The Underpants Gnomes model to nationalizing economic prioductivity

1.  Draft an executive order on a Friday afternoon.

2.??????

3.  Declare martial law and seize private corporations for "national defense...stuff," leading to... A SOCIALIST UTOPIA!!!


Oh, you think I'm exaggerating?  There are provisions to

assess on an ongoing basis the capability of the domestic industrial and technological base to satisfy requirements in peacetime and times of national emergency, specifically evaluating the availability of the most critical resource and production sources, including subcontractors and suppliers, materials, skilled labor, and professional and technical personnel;

In other words, who's got the biggest production lines, and is making the most money?  Who would be best (most profitable) to seize first?  And what have they got that the government can seize?

"But HH, what has that got to do with nationalization?  And socialism?"

From the horse's rear's mouth, this is supposed to "provide for the central coordination of the plans and programs incident to authorities and functions delegated under this order, and provide guidance to agencies assigned functions under this order, developed in consultation with such agencies..."  Central coordination and economic planning = socialist market.  In other words, the market isn't allowed to be responsive to what consumers want.  You can have what Big Brother tells you that you can have.

"But HH, aren't you being a little alarmist and extreme?  Surely they wouldn't go that far..."

Again, yes, they would.  There are plans in place, articulated by that executive order that was carefully scheduled to be overlooked by the media, to restrict everything from basic necessities to medical care to luxuries to travel to energy usage.

(1)  the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to food resources, food resource facilities, livestock resources, veterinary resources, plant health resources, and the domestic distribution of farm equipment and commercial fertilizer;

(2)  the Secretary of Energy with respect to all forms of energy;

(3)  the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to health resources;

(4)  the Secretary of Transportation with respect to all forms of civil transportation;

(5)  the Secretary of Defense with respect to water resources; and

(6)  the Secretary of Commerce with respect to all other materials, services, and facilities, including construction materials.

"But HH, how in the hell can anyone restrict and ration our access to all that?  This is a big country, after all..."

Tell me this doesn't sound like raising a private army that isn't bound by the Posse Comitatus Act:

Sec. 501.  National Defense Executive Reserve.  (a) In accordance with section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), there is established in the executive branch a National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) composed of persons of recognized expertise from various segments of the private sector and from Government (except full time Federal employees) for training for employment in executive positions in the Federal Government in the event of a national defense emergency.

(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue necessary guidance for the NDER program, including appropriate guidance for establishment, recruitment, training, monitoring, and activation of NDER units and shall be responsible for the overall coordination of the NDER program.  The authority of the President under section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), to determine periods of national defense emergency is delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

To translate from bureaucratese, this basically says that the President can create a federal branch of the Reserves from people with training in critical areas, for deployment by the President and by the Secretary of Homeland Security.  And yes, there will be recruitment, and training, of said reserves.  I would assume that a "national defense emergency" means whatever the President says it does. 

"But HH, if they're talking about recruitment, doesn't that mean it's a voluntary organization?  Won't that mean people will know what's going on and just...I don't know, not volunteer?"

You'd think that, wouldn't you?  However, there also seem to be provisions for keeping an eye on the labor pool, with a possible eye toward drafting anyone Big Brother deems necessary:

Sec. 601.  Secretary of Labor.  (a)  The Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other agencies, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, shall:

(1)  collect and maintain data necessary to make a continuing appraisal of the Nation's workforce needs for purposes of national defense;

(2)  upon request by the Director of Selective Service, and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, assist the Director of Selective Service in development of policies regulating the induction and deferment of persons for duty in the armed services;

(3)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order, consult with that agency with respect to:  (i) the effect of contemplated actions on labor demand and utilization; (ii) the relation of labor demand to materials and facilities requirements; and (iii) such other matters as will assist in making the exercise of priority and allocations functions consistent with effective utilization and distribution of labor;

(4)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order:  (i) formulate plans, programs, and policies for meeting the labor requirements of actions to be taken for national defense purposes; and (ii) estimate training needs to help address national defense requirements and promote necessary and appropriate training programs; and

(5)  develop and implement an effective labor management relations policy to support the activities and programs under this order, with the cooperation of other agencies as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, including the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the National Mediation Board, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

 (b)  All agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary of Labor, upon request, for the purposes of this section, to the extent permitted by law.

In other words, Big Brother is saying, "Be good little proles and volunteer, or we'll fucking draft you."

My dear brother and sister citizens of the United States of America...we are well and truly fucked.  Executive orders stand until subsequent executive orders rescind them.  I cannot see either Romney or Santorum rescinding this order.

Looks like a probable win for the Underpants Gnomes.

ADDENDUM: Let me make a request of all who read this (few though there are): even if you don't link my blog post, please link and make noise about the executive order.  The only reason this was signed and issued on Friday is to make sure it wouldn't catch public attention.  Let's at least make sure he can't accomplish that much.