation device….
Seriously screwed up.
Just a note; ammonium hydroxide has been tightly controlled since that Id10T in OK blew up the Murrah Building. I put at least one fertilizer salesman out of business because he was only allowed to have a small amount at a time. This wouldn’t look so bad if it were not for this timeframe, I’m not a doom and gloomer but I feel sorry for my daughter and what she is going to have to live through.
Wow. Another liberal fascist wet-dream.
4) work to create peace, prevent violence, prevent armed conflict, use field-tested programs, and promote best practices in nonviolent dispute resolution;
5) take a proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict;
Hmmm. And what proactive approach will be at the top of the agenda in the “prevent violence” category domestically. I wonder …
9) invest in nongovernmental organizations that have implemented successful initiatives to reduce and prevent violence, both internationally and domestically; and
Oh, goody, we’re going to give more buckets of cash to liberal non-profits.
You know, preventing violence isn’t this hard. If you want to reduce the terrible murder rate in Chicago, the way to do it is crystal clean: PUT GANG MEMBERS IN PRISON. The powers that be in Chicago confiscate lots of guns from felons, but they don’t punish people for it. If they do that, they don’t need new powers, they don’t need to destroy the Constitution, and it will work. The experiences in New York and Boston clearly show how effective this can be. These people are either too stupid or too corrupt or both to do the job.
As a Libertarian, I have three fundamental problems with liberals:
(1) They fail to think rationally, often making fundamental logic errors and failing to understand history.
(2) They fail to take responsibility for their own mistakes.
(3) They constantly promote totalitarianism.
No Scott, I disagree. If we haven’t figured out, as a society, what is being done to us by now, we may well be way beyond the point of return by the time we do. We Are So Screwed.
We sent our best and bravest to endure the IED assaults in the ME, and yes, they were maimed and killed by the thousands, but overall, Americans were complacent during the slaughter, especially when BO was ordering our warriors to walk through the meat grinder. Now, after our troops are departing the perpetual meat grinder of Afghanistan, and our Dear Leader has declared victory over terror, we read between the lines and see the distinct possibility of IED attacks in North America.
How could this be? It might be an indirect result of the last two presidents refusing to seal our Southern border. (Oh, don’t worry about our Northern border, we have that one secure. We have stopped the Canadian invasion, so don’t try to cross that border illegally, you will be in the slammer.) For some undecipherable reason we have found it prudent to overcrowd our prisons with illegal aliens, since they represent one-third of our prison population. While our Homeland Security badgers legal Americans reentering our country, we leave the Southern Border wide open for felons, terrorists, and smugglers, what a quaint system! Headed up by Obama’s quintessential “Yes Man” and resident moron, Janet Napolitano.
Why would Jihadists come to America? Perhaps you have heard of a target rich environment. These cretins have one business, a combination of terror and death. If they bring death to America and cause death, the terror will be so much more effective than killing American service personnel. And all the people who consider their sons and daughters to be above plebeian service in the military may now have the opportunity to see terror first hand.
This is a result of fighting a war not to achieve victory, but to make a megalomaniac appear as a great diplomat. In reality, we tweaked the nose of Jihad, and allowed them the apparatus to gain strength and power in North Africa.
Yes Dear Leader is frantic at the possibility of IEDs going off on the streets of North America and it will be hard for the State Run Media to spin an advantage out of that possibility. Obama plans to stop the IED masters by shutting off the components, how laughable. People who bring in a half ton of weed across the border in trucks are not going to be impeded by Obama’s silly rules. Get ready America, they have probably already intercepted components. Now we will see the advantages of fighting stupid wars and of wasting our best young Americans.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Countdown to CJ being called a batsh*t crazy wild-eyed conspiracy lunatic….3….2……1……..
I agree. That why I included links to the actual text so people can read it for themselves. I’m just publicizing the batsh*t crazy wild-eyed administration. 😉
@johngalt: Whether it’s war or economic downfall, he wants the destruction of this country.
The best defense is a good offense.
Carry a big stick.
Observe the Pax Romana. They ensured peace by being the biggest bully on the block. Those who objected were swatted. Exterminated. Obliterated. Look at Carthage.
Peace comes by being so strong that folk don’t want to risk annoying you.
The entire program is preposterous BS, being laid on us by pacifist dreamers.
Ugh.
A complete waste of tax dollars.
@CJ:
😎
Let me see..
No more prepaid cellphones.
No more chemical coldpacks at the pharmacy.
No more butane devices.
ID required to purchase flour and sugar.
You can go into any truckstop and buy everything you need to build as large and powerful a bomb as you like.
The government is not trying to make us safe, it’s trying to make us compliant.
We are losing the cold war against our own government.
@Skookum: #6
There have been known terrorists caught crossing into the USA from Mexico. How many DIDN’T get caught?
I can’t wait to see what the new department logo will look like. Anybody want to bet it will look a lot like obama’s logo. Did you know that obama is the only president who has his own logo? Remember when he made up the title, “Office of the President Elect?” Anybody want to guess what he wants for his next title?
The fist time I heard about obama saying he wants a civilian security force as strong as the military, I knew he wants it to defeat the military. Maybe now the doubters of obama’s intentions will start waking up. Maybe a few more frogs will jump out of the pan.
What about you liberals? Does this department sound like a good idea to you, and do you mind your taxes paying for it. How much will the budget be? Whatever it will be to start with, you know the amount will keep getting higher.
@Smorgasbord: I think we can assume, the majority escaped detection.
One is more than enough to cause major problems, but if the number is twenty or maybe a hundred, America may suffer exponentially.
@Skookum: #16
obama lets know terrorist walk into the USA. obama wants to take our guns away from us. I’m not the brightest person, but something doesn’t seem right when I put those two statements together. I wonder what could be wrong.