TOday I noticed a posting on slashdot. It’s title was rather misleading, HOWEVER the content it is still scary. It seems GW issues an Executive Order on the 17th allowing for the Secretary of the Treasury to seize the assets of any US Citizen basically for opposing the Iraq war.
I am not a lawyer, but the language doesn’t seem to be terribly complicated…
all property and interests in property of the following persons, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense,
Basically if I’m reading that correctly… all qualifying parties may have their assets/possessions frozen/seized by the Secretary of Treasury, State and Defense. As for who qualifies for this “right”… well… that a nice long laundry list…
to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of
(A) threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq; or(B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people;
Ok this, by my understanding says… any person/entity (yes that’s corporations too, it is flat out stated that’s what it means a little later) who has committed or intendeds to commit an act of violence in threatening the stability of Iraq or undermining efforts…. can have their assets frozen, and property seized by the secretary of the treasury.
Next we move on to:
to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, such an act or acts of violence or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or
(iii) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.
Basically, if i read this right…. if you offered support, or made any kind of donations, to anyone whose assets have been seized by this order, you too instantly qualify for seizure/freezing of assets. Cute…
ARRRGH
John's Musings 
This makes me very cranky.
The last guy named George who tried to squelch the rights of the American people ultimately lost the American people and wound up tied to a chair in a strait jacket where he couldn’t do any more harm to the public at large. What are the chances of history repeating itself this time?
Is it 2008 yet?