Unchecked Presidential Power? Yes It’s True

 Unchecked Presidential Power? Yes It’s True

Al Ritter

Does a President have unlimited power to do what he or she wants in time of “emergency?” According to newly released documents by the G W Bush Presidential Library do to a FOIA request, the answer is yes.

The Eisenhower era formed the PEAD system otherwise known as the Presidential Emergency Action Documents. This group of documents were internally devised by the Executive Branch and drawn up ready to be signed at a moment’s notice by the President in the name of “emergency” or “threats to the U.S.”

You must think that certainly the President would have to involve Congress on these PEADs, but the answer to that would be no! These Documents have been very secretive and classified for decades and have never involved Congress.

Of the 500 pages recently released, they show internal documents of the think tank within the Whitehouse and the melding of ideas about their use. Two striking highlights were, when Bush suspended habeas corpus in the detention of prisoners indefinitely at Gitmo. This PEAD stayed intact until the SCOTUS shot it down near the end of Bush’s term.

Another alarming PEAD being discussed was the silencing of ALL communication by media and possibly the entire internet upon threat or emergency.

If this sounds particularly ominous you are correct in your thinking, flash backs to just 1 year ago over Covid-19 spring to mind. Did either Trump or Biden enact a PEAD over Covid? We may never know as that answer might be classified for decades.

What is certain though is the immense power wielded by the Executive Branch on a purposely broad basis.

Video Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZWMLgiOxQ